What's God Up To................?

I have been living in a "theme" lately that I think God is telling me something. So, I'm submitting totally to learn from what He is telling me and showing me.

I've shared that I have been going through a tough time. We are having some custody issues with Matt and who knows what the future holds for my family but I do know this. I am not going to give the enemy any more ground. He will not push my buttons anymore. I have wallered in this mess long enough. Heading toward depression is just feeding this disease. NO MORE! Today, I choose with all my heart and mind to BELIEVE God when He says, "Trust Me" or "This is not your battle" or "Are you listening to ME?" Yes, Sir, I DO, and yes Sir, I am.

Over a month ago I got a great book for Thanksgiving called Giving Thanks The Gift of Gratitude by M.J. Ryan. I read it during the Thansgiving season and it spoke volumes to me about living a life with a grateful heart. It had already put me in a mindset of being grateful and tackling each day with a sense of gratitude. I've enjoyed focusing on all the things I have to be grateful for and have thanked God over and over for each of them lately.
Then Tim and I were sitting on the couch one Saturday morning several weeks ago watching a few movies and started watching the movie Pay It Forward, a movie that stars Haley Joel Osment as a boy who launches a good-will movement, Helen Hunt his single mother, and Kevin Spacey as his social-studies teacher. When 11-year-old Trevor McKinney begins seventh grade in Las Vegas, Nevada, his social studies teacher Eugene Simonet gives the class an assignment to devise and put into action a plan that will change the world for the better. Trevor calls his plan "pay it forward", which can be described as a charitable pyramid scheme, based on good deeds rather than profit. "Paying it forward" means the recipient of a favor does a favor for a third party rather than paying the favor back. Anyway, I had seen it before but Tim had not so we watched again and it really hit me hard. I thought we all need to live like that.

Then last week I needed something urgently from our coporate office and sent an email with my request. My co-worker sent what I needed but at the end of her email she said, "Pay it Forward." I emailed her back and told her that Tim and I had just watched that movie. She said she did too and we both discussed the good in the movie and how we both sobbed watching it. But I thought how odd, to hear pay it forward again. So, at that point I thought I must be being led to do something on these lines.

Then yesterday I don't know what I was doing online but came across something that was almost like flashing at me......it's called 29 Gifts in 29 Days................It's a challenge to give to others.......and I've taken it. It's not all about giving tangible things by any means. It started from someone who was wrapped up in her own mess, disease and pity party.....when someone told her to give 29 gifts in 29 days.......take the focus off her. Very interesting story. Check it out on http://29gifts.org/

So, for whatever reason I see God doing something in me............and I'm here with an open heart to see what He's up to.

Oh, and yesterday was Day 1 of my 29 and I gave encouraging words to a co-worker. She is in our corporate office and it started with a business email and just a Merry Christmas at the end when she responded and we started talking back and forth. She has no family where she lives so was talking about not being as excited about Christmas as usual. In our talking we found out we had so much in common and have had so many of the same challenges / still do. I was so blessed through that.

My verse today is another one with God getting me through this trial.......

Peace I leave you; My peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:27

Ooooops!........

Did I really say I would post something every day about the true meaning of Christmas? And share something from our family. Surely I didn't mean every day........well, I had good intentions. Usually do. Usually fall short.

But, here I am today. After going through a tough several days, I am DETERMINED not to waller in what I am going through. It will do me no good and will keep me depressed through this wonderful Christmas season. This is a season of "JOY" and that is how I want to live it. In joy. Believing God to get me through this and He be glorified through it.

So how is your shopping coming along? Don't ask about mine. A few things done but still lots to do. BUT, I'll get it done. Everyone have up their tree? I don't. I don't like that. I want it now. I have one up - my kitchen Christmas tree......I love it but I want my big one up in the den.

My daddy started his chemo today. I just talked to him and all went well. Thank you for all the prayers. Keep them up. We have to pray him through the next 6 months.
From my Christmas devotional......Preparing for Jesus

Listen: the light of Christmas shines into darkness! We should be the walking dead. What we deserve, in fact, is the absence of God - a cold and cosmic isolation - for this is our sin, that we chose to be gods in the place of God. In the day we disobeyed we began to die. We should, therefore, be dwelling in the land of deep darkness, mistrust, hatreds, hopelessness, finality, and death.

But here in a child comes God, the light! And light in darkness is a frightening thing. ("People loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" John 3:19)

O my friend, a self-examination both humble and true most cause us to tremble before the Living God. Yes! - we will be "greatly troubled" at the appearing of angels.

But even as we feared, so do we rejoice when we hear the light say, "Don't be afraid. I have not come to punish but to give you life. I am no judge. I am the Savior born for you."

Life instead of death? That is a wonder! And the wonder is all the more intense because death had been expected - because death had been right!

The mercy of God? Is not this a dazzling wonder? And isn't Christmas wonderful after all?

It's Snowing in Houston today........

Remember the other day how I said I love Christmas because it makes me feel like a kid............well, today our forecast here in Houston is SNOW. Yes, you heard me, SNOW! I was working away at my desk a little while ago when Lily, our receptionist yelled, "it's snowing!" My office is up front so went running and sure enough it was snowing hard!!! I just wanted to run

out in it.......like a kid......but thought maybe not all would appreciate my kidness!!!

Stephanie said JD has had a blast playing in the snow. He's been out playing in it quite a bit today. Here are a few pics.

And remember yesterday, saying it was a really tough day. Well it was. Tough really doesn't describe it. I think I will wait until after everything is settled before I share details but mainly just need pray over a custody situation with my son. I'm about to walk a very, very tough road and know that I trust in the Lord with all my heart to go before me...........

Didn't have much today but here are some cute pics of the 2 most wonderful grandkids! I am blessed indeed!!

One of my favorite Christmas Songs........

Today has been a rough day. A really, really rough day that has taken a lot to even get through. Please pray for our family.

I haven't been in the mind set to blog today but really wanted to share a Christmas thought each day. I have listened to one of my favorite Christmas Songs over and over today by 4Him......thought I would share...............

A Strange Way to Save the World

I'm sure he must have been surprised

At where this road had taken him

'Cause never in a million lives

Would he have 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"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've been

If Jesus had come as He deserved

There would've been no Bethlehem

No lowly sheperds 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've thought"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

Now I'm not one to second guess

what angels have to say

But this is such a strange way

to save to world

This is such a strange way

Such a strange way

Such a strange way

to save the world

Anticipation...................

I love Christmas. It always makes me feel like a kid. And that’s the way it should make us feel. Remember being a little kid and how you couldn’t wait for Christmas to get here? The waiting sometimes would drive me crazy…..and I’m a patient person. I can even remember on Christmas Eve after we got back from my grandparents (we always did Christmas Eve – dinner and presents with my Memaw and Pepaw Brown) and not wanting to go to sleep but knowing you had to so Christmas morning would come……then laying in bed NOT being able to fall asleep. The anticipation of Christmas morning. Then, finally I would fall asleep just to wake up at the crack of dawn……….only to have to WAIT some more. In the Early family my wonderful parents liked to capture every detail of our waking up and walking into the den to see Santa on film. SO once we woke up we ran and woke them up. THEN, we had to go back to bed and pretend to wake up while they were filming (on the old 8mm cameras with the very BRIGHT light). And then we were filmed walking in the den with our very big smiles…..FINALLY. All the waiting was always worth it. My parents made sure we always had a fun and memorable Christmas!!! Oh, and neither my brother nor I went in to acting but, boy, we sure had the practice!!

Then, the fun, fun, fun memories of my kiddos going through the very same thing. I didn’t own my first video camera until the year Matt was born (14 years ago this Christmas) so Steph and Shan escaped the Oscar Performances until they were 12 and 5……..but I didn’t make them go through the “wake up” performance – just captured them opening presents and all the joy they experienced.

All this waiting…………what are we waiting for?

So, what am I waiting for? What are you waiting for? Ultimately if you know Jesus, you are waiting for Him to return and call His Church / His Bride / His People HOME!

I am currently doing a Christmas devotional called Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin, Jr. which started yesterday all the way through 12 days after Christmas. My dear friend and former boss, Beth gave it to me one year and I haven’t done it in some time. I am already enjoying it so much.

Excerpt from Preparing for Jesus:

Mark 13: 32 thru 37……..
32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. 35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "

The word Advent is derived from the Latin adventus, which means “the approach” or “the arrival”. The verb is advenio: “I arrive. I come. I am coming.” Who is coming?

As a season of the Christian year, Advent is ancient. It goes back at least to the middle of the 6th century. Already then it’s observance defined not only the ONE who was coming, but also those who were faithfully and self-consciously waiting. It defined the peculiar people who looked forward to the coming of the One. Who is coming? Who awaits him?

The Son of man, He is coming. Jesus. That one. Him. And we are the people who await Him. You and I. Since it was for us He died, we are the ones who wait in love. And since He ascended to heaven with promises to return, we wait in faith – for at the next and final Advent, Jesus will take us as friends, as brothers and sisters into His house forevermore.

Finally, then, how shall we prepare? In these days, while yet there are days and time, by what activity should we make ourselves ready?

Why, by meditating on His first coming – for though the future may be hidden from us the past is not, and the one can teach us the other.

The story of the birth of Jesus is open before us. We have a spiritual and holy account of the time when God Himself directed preparations for that first coming of His Son into the world.

Behold, I bring you good news of great joy!!

So let us enter the story one more time. In this present season of Advent let us experience the Infant’s Advent in the past and so make ourselves ready for the Advent of the Lord of Glory in the future.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.......

I, today, am officially ready to start really thinking upon the Christmas season. I am so ready to start decorating....may start some tonight.....but definitely will have it all done by the end of the weekend.

Every day, I want to think upon the TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS more than what we have made it to be......more than the presents.......more than the stress.......more than the commercialism.....more than the financial burden. I have some fun plans to blog each day with a new thought upon the "true meaning of Christmas"!!! and something from our family.

My biggest prayer right this moment is for you and your family to experience the true joy of Christmas.....the real and most meaningful gift ever given. Jesus. He is it. He is the reason for the season for sure.

Last year I was keeping JD and MacKenzie, my two precious grandkids during the Christmas season. JD and I were walking around looking at all KK's decorations when we were looking at my favorite navity scene I have. My mom gave it to me years ago and it was my very first one to own as an adult. I picked up the baby Jesus in the manger and was telling JD about His birth when he took it out of my hand and said, "oh KK, He is so beautiful." Yes, HE is. I hope you can see the BEAUTY in the wonderful birth of our Savior!

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-2, 14

May He dwell close to you and yours this Christmas Season.

We love you.