A PIECE OF MY HEART... a mother's Christmas list

This year for Christmas, I wrote out a list for the first time and gave it to my husband. This list contained nothing but practical items that I either needed or wanted.

For instance, for the past 27 years we have used the same hot pads in the kitchen. They are old, tattered and soiled with burn marks and cake batter. One day when I burnt myself because the fabric was worn down so much, I decided it was time to get new pot holders.

• I put "hot pads" on my list.
• I received new hot pads!

Another thing that needed to be replaced in my kitchen was the slow cooker. The one that we have was received as a wedding gift 27 years ago. It still works fine, except several years ago the glass top broke and when I use the slow cooker I have to wrap Reynolds wrap around the top. Not a big deal, but I thought maybe after 27 years it was time to get a new one.

• I put "slow cooker" on my list.
• I received a new slow cooker.

Periodically, we have things that just need to be replaced, restored or renewed. However, there was one item on my Christmas list that was not going to be able to be replaced. No amount of money could make it happen.

On my tree, for the first time, hung a special ornament. An ornament that represented what was missing in my Christmas...

My son Jeremy, stationed with the Air Force in the country of South Korea was going to have to miss his first Christmas with us. There was no way that this mother was going to receive the gift of seeing her son for the holidays.

A mother's love is a powerful force.

I am reminded of this story of a young mother's love:
A young mom who took her daughter to the local zoo. As she stopped at a concession stand to get some snacks, her little girl wandered off. After spending frantic minutes searching for her, she saw that her little girl had squeezed through the barricades to get a closer look at the bears. Without hesitating to look around or call for help, the young, 120-pound mother ran past the barricades and snatched her daughter out of harm's way.

This kind of powerful love is exactly what God's love is like for us! His love will reach high above what you can ever imagine.

The gift I desired most was peace, love and protection for my son.

• I put "peace and love for Jeremy" on my list.
• I received God's peace and love for Jeremy.

Love is powerful.
~A mother's love
~God's love

Are you looking for that kind of powerful love?

2 TIMOTHY 1:7 "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

God provided this Mother not only a spirit of power and love for her soldier boy, but a sound mind, a peace that passes all understanding. God opened a door for Jeremy's bride to join him in South Korea for a month while she was off of school. Knowing that Jeremy would not spend Christmas alone was the best Christmas gift this mother could receive!

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM KOREA...

Is Jeremy showing the locals how to use chopsticks??

Jeremy eating at one of his favorite restaurants!

Jeremy Christmas shopping in Korea!

and now he is waiting for Rachel to finish shopping!

Jeremy sharing one of my favorite things about himself...his humor!

Rachel with the gingerbread house they made.

Rachel sporting her new Korean hat.

Jeremy...love that hat!

JEREMY and RACHEL

a special Christmas in Korea

GOD'S LOVE IS POWERFUL NO MATTER WHAT PART OF THE WORLD YOU FIND YOURSELF IN!

and that is a PIECE OF MY HEART today!