Wherever You Are,

My Love Will Find You

(by Nancy Tillman)

(NOTE: This is one gift that will be under the tree from Jan and me to our 3 little ones this Christmas. I can bet that right now it won't be the gift that "WOWS" them, but I hope one day they'll appreciate it as I do.)

I found this book a while back and ordered it because it's one of those books that I just can't read without crying...you know, like when I read books such as Love You Forever and Love You Like Crazy Cakes, etc. I'm just a mess before I ever get to the end of the book. The book emphasizes feeling loved and knowing you are loved no matter where you are. I highly recommend it!

On the same note with feeling loved, my hope and prayer this Christmas is that everyone knows the love of Christ. I think as a child, I took for granted the story of Christ's birth. I didn't truly understand what all Mary and Joseph went through, and the super special responsibility bestowed upon them by God. I try to remind myself daily that God has given me a super special responsibility in being the mother of the 3 blessings He has given me. I may not be the mother of the Messiah, but I am mother to Owen, Jonah and Mary Claire. And God has a plan for their lives just as He had a plan for Jesus. I pray every night as I put them to bed that God will help me to guide them, to raise them up to be servants of Him, that he will protect them from any disease, destruction and injury, and that He will guide their paths all their days. I pray they will always know they are loved...not just by their parents, but by God. Wherever they go, whatever they do, they will  never doubt that they are LOVED. 

My Christmas Wish For You:

Dear John Owen, Jonah, and Mary Claire,

I know that one day you will read this. Perhaps when you are grown or maybe one day when you feel troubled and need to hear it most. (I will probably need to read this again one day as well as a reminder for myself.) We all need to hear it said more often than not... "I love you!"

I love you with a love that will never end, no matter what you do or what you say. I love you even when you are angry with me or feel you don't like me because I won't let you do something you think you are big enough to do. I love you when you are learning from your mistakes. And guess what? I am still learning, too. :-)

 I love you enough to tell you no when you need to hear it. I love you so much that I will do my job as your parent to teach you how to live in this world. The world needs to be loved, too. There are so many people who do not know what love is or that they are loved. The world needs to know God's love. My Christmas wish is that you, my children, will know God's love and return His love by believing in and accepting Him. I know that you are still young right now, but I pray there will come a day when you realize God's love for you. He loved you before I even knew you. It brings me comfort and happiness to know that He fit you for me before I had even dreamed of you. He knew we would be together. Only He knows our future together.

His love for you is never-ending. No matter where you go in this world, I hope that you will always feel my love for you, but more than that, God's love for you. 

 I am so thankful for all of you and that God gave each of you to me.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Momma