My favorite part of the Christmas season decorations are the paper snowflakes my children have made, and hang in our kitchen and dining room. This year we have way more than we had before, because last year my children put on a Christmas ball for our local community, and they used snowflakes to decorate. They made twice as many snowflakes last year as in the previous years combined.
We keep our snowflakes from year to year, and last year Marilyn gave us these beautiful boxes to store our snowflakes.
As I pass through the kitchen and dining room, my mind keeps 
turning toward the creativity expressed in the snowflakes. Just like real snowflakes, our paper ones are all unique. They reflect the uniqueness that God put into each one of us as He made us in His image. We are all people, yet we’re all unique. Our snowflakes all have 6 sides, and are made of paper, yet they are all unique. Each one is similar but at the same time, they are all different.
Then when I am thinking about the uniqueness of the snowflakes, my mind goes toward thinking about the uniqueness of each of my children who made them. I think about how blessed I am to come to know each of them, and experience seeing life from their 5 different points of view, and how creativity flows from them in so many different ways. It reminds me of this passage:
“For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are Your works, and that my inner self knows right well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was being formed in secret [and] intricately and curiously wrought [as if embroidered with various colors]…” ~ Ps 139:13-15
As I’ve been reading the LOLACHE Moms Forum, and the HEM posts, and other communications, I know that some of you are getting close to despairing. You are starting to sink under the idea that your circumstances, or your family dynamics are too bad, and things are beyond hope. Your eyes have been opened to all that is wrong, and 
there’s so much to be done in order to bring change into your life and family.
But don’t despair! God not only made you and your children unique, but His plans for you and your family are also unique! You only need to press into Him to find out not only what He wants to do specifically in your family and where He wants to take you, but also the unique order in which He wants to guide your steps. He has a way to lead your family into whole, deep relationships, and that way is perfectly unique for your 
situation, starting now.
“Yet grace (God’s unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and bounteous] gift.” ~ Eph 4:7
God is not far off waiting for you to figure it all out, and get yourself out of this mess you see. He’s right there wanting to give you unique steps toward releasing His healing love into your family. These are steps you can take right now. Yes, it will take time, but God wants to walk with you through the whole process that He’s uniquely set in motion for you! He will show you which things you need to address first, and in what order to bring growth and change to your family.
I want to encourage you to get personally connected with the Lord today, so that you can receive His unique plan for your unique family.
Lifestyle of Learning™ Making Heart-Level Connections mini coaching programs are extremely practical, and can help you get personally connected with the Lord at the heart level, so you can rapidly move forward with Him.
Thank You Lord for the incredibly unique path you have for each of these precious families! You are so good and so wise and so individually loving!
Blessings,
~ Barbie Poling
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