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Some of you might remember that back in November I posted about Hope.  Things were a little crazy due to a family crisis.  I'm still not going to go into detail (maybe someday!) but since then things have been up in the air.  Our future was very unsure.  I know that our future is always unsure-God can do what he wants, when he wants- but I like to have plans.  I'm totally OK with the plans changing but I like having a game plan. 

We've been without a game plan for the past two months.  It's felt like a black cloud has been hanging over me.  I got through Christmas OK...it was great having The Man home for that...but once that ended, I've just felt this weight.  I haven't want to do much.  I've become anti-social and haven't had the energy to do anything.  The house is a mess and I'm currently growing a puppy from the dog hair floating around the house.  Thankfully The Man has been understanding!

Then I got a text from The Man.  We got the news we've been waiting for.  It's good news!  It's what we've been hoping and praying for.  I feel like a HUGE weight has been lifted.  I suddenly have energy to do things and am looking forward to getting out of the house.  And cleaning the house.  I feel like ME again.  I knew the waiting was wearing on me but I hadn't realized just how much.

I'm so thankful.  God is good.  Thank you for your prayers.  There is still some adjustments going on and while they are good they take some getting used to.  God is working in us both and I'm excited for that.  I'm excited for the things to come.  I'm excited that we can have a game plan again...even if it changes.

I just keep thinking about what has happened and as I continue to share it with family & friends who know what's been going on I become more and more thankful.  God is amazing.  I'm seeing just how well He is taking care of us.  He used the good & the bad for our growth.  He uses both for HIS glory. Philippians 1:6 comes to mind:

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

 Thank you Lord, for answered prayer.  Thank you for an answer earlier than we expected.  Thank you for second chances.  Thank you for growth and for the support of family & friends. 

What are you thankful to God for today?

Merry Christmas!

I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

~Luke 2: 10b,11 

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I hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior!  Merry Christmas!


To those who are serving far away from home this year, thank you for your service.  Your sacrifice does not go unappreciated.  Our thoughts are with you and your family this Christmas.

Did You Know?

I've had the Todd Agnew Christmas CD Do You See What I See? for a few years now.  I've always enjoyed it.  This year one song has been stuck in my head.  It's Did You Know -Song to Jesus.  It's a thought provoking song about God becoming man.  I've thought about what it would have meant to be Mary, and this year what it would have meant to be Joseph.  Even though I have listened to this song before, I never really thought what it was like to be the baby, to be Jesus.

If you have a few minutes, please listen to it.  I've put the lyrics below.

The lyrics:

Were Mary's eyes the first eyes You saw
Or did You remember choosing that shade of brown?
Were You surprised at the shepherd's crazy story
Or did You know You wrote the song the angels sang?

What was this life like for You?

Did You know?
Did the cross cast its shadow o'er Your cradle?
Did You know?
Did You shudder each time Your hammer struck a nail?
Did You know?
How much heaven and how much earth
Were in this baby at His birth?
Did You know? Or did You wonder?

Did You remember the brightness of Your glory Or did You just notice it was cold and dark here?
Did You know Your name or did You have to be told?
Were You just a baby or were You as old as time?

What was Your life like?

Did You know?
Did the cross cast its shadow o'er Your cradle?
Did You know?
Did You shudder each time Your hammer struck a nail?
Did You know?
How much heaven and how much earth
Were in this baby at His birth?
Did You know? Or did You wonder?

Did You wonder?

What was Your life like?
Did the cross cast its shadow o'er Your cradle?
Did You know?
Did You shudder each time Your hammer struck a nail?
Did You know?
How much heaven and how much earth
Were in this baby at His birth?
Did You know? Or did You wonder?

Did You wonder? 

Do you have a Christmas song stuck in your head this year?

Hope

Hope is an amazing thing.  The past 24 hours have been a bit rough.  I'm not comfortable going into detail on a such a public forum.  I have no control over who reads my blog and while I'm ok with that, there are some things I am not willing to share.  I can be a bit of a control freak.  The topsy turvy feelings and what caused them are not going to be shared.  But I will share that I have hope.  I didn't for a few hours but now that I do, however small, has made a huge difference in the outlook of my day and the coming days.  More info will be coming but for now I am ok.

I looked hope up and this definition best suits today:  to believe, desire, or trust.  I have no idea what the outcome of the situation is going to be.  I am believing and trusting for the best.  I am trusting God that His will will be done.  God was not surprised by what happened.  He knew it was coming.  He has been in control the entire time.  I know what I want for the outcome to be.  However, I believe that God wants what is best for us and He will do that.  I want what HE wants.  Whatevere happens, we will be ok.  God uses bad for good even if we don't see it right away.

I've been clinging to to James 1:2-5.  It goes like this:

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

(Random side note...I tried italizing the verse but it wouldn't work.  Now I can't unitalize this part.  Does Blogger hate me today?)

I've been trying to find  joy in this.  Haven't found it yet.  I am confident that God is working in me so that I will not be lacking in anything.  He is good, all the time.  I've had moments when I haven't know what to pray or have been unable to pray...I am thankful that the Holy Spirit has been praying on my behalf.  What comfort I have in knowing I am not alone!

As I've been typing this, Isaiah 40 came to mind.  I have loved this chapter for years and have turned there many times.  The whole chapter is amazing but I've focused on verses 21-31 today.

 21 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,

and its people are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,

and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

 23 He brings princes to naught

and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

 24 No sooner are they planted,

no sooner are they sown,

no sooner do they take root in the ground,

than he blows on them and they wither,

and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

 25 “To whom will you compare me?

Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:

Who created all these?

He who brings out the starry host one by one,

and calls them each by name.

Because of his great power and mighty strength,

not one of them is missing.

 27 Why do you say, O Jacob,

and complain, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord;

my cause is disregarded by my God”?

 28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

 29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

 30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

 31 but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

I have hope because of Jesus.  It is well with my soul, no matter what may be happening.

I would be honored to have you pray with us.  I am praying that God's will be done and that there will be peace no matter the outcome.  Thank you! 

A Month of Thanks; Freedom

I am extremely thankful to have been born in the United States.  We have freedoms that many people in the world don't have.  We have freedom of speech and freedom of choice.  We have freedom to believe what we want.  We have the freedom to worship who and how we want.

I've lived in countries that don't have these freedoms.  They may say they do and they might, to an extent.  But they don't have all of the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans.  They can't say whatever they want.  They can't believe whatever they want.  They are more limited in the choices they can make. 

There's another freedom that I have that is even more important.  That's the freedom I have from sin and death.  Romans 8:1-4 explains:

¹Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ²because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, ⁴in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

The death of Jesus on the cross has set me free!  Hallelujah!  I no longer need to fear death!

One other note on freedom; True freedom isn't the absence of all boundaries.  Freedom has boundaries. 

What freedom are you thankful for?

Don't forget to link up if you've written about something you're thankful for!  You can link up here. I don't have a fancy button but I would love to read what you are thankful for!