Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas memories

These are just a few of my favorite Christmas moments.

Connor finally getting to Gigi and PawPaw's house on Christmas night and finally getting him under the tree! He has been a blast the last few days.



Jodi and MawMaw.


PawPaw and the sweetest little elf ever on Christmas morning.


Savannah standing in the snow on Christmas Eve in the Wal Mart parking lot! She was so excited and wanted it to stick so badly. We all did.


The kids at my Mama's house on Christmas Eve waiting to hear the Christmas story so that they could then open their presents.

What a joyous and wonderful time of celebrating we have had over the last few days. We have enjoyed our grandboys and all our other family that has been in town. It is hard to get motivated to even do the laundry this morning, but our pajamas are beginning to smell! Not really but we better get back to some normal routine today. I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and you were able to appreciate deep in your heart what it really means to have Jesus, the most wonderful gift. Happy New Year.



Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is here! I can remember as a little girl this seemed to be the longest day of the whole year and I am certain the night was ten times longer than other nights! What anticipation this day brings to so many. The anticipation of preparation (grocery shopping for some of us!!!) for meals, anticipation of company arriving, anticipation of travel, anticipation of "will they like what I got them?", anticipation of one certain visitor for all the children. A day filled with anticipation. Many times we know that with great anticipation can be great disappointment.
I collect nativities. My husband bought me my first one our first married Christmas together and he has gotten me one every year since. Many others have bought some for me and my house is filled with them. From very elaborate ones to simple ones from the dollar store. I treasure them all. This morning while the others were still sleeping I got up and had my quiet time in my living room where I always do. As I looked around at the lights and the host of nativity arrangements in the room I noticed something I have never paid attention to - Mary. I mean I know she is there but this morning I thought - (I know this is not very spiritual) "She doesn't even look like she just had a baby, much less that she had a baby in a barn without the comfort of a hospital bed and nurses to attend her and most of all - an epidural!" So I got out my Bible and turned to read the account of Mary receiving the news that she would be the one to carry the Savior of the world. I don't read that account often. Normally we go right to Luke 2, but this morning I backed up some.
I read the account of Elizabeth and Zechariah and how when the angel told Zechariah that he would have a child he responded with "How can I be sure of this?" Well he had plenty of time to think about that question seeing as how Gabriel shut him right up for several months. Then I noticed that when Gabriel visited Mary and told her that she would have a child she responded with " How will this be since I am a virgin?" I realized the difference between "can" and "will". Mary didn't doubt she just wanted to hear how the impossible would come to be. Then after hearing the impossible she responded with "I am the Lord's servant may it be as you have said." But here is my favorite part of this particular story - she goes to visit her cousin who immediately upon hearing her voice feels her baby leap and Elizabeth says
"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished."
Talk about some anticipation!!!!!! Our family sat around last night sharing stories of how the Lord has been working in each of our lives in the last few weeks and then that turned into how faithful He has been with each of us over the course of our lives. We marveled at how mightily God reveals Himself to us when we believe Him and what he tells us. How different our lives would be if we did that daily! So my anticipation today is not so much about food, gifts, travel or shopping, but that my life will magnify Him. That each day I will get out of bed and remind myself "I am the Lords servant" That I will believe what the Lord has said will be accomplished and be blessed.
May the Lord bless you and your families this season with an anticipation of Him and what is to come! Believe, Believe, Believe! He is so worth it and the anticipation of Him will never bring disappointment.
Merry Christmas Eve.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Lifting my Banner

Psalm 20:5
"We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests."

This Christmas season is a little different for us this year. We decided as a family to forgo much of the gift buying and things we do and really focus on the joy of the season. It has been very nice to not get caught up in much of the rush this time of year brings. However, this stillness if you will, has brought another realization to me. There is so much heartache and sadness this time of year! People hurting for so many different reasons. The flurry of activity I am usually involved in during December only allowed me to just cast a glance at those who were having a difficult time, I mean after all its Christmas shouldn't everyone be joyous? How self-centered. Then it hit me - Christ was born into a hurting suffering world that was hopeless. Born into times that are just like these to be our Hope! Glory! Salvation!
I pray a lot for the Lord to reveal Himself to me in a mighty way. He did just that recently. My husband and I got to see Providence at its greatest and it blew us away. Not earth shattering to others but to us a revelation that "Yes my child I hear you and I am constantly at work in your life and the lives of others and yes you can believe Me" The details are not something we desire to share but rather to ponder in our own hearts, but the Glory of the Lord is something we MUST lift up. He is worthy of our praise, worthy of our shouts of victory, and worthy of our banners lifted high.
Many, many people are hurting this time of year. Even those who may look like they have it all together. Pray for others. Ask the Lord to bring to your spirit the name of someone who needs your prayers. Share your joy. Share the news that a baby changes everything. Born into a sin filled heart-broken world He is our joy, our hope and our peace to know that even though this world is cruel, to the saved He is our eternal hope. He will come back for us and take us to be with Him in eternity forevermore! Hallelujah!

Friday, December 11, 2009

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

The same sweet present keeps popping up under our tree!!!!!




Is he going to be so much fun or what? He is spending the night with GiGi and PawPaw while his precious momma and daddy celebrate their 4th anniversary. I love being a grandmother. The only thing that would be better is if the other grandpeep were here too! What a blast we are going to have this year. God is so good and so faithful. I am so humbled and grateful for all the blessings bestowed upon me.