Reflecting on Christmas

       If you had asked me a few years ago what kind of Christmas traditions my family had I probably would have said "snow pudding," and left it at that.Growing up I felt like my family did Christmas very differently than most. We didn't have a tree and there were a few years that we didn't even exchange gifts. I couldn't tell you what we were doing to celebrate Christmas from one year to the next and just wanted to have some sort of tradition. You know, like the families that always put up their tree the day after Thanksgiving, open gifts Christmas morning--maybe even while still in warm flannel pajamas, have certain activities they do every Christmas afternoon, etc.

       The first year I ever remember having a Christmas tree was when I was about 13 years old. It was SO exciting! Mom showed us younger kids how to set up a tree and how to put lights on it. Then possibly the best part came, I got to put the ornaments I had received year after year from Grandma on the tree as well as many other ornaments that I had never even seen before. All the other Christmas decorations came out and the house really started to look and feel like Christmas. Then day after day as Christmas approached, gifts started forming piles under and around the tree. It was all so thrilling! Looking back on it, this was one of my favorite Christmases.

       While Christmas was a bit unpredictable growing up, my parents did their best to teach us kids the true meaning of Christmas. They wanted us to learn that it wasn't about getting lots of gifts, but it was about the birth of Jesus and God choose the virgin Mary to bring his own son into the world to to give us the gift of eternal life. Instead of encouraging us to think about what we wanted for Christmas they taught us the importance of having a giving heart giving by volunteering as a family to help prepare meals with the Salvation Army's Meals on Wheels program on Christmas morning. All of us kids enjoyed getting up early Christmas morning, driving through the snow, and then--decked in aprons, hair nets, and gloves--assembling meals for several hours. I remember being so small that Dad would tie the floppy gloves around my wrists so they would stay on and then I would get to help put rolls into the dinners or scoop jelly with an ice cream scoop. After the job was done we would go back to the cars and drive home through the snow. (Because I always remember it snowing on Christmas morning. Probably my imagination but it makes it more wonderful!)

       As I think about past Christmases there are some things that bring back fond memories and there are other things that, well, the memories aren't quite so fond. I learned a few things from the different ways we celebrated, and as I look back on it, I am grateful to my parents for stressing the true meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Christmas and the attitude of giving was so stressed in my family that I was completely caught off guard when I was talking to mom a couple weeks ago and she asked me "what do you want for Christmas." After recovering from the surprise of her question, I thought about it but could only think of one thing. I knew Christmas was coming up and I had thought about and purchased gifts for others, but never once thought about what I wanted. I am so thankful that my parents took the time to instill in me a giving heart that wasn't concerned about what I wanted others to do for me, but instead what I could do for others.

       This year I am SO excited for Christmas and the days surrounding it. I am looking forward to being with my family again, hanging out with my awesome siblings (I honestly couldn't ask for better ones), making, and eating, Christmas cookies and other special holiday treats, ice skating around a bonfire in the middle of a frozen lake, playing games, singing all my favorite Christmas songs, celebrating birthdays, seeing friends who are home from college, decorating gingerbread houses, and watching the Muppet's Christmas Carol. (The list goes on)

       I feel like this is all a bit of a disorganized rant, but I've stared at it for long enough now and want to leave you with this.

       Whatever your Christmas traditions may be, I pray that you wouldn't get caught up in the business of the season and that you will experience the peace, love, and joy surrounding the season. Wherever you are, and whatever you do for Christmas this year, remember the true meaning of Christmas. How God sent his son to be born of the virgin Mary so that he could save each and every one of us.

Merry Christmas Friends!

Being Thankful Takes Faith

        The last few weeks have been very busy for me. I started working three weeks ago and no longer have any "free time" during the week. Although I am busy all day every day, I have come to realize how much I love where God has me right now, and how blessed I am to know that I am right were God wants me. My heart is so thankful for the season of life I am in right now.

        As I think about the last couple years, I haven't been able to say that I am truly thankful for the circumstances God has put me in. To be honest though, some of these circumstances really sucked. Thankfully I am able to look back and be thankful for the circumstances God put me, and see how they brought me closer to God. I wish that I had been more thankful for the hard times while I was going through them. As I was thinking about this, it dawned on me that it takes a huge amount of faith to be thankful for trials when we are in the middle of them.

        In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we are instructed to give thanks in ALL things. This is such a hard commandment to follow. It would sure be a lot easier to obey this command if it said "give thanks in everything you like." But that's not what it says. We have all had times when something happened and we right away said "Thank you God!" The real challenge comes when we are going through difficult circumstances and are still commanded to give thanks. This is where faith comes in.

        If we are able to have faith that, as promised, "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," (Romans 8:28) we will be able to give thanks when in the middle of not-so-ideal situations. I think this is the key to obeying God's commandment to give thanks in all things.

        I don't know what God is doing in your life right now, but I encourage and challenge you to have faith that in whatever circumstance he has place you. He will use them to form and shape you into the person He wants you to be. After you have this faith, you will be able to truly give thanks for whatever trial God sends you. I promise though, it won't be easy.

       I wish that in the difficult circumstances I have been in recently I would had been thankful for them. As I look back I see how God used them to conform me to be more like Him and am extremely thankful! God still as lot of work to do in my life though, and I pray that when the next trial is sent my way I am able to have the faith I need to be thankful for it.

        As we approach thanksgiving, I encourage you to think about what you are thankful for and what you are not thankful for. When you think of something you are not thankful for, pray that God would help you be thankful for it!

        Lastly, here is a picture to remind you that the God who makes beauty like this can and will make something beautiful out of the trials and difficult situations in our lives.

God, I'm just not qualified

          Last night I was scrolling through my Facebook feed when I came across this quote from Toby Mac.

I thought about it for a moment and continued to scroll down through my feed.

          A little while later I was getting ready to read my Bible and decide that I would start reading through Jeremiah. I am trying to become more familiar with the Old Testament and just finished reading Isaiah, so Jeremiah seemed like a good book to read next. I started reading chapter one and verses 4-8 really jumped out at me.

Now the word of the Lord came to me:

I chose you before I formed you in the womb; 

I set you apart before you were born.

I appointed you a prophet to the nations."

But I protested, "Oh no, Lord, God! Look, I don't know how to speak since I am [only] a youth." 

Then the Lord said to me:

Do not say, "I am [only] a youth."

For you will go to everyone I send you to

and speak whatever I tell you.

Do not be afraid of anyone, 

For I will be with you to deliver you.

[This is] the Lord's declaration.

          After reading these verses I grabbed my phone and went back to the quote I had just read and saved it. 

          Today's society is full or rules and qualifications for who can do what. You have to have specific training, have a license, have so many years of experience, etc. before you can do a task or have a specific job. I think this culture makes us feel unqualified to do the work God sets in from of us. Just like Jeremiah, I have felt unqualified to do what God has called me to. I am young and lack experience and wisdom. I'm not prepared for the jobs God has for me. 

          Well friends, the fact of the matter is that no one is fully prepared for the tasks God puts in front of them. Have you ever completed one of God's tasks without any difficulties? Din't think so! It just doesn't work that way. We might not be fully prepared to do a task, but it is okay, because God is there to help us. He doesn't give us a task and then say "be back in a week, you had better have it done!" NO! God gives us a task and then says, "I'm going to help you get this done." God reminds me of an employer who says to you, "I will teach you everything you need to know to do your job." No experience needed. 

          Jeremiah was trying to tell God that he couldn't do what God had told him to do because he was young. God told Jeremiah that he could do what He had called him to, because He was going to be there every step of the way. The next thing God told Jeremiah is something we all need to remember. God gave Jeremiah three simple steps:

1. Go to everyone I send you to.

2. Speak whatever I tell you.

3. Do not be afraid, because I am with you. 

          Can you imagine the great things God could do through us if we remembered these three things? We would be changing the world! Instead, many of us find ourselves making a list of excuses for why we can't do what God has called us to. We don't time, we don't have money, we aren't good at communicating, we have other stuff to do, and the list goes on. If we would only trust God's promise that He will be there with us, we could start doing great things for God. 

          I don't want to stand before God one day and say "Sorry God, I didn't have the qualifications to do the tasks you gave me." Do you? 

          Away with the excuses! Start trusting God that He will help us through each and every task He sets before us. 

Say YES to God!

Hello World!

Hi There!
Welcome to my blog. This is a place to write about my incredible journey as I follow God, and to relay to you the things God teaches me. Life is an one-of-a-kind adventure and I can't wait to share my adventure with you. I hope what you find here will encourage and challenge you in your walk with the Lord!

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, So that you might follow in his steps."~1 Peter 2:21