Looking in the right direction...

This photo was taken a couple of days ago...trying to get them all looking in the same direction for a photo is almost impossible!!!

My verse-of-the-day received today is below. I last read this to the children on 20th Dec 2009 in the hospice when I told them the worst news...we'd agonised for several days over when to tell them. Karena was astounding...we prayed together and all cried together....there's been an awful lot of tears since that day. Our gaze then was to the one who has conquered death and in whose presence Karena now stays. Just over 2 years later, and we're all still gazing at the saviour....he is our focus in everything that we are about....and only He makes any sense of it all.

John 14:1
[Jesus Comforts His Disciples] “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Christmas here we come...

Packing up the car/trailer for the christmas journey was interesting....ever so slightly squashed we were.....

More importantly tho is this...

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Our new house....

A little family Christmas activity....what fun!! It's good making new memories together....

The reason.....

If you haven't seen the Social Networking Christmas (click here !) then you MUST take a look!! Saw it last year and thought it was fab then.....forgot all about it until I saw it afresh this morning....it's really very good!!


Jesus rules and reigns, He rose from the grave, He is the saviour, the counsellor, the comforter, He is the rock, the fortress, He is our strength and our song and of course, He is the reason for the season....
Must dash - we have a mountain of presents to wrap !

Christmas Dinner !

For Christmas Dinner this year we have :-

Traditional Turkey
Pigs in blankets
Carrots...

Christmas Pudding

Holding hands...

This morning, like many other mornings, I awoke holding Ellie's hand. We often go to sleep at night holding each others hand....we seem to instinctively reach for each other as we drift off to sleep...partly we still don't believe that we really have one another (that we are in fact married!!)...partly it's because we've both held onto the hand of somebody we've deeply loved, and it's all been taken away. So we know that we need to make the most of our opportunities and cherish the moments that we have. One day it will all change again - it's very very real to us both.

Holding onto the hand of the one you love is so special....it speaks of companionship, friendship, confidence, security, trust, intimacy.....

Thankfully there is ONE who holds onto our hand through every stage of life, every day, every moment...HIS hand will never be taken away.

Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Psalm 73:23 - Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand

The Quibbler !

So, we were volunteered for an article in the Christmas edition of "Woman" magazine...they wanted to interview a new step family heading into their first Christmas together, and Care for the Family Charity suggested us.

Apart from a couple of Rita Skeeter specials, the article reads generally ok....
Seems a bit strange though to be in a magazine as a new step family heading to Christmas - neither of us had ever expected to be here, and we don't really know what we're doing !!