christmas eve

Christmas Eve traditions....

Christmas Eve service
Christmas Eve dinner
Pjs
It's a Wonderful Life
Bed

useless and unfruitful

So what happens when everyone seems to be reflecting back on the year with nostalgia and looking forward to the year ahead with new goals all in place,- and all you can think of is the areas you FAILED in over the year and have NO idea how you are going to correct it for the upcoming year?  

Well, Matt sent me to a quiet place to get alone with God and work things through.

 I opened my Bible and read the first verse I saw.  

Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  2 Peter 1:3

Amazing.

God used that verse to assure me that HE will give me all I need in order to accomplish anything that pertains to life and godliness!  (which pretty much covers it all!)

How?  Through the true knowledge of Him.

I read ahead to verses 5-8.  Apparently, if I diligently apply the following things to my life:

I will be neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Really?  That means that as long as I do that, I can look forward to a useful and fruitful year ahead.
Happy New Year!

gramps and gram cindy

 It was nice to celebrate Christmas with Matt's dad and Cindy!

decorating

Decorating the tree.  I am trying desperately to keep things the same as I know that things will just keep changing as the years go on.  Kids will grow up, get married, and start homes and traditions of their own.  But for 2015?  I had all my little chicks in my nest and loved every minute of it :)

melanie

My baby sister has been so sick.  The breaks my big sister heart kind of sick.  If I could take her place I would.  

There is not much of this time period that Melanie will want to remember, but I hope she remembers that I loved her through it and have never stopped praying!

christmas cooking

One Sunday afternoon, after church and lunch, we decided we didn't need to watch EVERY football game.  So we turned off the tv, divided the kids into four teams, and went to the kitchen.  

• Brianna was her own team- she made cinnamon rolls
• Cameron and Andrew formed a team (the Booskettis) and made peanut butter cookies
• Alissa and Cameron worked together (the Squeaky Chewies) and they made delicious spice cookies
• Leah and Micah were the Elves and they made Christmas cards for the neighbors

It was such a fun afternoon! But don't think there was a lack of competition!   Matt recorded it and we have a hilarious record of the whole thing :)

faithful

Things in my life have been so busy- seems like there are so many categories it's hard to settle my mind.

I decided that it was time to head to the Psalms.  This morning I read Psalm 63.  It was just what I needed!  Back in high school my friend, Susanna, taught me a song based on this Psalm and I looked it up again and listened to it as it helped me focus my mind on God and His Word.

Verses 6-7 say, When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on  You in the night watches, for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

I looked up some commentary on that and found this in The Treasury of David, by Charles Spurgeon.
"Meditation had refreshed his memory and reaclled to him his past deliverances...This is the grand use of memory, to furnish us with proofs of the Lord's faithfulness, and lead us onward to a growing confidence in Him.

If day's cares tempt us to forget God, it is well that night's quiet should lead us to remember Him."

Since I had woken up with some anxious thoughts- concerns over some "what ifs", I needed the reminder that God has always been faithful.  He has never once failed me!  I forced myself to remember the "proofs of the Lord's faithfulness".  What a beneficial exericse!  I am much more ready to face the day ahead of me- and not alone!