We never know

Yesterday at church, it was good to see several of my friends' children and grandchildren home for the holidays.  I thought back to the last holiday we had with my parents.   It was Thanksgiving, 2014.

We had no idea, of course, that it would be our last holiday together.  My mother would pass away 10 days before Christmas.  We were so surprised; it was not anticipated at all!  And daddy would pass away in mid-November of the following year.  So 2014 was our last Thanksgiving, and the year before had been our last Christmas with Mom.  Who knew.

Some rememberances of that last Christmas:

kissing Baby Jesus

 Our last family picture

This morning, I received a call from my Uncle Bill that my daddy's youngest sibling, the last remaining one, passed away.  She is now in the Lord's presence.

Aunt Betty is on the far right.

Since they live on the way to our son's home in Arkansas, we would often meet with them at a restaurant, but this past year, we would take along some goodies to share with them.  

I don't suppose any one knew that last Christmas was their last.  It can be sobering to know that it is the last, of course.  When Allen's mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, we knew she would not be alive for our next Christmas.  At least on earth.  She is MUCH alive!  If you have never read John Eldredge's book "All Things New", you should!  Or Randy Alcorn's book "Heaven".  These men studied the Scriptures deeply and wrote about heaven.  Fascinating and so exciting!!  Heaven is not a boring place where we sit on clouds and strum harps!  

We don't know our days, do we?  But the Lord does!

               "Your eyes saw my unformed body;

                                      all the days ordained for me 

                    were written in your book

                          before one of them came to be." 

                                               Psalm 139:16

We may not know, but there is assurance in knowing our life is in His hands.  He watches over us.

Here is how we spent this past Thanksgiving.  With my husband's family:

 Writing down what we are thankful for and putting it on the "tree".

And also with my brother and his wife:

We need to treasure our days with our families whenever we can.  We look forward to our children and grandchildren coming!!  We are counting the days!

It is soon Christmas, the celebration of Christ come to earth to rescue man.   

This is love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to take away our sins.

(1 John 4:10)