Re-Capping and Re-Thinking

Hello, Girls!

So I’ve been taking a blog break and I have to admit that putting my computer away for the past couple of weeks has been the best thing I could have done to clear my prayers and thoughts. Can we all just be honest and admit these things can fog our brains? I assumed I was only recapturing some time to be thoroughly focused on Christ and my family during the holidays, but the uncomfortable reality is that I’ve needed to re-boot and re-prioritize how blogging will fit into my life for 2009 – but I’m jumping ahead of myself. Let me back up and share a few of my favorite Christmas moments.

1. Bible Jeopardy.

My sister Christi and her hubby Rocky were the Pat and Vanna of one of our parties this year. They brought a game they had made set up just like Jeopardy (wait, isn’t that Alex Trebec? And he has no pretty blond assistant?) Oh well. I still like calling them Pat and Vanna.

I would love to tell you that my team won the game but that would be a big fat lie. We were actually the biggest losers at -3700 points. I’m not even kidding. My team was myself, niece Kayla, and BIL Heath. Our motto was, “If you gonna go, go big.” We chose the 600 point question every time and missed it every time. Heath had to work that night and was trying his best to hang with us until we got a question right. He finally had to leave or be totally late.

Perhaps the most humiliating part of the game was the fact that Luke and I missed all the Bible questions. To our credit, the OT references were obscure and not oft-quoted but that fact meant nothing to everyone who laughed at the pastor and his wife for completely blowing the Jesus category. Geesh. Pride doth go before a fall. And after it, too.

2. Dirty Santa.

We had another gathering with the same sis and bro’s present. This one also included my sister Casey. Christi and Casey had shopped together and bought two purses they were going to fight for. In a piece of strategy worthy of the best Survivor episode, Christi ended up with both of them. It was pure genius. Just to show what a good girl she is, she gave the purse back to Casey. I got an awesome wicker laundry basket. So much fun.

3. The Christmas Story.

One of my absolute favorite times with the kids during Christmas is when we read the Christmas story. This varies between Christmas Eve or morning but this year, it was the morning of. Every year, we buy a 6-pack case of glass bottle Cokes that are replicas of old bottles. We drink our Cokes while Luke reads the story and then he prays over us all. Memories are made in the smallest details, yes?

4. Christmas Eve Movies.

We live about an hour away from family and don’t get to be with them on Christmas Eve because we typically have Candlelight Communion that night. Instead, we take the kids to the movies on Christmas Eve day. This year we saw The Tale of Despereaux and enjoyed it thoroughly though my youngest boy who has read the book says the two are nothing alike. {Y’all know I love me some quotes. My favorite in this movie is, “Sometimes a broken heart grows back crooked.” Don’t know why that resonated, but the statement is sadly true.} Two other families joined us this year and we ate Chinese buffet together after the movie. It was pure, unstressed fun.

There are plenty, plenty more things I can tell you about. The kids’ Christmas play was fantastic. My youngest son did the Cabbage Patch during the Jesus songs. I was so proud. The youth black light drama was powerful. My oldest son identified himself to us as “The top of the ‘S’. Church in general during the season was magical. I’ve loved every moment.

So going back to the whole blog focus. Without going into too much detail on how the realization came about, it has become clear to me that I’ve concentrated more on stupidity than ministry. Instead of using my mental energy to create content that would be spiritually edifying, I’ve given you fluff and that is not really the intent of my presence here. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not going get all stuffy on you. I still intend on sharing the absurdities of my life if they are indeed that. However, I no longer will spend a great deal of time trying to figure out how to spin my daily life into entertainment. Sometimes I just do laundry and wash dishes and love on kids. On those days, I pray I find myself telling you more about how Jesus is revealing Himself in my studies instead of how I washed a crayon in the laundry or accidentally spilled a half-stew pot of chicken and dumplin’s in the floor.

Does that sound heavy? I don’t mean for it to! It just is what it is. 2009 is coming quickly and the word that God has given me to prepare for it is ‘Stronger’. Proverbs 24:10 says “If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!” I’m done with wimpiness. I want to be stronger, better, more. {I have no idea how to punctuate that last sentence to read like I want it.} I want to live above circumstances, not whine because of them. I want to be powerful – not in my strength but God’s. I can’t do this life adequately on my own which is why in every area I have to clear room for Him and then dwell with Him there. That means if this blog is to continue, He’ll have to be the largest part of it.

I hope y’all are feelin‘ me here. If you don’t, please don’t tell me. I might cry.

Okay. It’s church time and I’ve got to get out of my pj’s. I love you dearly family and friends – visible and invisible! I pray this will be a Stronger year for you, too.