A New Year Can Bring.....

.a Bang!
..Us Misery!
...Hope!
....Challenges!
....Good Fortune!
......True Happiness!
......a Plan to Curb Violence!
........Joy!
.........a New Exercise Routine!
..........Prosperity!
...........Stability!............a New Love!
.............Clarity!............Job!
...........You!
..........Less Wrinkles!
.........You Luck!
........Dinner!
.......a Promotion!
......Health!
.....Resolutions!
....Major Change!
...a Day of Peace!
..a Bright End to a Dark Year!
.Families Together!

John 14:27

Peace I leave you, My peace I give you, I do not give to you as the world gives.
Do not let your hearts be troubled & do not be afraid.

Question of the Moment.....

There is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint on this world.

If our parents die, we become Orphans
If our spouse dies, we become Widow(er)s If our child dies, what do we become?

Psalm 23:1-6

A Psalm of David

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

A sMiLe Is....

.A Frown Turned Upside Down!
..Contagious!
...Worth a Thousand Words!
....The Key to Success!
.....A Curve That Straightens Most Things!
......Worth a Million Bucks!
.......The Same in All Languages!
.........A Hello!
..........Catching!
..........As Big as The Moon!
.........So Simple!
........Kindness!
.......Charity!
......Bittersweet!
.....For a Moment!
....Pleasure!
...Remembered Forever!
..A Card to Pass On!
.A Light in The Window, That Lets People Know You Are Home!

LoVe CaN.....

.Build a Bridge! 
 ..Hurt!  
...Do!  
....Break Your Heart!  
.....Mend a Broken Heart! 
 ......Be an Addiction!  
.......Tear You Apart!  
........Move Mountains!  
.........Make You Blind! 
 ..........Change a Person! 
 ...........Last a Lifetime!
..........Be Everything! 
 .........Make You Happy! 
 ........Keep us Together!
.......Turn on You!  
......Counter Evil!  
.....Turn the World! 
 ....Get You Through!
...Change Your Life!  
..Make You Real! 
 .Be Found in the Most Unexpected Place!

The Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2

An Angel Visits Mary

One day about 2,000 years ago an angel named Gabriel appeared to a young Jewish woman named Mary. Gabriel told Mary she would have a son, Jesus, who would be the Son of God! Mary was confused and worried about this sudden news, but she had faith in God and said, "I am the Lord's servant; let it be as you say."

Journey to Bethlehem


Mary and her husband-to-be, Joseph, lived in a town called Nazareth. But they had to travel to the city of Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. Both Nazareth and Bethlehem are in the country now called Israel. It is about 65 miles (105 km) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and the trip probably took them several days.


When Joseph and Mary got to Bethlehem, there was no place for them to stay because the inn was already full. They ended up spending the night in a stable, a place where animals were kept. There was probably fresh hay on the floor that they used for beds.


That night, Jesus was born. There was no crib, so they laid baby Jesus in a manger, a feeding trough for animals. The manger probably had fresh hay in it and made a nice bed for the baby.

Shepherds Visit Jesus

That night, some shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks of sheep. An angel appeared to them and gave them the good news that a Savior, the Messiah, had been born. The angel told the shepherds they could find Jesus lying in a manger. Suddenly a whole group of angels appeared saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

The shepherds hurried into Bethlehem and found Jesus in the manger, just as the angel had told them. After they had seen Jesus, they spread the news, and everyone who heard was in awe.


Wise Men Visit Jesus

Some time later, wise men, or magi, from eastern countries saw a star in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king. They came to Judea, the region around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to worship Jesus, the new king.

A man named Herod was the king of Judea. He called the wise men to a meeting and told them to find the new king so he could go and worship him, too.


The wise men continued on to Bethlehem and followed the star until it was directly above the house where Jesus was. They found Mary and Jesus in the house and knelt down to worship Him. They brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, some of the finest things in the ancient world. Frankincense was burned to make a sweet smell, and myrrh was an expensive perfume.

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below with tiny light,
like Heavens, reflecting on the snow.
The sight is so spectacular, please
wipe away the tear, For I am spending
Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.


I hear the many Christmas songs that
people hold so dear. But the sounds of
music can't compare with the Christmas
Choir up here. I have no words to tell you,
the joy the voices bring, For it is beyond
description, to hear the angels sing.


I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.
So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear,
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift, from
my heavenly home above. I sent you
each a memory of my undying love.
After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold. It was always most
important in the stories Jesus told.
Please love and keep each other, as
my Father said to do. For I can't count
the blessings or love he has for each
of you.

So have a Merry Christmas
and wipe away that tear, Remember I
am spending Christmas with Jesus
Christ this year.

** This poem was written by a 13 year old Ben
to his mother before he died of a brain tumor.
He died in 1997, and that year his spent his
first Christmas with Jesus.

FORGET ME NOT

Forget me not as you go about your day
And when the winter wind howls my name
Forget me not in the lonely darkness of the night
And in the warm brightness of the sun light
Forget me not in the freshness of the morning dew
And in the spring when life begins anew
For I am in you and you are in me I will always live in your heart
As long as you
Forget Me Not
~ Susan Mosquera

The Tiny RoseBud

The Master Gardener from Heaven above
Planted a seed in the garden of love
And from it grew to a rosebud small
That never had time to open at all For God in His perfect and all wise way
Chose this rose for His Heavenly bouquet
So think of your darling with the angels above
Secure and contented and surrounded by love
And remember that God blessed and enriched your lives too
For in dying, your darling brought Heaven closer to you.
~Author Unknown

 

These are prints of Nehemiah's hands & feet the hospital gave us.

My Forever Child

You are a Precious Child Created out of love, a blessing from above.
I've adored you from the start, and your little footprints touched my heart.
A single teardrop represents the millions I have cried.
My life never the same since you died.
I wish you could have stayed longer with me, I'd watch you grow into all you could be.
Although we are apart, You are always in my heart.
I dream of a joyful time when we will be reunited once again.
Thoughts of you make me smile.
You will always be My Forever Child ~Susan Mosquera

Grief is Ok

Grieving the Loss of a Child

Grieving the loss of a child takes on many forms. For many, grieving is an actual physical, mental and emotional process that can take years to process. For others, grief is more of an internal struggle that is rarely ever seen. Losing a child is one of the worst experiences parents can ever face. So learning to understand their grief is just one step in helping them see brighter days.
When a woman loses her child -- whether it be a baby who died in the womb or one who was 40 years old -- a part of her dies as well.

Grieving the Loss of a Baby

From the moment she receives a positive pregnancy test, this woman starts bonding with her unborn baby. She is the one who senses the flutters, kicks and jabs, as she is also the one who feels the morning sickness, sciatic nerve discomfort and for some, labor pains. In all essence, the woman is the one who knows the baby best.

So when that baby dies during the pregnancy or soon thereafter, the mother will not only emotionally feel the loss, but physically as well. Women whose babies die before or shortly after birth will still have their breasts produce milk, they may have horrible stretch marks and the may actually even feel "phantom kicks" or hear "phantom cries." Women still have to physically deliver a baby even if they know that he or she has died or will so shortly. So, it's not uncommon for her to physically grieve for her child. In every possible way, her body is telling her she is mother, but in reality, there is no baby in her arms. Some ways women physically grieve their loss is by:

* Clutching their arms to their breasts as they feel their milk supply come in
* Subconsciously rubbing their bellies as if their babies are still growing and kicking inside
* Holding a stuffed animal, doll or even a baby blanket close to them, sometimes rocking back and forth
* Waking up several times at night hearing a baby's cry
* Being too tired to get out of bed in the morning or to keep up with any daily routines
* Losing or gaining large amounts of weight
* Uncontrollable crying at any given time
* Other physical changes to the body including hair loss, brittle nails and a change in complexion, vision, agility and appetite.

My Children Are My Life

My children are my life.........
ANDREA, my oldest - Greek origin; meaning: MANLY, WARRIOR, VIRILE MAKAILA, my baby girl - Hebrew origin; meaning: WHO RESEMBLES GOD NEHEMIAH, my angel baby - Hebrew origin; meaning: COMFORTER, COMFORTED BY GOD (seems fitting, doesn't it?)