Christmas Decorating with Daddy and Mumma

     I went to the barn today to help Mumma and Daddy decorate.  Daddy handed me some gloves to help carry the Christmas tree in.  It's about 12 feet tall and very heavy.  He likes to do things at his own pace.  So I have learned to take direction and not rush him.  Thankfully, Joe had put it on the porch so we didn't have to drag it too far.  Daddy was huffing and puffing a bit but up it went.  So fun to hear his commentary.  For those who don't know him, he is sarcastic and goofy all at the same time.   Telling Mom he hoped she only spent $500 dollars on his Christmas present and why doesn't she help him up and down the ladder?  Of course then he started saying," don't make fun of me, you'll hurt my feelings."  "You know how sensitive I am."  He cracks me up because he is the toughest man I know.  You would be hard pressed to find a way to hurt his feelings unless you offend one of his children or grandchildren.  That is one way to hit his sensitive side!  I just so enjoyed him and his banter today. 
      So we got the tree up and then I went to the basement to bring up decorations for the living room.  Mama wanted to do a little bit at a time.  I know I probably didn't place things exactly as she would have but I tried to do my best.  It is frustrating for her not to do it all by herself anymore.  A few years ago she bragged how she had over a thousand lights lit up all over the barn.  No small feat for this little lady!  We had fun though, checking for working lights and admiring old decorations.  One candle still had a Woolworth sticker on it!  She has had it for 50 years! 
     I have to brag, that Mama fried me up so haddock for lunch with mushroom rice!  It was cooked perfectly!  I was hungry after vacuuming up all those pine needles!
     Then we watched The Young and The Restless and wrapped presents.  Daddy had gone out to get milk.  When he came in he told us "I'm losing it" cuz he forgot to go to the bank.  I think he is far from losing it!  He is sharp as a tack!  He strolled to the kitchen and came back with a big smile on his face.  "I got the squirrel in the rat trap!" he said.  "Merry Christmas to me!"  haha.  He told me he baited it with peanuts and didn't set it until the squirrel got used to it.  Then he got him!  What a character!  I love my Daddy!  I always wish I can capture his personality with words.  It is so difficult.  He is an amazing man!  Smart, tough, funny.  Did I mention that I love him?!

How ridiculous that Daddy ended up with this mug at the Christmas Party this year!

 

Thankful for Christmas Party

     Every year we have a family Christmas party at my brother Joe's house.  Jen, his wife is the real party planner.  She really knows how to plan big functions!  Tons of food, activities for the little ones and our annual "Yankee Swap".  You have to be there to appreciate it.  It used to be a fairly manageable crowd.  Some of us siblings got together and we all brought either a joke gift or some prized item that everyone would like to go home with. Like a potato gun, strobe light or Justin Bieber life size cut out.   But over the last ten years as our little ones grew up, the party became bigger and bigger.  This party probably had about 60 + people.  So the Yankee swap has become the "Big Event".  Everyone trying to outdo eachother by coming up with the best or funniest gifts. 
     Since the party usually coincides with my Moms birthday, we have cake and sing Happy Birthday to her.   This year she gave a short speech.  She said, I just want you all to know how happy I am that so many of you are here.  It means so much to me to have all of you together.   I want you to know that "my guy upstairs"  ~God~ is taking care of each and everyone of you!   The words may not be exact but they are close.  Knowing my Mom as well as I do, I know this.  That she spends much time in prayer for her family.  She doesn't sleep well at night so she spends a lot of time talking to the "man upstairs."  We are as blessed as we are because of this praying woman!  There is no doubt in my mind about that! 

Psalm89:1 says this:  "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;  With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to ALL generations.  For I have said Mercy shall be built up forever.  Your faithfulness, You shall establish in the very heavens."  I believe this is what she was trying to tell her family.  All that He has given her in this wonderful family is a direct gift from Him!

  

                                             I think she is quite overwhelmed here.

 Pretty yummy cake!

 

I think Colby was the most enthusiastic singer!~

 

I heard Jimmy tell Colby that he could share his cake with him.  Colby replied "I'm not sharing"
 

These pictures might not be the clearest but they capture all of the craziness and fun!

 

 

 What is Ebonie thinking in this picture?
 

 Alex, Audrey, Emily, Jasmina, Olivia

"The Food Court"

 

 My Big Brothers ~Joe and Jimmy and Lisa

 Andy and Shanni

 Laura and Craig

 My favorite Rednecks

 Daddy enjoying some birthday cake!

 

Devon and Alex

 

Sammi and Olivia

Shanni, Julie and Andy

Mark opening a package containing 5 jars of homemade hot fudge sauce made by moi!

 

Freddy looking oh so impish!

 

Kristy holding the not so coveted peacock candle holder!

 

Daddy is such a good sport about his "prize."

Laura sporting her "I have been "T-bowtized" t-shirt!

Matt displaying his fancy "high heel wine holder", another not so wanted gift!

Jimmy fought to the finish for a box of razors with many refills!

 

Beautiful cousins and friends!

Wow, second cousins Ebonie and Olivia!

 
Plenty of fun and conversation!

 

Mikey and Laura

 

Julie is hastening to pick out her Yankee Swap gift!

 

Finishing out the party by decorating Christmas cookies!

And here is a final blessing on the FitzSimmons extended clan.
 1 Peter 1:9
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.  His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of GOD who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."

 

Thankful for Prayer Day 27

     I continue to be thankful for how God speaks to me in his word.  Even when I only have time for a little bit of Bible reading, I usally am blessed by some verse that I never noticed before.  I know that I can commune with my Lord all day long.  As I go about my day I can offer up prayers of praise and thanks when I see something beautiful.  The other day as I was driving home from work the sky was so clear!  It was getting close to sun down and the full moon was already out.  The sky had various shades of blue, pink and purple and the moon hung there above the mountains.  I marveled at what I get to look at in this amazing state of Vermont.
     I can also be a light for Him as I take care of my patients, converse with them and try to make them comfortable.  I can also offer up intercessory prayers for my friends and family.  As I go through my day and think of different people, I can just say, Lord be with my friend, touch them, strengthen them or heal them.  Prayer doesn't have to be anything formal.  It just has to be from the heart.  He hears me wherever I am at and whatever I am doing.  So thankful for my close relationship to God!

Thankful for my healthy body Day 26

     I was really trying to do a blog a day for 365 days of thankfulness and now I am behind.  The stuff of life gets in the way I guess.  But I am determined to catch up!  Today I am thankful for my healthy strong body.  I have always enjoyed exercising, running, biking and walking.  I love the high I get when I work out and the overall sense of well being.  Having suffered from anxiety and depression for many years I find that exercise really helps so much to relieve that feeling.  Running was my passion but now I find it much more difficult on my joints.  I try to rotate with running , walking swimming in the summer and the ever famous insanity tapes with Shaun T. which have actually strengthened me more than anything else.  It helped me while I was training for the Spartan Race that I did with my family in August!  That has been my biggest challenge and I hope to do it again next year!

Thank you Lord for my healthy body which

 allows me to run and walk and take care of so many things. 

 I am grateful for this and hope to bring you joy! 

Thankful for Forgiveness Day 25

   I am so thankful for the forgiveness that my Savior has shown to me.  Jesus has called me to be his daughter.  All I have to do is come to Him in prayer and confess my sins, admit I need Him and believe that He died on the cross to save me.  That is it!    I prayed this prayer  as a child.  I may have strayed or got angry at God and made mistakes but it never changes His love for me. I still get to spend eternity with Him.  One thing I know is that this forgiveness is real and that He will never leave me or forsake me. 

      This topic  is huge but I just wanted to share something I learned in my church Bible study group on Tuesday.  We looked up this verse about revenge or retaliation when someone has does something to hurt us.  When this happens we usually want to get back at the person and make them hurt as much as we do but that is not what the Bible teaches us to do.  You may have heard this verse before and I think it is very clear!

Romans12:17-21

 "Repay no one evil for evil. 

 Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peacably with all men.

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves,

but rather give place to wrath for it is written

"Vengenance is mine, I will repay", says the Lord.

(and now the hard part)

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, give him a drink.

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good."

     The part that I learned was that when we pray for our enemies and are nice to them  (feed them and give them drinks) we are pouring blessings on them.  The part about the coals which I thought meant that they would be punished is not that at all.  God wants us to be kind to our enemies and in doing so we may have a part in bringing a change about in them.  The coals actually were a good thing back in the days of Jesus.  When people traveled long distances they would carry coals with them so that when it got cold at night they could easily start a fire.  Having coals meant warmth and a way to cook food.  It was a great thing!

     So even though the selfish part of me thought of only vengenance, God is looking at the bigger picture.  That if I can be light and kindness to even my enemies, they will feel the love of Jesus through me and may come to know Him someday also!  So as hard as it is to forgive the ones who have wronged me, I try very hard to do so.  Sometimes I have to ask God to help me.  Sometimes, I have to place this person before the Lord over and over again.  Eventually He will bring it about.  It takes time.  It isn't easy but it is something He has been teaching me this year.  I trust Him to bring good out of even these difficult situations. 
This song by Matthew West called Forgiveness really speaks to me

 





Thankful for this Blog Day 24

     The more I write, the more I want to lately.  I am sure that not everyone wants to read every blog I write but it is good exercise for my mind, fingers and heart.   I was looking through some strangers blogs this morning.  There are so many people who have a story to share and beautiful ministries and families to share.  If I can use this platform to bless my family with encouraging words and pictures and to share the Word of God then it is a wonderful thing.  So I am thankful for this site to store my precious family memories and to share with my family.  All I ask is that "the words of my mouth ( and my writing) be pleasing in your sight, Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer!"  Psalm 19:14

Thankful for God's Revelations Day 23

     I am always amazed at how God speaks to me in His word.  How I will be reading in one part of the Bible one morning and then the Pastor speaks to me from the same chapter at Sundays sermon.  Even the other day, I was in line to get a Red box movie and the lady behind me had a Snow White and her Henchman movie which she offered to me.  She also had a Dopey tattoo.  (that's another story)   The funny part was that the next day at church, my pastor's sermon title was ~"Whistle while you work!" with a picture of the seven dwarfs!  Coincidence?  I think not.  It has all become familiar to me as God's voice.  If you are careful, and thoughtful enough, you will pick up on His Voice, if you pay attention! 
     So when I sat in church Sunday and saw the picture of the 7 Dwarfs on the screen, my ears immediately perked up because I knew that what Pastor Roland had to say was relevant to my circumstances.  I listened carefully to the message and for what He had for me in it!  There was a lot to the message but the part I took for me was that God has placed me in my job situation for a reason.  I am with these coworkers and patients to be His light to them.  To do the work that He has already planned for me a long time ago.  That lately, I have looked online to see other jobs within the hospital but was I really done with the work He has for me here?  The answer to myself was, probably not.  When He is ready for me to move on, He will make it very clear to me.  As God said to Pastor when he had prayed about leaving St Albans years ago ~Is everyone in St Albans saved yet?  Is the work done there yet?  And Pastor Roland realized very quickly that his work was not done yet.  I might think I want to go elsewhere, but deep down I know that it is not the time. 
     You see, that morning before going to church I read in Jeremiah, these verses which had jumped out at me for some reason.  "If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up."  Work has been difficult for me lately but I think God is teaching me something during this time.  He goes on to say,  "Do not be afraid (of the King of Babylon), of whom you are afraid, do not be afraid of him, says the Lord for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand.  And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land."
       I have definitely had a situation at work that makes me uncomfortable and even somewhat fearful at times but I know He will work it all out for good.  I just have to be patient and obedient in the process.  I have to work at my job with all my heart as working for the Lord, not for man because it is the Lord Jesus Christ I am serving. 
     This is only a small example of how God speaks to my heart.  I just try to keep my mind and ears open to Him and to read His word everyday so that I don't miss what He has to say!

Thankful for Grover Day 22

    

     Who wouldn't be thankful for this little face? 

 I am thankful for how much joy this dog brings to my daughter Faith,

who plays with him endlessly.  And I am always thankful for how Grover

 lets me know if someone is coming even if his bark drives me crazy!

Always so Thankful for my Family Day 21

     I am a few days behind on my writing but this week was Thanksgiving and I worked 4 days!  So between getting the house ready for the holiday, cooking and working I didn't blog as much.  But I am so thankful that I do have a huge family that all contributed to the meal.  Our day was amazing.  Gathering together in our kitchen that looked like a mini restaurant on Thanksgiving day was sweet. 
Almost all of us got to sit down at the same time save three of us who waited for a chair.  The children ran in and out of the house because it was such a mild, sunny day.  Ebby sat happily in her high chair for about an hour!  Freddy found a new friend in Brody!  Leah, Nolan and Jake got to catch up on news about old high school friends. Aunty Sue recorded much with her camera!  everyone exclaimed and pigged out over Allyn's amazing chocolate, peanut butter confection.   I enjoyed seeing everyone interacting and playing fisher price with the little ones.  After everyone left we enjoyed watching Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation movie some football and a cheesy Hallmark movie!  Just a plain old good day!

                                             Of course the pictures tell a thousand words!

 

                                                       A happy baby at the end of the night!