A New Year

It is a silent sort of morning, sitting next to the wood stove in my rocker, watching the birds outside my window.   Cold weather has driven the little birds to eat almost continually to stay warm.   This cold snap has chased away any life left in the plants in the garden.  Robbing them of their lingering colors.    It is the cycle of life in winter, with a beauty all its own.  Faded roses are still beautiful and fallen leaves that have been gently touched with frost, are lovely to look at.  
Our family had a delightful Christmas, we were all together, the children were here with all my amazing grandchildren and even my Dad of 96 was able to spend Christmas eve and some of Christmas day with us.   A blessing beyond words as he has just entered Hospice care.   His Congestive Heart Failure is rapidly advancing.   I am so thankful he is near us.  Less than a mile from our home in an assisted living facility that has given him the independence he wanted and yet so close we can be there at his side in a minutes time.  
It is the time to extend him much grace and much love.   To see his brokenness wants me to wrap his failing body in all the love there is.   I understand more the true concept of mercy at this time.   
I am sad, knowing my days with my father are numbered, but so profoundly thankful for this time I have had with him.  He has not been easy to deal with at times, but then I think about me, and I am sure God has said many times, that I am not an easy woman to deal with at times !  What God has shown me, over and over, is what I want to show my father.   To pray with him and to comfort him, to love him unconditionally and to try to make his time left on earth filled with comfort and the knowledge that he is loved, in spite of the mistakes he has made in life.   That is the mercy I so desire from God for me after all.    
It is my prayer that this new year bring us closer to the really important things in life.  The things of value that money has nothing to do with.  May you all be blessed !