...across the room to share a cup of JOY!

FAMILY.....it seems I'm still basking in the glow of all the family togetherness we experienced this Christmas and so it seems family is on my mind a lot even after all the festivities have ended and we are all back into life in this new year, 2011.

A number of years before my mother passed away she related to me how different her relationships were with each of her children. Each one was unique and equally special. I could tell she enjoyed the variety within her own family unit. This year I realized how true this is in my own life. My relationship with each daughter is different and so it is with my grandbabies, brothers, sisters and in-laws. My relationship with my husband of course is just simply a one of a kind, soaked in love, blast through life!!

Our latest grandbaby Sawyer is a cautious little guy and because we don't see him on any kind of regular basis we have to work our way back into his life each time we see him. Of course he is only ten months old so it is not surprising he didn't remember our first few visits. When I get as close to him as the above picture illustrates, I seem to forever remember the touch of his little hand on my head because it is such a precious moment complete with those baby gurgles and the lovey look in his eyes! His touch is ever so gentle and soft, yet leaves a lasting impression. As I recounted a few of those moments from this Christmas I thought about the way each family member leaves their touch on my life every time I see them. Each relationship is unique and every family member leaves a particular impression on my life.

We were blessed this Christmas to have a number of friends into our home before family arrived. Some were new friends and others were older relationships. Again, both types left their imprints on my life. I know that I probably will not see a few of these people again until next Christmas and others will become closer because of the connection we made. I realized this year that the tradition of sending Christmas greeting cards is dying out somewhat which means that some long distance friendships will end up being just that with little contact during the year. It saddens me a little but at the same time it is difficult to keep up a friendship without any contact.

I have one particular friend whose initial contact with me has left a life long impression on my life. When we first met I knew it would be a lasting friendship. The commitment from this friend was undeniably genuine, real, and solid from the very beginning. In fact, he made me a promise that he would be with me wherever I go and he has never gone back on a promise yet. I have spent hours with this friend throughout my life time and know him quite well by now. I know I can trust him with all my secrets and he knows me so well he can read my thoughts before I even think them! He makes me laugh some days at how well he knows me. Just like any other friendship though, I get out of this friendship what I put into it. When I don't spend time with him I sometimes feel that he has left and when I spend lots of time with him I see him everywhere I go. He reminds me that he is with me in all kinds of ways. The other day when I was looking for him as I was driving he reminded me he was with me when I headed up a hill and the sun suddenly shone on my face! He seemed to say "You're looking for me? HERE I am! I made this thing you know! When you don't see the sun I'm STILL with you. Look up! Look around you, beside you, underneath you, above you and you will see me EVERYWHERE! Look at the person beside you, across the counter from you, in the vehicle behind you. They are mine too and they are your reminder of me!" My Friend is God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit whom God sent to be my constant companion everywhere I go. My Friend is an open book to me. He WANTS me to know Him and has told me all about Himself in a letter to me.....The Bible! It's pages are filled with His wonderful plans for my life because He wants me to be prosperous and successful. In one place He wrote about the Bible "...meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. THEN you will be prosperous and successful!" (...don't be thinking financial prosperity here...there is so much more to life!)

I was telling someone this morning that with a Friend like THAT how could one not be full and overflowing with JOY all the time! Even in tough times and trials of every kind, He is always with me and sees me through every day. His hand is on me all the time! Oh the JOY!!