Merry Christmas from RiverBend Farm

Thanks so much to all my blogger friends for this past year of sharing your stories...the highs and lows..the joys and heartaches..the births and deaths. Whether your posts were merely meant as a personal journal or inspirational or informative, I thank you for sharing and opening your hearts to strangers. Several of you have no idea what your stories have meant to me. I know in my heart that God has purposely placed you on this earth at a very particular time in your life to post your thoughts that were meant to reach me at a precise time in my life. God is the source of love in all of us. On this Christmas day, I wish to share with all you the love that God has shown. He loves all of us so much that he sent His Son to be born on this earth for a redeeming sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10). Jesus is truly the reason for this season of love and giving.
I pray that all you have a safe and very Merry Christmas,

Yes, we had snow

I did see some real pretty flurries today...more in Bryan/College Station than out here at the farm. And, no, I did not take pictures..I seriously doubt they would show up on the camera. But we did get all the critters tucked in and blanketed. I'll try and get out tomorrow and take some pictures.

Okay..so here's a picture of our lovely Christmas tree..it actually looks a lot better in the picture than in person. One of our friends came over today and was standing there looking at it and finally decided to ask... "Did you just run out of ornaments or are you not finished?" Ha! Ha! Truth is I had it all decorated and here comes Dottie, the cat, and shinnies up the middle of the tree. Great... and, at night, as soon as we turn off the lights, we can hear the ornaments falling and hitting the floor. Forget a tree skirt..all I'm doing is sweeping up broken glass. Yep, I've learned my lesson this year..no more breakable ornaments...I just gave up! Since we just moved into the house, I can't find our traditional ornaments I usually put up...the unbreakable ones. So.. this year we live with lights and redoing garland every morning.

Happy Trails...

Merry Christmas to All

Christmas Eve was a day of preparation. Buddy and I had a list of errands to run to prepare for businesses being closed and tying up loose ends with the builder before the holidays. We had to go buy hay and feed for the horses, separate the chicks and move them out to the barn. We even made a quick run through the grocery store. Then home again last night to a very quiet little RV to do my last minute baking and watch some more Christmas movies. Yes, I seem to watch the same ones and cry at the end of every one of them. My Christmas Eve's have changed over the years. I'm not complaining. I thoroughly enjoy our quiet evening but it gives me time to reflect back over the years. I remember making sure that everyone had their gifts ready, wrapped to perfection and that all the stockings were filled and hung, waiting for the little ones to run downstairs with excitement that Santa had indeed arrived. Now it is time for my children to be filled with excitement as they make preparations for their little ones. Oh, the joy of parenthood at Christmas time.
When I could hardly hold open my eyes, I waited for my movie to end and then bundled up to head for the barn to check on the chicks to make sure they were fairing okay on the first night out in the barn. As I walked out under a clear starry sky, I could not help but think of how Mary had to feel as she traveled to Bethlehem, trying to find a place to deliver this wonderful moving little creature in her belly. How scary that must have been. What faith she must have had. As I entered the barn, I again thought of how Mary must have felt as her belly began to contract with labor and the only place they could find for this miracle delivery was in a barn. There was no one around to help her. It reminds me that when we sometimes are at our lowest point, feeling all alone, we are really never alone. God is always with us to comfort us and see us through all our troubles. And what a gift we've received. Our Father's Son, Jesus, sent to save us all.
So on this Christmas day, I wish everyone a very blessed Christmas.

Happy Trails...