Happy New Year!

My last cup of tea in 2017 and my first cup in 2018 were the same - Harney & Sons Paris blend [black tea].  What tea was in your cup?

On New Year's Eve morning we went to church for the surprise service honoring Pastor Steve and Sharon's 25th Wedding Anniversary, and the 14th Anniversary of our church. 

Dr. Stephen Anthony [District Superintendent when our church began] officiated. Steve and Sharon were brought in by their two daughters [Brianna and Brooke] while the song, Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, was sung.  They renewed their vows, and our son, Jeremy, sang the Steven Curtis Chapman song, I Will Be Here [which Steve sang to Sharon in their original wedding ceremony].  Jeremy did an awesome job, and it was a nice surprise for Steve.

I Will Be Here is a beautiful song of commitment all couples should share with each other throughout marriage.  The lyrics bear repeating here:

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear

I, I will be here.

If in the dark we lose sight of love, hold my hand, and have no fear,

Cause I, I will be here.

I will be here when you feel like being quiet

When you need to speak your mind,

I will listen and I will be here when the laughter turns to cryin'

Through the winning, losing, and tryin'

We'll be together 'cause I will be here.

Tomorrow morning if you wake up, and the future is unclear 

 I, I will be here.

As sure as seasons are made for change,

Our lifetime's are made for years

So, I, I will be here.

I will be here and you can cry on my shoulder,

When the mirror tells us we're older,

I will hold you and I will be here to watch you grow in beauty

And tell you all the things you are to me,

I will be here.

I will be true to the promise I have made

To you and to the One who gave you to me

I, I will be here.

Afterwards our family all want to Olive Garden for dinner.  Granddaughter, Brooke, took a picture of Jerry and me while there [below].  The icy frame was most appropriate because the temperature predicted that day was a high of 17 degrees and a low of -1 degree!

Jerry and I quietly ushered in the New Year at home with a Hallmark Movie and Times Square on TV.  On New Year's morning we picked up our daughter and traveled to Jeremy's house to spend the day.

Jeremy lives in a wooded area and below is what the unpaved road leading to his house looked like on New Year's morning.

This is their deck as seen from their great room.

As you may recall from earlier posts last week, Izzy's gift from her Papa and me was a sewing machine, so while everyone watched football, Lori, Izzy and I went to the basement where Lori gave Izzy a hands-on tutorial on her new sewing machine.  Izzy decided her first sewing project would be a pillow.

She was SO proud of her first completed sewing project.

The gals played games in late afternoon and early evening - Clue, Catch Phrase, and Dutch Blitz [a new card game to me, but fun], while the guys watched football on TV.  We departed for home around 8:30 p.m. since Lori had to return to work this morning.  It was a wonderful New Year's Day, and now a brand new year awaits us.

My prayer for all of you in blogland during 2018 is found in Numbers 6:24-26 of the Bible: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace."