This year, for Christmas, I asked God for a miracle.  2012 has been a difficult year for me, and I needed encouragement.

That is what miracles do best, you know?  Encourage us in knowing that God is there, and He knows us.

Our Christmas was spent in Mississippi celebrating Christ’s birth with the Grands.

Oh, the Grands, they live up to their name; they, are truly grand.  They are our reward for not resigning during the difficult teen years.

Christmas with young children renews the hope of miracles in all of us.  Their wide-eyed wonder at seeing colorful lights on trees inside and outside, and the story of a baby in a manger renews an excitement in all of us.

“Yes, a baby, just like you.”  And, the one-year old pulls her doll close, and kisses the top of its baldhead.

Yet, the whole time we are with the Grands, the alarm in our home continues to go-off.

First, our youngest son goes to check the house, and reports, no problems.

We are then notified a second time that the alarm on the house is sounding.

Now, our oldest son checks the house.  Again, no problems found.

The alarm sounds three more times for no apparent reason.

Though nothing can be found, we decide to return home.  We gather the family around, and open Christmas presents, two days early with the Grands and their parents. Then, we tearfully pack up our car, which is much lighter than when we arrived, and make the four-hour trip back home.

Christmas Day was quiet.  Our oldest came over to regal us with stories, and some Christmas cheer.

But, late in the afternoon, storms began to build.  We battened down the hatches and prepared for heavy rains.

A tornado hits Mobile, Alabama late in the afternoon.  Storms carrying severe thunderstorms and other tornados blanket central and southern Alabama all afternoon and into the night.

That is when I realized that I had seen my miracle – My touch from God – My Christmas gift of encouragement.

Had the alarm not called us back home, we would have been traveling right in the middle of those storms.  God had protected us by arranging for us to return home early.

In what seemed like an interrupted Christmas and an irritation to be handled, God, perhaps, saved our very lives.

“If you will hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble.  I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me.  Call and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.  I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”  (Psalm 91:14-16 MSG)

Linking with Getting Down with Jesus, Walk with Him Wednesday, and Wifey Wednesday

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Diane W. Bailey

Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

Latest posts by Diane W. Bailey (see all)

• What God Can Do with A Shattered Heart - September 5, 2022
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