Jumbled thoughts/

I'm sitting here looking forward to next week, looking forward to Christmas. That one time of year that you have looked forward to since you were a child, and I couldn't help thinking that Christmas just isn't what it used to be. I remember going to bed on Christmas eve and having trouble sleeping because I was so excited to see what I was going to get, Waking up mom and dad at the crack of dawn so we could get started. The crazyness of ripping open presents and yes the disappointment of mom wrapping socks and underwear. I remember sitting in the living room with my Mom,Dad, and Brother just enjoying time together as a family. Im 28 now and I find myself wondering where did those feelings go? I feel guilty when I do get that rush because I know now it is for all the wrong reasons. Not to long ago My friend Paul and his wonderful wife Amy told me a story about how Amy would steal baby Jesus from the nativity scene because Jesus hadn't come yet (read the whole story here

That Story has set with me ever since. So many times at Christmas we here the saying Jesus is the reason for the season and I think back to what it must have been like in Bethlehem on that day. I mean life was normal people were going on about there daily lives, working wondering what was for dinner, and in all of that there were two people who's lives were about to change. The reason for the season was born that night in Bethlehem. There was no fanfare, there was no hallelujah chorus, there was just Mom and Joseph, and baby Jesus. At that moment God's plan was in full force. God knew why the reason was sent.

It's so easy to just focus on Jesus' birth this time of year but really we need to look at the whole picture. Yes God's plan was put into motion that night and a most blessed gift was given to us. But Jesus' birth would mean nothing without the death,Burial, and Resurrection.

16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

HOW AWESOME IS THAT! So as you move about the next week going from one celebration to the next remember the full aspect of what Christ's birth entails.

(sorry for how sporadic this was)

Update

So I have been told it has been awhile since I have updated my blog…So I figured I would try and update it just to make some people happy. Well since the last time I updated this lets see……hmmmm Oh yeah we moved. We went from the nice peaceful country to the somewhat noisy city. I really miss the country but I don’t miss the house that much. I look at where Brooke and I are today and I have to say I think we are truly blessed. The more I think about it the more I think we went about this the right way. Brooke and I started out our marriage by living in Gardner, it was nice only being 10 minutes away form Olathe and from Church and from our friends. But then Brooke dropped the bombshell on me. She told me that the family that was renting her grandma’s old house was going to be moving out and that her grandma had offered to let us rent it out for a freaking steal. Well even at the rent she was going to charge us I was not happy about moving all the way down to Princeton. I didn’t think we could afford the gas of driving back and forth as much as we would be and I sure as heck didn’t want to move from all of my friends. But I did it…I wasn’t happy but I did it. Flash forward 7 years, I can’t believe we have lived down here this long, and I absolutely LOVE IT!! I told Brooke the other day that I NEVER want to move back to the city again. Ottawa is a nice town and I am finding out that it is pretty quite. All In all I am happy…Brooke is happy and things are really going good for us. We are now living next to our friends Carrie and Charlie in which we are VERY VERY much excited about. I am thinking that Charlie and I are going to have some movie/documentary marathons coming up. Well that’s all I can think of right now….

If you don't think this is funny

the there is something wrong.

Me lately

You can listen to this song at the bottom of this post

There are things that I'll never understand / The road I've walked that has made me who I am (Romans 8:28) / Reminiscing with the picture on the wall again / Reminding me just how far away I've been
I'm looking to lay my burdens down / They're something I can't carry anymore (Matthew 11:28) / I'm longing to lay my body down / Beside still waters and find rest for my soul (Psalm 23:2-3)
My knees are weak and my mind is tired (Hebrews 12:12-13) / I've followed every dream of every liar / If there's a place that you've prepared for me that I belong (John 14:2-3) / Then let these dry bones arise to live and breathe your song (Ezekiel 37:5)
What once was dead has now come alive (Ephesians 2:1-5)


This song has really touched me lately, I find myself listening to it over and over I decided to post these lyrics along the verse references because I think it’s better that way. I keep thinking about all things of that have gone on in my life that have made me who I am, and it always seems I get brought back to this point of realization of how far away from God I really am sometimes. I count how many times I feel like my mind is tired from following everything I have heard. I so desperately want to lay my burdens down but it’s so hard. I know I need to lean on God more but I find it more and more difficult each day. I feel like I am constantly fighting off temptations and instead of running to God I try to fend them off myself and ultimately wind up failing every time. One verse that helps me in hard times is more of a prayer. It’s psalm 25 1-5……


1[a] To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Ok that is my soapbox for today. I hope whoever reads this has a good day!