King of kings and Lord of lords=peace!

I am reading in the book of Revelation in my quiet time...and it always reassures me and brings me peace. Revelation 17:14 says"...and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen and faithful."

He IS faithful...and in control of everything...what peace and rest that gives me! No matter what is going on with our health...our finances...our extended family members, (as close as we are) or even what is going on in the world today...I have peace and rest. I especially love the book of Revelation because it reminds me of just WHO is in control...and speaks various other things to me that I need reminded of...such as not to be 'lukewarm'...not to forget my first love, not to focus on the idols in my life...to remove them and only focus on Him. To not fear...to trust Him. To try and live a Godly life...according to His Word only...not societies priorities or other people opinions. He alone knows me completely...and loves me in spite of it. I can't hide anything from him...can't put on a 'good face'...He always knows what I'm feeling, thinking about or hiding. Oh, praise you, God for loving me so very much in spite of myself!!! I'm so undeserving of your great love and grace, but am so very, very grateful!!!

Your word teaches me perseverance...enduring with patience...without complaint. Persevering in prayer, in communion with God...in living the way the the Lord has shown is His will for our family...even in the face of questioning or opposition...calmly, gently and patiently...leaning on Him for strength when I am weak, knowing that all that I am and all that I have and especially, all that I NEED is from Him....and again, I am grateful! His Word is food for me...life...security...inspiration...He provides all that I need. He is King of kings and Lord of lords...my savior, my father...and He loves me...that is all I need to know...or think on thru painful times, hard times...and He always speaks peace to me...peace, strength and love whenever I need it. I treasure this time with Him...and am nothing without Him.

May your Sabbath day of rest today be peaceful and blessed...knowing with a quiet assurance how very much you are loved by Him who IS love!!! ~Sue~

Growing Up with Dolls

Growing up is wonderful. Getting new responsibilities (whether ya like'em or not!) and being able to do new things is great. But one downfall of growing up: saying goodbye to old friends. Now I don't mean humans; I mean stuffed animals and/or dolls. Above are my dolls from L to R:Top row: Elizabeth, Kathleen, Violet, Felicity. Bottom row: Hannah and Kelly.

I got my first 'real' doll (Kelly) when I was five years old. I received Hannah as a birthday present when I turned six (I needed a playmate for Kelly). I took a break from doll collecting until I was nine years old, when my mom purchased an AG Felicity doll off of eBay. I literally counted down the days until she arrived! Then the next Christmas I got Felicity's best friend Elizabeth from my grandma. I can still remember opening the wrapping paper and seeing an AG box the exact size of a doll. Throwing the top aside, I screamed in pleasure when I pulled her out. Then I took another break for a year, then (out of my own money) bought two ALOF (A Life Of Faith) dolls: Kathleen and Violet. I have doted on these girls for hours on end, have collected furniture, and whole wardrobes that would rival a dress shop. So what is the problem, you say? I'll tell you: losing interest. Yes, I feel terrible and am ashamed to admit that these will be the last pictures of my dolls before they head to a new life up, tucked snuggly away in a box, in our attic.

For all you doll-lovers who still play with them, I say: wonderful. Among all the 'Bratz' dolls and even Barbie dolls, young innocent girls are thinking it's okay to flash their midriff to the world (as if we cared to see it!) or to have boyfrieds at age nine. Classic 18 inch dolls are the key to little girl's innocence because they can be cute and have nice, modest clothes, but without the leggy, pouty lipped, big-chested dolls that are out there today.So I say, "Hurrah!" to dolls, keep on preserving innocence one prairie bonnet at a time!

Answered prayer and solitude....

Oh, goodness...the answered prayer was that none of us would get this particularly nasty stomach virus until after Christmas...thank you, Lord, for answered prayer!

But...Meghan fell victim to it yesterday...staying home with an upset stomach...today is recovering, but wiped out. Now for the solitude...with a family of 6, usually we all get something like this...one after the other. I'm feeling 'queasy' today...for a couple days, actually, but thought it was simply all the different foods that I'm not used to eating.

I guess the Gorecki family will have some solitude for a little while...some of us are just not feeling up to par, and the main reason is so that we don't infect anyone else!

God is so good to us that way...sometimes, our greatest times with the Lord are when we are forced to stay home...as a family and with Him....without outside distractions and commitments. Last year, right after Ronnie's surgery, when he was in his body cast, we all got the flu...the real flu...fever for 5 days, terrible chest colds, body aches...the works....well, needless to say we were ALONE for quite a while until everyone was over that...then we were still home until his cast came off.

So...knowing that even though we really wanted to see family and friends over the next week or so, that the Lord has other plans for us...and we're simply going to accept His plans, change ours and thank Him for giving us what we need when we need it...even enforced "quiet time" at home, with each other and especially with Him. ~Sue

God's grace, cousins and the gift of laughter....

This beautiful woman with me is my cousin, Kim...she is actually married to my cousin, John...but she is one of my very dearest friends as well...and she laughs.

By God's grace, Kim was feeling well enough for Ron and I to take the kids over for a visit. Kim has a very rare auto-immune disease called relapsing polycondroitis and is on high doses of prednisone and chemo...and she laughs. She has always laughed at life as long as I've known her...I have so much to learn from her! She has always looked at life and family as gifts...to be enjoyed everyday, no matter what. And, there is no one that Kim laughs more at than herself...she is truly joyful. Even thru this ordeal...while lying in bed fighting nausea, losing her hair, trips to the hospital...she counts her blessings...and finds something to laugh at. She is amazing and I admire her so much.

Here she is (with the oldest of her 5 children, Maria) wearing a hat and 'dreadlocks' someone gave her...and she insisted on wearing them for the picture. We laughed so much all night!

Here is my dear cousin, Kathy....she lives a couple of hours away, so it is a treat to spend time with her...and if you can tell from the picture...we laughed!!!

Here are Sara and Maria...they are only 3 months apart in age, and we have so many pictures over the years of the two girls, I had to post this one.

Here is Timmy with Ronnie...Ronnie looks up to him so much and Tim is so sweet and kind with Ronnie...he really takes an interest in him and enjoys spending time with him...they had a nice visit.

And, here are all the cousins, minus my Meghan, who was home sick and missed the visit....which we will do again very soon, God willing! We all had such a great time...I forgot to get a picture of Ron and my cousin John watching the Penguins hockey game...between music and hockey...they enjoy spending time together as much as the rest of us do! Family is too important NOT to make the time for...and the memories that are made are so precious! Next party...Maggie's birthday! ~Sue~

Counting our blessings instead of sheep....

What a wonderful Christmas day we all had! It was quiet and calm...and thru out the day, Ron and I simply counted our blessings...the love and forgiveness of our Savior and His constant care and provision for our family...our 4 healthy, sweet children...our extended family...traditions.

One of our traditions is that we hide the children's presents and they have to follow the written clues that we leave for them to find their gifts. This year, Ronnie read the clues and everyone followed him...it was so cute! One of the clues was to look 'under the floor'...little Anna was the only one to think to look under the rug!

Ronnie reading the clues

Ronnie and Anna with Sara after opening their gifts from her.

Meghan, happy after opening a new sheet music book...she dashed right down to the piano after she finished opening her gifts.

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After our traditional Christmas brunch, we all went down to Ron's mom's house to spend time with Grandma RoRo...along with Uncle Sean who was in from Chicago, Aunt Maureen, Timmy, cousins Ben and his sweet wife Crystal, Jim B., Elizabeth and her gang...along with two of the sweetest Aunts and Uncles in the world.

Driving home after a wonderful day with family, we couldn't keep from (still) counting our blessings...and thanking God for bestowing them on our family.

~Sue~

The kindness of strangers...

Here is Ronnie...head to toe dressed in camo. When he had his first hip surgery in January 2008, we started a 'postcards for Ronnie'...an idea a dear friend had to send emails asking for postcards for Ronnie while he spent 3 months in a body cast...well, he has gotten hundreds of postcards over the last year...we are still in awe whenever we look at them...and we pull them out frequently and give thanks for the people who sent them...most from people we have never met.

One person who has been particularly faithful in sending postcards, is Col. Russell Smith of the USMC. We have received so many postcards from Col. Smith from all over the world! He included his email address in the last one, and we've finally been able to thank him and be in communication with him. A couple days before Christmas, a package arrived in the mail for Ronnie with a Marine Corp. 'boonie' hat for him along with a letter and pictures from Col. Smith...Ronnie was so surprised and happy...he has hardly taken it off since! The funny thing is, it arrived approx. 20 minutes before my dad, who was in the Marines himself. Well...Ronnie hurried and put on all his camo clothes and his new hat before his Zedoh (slovak for Grandfather) arrived. It not only made Ronnie's day, but my Dad's day as well!

We have been so very, very blessed by the prayers, care and concern from total strangers who the Lord has put Ronnie and our family on their hearts...we are still very humbled by His great love and the love of those who follow Him.

So...thanks, Col. Smith and all of you other 'angels' who have prayed for Ronnie and our family, sent postcards, meals, care packages...and have obeyed our Father's leading...we will be forever grateful! ~Sue~

Merry Christmas to all! May you be as blessed as I was on this Christmas morning while reading this devotional from "Streams in the Desert" ...and may your Christmas Day be peaceful, joyful and blessed ! ~Sue~

"His name shall be called Emmanuel . . . God with us." (Matt. 1:23) .

"The Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).

"There's a song in the air!
There's a star in the sky!
There's a mother's deep prayer,
And a baby's low cry!
And the star rains its fire
While the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King."

A few years ago a striking Christmas card was published, with the title, "If Christ had not come." It was founded upon our Saviour's words, "If I had not come." The card represented a clergyman falling into a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no little stockings in the chimney corner, no Christmas bells or wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort, gladden and save. He walked out on the public street, but there was no church with its spire pointing to Heaven. He came back and sat down in his library, but every book about the Saviour had disappeared.

A ring at the door-bell, and a messenger asked him to visit a poor dying mother. He hastened with, the weeping child and as he reached the home he sat down and said, "I have something here that will comfort you." He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended at Malachi, and there was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and he could only bow his head and weep with her in bitter despair.

Two days afterward he stood beside her coffin and conducted the funeral service, but there was no message of consolation, no word of a glorious resurrection, no open Heaven, but only "dust to dust, ashes to ashes," and one long eternal farewell. He realized at length that "He had not come," and burst into tears and bitter weeping in his sorrowful dream.

Suddenly he woke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing in his church close by:

"O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels,
O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord."

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because "He has come." And let us remember the annunciation of the angel, "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10, 11).

"He comes to make His blessing flow, Far as the curse is found."

May our hearts go out to the people in heathen lands who have no blessed Christmas day. "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and SEND PORTIONS TO THEM FOR WHOM NOTHING IS PREPARED." (Neh. 8:10)

A (New) Sweet Memory

As the 'littles' sat at the table eating their 'ativities' (their edible nativities) this morning as Anna calls them, they were discussing the morrow-Christmas Day! They wished Mum a "Merry Christmas-Eve!" Anna, with part of a wiseman still in her mouth squeals delightedly, "And we get to open PRESENTS!" Ronnie wisely but sweetly said, "Now Anna....what's the real meaning of Christmas...do you know?" Mum and I were sitting in the living room talking but this conversation caught our ear and we began to eavesdrop, er, listen to the littles conversation. Anna, her four-year-old voice endearing to our listening ears promptly said, "We celebrate baby Jesus' birthday!" Ronnie, not satisfied with the reply says, "Aaaand?" We couldn't see her, but I imagine her tilting her head to the side and saying, "What?" Ronnie says, while munching on some 'hay' from his nativity, "Giving thanks....for God sending His son Jesus."

Mum and I both sat there in stunned silence. We were both beaming. We both said "Wow" almost at the same time and then Mum remarked in wonderment, "It does get through."

I so enjoy seeing the simplicity of things; the simple words Ronnie and Anna spoke are yet profound because that IS what it's all about! Not gifts (like Ronnie was quick to remind Anna of) not even traditions, not music, not Santa Claus. It's about God's love in sending His only son Jesus to live life as a man and die to save the sins of the world.

How silently, how silently

This wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming,

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still,

The dear Christ enters in.

*Third verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem*