I am so thankful for this time of year. It is a time to just be thankful, to be so so grateful for all that we have. I recently read this on a friend's Facebook page:
Whenever Christmas begins to burden, it's a sign that I've taken on something of the world and not of Christ. Any weight in Christmas has to be of this world. Christ came into this world as grace to lift all the weighty burdens.
What a true statement! And I wonder how disappointed Christ must be when He sees what we've made of Christmas? So many times it's a rush from town to town and party to party; all about the gifts and the money. People get uptight about keeping traditions the way they are and lose sight that it's all about a tiny baby that came to save this world.
I love watching Christmas through Ady's eyes:
I love teaching her about Jesus and His birth. We took her to a Drive Thru Bethleham last Saturday night. She absolutely LOVED it!
She says "Jesus" so very sweetly :) Joseph and I are 'going against the grain' here and beginning new traditions for our family. It's bittersweet, really. But, we have decided to stay at our house for Christmas. This will be the first time we won't be going to church with my family on Christmas Eve. We've also decided to start a new tradition, as our preacher at church requested, that we go "be Jesus" to people on Christmas Day. We are fervently praying for the Lord to place on our hearts exactly what we need to do. We'll wake up with Ady, read Luke 2 to her, open presents, and then do whatever we feel God calling us to do for the people in Lexington. I really can't think of a better gift to give Ady than to show her what it's really all about.
We'll be doing a lot of traveling in a very short amount of time here in the next week or so. We'll have Christmas with Tatay and Biggie, then Christmas with my dad's side in Nashville AND Christmas with Joseph's brothers and their families in Louisville on the same day. Talk about a tired Santa:) I was not all too excited with this at first, especially with a baby, but then I made the choice to be thankful that we have so much family that wants to be with us. It may be busy, but we are choosing to enjoy the ride. We are not guaranteed another year, another month, another hour. And some day I know we will wish for this time in our lives back.
We took Ady to see the lights at the Horse Park with our friends the other night and she had a ball! It was so sweet seeing the magic in her eyes.
We went to Heather's annual Tacky Christmas sweater party Sunday night and it was once again a blast :) I think my sweet husband won the prize for the best sweater :)
I am so blessed to have such wonderful Christian women to call my friends. The Lord has greatly blessed me with them.
"Ralph the Elf" saved Christmas again for Caden. For those of you who don't remember last years' post; Caden was doubting if Santa was real and as we were desperately trying to hold onto his innocence, Brett filled in as "Ralph" last year (who used to call us every year....well not Brett, but another "Ralph"), and saved Christmas. This year he called Caden and he was so excited he immediately wrote him a letter once he hung the phone up:
So precious watching magic in children! Thanks, Ralph for once again saving Christmas for a very, very special little boy! :)
Thank you to those of you who have prayed for us recently. Although you may not know specifically what has gone on, we are thankful for prayers and for a God who knows even when you don't. This last month we have gone on a roller coaster ride of emotions. My surgery was a very successful one and I healed in record time :) While we are still aching and crying out to God for answers and reasons, I can honestly say that I have never felt more at peace. Every tear that has fallen from my eyes has been caught in His hands. I have an overwhelming peace that we are right in the middle of His perfect and beautiful plan for our lives. I am so glad that He is in control, and I am not.
May this season find you and your family rejoicing the birth of the King! And if you are hurting or sad, may you find rest and comfort in the One who came into this world to take on your weary burdens.
Joy to the world!
I love watching Christmas through Ady's eyes:
I love teaching her about Jesus and His birth. We took her to a Drive Thru Bethleham last Saturday night. She absolutely LOVED it!
She says "Jesus" so very sweetly :) Joseph and I are 'going against the grain' here and beginning new traditions for our family. It's bittersweet, really. But, we have decided to stay at our house for Christmas. This will be the first time we won't be going to church with my family on Christmas Eve. We've also decided to start a new tradition, as our preacher at church requested, that we go "be Jesus" to people on Christmas Day. We are fervently praying for the Lord to place on our hearts exactly what we need to do. We'll wake up with Ady, read Luke 2 to her, open presents, and then do whatever we feel God calling us to do for the people in Lexington. I really can't think of a better gift to give Ady than to show her what it's really all about.
We'll be doing a lot of traveling in a very short amount of time here in the next week or so. We'll have Christmas with Tatay and Biggie, then Christmas with my dad's side in Nashville AND Christmas with Joseph's brothers and their families in Louisville on the same day. Talk about a tired Santa:) I was not all too excited with this at first, especially with a baby, but then I made the choice to be thankful that we have so much family that wants to be with us. It may be busy, but we are choosing to enjoy the ride. We are not guaranteed another year, another month, another hour. And some day I know we will wish for this time in our lives back.
We took Ady to see the lights at the Horse Park with our friends the other night and she had a ball! It was so sweet seeing the magic in her eyes.
We went to Heather's annual Tacky Christmas sweater party Sunday night and it was once again a blast :) I think my sweet husband won the prize for the best sweater :)
I am so blessed to have such wonderful Christian women to call my friends. The Lord has greatly blessed me with them.
"Ralph the Elf" saved Christmas again for Caden. For those of you who don't remember last years' post; Caden was doubting if Santa was real and as we were desperately trying to hold onto his innocence, Brett filled in as "Ralph" last year (who used to call us every year....well not Brett, but another "Ralph"), and saved Christmas. This year he called Caden and he was so excited he immediately wrote him a letter once he hung the phone up:
So precious watching magic in children! Thanks, Ralph for once again saving Christmas for a very, very special little boy! :)
Thank you to those of you who have prayed for us recently. Although you may not know specifically what has gone on, we are thankful for prayers and for a God who knows even when you don't. This last month we have gone on a roller coaster ride of emotions. My surgery was a very successful one and I healed in record time :) While we are still aching and crying out to God for answers and reasons, I can honestly say that I have never felt more at peace. Every tear that has fallen from my eyes has been caught in His hands. I have an overwhelming peace that we are right in the middle of His perfect and beautiful plan for our lives. I am so glad that He is in control, and I am not.
May this season find you and your family rejoicing the birth of the King! And if you are hurting or sad, may you find rest and comfort in the One who came into this world to take on your weary burdens.
Joy to the world!
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