Monday, December 19, 2011

Gifts Without Ribbons







Gifts without ribbons.

Gifts that come in the midnight hour when there isn't a single sound except the tiny puffs of air on your neck from the breath of your newborn baby.

Gifts that come in the wee hours of the morning when chubby, little hands make there way around yours.

Gifts that come in the moments between laundry and diaper changing and bathing five babies every night.

Gifts that come when the entire Christmas tree falls over because your three year old decided to launch himself right into it.....

Moments that become gifts ........without ribbons or packaging or string.

Gifts handed to us by the One who is the giver of every good thing.

The One who knows the deepest desire of our hearts...who knows every, single need.

Gifts that come when all things have lost there relevance.

This year I received the most incredible gift...

It didn't come like I had hoped or expected. But it came.

A gift without ribbons....

He's home.

Finally.

Glory to His precious name.

The man to whom my heart belongs is home.

The father of my children is home.

The man who is the rock of this family and who is the hardest worker and the best provider I have ever known. He's home.

The man who gives and sows and loves and demonstrates the love of the Father unlike anyone else I know. He's home.

The man who has spent the last two years and four months living and working in another state and has only been home on the weekends, and many, many times it was not every weekend.

He's home.

I can attempt to describe the gratitude.

I can attempt to describe the level of overwhelming joy and thanksgiving.....

But I think my words would fail in comparison to what I feel has taken place in my heart.

I am beside myself.....

It's over.

The commuting. The struggling. The single parenting of five children.

The sleepless nights. The weight and the burden of trying to do it all by myself without an ounce of help.

The going to every school function and event and open house alone.

The trying to parent and have a marriage and relationship long distance.

It's over.

And he is never going back.

It will mean big changes for our family.

Some of which we have already been walking through the last month.

Changes that would send some people into a complete and total tailspin.

But only a wife who has prayed countless prayers for years to be reunited with her husband no matter what ~ could say it matters not financially......I'm just so thankful he is home.

It may not be a Malibu Barbie Dream House Christmas this year.

But it is the Christmas that my heart sang and my feet danced and my prayers were answered.

It is the Christmas that will not involve going to the airport for any reason.

It is the Christmas that I have never, ever seen my children so incredibly happy.

It is the Christmas that I feel like June Cleaver and I am twirling around in my apron .....

It is the Christmas that six babies and my husband under the same roof mean more to me than anything in the entire world.

The gift I had hoped and prayed would come.

The one without ribbons and wrapping and string.

The one that has made my heart absolutely soar and sing.

My children are finally in the arms of their Father,

and we have waited and prayed for years for this day...

No words big enough sweet friends.

Soli Dio Gloria. To God alone be the glory......


24 comments:

paige said...

merry christmas my sweet friend!
rejoicing with you!!!!!

Michelle said...

That indeed, is a gift too wonderful for ribbons! I am so happy for your family and know God will honor your earthly sacrifices. Enjoy this sacred time...drink it in! Merry Christmas!

melissa said...

Christmas blessings to you and your beautiful family .. such JOY!!

Coastal Health and Home said...

Very happy to hear your good news.
Enjoy!

Love Being A Nonny said...

Praising HIM for you and praying WITH you that as you rejoice you may also have peace that HE will provide!

*THERE'S NOTHING MY GOD CANNOT DO.*

Anonymous said...

Sibi,
my name is Belén.
I'm writing from Spain.
I'm a Christian mum of four. I do not usually comment because of my English but today I have to write because I'm so happy than your husband is physically with you and your "gifts".
You're an inspiration for me.
God bless you Sibi.
Belén

Paige said...

I am so very happy for you and your family!!!! Praise God!!!

ms. mindless said...

Oh Sibi, how exciting for your family! I am so happy for you. This will certainly be the best Christmas ever for you all!

Maria said...

What a wonderful Christmas gift our Savior gave you this year, dear Sibi! I had to sit down as I started reading...I was just so moved. Praise God!!!!

lizziefitz said...

I know how grateful you are! It isn't easy ($) but it is more than worth it! Hugs!!!

Katie said...

OH, I am so incredibly happy to hear your news. Bless y'all this Christmas!! My heart is so happy for y'all! God is so very, very good .... :o)

Sandra said...

What a joyous day! Merry Christmas sweetie! I have my ticket for the Pearl Event II. Love to you and yours. XOXO

Alison said...

Best.Gift.Ever.
I'm so happy for you!

Tiffany said...

A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!!! I am overjoyed for you!

Henley on the Horn said...

God is good!!! Having a husband at home is far better than riches!!! Who needs a Barbie dream house anyway?! I hate I missed meeting you in person. I had a sick child at home and no way to contact you!!!

Nancy said...

Merry Christmas Sibi, this is the best gift in the world :) Wishing you all the best season of joy.
xoxo
Nancy

DianeTaylor said...

OMG I literally cried big ugly tears of joy for you, Sibi - God saw your heart and knew what you really wanted. I'm so so happy for all of you!!! All things are made beautiful in God's name. I hope you get to go to a candle lit service on Christmas Eve and bask in the glow of our Father's abounding love. Repeat....repeat...the sounding joy!

From my house to yours - wishes for a joyous season of giving and basking in the glow of your family's happiness.

Merry Christmas :)

From Diane, David, son Jonathan and our chocolate lab Indy Bones

The Mrs. said...

Praise the LORD! xoxoxoxo

3 Peanuts said...

SIbi...I am SO happy for you and for you children and your husband. I cannot even imagine how hard it was for each and every one of you. Dave was gone for 2 weeks this past Fall and I thought it was excruciating and just as I began to feel sorry for myself...I thought of you and "sucked it up" so to speak. I will pray that all goes well for you over the next few months as you sort it all out.

Love,
Kim

Tiffany said...

so so so so very happy for you sibi!! God DOES hear our prayers and His timing is hard for us to understand - rejoice rejoice!

Also, I am so excited you are doing a Pearl event - i SO wish with my whole heart I could attend. I live on the West Coast and a trip to Nashiville unfortunately wouldn't work for me! I hope that MAYBE you can post video of at least the speakers??

I would absolutely love to be there trust me I think it would be food to my soul although I would probably be a weepy mess the whole time!! God moving through others does that to me!

I will be praying that the event is ALL He wants it to be and that He pours out through all of you!!

Merry Christmas!
xoTiffany

Sibi said...

Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments! We are rejoicing and celebrating that Daddy is finally home. It is bitter sweet as job loss is difficult for anyone to walk through. God is so good and we know Him to be faithful and true to His word and we are praying for a new opportunity to open soon. Thank you all for your prayers! May this be a Christmas filled with gifts without ribbons for all of us. xoxoxo Sibi

The Mustard Seed said...

wonderful-awesome-happy news

mert CHRISTmas
angel

Beth said...

I am way behind on blog reading!

What a precious gift of PRESENCE!!

I only have one child with a husband who travels weekly. He leaves at 5:30 am Monday mornings and returns late Thursday evenings. I only know 1/5 of what you do!

Merry Christmas sweet Sibi! You are a blessing!

Tiffany said...

I understand this So Well! Happy for you...& the sweet babies who have their Daddy! What gift could compare?
Merry Christmas!