This picture is the last picture we have of Lydda Grace and Papa Wylie. Thank you all for your prayers over the past week and half. The Lord does answer!On Christmas Eve Jon's brother Nick arrived home from Iraq and was able to spend some time with his dad. Later in the day Lydda Grace and I were able to go for a visit and Lydda Grace had lots of smiles for Papa.
A little after 1pm on Christmas Day, Papa passed on to his heavenly home. He made it in time for the big birthday celebration!
We are so thankful that he is now free from the pain and burden of cancer.
This challenging time certainly made for a different kind of Christmas and my perspective has changed radically. Tradition has always been really important to me. I love the sights and smells and tastes of Christmas... the very feel of the season brings me such joy.
But I've realized there is a big difference in feeling like it's Christmas
and knowing that it's Christmas.
It's just as much Christmas when you're home as when you're in the hospital,
just as much when you're laughing as when you're crying,
just as much when you're together as when you're alone,
and really... when I think about it... it's just as much Christmas on December 25th as it is on October 14th and February 3rd and July 8th and August 29th....... because we're not celebrating the tradition or the sights and smells and tastes, we're celebrating the Person of Jesus Christ.
just as much when you're laughing as when you're crying,
just as much when you're together as when you're alone,
and really... when I think about it... it's just as much Christmas on December 25th as it is on October 14th and February 3rd and July 8th and August 29th....... because we're not celebrating the tradition or the sights and smells and tastes, we're celebrating the Person of Jesus Christ.
And He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
4 comments:
Having Jon, Emily and Lydda Grace as well as Nick and Mandy with me during the last 2 weeks has been such a blessing from God. Our family has been such a tradition family as to when you "celebrate" Christmas. Watching God work in our lives has truly been a constant reminder that the Christmas spirit is experienced every day. Facing each day is now a celebration of the birth of Christ and what He suffered and died for so that we may have eternal life. Lydda Grace's smiles are such a blessing and Papa loved those smiles so. For any of you that read this, please rejoice in the greatness of God's love everyday and the joy that He sent to us all by sending Jesus as the best present of all.......Granna Wylie
The only words that I have for this post are "A-men, God is good."
Wylie, I praise God for choosing you and your family before the foundation of the earth so that one day you'll get to spend eternity in heaven with your earthly and heavenly father. Our family has been bathing yours in prayer and I praise God for how your family's love for him has shown so brightly during this time. God is good!
Thinking and praying for you. We praise God for bringing Nick home and that Papa Wylie is not suffering anymore. May you feel our love and prayers.
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