Wow, can you believe we are closing a decade.  I am so excited about starting a new year and a new decade.  New, new, new!!  I have some new adventures I am praying about.  What do you have that is new coming in 2010?  I am so excited to be moving into our new home in a few months.  We have waited so long for this home and it is such a blessing from God.  It will able us to care for Natalie easier.  We are truly blessed!!   I will also be teaching a lesson for our women’s bible study.  I have to admit, I am scared to death.  I just keep praying that God takes “me” completely out and fills “me” with Christ.   Those are just a few…so what is “new” with you? 

I want to wish you and your family a safe and refreshing New Year.  I have added a new page called Tips and downloads.  There is a great download that has 20 questions to reflect on from 2009.  It is really good!!  Check it out and let me know what you think.  I hope to add more tips and downloads in the future.  If you have something you want to share send it my way! 

Once again,  Happy New Year!!  May God bless you and your family abundantly in 2010!!

Psalm 51:10

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I hope you and your family have had a blessed Christmas!  We serve such a marvelous, miraculous, loving, forgiving, gracious God.  Our home was filled with laughter and relaxation Christmas day.  We received the Toy Story Mania Wii game.  Watching Elliott and Phoebe play this game was a hoot.  For one,  Phoebe does not like to loose.  We are working on that whole winner/loosing thing.  The funny part was seeing them hopping around swinging their arms, shooting targets.  The game is themed off the ride at Disney, which is 3-D.  It is really a fun ride, Natalie loved it.  The games and levels are things like, throwing pies, throwing balloons, catching fish from a pond.   Natalie received a Nerf gun.  We had fun with that.  Phoebe received a dog…yep the best kind.  They are called FurReal.  It came in a purse.  Doesn’t need to be fed, let outside or see the vet..awesome!  Natalie received lots of girly things..hair clips, lipglosses. 

As another year comes to a close I hope you take time to praise and pray to Jesus.  Praise him for answered and unanswered prayers.  Praise him for who HE is.  Praise Him with all your heart, soul and mind.  Be in deep prayer regarding the new year.  What can you do to make your walk with Christ deeper?  What can you bury to make you more like Christ?  Think about where Christ has taken you this 2009.  As you think about this I ask that you take 8 minutes out of your day and watch this powerful..and I mean powerful video.  My question to you is “WHAT WOULD YOU WRITE?”

Are tears running down your face?  Is your heart racing?  Do you know what you would write?  God is awesome!  He is in the business of redeeming lives.  How cool is that!!  We live in such an evil world and bad things do happen and we go astray,  but I know for a fact that Christ will always bring glory out of despair and hard times. We just have to allow him.  Be open and willing to where he leads.  Be obedient.  God is always there, waiting, hugging on us.  We might not feel it, but he is.  He cries when we do.  He doesn’t like to see us in a pit.  He wants to take us farther, grow us.  Will you allow him to do that in 2010? 

Have a great week.  If you can and are okay I would love to see what you would write.  You can do it anonymously!  Take a moment to Praise God.  Turn that worship music on, get out of your seat and raise those hands.  What do you think heaven will be like…come on..you know it sounds fun!!

We save money so we can get that one special gift.  We go to tons of  stores searching for that one special gift.   We can’t find that one special gift.  UGH!  The stores are packed with people all looking for that one special gift.  This time of year we get into a mood that we should have all year long.  Giving special, thoughtful, loving gifts.  It doesn’t have to come from a store.  It could be a card, a meal, helping someone who is under the weather clean up their home.  Swapping childcare with a mom whose hubby is gone alot.  A cup of coffee with a new mom who is lonely and needs a friend. 

I am going to pose a question that I hope you really ponder on for a while.  You know why don’t you go get you something to drink, coffee, tea, water, a soft drink, and I will wait for ya…go on..get a snack if you need one.  Okay..so here is the question.  What gift are you going to give Jesus this Christmas?  I will give you a minute.  (the Jeopardy tune is playing in my mind..is it in yours?)  Will it be, more time with Him, reading your bible daily, a better prayer life, serving others more, getting involved in church, forgiveness,  repenting from sin in your life.  Think about this, Christ came to earth as a baby when he could have come as a KING, what he is.  God sent his son, humbly to live as we do, to serve us and to in the end give the ultimate gift..salvation through death on the cross.  I really want to pray about what I am going to give to Jesus and I am going to write it in my bible so I can remind myself of it. 

In the hustle and bustle of Christmas we make our list of who we need to buy gifts for:  husband, kids, parents, extended family, friends, teachers, etc.  Do we ever place Jesus on that list?  I want to make it tradition that when I sit down to write out my list for gifts, Jesus is at the top. 

I pray that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas filled with love, laughter, joy, peace, and health.  May the true meaning of Christmas flood your heart and  home.  Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas and in 2010.