Pictures, Tree & Prayer team

We had a time of family pictures early this morning at 8:30. Many thanks to Kelly Park for offering her services humbly. She is a professional photographer whose oldest daughter is in Carter's class. She emailed me last week wanting to know if I would be interested in taking pics. I was brought to tears with her offer. We had taken family pictures about a month ago and the boys did great the placement of people unfortunately was not. We took retakes a few weeks later and the opposite was the case. Not so good smiles with good placement. I am looking forward to viewing pictures that were taken today.

We left the house after the photography session to cut down the Christmas tree. The cold rain was ... well... cold. We chose our tree rather quickly. Soccer Gram came along to take our picture. So glad she did! It is always a event in one way or another cutting down the tree. Last year it was snow with ice and weren't even sure if the tree farm would be open. The country roads were horrible. Dave was driving literally 10 miles per hour or less on the country road which was at least 5 miles long. It made for one long drive to and fro. The kicker of it all last year was realizing while walking to get the tree that I brought the wrong camera. I brought the video cam which was not even charged. Ugh! I was so utterly disappointed. I wanted a good memory picture for the boys to have. I totally remember my feeling of despair having no picture taken from that year of the tree hunt. Ok sorry to dwell on last year. This year was much better. Camera and all. We ended our tree hunt like usual with hot cocoa and candy canes for the boys while Daddy put the tree on the van. Hmmm, we usually get the better end of the deal for we stay in the warm log cabin while he is in the cold making sure the tree is secure. You know, Safety Dave.

2007 Tree Cutting

Stuart and I took about a two hour nap today. Waking up around 4:30ish. It was good to rest. I haven't been able to do that much lately for I cannot seem to rest my mind.

Last night's prayer time was good. Many thanks to all who attended. I will try to compile the prayer requests for the blog sometime soon for I want to add some specifics to Dave's list. I have received an email from someone wanting to have a formal way of making sure someone is praying at all times of the day especially on Wednesday. This is a portion of the email.

"I had an idea this morning and I ran it by Laura....I really felt last night while we were praying that you need to have a team praying 'round the clock, esp. for Wednesday's surgery. I'd be happy to spearhead it, if you wanted to let the blog people know they can email me at (pammywatson at yahoo.com) and let me know what hour or 1/2 hour they would be available to spend the entire time interceding for you. Obviously, in other parts of the world, they may be fully awake while it is night time here! :o) I'd keep the schedule and pen people in, and let you know of any openings. I imagine we'll have many prayer warriors at each spot. We can email them this list from last night which will give them plenty of things to pray about."

I would like to end with the following passages in scripture. Some portions just keep coming to me lately.

Psalm 139: 1- 18, 23, 24

O LORD, you have searched me

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before;

you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand.

When I awake,

I am still with you.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Just wanted to give it to you in Christmas colors since we just cut down the tree. Now we just need to find the time to trim the tree.