Pennies from Heaven...

Mom Shared an email with me of a Penny Story and I just loved the message!
I was going to post a copy of it here, and went I went to find it, I had deleted it from my email.  So I went searching the internet for "the penny story".  There were more than one version of this story, and I have been reading and crying and having my heart all swelled up from the many stories and accounts written about pennies.  So I won't post it hoping I have to go searching again and have to read more really neat heart warming stories over again to find the one I remembered.

The common message is of Hope, and of Love....  

For the past week since I read that lovely email, I have been finding pennies.... 
in places expected, 
then places unexpected, 
and then there were just so many, 
it was not a coincidence.  

I have felt my heart filled at times when it felt very lonely.  I have felt Gods' love for me and his message to trust in Him.  I am trying, but it is taking all my faith at times to do just that, trust in God.
He is good, He is loving and He knows me and loves me.
So I believe.  And I know I can trust in Him to take care of my Son, as I show my love and gratitude towards His.
It's hard, it's the most pain and the most joy I have felt in the same moment.

In the laundry and laying around the house... may seem kind of expected.

But we never have cash anymore, we use our debit card always.

I never have even a dollar in cash on me, much less a penny.

So how are they falling out in my washer and dryer EVERY week?

Then to just find one randomly laying in the floor, in a location that is traveled hourly in our house and not seeing it one time, but then finding it the next, not even a coincidence anymore.

Then we were doing some repairs to our couch, and there was another.  Yes, kind of expected to find change under a couch cushion.  And maybe even fallen inside a couch, maybe even though the seems on top are all sewn shut and we had to dismantle it to get to the frame.

But after flipping the couch a couple of times right side up, then up side down a few times to assess the situation, then a few days later come back and flip it again to fix it and there was another penny laying on top, not fallen behind or wedged in, but right on top where we had been working on the bottom side of the couch... I had to grab it and push it to make sure someone hadn't glued to to the board... weird.  

But I get it!!!

I always gave my Dad a really bad time for forwarding jokes and stories via email, I thought they were a waste of time.  But if I had not read the story of the penny my Mom sent, I may not be noticing all these pennies showing up in my life right now.

Pennies from Heaven.

Naughty or Nice list?

Most of the time, our dogs are mature, and loving and so freely give unconditionally to us, and mostly obedient.

But Taylor still has a few wild hairs and so if we had to put her through the Santa test whether she falls on the naughty or nice list for the whole year.... well she is still under review.  And let me just say the week before Christmas is no time to be waivering!

This past week has been especially hard for her, she has been getting into the kitchen sink and pulling out dirty dishes again.

I know it's probably the bad mother she has that I don't always get the dishes done every night, and I know they should be done by the time I go to work the next day.  But some days I just don't get it done.

She seems to be very careful, I would imagine to find a pile of broken dishes under the sink on the floor.  But NO, she brings them all the way out to the living room, plates, bowls, tupperware, and YES that is a huge butcher knife!!!

How does she not kill her self???

We ask that more than I would like to admit.

One day she had been particularly naughty and we left and decided to come back home quickly and caught her in the act... she had been in the pantry (again probably my fault I left the door open) and found the big Costco size bag of treats that Nene had bought for her when she was here in November.

She knew she was caught, red pawed!  She didn't move an inch and knew it was TROUBLE!!

I went and got my camera and she still didn't move.  Good thing we came back, there was a ton of treats still left in this bag.

I guess if only good dogs get treats, then they last a pretty long time at our house.

We feed her plenty, 

she is not bored, 

it is totally a behavioral problem!!  

And yes, we know it's her... the theory has been tested, she has been found guilty, guilty, guilty.  With food on her nose and chocolate on her breath, she is 100% guilty!!

If it were my child I probably would not air our problems out loud.  I don't have photos of all the trouble she finds herself in... because I don't think to take pictures in those moments.  They are often heated and I am extremely volatile.

But let's just assume there would be a ton.

I do worry about her safety. 

I worry that she knows it was bad and does it anyway.

That in itself makes it really hard to move from the naughty to the nice list.

My poor puppy, it might be a very difficult Christmas for her this year.  It will be a real test of Santa's compassion and true Christlike love.

6 days, hmmm we will see.

Where are you Christmas?

Snow?

only a skiff... I am so afraid that will be all we get this year.

It's just part of what makes Christmas here for me.

Celebrations?  Yes being with friends helps bring Christmas near.

We had 3 this week, two company parties (no pictures ugggg) but they were lovely.

And our annual Breakfast with our church family.

They go all out, everyone helps...

The young men helped to set up a really fun price is right game for everyone to participate.

The men cooked the breakfast, the young women and ladies helped serve.

And the kids made the table decorations... my favorite!

A good time was had by all.

And we even did some present wrapping and delivered some secret gifts, we enjoy that part of Christmas too.

With all that Holiday Whoobie Whatie stuff, I still woke up Friday with an empty place in my heart asking myself, "where is Christmas".

Trying to console me, my strong silent mysterious man said tomorrow we will go out and serve someone else, that will help bring Christmas!

And he was right...

we had noticed the gutters were full, and I actually have experience in this area.

Yep, my Dad taught me a little of everything.

I was just the right height to hold the bucket over my head for him to drop the mud and good down into it, carefully aiming as not to drop any on me (giggle)

I have to saw, Jim had way too much fun with that part, exclaiming "woops" here and there as I ate a few more pine needles that I should have.

After waking up sore the next morning we realized what a big job it had been, and next year we know a few teenagers in town that we will call to come help "bring Christmas" in with us :)

But now this roof is ready for Santa and his reindeer to land safely!

If you are looking for Christmas too, 

I promise you don't have to look very far.

This was the best thing for my empty aching heart!

I don't share this to brag or boast at all, but just to help you to know that the old adage "to give is better than to receive" is SO TRUE!!!

I think my heart grew three sizes that day!!