As Christmas approached I kept hearing over and over the words of the last hymn Kristin sang to us last Christmas Eve. I’d like to share them with you.
“God rest you merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, Remember Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day, to save us all from Satan’s pow’r When we were gone astray; O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy.”
I realized today that over the last year, because of the love and prayers of family and friends, we have received God’s comfort. I must however admit that the joy is more elusive.
May God bless all of you in the coming year.
Grandma Virginia
KKSmith.net 
What is joy? (Original poster: Rich Wiersma)Sometimes when the pain from missing Kristin is especially acute, joy for me is nothing more than the quiet realization that Kristin shoulders no more cares in her heavenly home. In other words, meditating on the boundless, constant, uninterrupted by anything joy that I know Kristin is experiencing produces joy in me.After being informed of her death last Dec 29, I remember thinking, “Lord, how can I survive even the next 5 minutes?” The pain felt that unbearable. Yet, here it is, a year later, and God has proven that His grace really is sufficient for anything we encounter.Love to all who visit,Uncle Rich