Winter Blues

I get the winter blues every year but this year seems worse! As Aimee came in for our nightly talk last night (she lays with me for about an hour, and sometimes just sleeps there!) we got to talking about some things going on in her life and I told her I will miss this next year when she is at college. I honestly think that is most of my problem this year.... this senior year is killing dear ole mom!!








Cole usually walks in and calls Aimee a loser, hugs me good night and off he goes to his room. He spends most of his time in his room. Aimee is usually by my side, so I think I will get a little (hmph) lonely next year!








Cold weather, wind and snow do not go well with me! It makes me want to just stay in bed with my head under the covers. I have dealt with depression in my past and at one point was medicated for it. I was on meds for about a year, I can say I have done well since then but there are still times when I feel the dread looming over me. I fight it off as best I can and with the help of God it usually works. Ed is so sweet about it, he tries his best to make things better when I get down. Usually he just drives me crazy cause I just want to be left alone but he also knows that is when I get worse so that is why he persists and I love him for it!








I am all settled in for the night! I am going to attempt to fix supper, although nothing sounds good, then I plan on watching Kentucky Basketball!!! Ed has to teach confirmation class tonight and the kids have youth so I get some alone time and cuddle time with Chopper!! It is going to get WAY cold tonight so stay warm!!




Chopper

Control

I have been struggling a lot lately with my kids getting older & making their own decisions. I worry that they might not make the best decisions, but today as I was having a talk with my Abba Father, or Daddy I was reminded that it's not about what I want for my kids but what His plan is.

Ouch!

I know His ways are much higher & better than mine but I tend to want to control... Well most everything!! As I was praying & discussing this with Him I was reminded of Moses. I really, really like Moses for a number of reasons. He, like me, argued with God, tested Him & so forth before he just trusted Him. This is something I struggle with! Anyway, God spoke to me & reminded me that when Moses' mother couldn't hide (control) him any longer, she released him into the Nile & what happened??? He sent Moses back to her!


In Exodus 2 it tells the story of Moses birth. His mother hid him for 3 months (i.e. Christy trying to protect her kids & make their decisions for them). When she could no longer hide him, she released him into the Nile where Pharaoh's sister intercepted him. She couldn't nurse him so Moses sister asked if she would like for her to go get one of the Hebrew women to nurse him. She said yes & he was returned to his mother to care for him until he was old enough to go back to Pharaoh's daughter.


I need to learn to let God have my kids & trust that I have instilled the proper values in them to make the right choices. But I choose to pray God gives them wisdom beyond their years to let them know when the choice they are about to make isn't in the will of God. I pray that he directs their steps & that they not look side to side but keep their eyes focused forward.

CHRISTmas

This time of the year both is very joyous for me and drives me nuts!!!


Everyone is SO busy trying to get things ready for Christmas and so worried about what people are calling it that they forget the meaning of Christmas! No, I do not like that they are calling it "Happy Holidays" or a "Holiday Tree" but I also think that we as Christians are supposed to be witnesses buy our actions. While, it is a sad thing we do not have to get in such an uproar over it. We need to just carry on with CHRISTmas as we know it.


The birth of Jesus, our Savior.


I was so overwhelmed when my kids told me they wanted to take a part of their Christmas money and support a child through World Vision, and not to just start the support but to pay for a year upfront. That is 360.00, which is most of their Christmas to be honest. We have support a child through World Vision before. We will sit down as a family and pick a child to support from Africa, because most of you that know me know that I have a heart for Africa.


I hope you all stop and take the time to read the CHRISTmas story this year as a family and spend some time thanking God for His ultimate sacrifice!!

He lives within you

He Lives Within You

by Max Lucado

The virgin birth is more, much more, than a Christmas story; it is a picture of how close Christ will come to you. The first stop on his itinerary was a womb. Where will God go to touch the world? Look deep within Mary for an answer.
Better still, look deep within yourself. What he did with Mary, he offers to us! He issues a Mary-level invitation to all his children. "If you'll let me, I'll move in!"
Proliferating throughout the scriptures is a preposition that leaves no doubt- the preposition in. Jesus lives in his children.

John was clear, "Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them" (I John 3:24 NIV, emphasis mine).

Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Bethlehem, and every day you live will be a Christmas. You, like Mary, will deliver Christ into the world.

God in us! Have we sounded the depth of this promise?
God was with Adam and Eve. God was with Abraham. God was with Moses and the children of Israel. God was with the apostles.

But he is in you. You are a modern-day Mary. Even more so. He was a fetus in her, but he is a force in you. He will do what you cannot.

What's in a name?

I had to laugh last night at our Crazy Love study when I asked someone to mark where we left off at so we know where to start at next time. My sister said "Malachi" only she pronounced it Ma-locsh-i. I laughed, & said what?? She said someone had once said it that way. So that got us talking about the "big" words in the Bible.


What do you do when you come across a name you can't pronounce? Andi said she will call them Mr. M (if it was Malachi for instance). I've heard people say so & so. I've also heard people call them by a very common name like Fred. I know for me if I just skim by the name the passage looses something. The names make it personal & are there for a reason! I often hear radio segments where the speakers pronounce names different than what I do & sometimes I have to really think about what they said.


We get so used to things being OUR way that we sometimes don't realize that OUR way may just not be the right way! Well, darn it. I don't know about you but I like things my way. Sometimes a little too much I do believe! That's been a hard struggle for me in waiting on God's timing cause I want it when I want it & how I want it, by golly! But I am learning to "Be still & know that He is God" & although I'd sometimes like to know the plans for me, I trust him to work whatever HE needs to through me!