"...For the joy of the Lord"

I'm trading my sickness, i'm trading my pain, i'm laying them down for the joy of the lord..."

That is the praise song playing right now. How well I know that God will take the short end of the stick and take all our pain, just to give us His Joy! Wow. Truly amazing!

We had a wonderful Christmas season. Just kicked back at my folks for christmas, a few gatherings, a memorial for my Uncle Ed. It was fun visiting with my younger cousins, who now are married and have children or going to university, etc. Funny how a few years changes everything. Before I was the "old lady", and they were the "young punks". Now we're all equal. Humm. Saw one of my favourite cousins, who we used to call Pork Chop, which I'm sure he hated. He is now a constable.

We also were blessed to see all of Gregg's family, even though it was the opposite year for the "in law Christmas". Fun to hang out with no real plans or agendas of things that needed done.

Death of the Hardware

The hardware is officially closed now. I phoned MTS and cancelled the fax line, etc, and am returning the interact machine on Monday. Went upstairs to the Gallery today ~ What a shock! So empty. A building has no life on it's own. Terribly cold and impersonal, but yet so filled with memories.

Now that the hardware is done, I'm missing my time with Gregg even more. At the Hardware I could visit and work along side my heartthrob, but now the hospital wouldn't exactly approve I'm sure.

I was thinking how life seems to go in 10 YEAR intervals....age 0-10, free childhood.
age 10-20~ growing independence, freedom of being on one's own.
age 20-30 ~ growing responsibilities, growing families, growing debt or assets.
Moving from schooling, to jobs, to careers, to life stuff.

I have been very blessed with the love and joy that I have in my life, and I want to praise the Lord and acknowledge that He is worthy.

Another song...."I will worship all my days. I will trust you and you alone. I will give you all my praise. You alone are worthy." "No rocks will have to cry out as long as I have breath!"

Thank you Lord for Christmas, for the Christ. Our saviour and friend and our all.