It's the most wonderful time of the year........

Well, here we are again. Christmas time. As I get older the years pass more quickly and time gets more and more valuable. I remember when I was a child waiting with such anticipation for Christmas to arrive. It wasn't just about gifts and getting things. For me, it was more about 'family'.

When I was 4 yrs old, my dad accepted a pastorate at a church in South Florida and we moved away from the rest of our family. And every year, there was a family reunion at Christmas time. On dad's side of the family, it was always on Christmas eve. And on mom's side it was Christmas Day. We'd leave several days ahead of time, and it would usually be at least a week filled with lots of visits with cousins, favorite uncles and aunts, and of course..lots of presents. I never could figure out how mom & dad were able to hide all of my brother and I's presents in the car to take up there without us seeing them.

Grandma's and Grandpa's have passed on now, and I haven't been to any of the family reunions in awhile, seems that as we grow older 'life' happens and things change. But I'll always remember that feeling. Anticipation, excitement, and pure joy.

Life is full of memories, old and new. It's important to remember to live each day to the fullest. Today, on the 13th day of December I spent a couple of hours walking the beach. The sun was shining down, it was warm and the water was spectacular. Quite a difference from the 15 winters that I spent in the cold, rain, and freezing wind of north Georgia.

I'm very thankful it's Christmas time again, because it truly is....the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas!!

~Kimberly