This Christmas was a bit more precious than usual...

This Christmas was a bit more precious to our family than usual. Every Christmas is precious because of what it represents, namely our Savior's birth. Nothing is even as close to being more precious than the hope found in His redeeming love and work done on the cross on the behalf of sinners who trust in Him...But as holidays approach it also brings many special memories and traditions spent with dear friends and family. Many of you may or may not know, but a couple months ago, my dad was diagnosed with a heart that has a faulty valve (mitro valve). He has to have the open heart surgery to repair it. He goes in in less than a week to have this operation. He will be completely dependant apon a machine to keep him alive while this surgery takes place. Now I know that this is done everyday, all the time, but there's something a little frightening about knowing his heart (the battery in our body)will be in the hands of doctors and nurses...So of course this brings us to our heavenly Father's "throne of grace" on our knees as we lift dad's heart and dr's hands to God and trust them to HIM. Dad will be in the hospital 5-6 days and recovery at home for 3-6 months...So for those of you who go to the the "Throne of Grace", please be in prayer for us as we encourage dad (and mom who gets very easily anxious when it comes to her other half facing such a circumstance) and that we will depend apon God's grace to carry us through with a "peace that passes all understanding"...That dad will see Christ in His circumstance and that God will be glorified as God has soveriegnly ordained all dad's days..."...In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none." Psalm 139:16