Happy New Year!

We pray that you will have a happy New Year, and be greatly blessed by the Lord this year as you "take His yoke upon you, learn of Him", and grow closer to Him.

How wide and marvellous is the mercy and grace of God to love this world and its people's, and to provide the Way, the Truth and the Life for all who are weary & heavy laden, and will come unto Him in simple faith & trust!

"To all who received Him and beleived on His Name, gave He the right to become the children of God" (John 1:12)

He truly is the Comforter and Sustainer of all those who call upon Him in faith, recognizing their complete dependency upon Him and need of Him who loved us & gave Himself for us, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

This year, may we each one experience peace, joy & contentment in who He is and what He has done.

To God be the Glory!

Good and ....

The last couple of weeks have been good ... and not so good!

I am still "house-bound" and have not left home since returning from surgery. Stairs are still very difficult; most times Dorothy & Kendall have to help me go up the stairs at bedtime; sometimes it is just less painful to crawl up the stairs. Sitting is still just about impossible.

I have had to go on a walker because of "trouble" with the left leg; at random times there is such a terrible shooting pain that it "draws up" and I can put no weight on it at all. It caused a few "near falls" - hence the need for the walker as "insurance" that I do not fall. For much of the day I don't feel like I really need it, but then suddenly the leg gives way and it is good to have the walker to grab hold of and keep me up.

This has of course been disappointing, but then again it is only 5 weeks since surgery - early days yet. The surgeon warned me it was going to be a "long haul" on the road to recovery, so I guess I just need to be a "patient patient"!! He said it takes 6 to 8 weeks just for the internal swelling & bruising to subside, before real progress can start to be made.

Heidi, Sam & Chelsea are battling a virus of some kind this week, with fever, sore throat, etc. Probably everyone will get it within a few days!! (Share n' share alike!)

I have been enjoying spending significant time with the family. I do Kendall & Tim's Bible lessons with them, some grade 10 Geography with Kendall, Algebra with Kendall & Tim, grade 1 English with Bethany ... I am enjoying my lessons & learning a lot!! Heidi is writing a story and I am helping edit it; she is up to chapter five so far! We have all played lots of Scrabble, Boggle, etc. Chelsea gives many snuggles! In between their lessons & chores, Leanne, Heidi & Sam provide beautiful background music on the piano.

Kendall & I are doing a "small engines" course via correspondence which has been most interesting. Kendall has a real aptitude for mechanical things.

The few inches of snowfall last night look so beautiful outside! (Especially since this winter I will not be shovelling snow!!) Its a winter wonderland blanketed in white - its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!

I remember the words to an old song I learned when I was a new Christian:

"I thank God for the mountains,

And I thank Him for the valleys,

I thank Him for the trials He's brought me through,

For if I never had a problem, I wouldn't know that He could solve them,

I wouldn't know what faith in God could do."

"Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to trust in Jesus,

and I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all, Through it all,

I've learned to depend upon His Word."

Thank you again for upholding us in prayer. It is much appreciated.