“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).
Daddy spent Christmas Day in the hospital recovering from the surgery that revealed his terminal illness. The prognosis was that he would live no longer than six months. Our family decided to have our Christmas celebration in January. Daddy had bought a rocking horse for my two-year-old son that had not been put together. When he came home from the hospital, he insisted that he alone would assemble the toy for his beloved grandson. I watched him work on that horse, often in pain and requiring breaks to continue.
The horse was assembled in time for the January Christmas celebration! The large, fragrant cedar tree was beautifully decorated. But the joy of my son's laughter, coupled with the joy in my Dad's heart, is my most special memory. All of my Daddy's family was together, and we had a celebration of love.
Twenty years later, I knew that I was sharing my last Christmas with my mom. Her body was weak, but her spirit was upbeat! My children and I shared a wonderful Christmas Day with Mama, creating our last happy memories together. That day was an answered prayer because I had asked God to give us one more Christmas. And on that day, like our Christmas twenty years earlier, there was joy!
My parents' trust in the Lord never failed. They taught me about God's faithful love and the road to joy eternal through Jesus Christ. Praise God! He is our salvation!
Debbie Carter Grant has been part of First Baptist Nashville since birth. Her parents, Chris and Don Carter, are remembered lovingly by longtime church members. Marshall and Henrietta Carter are her uncle and aunt. Debbie, the mother of three grown children, works in extended session and has served as a member of the Personnel Committee and a Sunday School care group leader. She is employed as the development director for Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee, Inc.
The audio version of today's devotional was recorded by Melody McCoy.
