Still alive and looking forward to Christmas

I can't believe that its been almost a month since I typed anything in this little box. Guess that just shows how little has been going on in my mind. Actually thats quite wrong, its just that I haven't had any cohesive thoughts to put into a post. Luckily, I have something rumbling around in my head this morning.

I always read SCL because it makes me smile and I need to start the day off with a smile, and suggest that you do the same. Jon linked to his other blog The Prodigal Jon. I would urge you to get over there and read it. Its a great stop and think moment. I often find myself reflecting over the few times that he decides to get serious. I wonder why I never thought of whatever that way before or if I have, why have I forgotten it. Case in point, there was a post about how we often have selfish motives for reading the Bible or doing service or something of that nature. Then we beat ourselves up over having a selfish heart. The thing is that we aren't able to change ourselves. This goes back to the whole renewal thing, its God's desire to change us, not for us to try and change ourselves. We have to get back to that thought, "I can't, but you can." I guess more than anything, I am thankful for the reminders that get me back on track.

Speaking of the whole getting back on track thing, this is the season to reflect on Jesus' coming. Of course, we have been celebrating Advent at our church. We have been using the small groups to end each Sunday service with one praying and one lighting the Advent candle. This past week was our groups turn to do those things. Our word was "Peace" and I will include the prayer that we gave at the end of this post. While studying the words in Hebrew and Greek, I was sort of surprised to learn that the word they use for "peace" doesn't just mean the end of hostilities, but a making whole, made complete. Thats exactly what Jesus' coming means that we can be whole now.

It is the whole Christmas season thing and that means another time to spend with family. I am looking forward to this week. I have been more than blessed with both of my families, the one I was born into and the one the I was married into. They both love me more than I can imagine and more than I can believe. They are both great examples and I am amazed by them constantly. But, most of all I am blessed for having a wife who is wonderful and makes me feel like the greatest man on earth. I hope that your holiday is great as well.

Dear Father,

You alone are the source of Peace. You not only ended the hostilities between us, making us no longer enemies, but your children, but you also came to make us whole. We can be complete because of Jesus and His perfect sacrifice. You give us peace, in our lives, that is far beyond our ability to understand it. This doesn’t mean that everything will be easy, but that even in those times when everything else is going wrong, we are right with you Lord. All of this, everything that we can hold on to, is because of our Prince of Peace, our mediator, our loving friend and messiah, Jesus. For that peace, that assurance, that victory, we are blessed. As we celebrate your coming, both your birth and your return in triumph, we pray for your peace to rule in our lives.

Amen.

Thankful for Advent

One of the new things that I am experiencing this year is Advent. To tell the truth, I wasn't all that sure what Advent was until I started reading about it online. The internet is the bastion for all knowledge nowadays. But, when I want to learn about something, I go to Wikipedia. Their article on Advent is pretty good. It doesn't give a Christian perspective, but it gives the facts. I didn't see where it mentions fasting from something during the season of Advent, but that is something that me and my wife are doing (along with others we know). My family's sacrifice this year is sodas of any nature. Thats tough since I am used to drinking like 3 a day and my wife is the same way. One of my close friends, Drew, mentioned that not only is he trying to give up something, but start something new. I have taken that to heart as well. So, not only are we giving up sodas, but I felt the desire to recommit ourselves to seeking God. I have always been mindful of prayer and its importance as an intimate moment that we share and have done so every night since we have been dating. However, when we got married, I never focused on a morning prayer time for us to commit our lives to God's service for the day. Thats something I feel very drawn to and hope to make that something new for us to do.

The other major even this time of year is Thanksgiving. I am very thankful this year. I don't think its cause I have more than I have ever had. I think it has more to do with the fact that I acknowledge God's grace a little more than I ever have though. I am blessed with a loving wife and a wonderful new marriage. I will have that for the rest of my life and I know that I will be thankful for that for the rest of my life. While I have always been thankful for my parents and their loving nature, I am even more appreciative of them for all that they have done. Its like the light finally clicked for me. It was always this gut reaction to their goodness, but I never understood as well as I do now. And I am sure that I will look back on this moment a few years from now and realize how little I got at this point. That is one of the amazing things about parents, you are always finding new levels of respect and admiration for them, at least I am. There are numerous examples of this type of revelation going on with me recently. Of course, the most prevalent is about God and His desire for us. I never realized how great the path of God could be. I heard it and thought that it might be true, but its more wonderful to experience it.

Ok, I am basically rambling, but we all tend to do that when we are excited about something. Thats new to me as well, being excited about God. There are so many times in the past when I allowed God to use a revival or a youth trip or whatever to help ignite the fire inside me. I would be so set on following him and slowly the embers faded and I was back to wondering where it all was and if it was all worth it. However, with new understanding, I am developing something more real and more constant than I have ever had before. Its great. I am never proud of the life that I used to lead, but am thankful that it makes me appreciate the desire of God for me.

So, while the Thanksgiving season is here and we all take a few moments to say our thanks, I just wanted to reflect on those things that I am utterly floored by this year. I will be suffering without any Mountain Dew or Pepsi or any sodas of any sort this year, but I will be seeking God each morning with my wife. Have a great holiday!