Sleep In Heavenly Peace

I've finished by 8th Nativity Set. . . . all except antiquing. I want my children and grandchildren to know that I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I enjoy this season of the year when everyone seems to feel a need to be a little more concerned, kind and generous.

This reading is one that I got back in the '80's when Katie was a baby. I remember memorizing it and reciting it for the girls in our ward as I sat in a rocking chair with her. It is a tender piece and always helps me to remember the "reason for the season". I hope you enjoy it and share it with others. I am not personally acquainted with the author. I appreciate her words and say "Amen" to them.

Merry Christmas Jannah Lynne. .. ...Sleep In Heavenly Peace
Written by Cheryl Adams Ferguson 28 December 1974- 4-:20 am


Here am I., A mother. .
Holding to my breast an infant daughter. .
Twelve days old this Christmas Eve.
As I watch your tiny features,
The miracle of life unfolds itself
Time after time
In your slightest stirring.
You are truly a most wondrous gift.
Tiny and delicate
But full of so much beauty;
You have brought with you such a great measure of love from our
HeavenIy home.
I wish you could remember and express
The activities of preparation in the realm
From which you have come,
For surely, they too celebrate
This day of days, Knowing better than we,
the meaning of Christ's birth.
And all that followed.
As I feel you close to me I cannot help but think of Mary,
And wonder at her strength. I wish the scriptures
had given her a page or two
To share with all the mothers of the world
Those sacred things she pondered in her heart.
Having felt so recently myself the strains of childbirth,
I think of her with wonder and compassion.
How difficult it must have been
To travel on a donkey as she did
Swaying from side to side
Trying to keep her balance
With nothing to lean an aching back against.
Finally, they arrived in Bethlehem
But found no resting place
Where she could get the proper care.
And yet, ..If it were me. .
I think perhaps I would be glad of a stable.
A place apart from the rowdy folk
To privately bear the pain And bear the child.
A place of our own in the ancient land
Where we need receive only those who knew his mission. ..
And believed.
And then the child was born!!
"She brought forth her first-born son
And wrapped Him in swaddling clothes
And laid Him in a manger. .."

How thrilling it must have been for Mary
To hold, at last, the child she had been promised.
What thoughts were hers as she smoothed damp hair upon His head
And watched with awe the tiny babe upon her lap?
I wonder if she was too tired to think
But rested quietly in the bliss
That follows when the
Wracking pain is done.
And joyfully realized
She had born a son,
And wondered at the miracle of Him,
Ten tiny toes. ..
And just as many fingers,
Molded to perfection. .
Though in miniature. .
And artfully assembled In the tiny being.
What did she know that night Of Calvary
Of Golgotha Or Gethsemane?
I hope His final days were not revealed to her as yet,
That she knew only that He had a special mission to perform.
I hope she was allowed As other mothers are
The privilege of dreaming for her child,
The joy of feeling Him And loving Him
And contemplating the miracle of birth.
I hope she had the quiet moments I'm sharing now with you
The rich reward for awkwardness
And discomfort for a few months
And agonizing pain for yet a while.
I hope she could not see in His tiny hand. .
Curled tightly around her finger. .
The prints of a nail.

I hope she could not foresee the breaking of that heart ..
Beating rapidly against the rhythm of her own.
I hope she did not know the rocky sorrowing path
Those tiny feet must trod.
But wept only tears of joy
As she beheld the Son of God.
But rest content, little one,
That other babe has grown And gained the strength to Drain the bitter cup.
And though his life was roughly taken,
To His mother's joy and
His Father's glory
He was lifted up
He conquered death
And through it saved us all.
No one else must suffer As He did.
Our salvation is assured
Because that tiny babe Was born of love
Love great enough to save the world.
That is the message of Christmas Beautiful birth and
Wondrous rebirth, A gift of a son
And of eternal life.
My little daughter
Rest assured these things are true.
The miracle has occurred.
The child has been born The mission fulfilled
And all is well.
No matter what the world Outside is shouting.

This knowledge is your heritage. I give it to you,
As my parents have given it to me.
It is my anchor in a wildly crashing sea. It calms all troubled waters
And sfills my doubting, tired soul with deep tranquility.
I love you And I will keep you tight within the circle of my love,
my Darling daughter My gift and blessing From my Father.

And so this night
All warmly wrapped in Christmas glow
I thank our Father
For His Son
and for the knowledge of His great redemption.
Keep this knowledge with you.
.My little girl,
May it ever light your life
And give you hope and comfort
When I, myself, cannot.

Rest your heavy eyelids And be assured
That no matter what each day of life may bring,
You may take your troubled heart to Him
And He will still it as He did the turbulent waters
on the Sea of Galilee.

So curl your tiny hand around my fingers.
Let me feel you. . Soft against my cheek.
Merry, Merry Christmas
Little girl of mine. .. Remember Him. .
And sleep in heavenly peace.

Grounded, again?

I am referring to little Samuel. Actually, I don't think he is grounded but I was worried there for a moment.
Yesterday I brought out my unpainted nativity set to work on. Sam was over so I got him a plate with brown paint on it, a brush and one of the camels (10 inches long). I told him to paint where the camel's hair would be. I wasn't sure if this would appeal to him, but as it turned out he was very engaged by this project. He did a good first coat and would have gone on to another piece if we had not had to leave the house to go eat (I took Leigh out for Veteran's Day -- by the way thank-you to all who called to thank him for his involvement with the military.) As we told Sammy that he would need to leave because we were leaving the house, he offered to stay there and watch the dogs and paint. Well, we explained that his mom and dad needed him home and it wasn't a good idea for him to be at our house alone. Maybe he could come back later and help me. (By later I meant another day, just to clarify).
We got home from eating about 7:30 or so and I immediately got to work again. I had recorded some NCIS episodes and I was just watching them as I painted; very relaxing and fun. About 9:45 Leigh headed off to bed but I wanted to finish with the purple paint. Soon the dogs started growling and I suspected a skunk. . . but then I was a flashlight and I realized it must be Becky. Imagine my surprise when Sammy appeared at the back door, without a coat with a flashlight!! He very matter-of-factly walked in, shut off the flashlight, came to the table and said, "Which one can I paint Grandma?" "Sam, it's very late, does your mom and dad know you are down here?" "Oh, no the rest of the family went to bed." "If they don't know you are here, you could be in a lot of trouble." Then, because I wanted a witness to this event, I said "Go tell grandpa 'Hi'". Which he did. Leigh then walked him up to his house, where EVERYONE was now up, scouring the house and yard for one little missing boy.
I spoke with Leigh just a while ago and Sam was visiting again so there was no grounding from grandpa's house but I'm pretty sure there will be consequences to pay.

Boo

We actually planted pumpkins so the above event could happen. . .Ironically, as it turned out we only got one pumpkin to mature by Halloween and it was NOT as big as this beauty that our neighbor offered to us. Grandpa and the boys, Sam, Tyler and Ryan did us proud with their skills.

Halloween turned out to be a warm evening, in stark contrast to those previous ones in which you had to wear jackets over your outfit, etc. I stayed home to man the front door, and would have totally been stood up if were not for Tyler, Ryan, Lauren, JJ (Jared) and Caroline. Thanks to them I got to hand out something.

I spent part of last week down in Phx with KT and D's family but mostly at the condo in Sun City helping with a little project that KT has going. I really enjoyed the time there.

Well, tomorrow is election day. I have prayed mightily that the good people of this country will get to the polls and vote. I hope they have studied the issues. . . and the people. I have found it easier to "liken the scriptures unto me", as I see how easily people are swayed by the "charisma" of people. It feels that many values I hold dear are not viewed as sophisticated enough for many of the elite. I'm not sure, . . . but I feel a "pride cycle" coming on.