(This is my favorite Christmas song called “Breath of Heaven” by Amy Grant.)

A few days ago, Jean from A Mountain Too High extended such kindness in offering me the Thinking Blogger Award. Jean is the one who makes me think and appreciate each day I have with loved ones because you really don’t know when it can be swept up in an instant with a horrific diagnosis. Good days are to be appreciated, and Jean does it with such courage, grace, and love– and for that, I thank you from the depth of my heart.

And yesterday, Angie awarded me the Christmas Spirit Award. Now, I’m not quite ready to be thinking about Christmas, but Christmas Spirit is a whole other entity. That is a daily celebration, as where in the world would I be without the generous and giving love of our Lord Christ’s Spirit? Angie is the one who defines this generosity and love. So, thank you, for seeing something of this redemption in me. Anything at all you see is a reflection of Christ Himself. And I am so thankful that some of me is disappearing that some of Him might be what would be seen, even if only through words in a blog.

I truly am most grateful and don’t know what to say, except I never thought I had anything to say in a blog until I started to write. You both have given me so much more to be grateful for in the way you share your lives. It always amazes me that complete strangers feel so close in the Body of Christ. I just know I appreciate you all so much for reading my ramblings, and relating to the daily business of a life lived in gratitude to His love. So to each of you who read this blog, I extend both of these awards to you. Your comments make me think, and you make me want to be a better person. For His Sake, annie