570. It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself. ~Charles Dickens

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You’re never too old to be a child at Christmas.
Think back to your own childhood memories of Christmas –
not the gifts and the tinsel, but the joy and wonder
of a time when everything seemed so new
and nothing was impossible.
~William Saroyan, (1908-1981),
Armenian-American dramatist and writer

Screen shot 2014-12-29 at 3.16.18 PM

Hey, it’s snowing! At least on my blog, little snowflakes are softly cascading. Okay, I’ll admit it; I’m delighted about that and gleefully squealed like a child when the WP support lady told me how to make it happen. And what’s more, if Charles Dickens and William Saroyan think it’s okay to be a child at Christmas, who am I to lack confidence in that stance? I realize Christmas is weeks away, but the snow on my blog was enough to jump start my enthusiasm about it. Christmas always takes me back to the time when I saw the world through the eyes of a child. That’s because my childhood was magical, not perfect nor without hurts, but magical nonetheless. It was the result of a Divinely engineered coming together of extraordinary people in an extraordinary place at an extraordinary time. I say that with a humble heart because I know it was and is a privilege not afforded all people. My childhood was so out of the ordinary in fact that I can recall the exact moment in time it came to an end. It was in the cessation of a beating heart that the reality of it shattered like the pieces of a breaking mirror. Not only was the magic and innocence of it lost forever at that moment, but the devastation left me fragmented and it severed my hold on the handle of anything that nurtured my faith. Then close on the heels of that life-altering experience, I was swept away into the uncharted waters of young womanhood and the inevitable trials that accompany aging and marriage. Those events added to the continuing and inconsolable sorrow of my father’s death left me turning a deaf ear to the Lord’s “still, small voice” as well as a blind eye to His abiding presence in my world. After nearly a decade of watching me, lost and brokenhearted, wander deeper into the “wilderness,” He sent an angel of mercy into my world. Ironically the Divine messenger was a child, my baby girl, who would and did touch my heart in a way no other mortal had been able to. In her smile, in the twinkle of her eyes, and in the beauty of her heart, a heart more loving and gentle than any I’ve ever known, I found my way, step by step, back into the Lord’s keeping. Oh come let us adore the Christ who finds a way to speak to the child in us all!

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. ~Romans 8:17   ✝

**The photo is a composite of my daughter from the age of 8 months to 18 years.

29 thoughts on “570. It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself. ~Charles Dickens”

  2. How delightful that your daughter helped you reclaim your joy and faith. Children often show us the way home to magic, wonder and faith in the divine. I’m glad you can share your childlike joy with us, snowflakes and all. blessings… 🙂

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  3. Beautiful post. My children are my life line. I am sure they chose me as their mother as they have been fantastic this year during difficult times. It will be hard when my daughter leaves to go to university in Wellington. But I have to let her go as she now needs to find her own path in life. 😀

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    • Thank you, Raewyn. Nikki is my life line too. It was hard when she went away to school too, but now she’s back and the married to a great, Godly man and raising 3 children, as well as cats, dogs, sheep and chickens. So her life is never dull. Your daughter will carve out her own life but you’ll still be included in it. The role just becomes different. Hugs, N ❤

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  5. a beautiful tribute to your daughter—who turned out to be a saving grace! and how cool to figure out the snow—I saw it on David’s blog and thought it really cool—it only it were so cool here 🙂
    Hugs and love—a tuckered cookie—I worked today—tis the season 🙂

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    • Thank you, Cookie. I’d seen the snow on several blogs and just loved it. I’m so glad the lady showed me what to do. It really is easy so if you want snow just let me know and I’ll tell you how to do it. It will snow on our blogs until January 4th. Since we seldom get snow here, it’s a real treat for me. Much love and huge hugs for my little tuckered Georgia Peach. ❤

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  6. Oh, Natalie, this is a beautiful post about your lovely daughter and your renewed faith. It gives me hope to keep praying for those I love who are still turning a deaf ear to His whispers. You’ve made me cry — the good and glorious kind. Hugs.

    Blessings ~ Wendy ❀

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    • Thank you, Wendy. She’s a keeper all right. Yes, we should never give up hope on anyone. One of my sisters has never made a come back and I pray for her regularly! We just have to keep planting the seeds and let the Lord nurture them into germination. I’m sorry I made you cry, but I’m glad it was the good and glorious kind. God is soooooooooooo good! Love and hugs, N ❤ ❤ ❤

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  8. Thank God for sending those baby girls! This happened to me and totally changed my life! We have a lot in common sweet Natalie! Your sharing your heart is my favorite part about you! Beautiful post! Much love and big hugs! 💗💜

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  9. Such delightful post. I am always fascinated by people older than me. May be because I loved to hear my Grandfather share his thought and wisdom with us ,but still loved to be a child with us .
    I see that here.
    And now that I am a mother I feel like all the curiosity,imagination coming to me again.
    Happy holiday to you…..

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