Pine needle memories

While near the end of my walk today, as I got closer to home, I pulled a pine needle of one of the pine trees near my parents' house. As I walked, I broke the tips of the 3 connecting needles. The beautiful scent of pine flooded my mind with memories.

As a young child, we were somewhat poor, though I never realized it. We lived in a small 10 ft by 50 ft mobile home. Every year, we cut down our own Christmas tree. These were not the lovely fir trees or cedar tress for Christmas cards, just a pine tree from the woods. We covered our tree, not with decorator ornaments for the department store, but ornaments we had made ourselves, ornaments of dough, cut, baked, and painted....ornaments of felt, glued together and glittered. My mama knew how to make her children feel special.

Those memories are precious to me, my family of four, mama, daddy, my sister Bobbie and me walking through the woods, Daddy holding the ax. I never knew other people paid big bucks for their trees, and I think if I had known, I still would have opted to go out in the woods with my family to find what Bobbie and I thought was the perfect tree.

I am reminded of my blessings, the blessings of parents who love me, parents who love Jesus. I am blessed with a husband who has allowed my love of family to change our family. I am blessed to be the mom to 5 beautiful children. I am blessed with a sister who calls me often and prays for me. Tonight, our house is warm, and we've had lots of laughs today.

I wonder, though, what will I do with my blessings? What should I do with my blessings? How will I bless others?