We REALLY are sooooo blessed!
The luxuries that we have, I too often take for granted!
The material gifts God has given my family, I too often take for granted
At times though the opposite is true for me, I have a hard time living with the heartache that I feel for the millions in our world who struggle every day just to feed their kids! It is a balancing act for me at times - as I know God wants me to live a life of JOY, yet also one which I tangible live out for Him! I like what Kay Warren writes in "Dangerous Surrender" about there being 3 worlds that she lives within: "her every day world, the HURTING world, and the spiritual world (meaning the spiritual realm)!" Her perspective helps me make sense of what God has revealed to me (and Sam during the last couple of years) ... my heart of being gloriously ruined!!!
So this last weekend was AWESOME and such a reminder to me of the endless amount of tangible gifts that our Father has given us!
We rode the Christmas Train up at Stanley Park (totally reccomend it)!
It is one of our annual traditions!
And it is also one of our traditions with our dear friends ... dear friends who we have been close with since TWU ... who we first met about 16 years ago ... WOW, I feel like I'm getting old =) Maybe I got my math wrong on the 16 years ago piece!
ALL of us had a blast!
And I would have to say I was much happier with this year's display as last year I had to search and search for baby Jesus ... this time I saw several displays of our KING!!!
(We have learned that we all do much better if Kody is on Sam's back ... as otherwise we would be CHASING Kody all over ... =) Kody LOVED all of the lights!
Not only was it Ella's first time at the lights, it was also Ani's first time!And ohhhhhhhhhhhh boy did her sweet mommy and daddy wait many years to bring her to this wondrous celebration! Ani is a DOLL ... soooooooooooooooo adorable and doing sooooooooooooooo amazing! She came home from China this past summer!
The train is a HUGE highlight for our kids ... we are usually counting down days once we buy our tickets! THANK YOU Jesus for this FUN gift!
Here is Bella with one of her bestest friends Ava, and Ava's daddy and little sister ... riding the train!
We truly are SO BLESSED!
"To whom much is given, MUCH is required..." Matthew
Dear JESUS please help me to ALWAYS live a life that gives MUCH for YOU!
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