Don't Forget Jesus

Christmas is a special time
To reflect on Jesus Christ
The wonder of His lowly birth
Brings meaning to our lives

There really is no other reason
We celebrate this day
The birth of God's precious son
And the life He willingly gave

But so much seems to distract us
In the busy-ness of our lives
We lose our focus in all the happenings
Not knowing, we leave out Christ

We lose sight of the true meaning
As we endlessly rush about
Trying to find that perfect gift
Seems to cloud our Saviour out

We need to stop and reflect awhile
Remembering our precious Lord
His birth, His life and sacrifice
And all that He stands for

For though the world may celebrate
It seems though for other reasons
Let's keep in mind that Jesus Christ
Is the true meaning of the season

by M.S. Lowndes

"MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS!"
May CHRIST be the center of your season. . .

My gifts . . .

Noah William McCormick December 2008 (3 1/2 years old)

Anna and Noah McCormick December 2008

Anna Marie McCormick December 2008 (13 1/2 years old)


Well, it really does feel like Christmas, today! The snow is on the ground which is unbelievable, it is cold and wet, but oh how thankful we are! I have plenty of snow picture I will post, but these pictures are my favorite right now! My best friend, Beth Larkin made these picture of my babies.These are the pictures I used for my Christmas cards. "Thanks Beth!" My Christmas card are all sent out and I have had a wonderful afternoon of napping and snuggling with my babies because of the snow. A SNOW DAY!

We went to work this morning, but due to the weather we did not have much going on! We stayed until 12:00 pm and Dr. Pat said let's go! People were not on the roads or getting out in this weather so we went home. I have enjoyed a day of being with my babies and being with Dunc! Got Christmas cards done, cooked a good lunch, took a good nap, did lots of praying and had queit time, all is good at the McCormick house!

Love you all and please continue to pray for me! God hears us and I thank you all for the prayers you have already sent my way! Pray, pray, pray...

"Know that the Lord is God. It is HE who made us, and we are HIS; we are HIS people, the sheep of HIS pasture." Psalm 100:3

Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

There are times in our lives when God calls and we are not sure we hear what HE is saying....I have been call by God to a task that is way out of my comfort zone! I have been going through spiritual war with myself, not knowing if I am hearing the call as God announced, so please pray for total peace and understanding for me. Pray I do as God ask of me and I do only HIS will. Pray for my family as it involves them and pray for friends who have already begin to put up with me questioning myself. STRENGTH is what I need. I know God is in control, but my head is out of control. Please PRAY!

In His Grace,
Jill

Thanksgiving Fest For Noah

Noah William McCormick, 3 years old 2008


Ms. Jas and the Indian's getting ready for their Thanksgiving fest and saying what they were thankful for!


Noah McCormick, Shane Aronld, Krisalyn Jackson, and Miller Lloyd

Yesterday was the "Thanksgiving Fest" at school for Noah! Again, a ball was had by all...The kids dressed up as Pilgrims and Indians and they had a fest! Did you know there was POPCORN CHICKEN, instead of Turkey back then? Ha,Ha! Popcorn Chicken is a big hit with these children.

They sat around the table and told what they were thankful for...to see things through the eyes of a child will break your heart! These children may only be 3 and 4 years old, but they have huge hearts. The things these children said they were thankful for were things you never would had thought even crossed little ones minds. Praise God! Us parents and grandparents must be doing something right.

Again, little Hannah Jones is not in the picture she was not able to be there is had to go with her daddy to work yesterday! Hannah is the daughter of Ty and Melanie Jones. One day we will have her in the picture. She is so cute! Shane Arnold was there as an Indian, he is the son of Lacie Ezell. Miller Lloyd was an Indian, he is the son of Carrie and Justin Lloyd. Krisalyn Jackson was Ms. Pocahontas and she was beautiful, she is the daughter of Brad Jackson. These children have a great bond at school and we are very Thankful for Ms. Jas, who was the only pilgrim yesterday!

The fest was popcorn chicken, Cheetos's, cake, rolls, pilgrim hats and drinks! They love it! May each of you have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, don't eat to much and remember who to Thank for all your blessings!

In His Grace...

Memories . . .

What a way to make memories...Wednesday morning about 6:30 am, Noah went off on his first "Big Boy" trip with out Mommy and Daddy!

For those of you who do not know my Mother and Father are retired, so about every 3 months they take a trip. I thank God for allowing them the health to be able to do as they please, when they please. They had been wanting to take Noah to Branson, Missouri to see the Noah's Ark show before it finishes up its showing in November. So, Dunc and I agree it would be a trip he would remember FOREVER with Nana and Papa.

They started their trip on Wednesday morning with the in tension of coming home Saturday, but after they got up there they find out the Christmas lights were starting at Silver Dollar City and The Shepard of the Hills so they stay another day! They just returned home today about 2:00 pm. I was so ready for him to be at home. I missed him so much!

They had a ball. It is all he can talk about. Aunt Judy and Uncle Jimmie live in Baldknob, Ak. so they drove to there Wednesday night spent the night with them and of course picked up Aunt Doddy and then on to Branson Thursday. They went to the Noah's Ark show on Thursday. All Noah wanted to see was the Alligators in Noah's Ark and there was none so Nana had a hard time explaining that one. Friday they went to Silver Dollar City to see the lights and Nana along with Aunt Doddy had to ride all the rides with him. Nana says it was COLD, but she would not had had it any other way. Before going back to the room that night they rode and look at the lights at the Shepard of the Hills, it was a little long for him and he went to sleep right at the end of it. I told Nana, it was hard work being a Traveling Man...

Memories he will have for a life time, something he can remember the rest of his life. I am so thankful for my Father and Mother! Thank you so much for the MEMORIES, Nana and Papa (and Aunt Doddy, too!) We love you very much!

Happy Birthday, Nana!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Nana, happy birthday to you! We love you very much...

Today is Nana's birthday and we are so proud to have had a blessed day with Nana yesterday! It is hard for us all to get together these days. The kids have stuff and with church and jobs are should we just say life it is hard for the family to get together for anything! Yesterday we celebrated Nana's birthday by a all getting together for lunch. We all brought a dish and had plenty of food! I made a double chocolate cake for her. Dunc, me, Anna and Noah, Mark, Christy, and Kaitlyn, Hunter, Deanna, Brock, and Bradan, Uncle Claude and Aunt Pat all help her to celebrate. The only one missing was Tanner and you all know how hard it is to get a teenager to do anything other then be with friends!

We love you, so much Nana! Hope you have many more years and a blessed day!

"Wild About You" Banquet

Last night was the "Wild About You" banquet at church. "Wild About You" was a young ladies Bible study at our church. The girls were the age of 13 years old to 16 years old who attend the Bible study. The study was done by our youth pastors' wife, Amy Walker and she only had 7 young ladies in the study.

"Wild About You" was a six week study on seeing yourself through God's eyes. These girls were truly blessed by this study. The study highlighted many issues in these young ladies lives. Everyday things they have to deal with, such things like, When do you feel the most invisible? Does God REALLY think I am beautiful? How did the last guy you dated make you feel? How do you fight the fear of not measuring up? Who's your beauty muse? What's the secret of real beauty? The study helped the girls to realize God loves them and has always loved them just the way they are!

The banquet was a night to focus on your daughter. Dunc, me and Anna attended and it was just beautiful! We walked into a room decorated in fall with the lights low. Each girl had a table set for her and her family with a beautiful photo of her on it. The table was set with real nice place settings and candles for light. It was a very moving setting. We took a family picture when we first arrived and then sat for supper. Supper was great, we had ham, corn, string bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and tea. There was also coffee and cake for desert. After the meal we as parents were asked to get up and speak to our daughter. This was a very emotional time, (I wish I had had went first). The mothers and fathers spoke to their daughter and said things to them that we sometimes just don't get to say! The daughter were overwhelmed! After we spoke to them we gave them a gift that was picked out by us as parents and had to explain to them why we brought the gift and the meaning of it! Dunc shopped for Anna's gift and I got to tell the story. He gave her a gold 18" chain with a floating heart on it. Something she could where for a long time to remember she would always be in our heart, but most of all to NOT to forget to let GOD live in her heart! It was a great night! There was not a dry eye in the church when it was over. After we spoke to our daughters gave them their gifts a slide show was done of the girls from birth 'till now. It was awesome...

The girls that were in the Bible study were Anna McCormick, Hayley McManaway, Joanna McGlaughn, Kaylee Blackwell, Emily Walker, Destin Knapp and Taylor Moak. Please keep these young ladies in your prayers as they journey through life's ups and downs! A special thanks to Amy Walker for planting a seed in these girls for the rest of their lives. Words can't express what she means to MY Anna!

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched but are felt in the heart." - Helen Keller