Thoughts on the new year...

Posted by: Patience

A new year...
How thought provoking...
Entrusted to us is a whole other year...a total of 365 days to live...but how will we live?

Have you ever asked God what His will is for your life, what makes His heart rejoice over yours the most, what makes God our Father proud of us? I have, and after talking with a godly young lady this week, a verse came to my mind as soon as I hung up the phone. It was Michah 6:8...

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Driving down the road talking to my mother I verbalized this verse and my thoughts to mother, then I thought aloud, "What a wonderful verse for the new year!" She agreed.

What does God require out of my new year? It is clear to me now. This year, I am to do justly, love mercy, and the one that stood out to me: to walk humbly with my God.

 

A wise young lady once stated, "After I die, I will have a grave stone. On my grave stone will be  two numbers, the date I was born and the date I died. In between will be a tiny dash. That dash reprents my life. If that is all that my life is going to represent, what is on my tomb stone, I think the wisest thing to do would be to dedicate my 'dash' to Jesus." So she did! This young woman realized that, like to the lily the glory and beauty of this life will soon fade. How will we make this year count for eternity?

 

 

2013 will represent a new year in your life. Many have set new year resolutions, many have turned a new leaf. What will you do?
Not long ago, I discovered that everything done with out Christ's help and blessing is meaningless. A life without His Presence is void and barren. Will this nearly invisible part of your 'dash' ( year 2013) be dedicated to Jesus Christ and eternal treasures, or will this year be made full with earthly pleasure and the emptiness that follows?

 

A year that is planned and blessed by Jesus Christ will be the BEST year EVER. I can testify to that.  Ask God to give you a rhema: a special verse from God's word to you! Ask God to direct you and cause you to be pleasing in His sight. Seek the Lord and you will find Him.
God bless!

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

Commit your way to the Lord, trust Him, and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine the the stars, and the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Psalm 37:5-7a

 

A white Christmas!

How often do we get white Christmases in Maryland? Every couple years? We were so excited to see it snowing while at our grandparent's home in Northern Virginia!

Well, the Normolian Christmas was a little different this year. We had the opportunity experiment and celebrate Christmas on December 15th as a family. On Chirstmas Eve we went to our Grandparents on Mother's side of the family, then on Christmas day we visited with Daddy's family.

Here are some pictures, enjoy!



A mug. I love it!




Boots!

A glow lamp candle
Chistmas is all about when the Light of the world came to the world

Cousin Ricky with Luke's Christmas gift, a perplexus! (and us in the background marveling at how a seven year old's toy can create 'wows', 'mans!' and 'aaaaws!' out of a twenty-some year old young man!)

Tabor opening gifts

 
 



Family Christmas openings

Luke opening his present

Excited Nate with his new clothes!

Chirstmas time is almost here!

Chirstmas lights, piano recitals, cookies to bake, songs to learn, places to go...
Boy, things are getting overwhelming, my feet are getting achy!

Lo, a voice of song!

"Joy to the world the Lord has come,
Let earth recieve her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room,
Let heaven and nature sing..."

Jesus is the reason this season exsists, why I exsist!

This season, may you rest in Christ's love,
Rejoice in His birth,
Abide in His hope,
Love with His love,
and celebrate with great joy!

Welcome into our hearts, Lord Jesus! Make your home and place amoung us. Be glorified and exalted in our midst and may we be drawn into your presense with every passing breath we take.

 

 The Mountain Peaks at Dawn

As in the early morning

The snowy mountain peaks

Look up to greet the dawning,

So my heart longs and seeks

To see thy face

Here like the peaks at sunrise

My mind to thee I raise;

Clothe me with glory likewise

Make me to burn with praise

In love’s attire

Of flaming fire.

 

In robes of snowy whiteness

They greet their lord the sun;

I too await thy brightness,

On winged feet I run.

Give, now we meet,

Communion sweet.
 

~ By: Hannah Hurnard

 

 

Let's go and sell our products!

    Our friend Mrs. Summer Wilkes was very kind to provide us with a booth at a botique held at her church. How fun to get things ready and prepare our products for our first "real business" outing for our family:) We sold soaps, candles, salves, and creams. We are so grateful for the opportunity we had to get our names out and make some money!

    One thing we really apreciate about having a family buiness is that is so bonding! Working, learning, and selling things together is a hub for fun and encouragement. Family is such an important thing in this day and age that the more we can be together, the better! I (Patience) personally love getting together with my syblings and endevoring to encourage and strengthen their relationship with the Lord. If God didn't make a family to love, cherish, and encourage each other, what did He make it for? So we really appreciate the opportunity to work together and be a light in this way....
 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! ~Psalm 133:1

 


  

Kitten Dilema....

We had a kitten, then  we got another, then we got another! Then one day, a helpless kitten wandered searchingly into our yard and we rescued it from it's hunger; we named him Sebastian. After that, we found that Sebastian belonged to a neighborhood litter and was born unto two undomesticated parents. Soon after, we found Sebastian's sister.
So that makes 5 cats for the Normoyles?
Yep.
In how many weeks?
About six.

Well this got Daddy a bit nervous. Do you know how much rabies vaccines, cold and flu care, and all the other things cats need cost? How much have we already spent on furry loveables? (Maybe we should listen to the pineapple story again):)
Sadly, its turns out that one of these adorable critters has worms. So we gave Sebasian's sister (whom we named Lady Pink) to the humane society....:(
O well for us. Yipee! for Dad.
So now we have four cuddly dubbly kittens to play with. We are so grateful for what God did when He made kittens. What a sense of humble cuteness is there when they climb shyly into your lap.
Thank you Daddy for graciously allowing us to have these adorable pets in spite of allergies, vacines, and extra cleaning! You are definately a gracious and Godly man!

 

 

The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. ~Psalm 16:6

Belated Birthday Blessings

Dear Nathaniel, We love you so very much and are praying heaps of icecream and chocolate chips upon the 5th year of your life. Not only do we desire to see you happy and enjoying life, but also, we pray that you will grow much in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior this year. May you know His love and love Him. Finally,
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1Timothy 4:12)
Happy Belated Blog Bithday Brother!Love,Your blessed family