Can You Hear It?

Christmas is coming near,
Can you hear it?
Christmas is drawing closer,
Can you feel it?
Christmas is almost upon us,
Can you see it?

'It' is the love of Jesus
Wrapped in swaddling cloth.
'It' is the sacrifice
Nailed upon the cross.
'It' is the joy of salvation
Held in tiny hands.

We can remember His sacrifice,
His love,
His peace,
His joy,
His saving grace,
Not only now, but year round.

May you take a chance and share 'it',
Exit your comfort zone,
Take a risk,
And love.
Love hard.
Love like Jesus loves you.

Christmas Snow with Palm Trees

I love the snow. I love it. I hate the cold. I hate it.

If the snow would come without the cold, I would be so excited. The snow is just a indicator that Christmas is near. The soft white coats on everything looks cozy. It makes me want to cuddle up and nap. Then, at night, I love the warm glow of Christmas lights. It just seems like such a happy time of the year.

After Christmas, I am ready for the snow to melt and the palm trees to appear. Palm trees have to be my favoritest part of nature. Most likely because we don't have them here in MI. I have a picture of me with a palm tree in every warm place that we have been to. They remind me of tropical locations and fun in the sun. I wish they could grow here.

I couldn't imagine Christmas here without snow, but now Christmas with snow and palm trees would be amazing!

Its so true that you always want what you don't have, isn't it.

Quite a silly entry, but as I look out my classroom window, I can only think of Christmas and palm trees-go figure.

Family is priceless...

I have both my mom and dad still with us, and married. I have two younger brothers, Matt and Ryan. I have my husband, Greg. And that's just MY immediate family here in Port Huron.

This weekend, I was in my cousin Gwyn's wedding. There were a lot of family members there that I haven't seen in a long time. It was fun to talk with them, and to also hang out with my parents and brothers.

Greg and I have a friend who is going through a particularly tough time in his life right now. He actually hung out with us and my parents and brothers yesterday. We took him in and made him part of our family. He got a little break from all the thoughts running through his head and was able to eat, laugh, and relax with us.

I love that I have a family who is willing to take in others. Who is loving and caring and God-fearing. This Christmas, the best gift of all is my family. They mean so much to me in many different ways:

Mom--to someone who is now my good friend. She makes me laugh and is fun to pick on :) She is a strong woman who carries the burdens of her children and husband on her shoulders. She has inspired me to have the courage to wade through all the crap in my life because there is always something better. She is amazing.
Dad--to someone who is a great rock. He is always bringing up the sensible options to me and encouraging me to look past my hurt feelings. He is funny and will always remain a child at heart. He has shown me how to love Jesus and others by the way thatt he loves us. He loves us even when we are flipping him off or chewing him out. He is amazing.
Matt--to someone who is always intriguing. Unlike dad, Matt often hides his emotions, but we have always been able to open up to each other. He keeps on swimming even though life is always pulling him under. He is loving and compassionate. He is amazing.
Ryan--to someone who is the family teddy bear. Ry got the bulk of dad's heart-on-his-sleeves emotions. It is fun to toy with him and get him worked up, but he will always be loved. He is honest and fun to be around. He cares for people more than I ever could. His heart is huge! He is amazing.
Greg--to someone who is my best friend. He keeps me grounded when I need to be, but he also pushes me to strive for my dreams. He always makes me laugh and won't let me just be grumpy. He is the person I turn to for comfort, peace, love, and strength. He is amazing.

Family is priceless, and I wouldn't be the person I am today without them.

Falling off the Wagon

Well, I was doing good changing my life into a more healthily lifestyle. But, it is so easy to eat bad foods. Not only because they are easier to get, but because they are what my brain tells me I want. I love French fries, cheese burgers, ice cream, cookies...And on for a few pages. I love a lot of the things that all fat Americans love.
I was brought back to reality this week when I weighed in .4lbs (four tenths!) higher than last week. Not much, but enough. I gain quick! I need to get off my lazy butt and walk more. I need to push myself to feel better like I did a few weeks ago.
I still feel good. My clothes are loose, but I let myself get tricked into thinking that chocolate or a greasy hamburger will make me feel better than a workout on the treadmill. Honestly, I feel wonderful after I work out, so why do I still crave the sloshy feeling of being too full on crappy food? Who knows?

I was hoping to loose more weight before my cousin's wedding, but too bad. Times up and this is one last-minute situation that I cannot BS out of. I will still have fun. I am very excited for the two of them, now they can join in on our funny conversations- LOL, sorry a bit of an inside joke...

Well, strapless wedding dress here I come, ready or not.

Christmas Gift

I am very excited for Christmas. I get this way every year. Not only for the gifts I will get, but especially for the gifts that I give. I love giving gifts to other people. I love brightening their day, and making them feel special. My hubby is quite ticked at me right now, because he assumes he is not getting the one thing he asked for. I have given him a pretty good story as to why he is not getting it, so I am not helping things at all :) I am not good at keeping secrets, and I have never pulled one over on him, so it would be great if he didn't know what he is getting this year.

An email I recently received helped me, however, refocus. This email was written from the perspective of God. He writes that he is excited it is his birthday, and it is the one time of the year that people think about him the most. He write that he doesn't usually get an invitation to His own birthday parties. However, He goes any way. Eventually, He leaves after He is forgotten between meals, presents, and drinks. It made me sad. I, too, forget to invite Jesus to His own birthday party. I forget to acknowledge Him at a celebration in His honor. This year, I want to remember Jesus before I open gifts, eat yummy treats, and drink homemade wine. I want Him to be the focus as we gather to celebrate Him. I want Him to feel honored and remembered. I want to feel humble and joyful for the great gift He gave.

This Christmas I can remember Jesus and His great gift by loving others. I can reflect the love of Christ by being patient, caring, and helpful. I want Jesus to be first this CHRISTmas.