The Christmas rush is through...

Hard to believe it's over, huh? Hard to believe school will be starting back in four days? Reality always hits hard after a few short vacation days.

I think Jesus would be horrified with what we've done with his birthday. Gifts.. it's all about gifts. Relationships don't need to nurtured, you can buy your affection with the people that you want, if you just get the right gift. Children lay awake at night dreaming of the presents underneath the tree, thinking, "That will make me happy. Thats all I need." But a couple days later, when the toys are boring and not new, are they any happier? Our greeds, and lusts and desires have been momentairly satisfied, but what does that do? Does it leave us emptier? Are we really thankful for what we got? Do we treat our parents with more respect, awed at thier generosity? Are we kinder and more thoughtful to our siblings for spending $20 of their hard earned money on us?

Jesus, however, did not come only if he would be thanked. He didn't come only if we'd get the season right, and do all the right things. He came to messes like us. So when we are lying in bed at night, feeling nothing, no thankfulness, no passion, no zeal, our comfort is that he did come, and He will always be faithful to his promises. Francis Schaffer once said, "He is there, and he is not silent."

Welcome to our World

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking
How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome Holy Child
Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long awaited Holy Stranger
Make yourself at home
Please make yourself at home

Bring your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking Heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender how prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

By 4HIM

A Strange Way to Save the World

Sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...

(CHORUS)
Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside this stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world

To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
Love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought...

(CHORUS)

Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world
...this is such a strange way to save the world...Saving the World

May the piece of a pie be with you

A great quote from Matthew- he has alot of good ones. Another of my favorite is a spinoff of the famous Lost quote- "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone." We were making salad and anyone who's been in this family knows its a big deal and all the kids hate it. So we were arguing over who cuts up what and who tears the lettuce and stuff, and Matthew goes, "Hey guys- if we can't make a salad together, we're going to eat alone." It was so funny! We all cracked up laughing and needless to say, we did not eat alone that night.

I was babysitting the McMahans today (my baby girl is walking!) and through a situation that we just went through, Mrs McMahan goes, "Well, I just can't wait to meet the man you're going to marry." I said, "Me too!" How true that is. This time of year makes it worse with all the songs on the radio going, "All I want for Christmas is you," and "Mistletoe!" I mean sheesh, I know I'm not the only single person out there who's like, "Where are you?" so why all the sentimental stuff? Can't they reserve it for married people only? Or be like "When you're married, you can listen to secular Christmas songs." It hurts. I'm going to have to temporairly break my radio from Thanksgiving to after New Years.

But as a wise person(I can't remember who, I think it was Douglas Wilson) said, "Christmas is our holiday. -meaning Christians" So grab it. Taste the fierce love of a holy God pursuing his bride. Hear the whispers of sacrifice, of undying commitment to a promise, and see the hope and wonder of the Triune God becoming a baby, a king, a lion of Judah.

"The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in Thee tonight."

Shicaka....Shiskabob.....Shawkshank Redemption....Chicago!

Aptly named the "windy city." With temperatures with in the highs in the teens to low twentys I now have a new definition for the word cold. Walking outside was an experience in itself because your breath is sucked right out of your lungs and it's was an effort it get it back. Sharp stabbing winds tore at any and all exposed skin and seemed to make even a heavy winter coat disapear into nothing. Not to say it wasn't a good expierence, it was. I am definitly more of an winter person and would love to live somewhere where snow is as common in the winter as mosquitos in the summer. Yes it was fun, but cold.

Ontop of the Sears tower was neat because there were floor-to-ceiling windows around the whole perimeter. So I could look over the edge and see how far up I was. I wasn't able to do that on the Empire State Building because there's a ledge about two feet thick. There may be more land mass in Chicago but it's definitly more spread out than in Manhattan. So New York felt bigger because there were so many huge buildings compacted closesly together, whereas in Chicago there were tall buildings, and lots of them, but over the whole course of the city.

I took on a rather scary project today. Mrs Mcmahan asked me to lead the Literary Ladies book club discussion on The Great Gatbsy. With Mr Smith's help do I even attempt it! But it will be fun I think, AHHHH!!!!!!!!

Off to finish the day's school- "One day at time Abbi, one day at a time."