Focus

"UGH, I am so ready for Christmas to be OVER!" I have lost count of how many times I have heard that in passing this past week. One day when I was really remembering and missing my Gram, I half way agreed with that statement for a few moments, but then I remembered how much my Gram loved Christmas and how she would not want me to feel that way. More than that, it came to my mind how Christmas is about Christ, and if my focus for the season is on HIM, I shouldn't be dreading Christmas. If I stop, and focus, if I stop, and remember, if I stop, and worship, the correct perspective of Christmas is brought back to my mind and my heart. The night of Jesus' birth, the shepherds were told by the angels to go, and they left everything, their sheep which were their everything..their livelihood depended on these sheep, but they left to seek the newborn King, and to worship. Am I willing to do that, to leave all the hussle and bussle, all the craziness, the things I think need to be done for Christmas and stop and go straight to Christ and worship? It's tough with all that the world has made this 'holiday.' God never wanted it to turn to this circus that we as humans have made it, He didn't want us to dread the birthday of His Son, but to be still and know He is God. To be quiet and focus. To stop, and sit at His feet and to be thankful for the GIFT He gave us. Where's your focus as we wind down to Christmas? Are you one saying, I wish it was over, or are you saying thank you, thank you for the ultimate gift, of a Savior? The true spirit of Christmas should never be over, it should live in our hearts always.

John Eldredge wrote some great thoughts on Christmas and I hope take some time to read it. The link is on the side under blog list, or you can just click his name at the beginning of this sentence, and it will take you there.


In spite of the many benefits God has blessed us with, how many times do we complain about little difficulties and trials? We lose sight of the big picture and fail to appreciate the really important things. Just as we cannot benefit from a wrapped gift under a Christmas tree until we open it, so gratitude can be seen as our way of opening the gift of God's love intended by all the small and big events of our lives. Ronda De Sola Chervin

Scenes of the Season

This is the gingerbread house made by my nieces. They are 5 and 6, so I think they did a great job! I am proud of them!




Over the past week, we have experienced a wide variety of weather from below zero to snow to freezing rain, to rain and melting. On those colder days, I captured some of the scenes. I also warmed up on one of those days that was at 10 degrees for a high by escaping indoors to enjoy a the beautiful poinsettias at Manito Park. It felt great to admire some flowers!

The big boys and the little boys were enjoying the artic air by playing some hockey on a small pond in Spokane.

The Word With

I am working on a post with pictures, but time constraints have been challenging. I hope to have it up by tomorrow. In the meantime, this devotion from Max Lucado came to my inbox and I thought it was fitting as we prepare for Christmas. I hope along with all else you are preparing for Christmas day, you spend some time preparing your heart, and spend time focusing on the reason we REALLY have Christmas.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14 NKJV

Don’t we love the word “with”? “Will you go with me?” we ask. “To the store, to the hospital, through my life?” God says he will. “I am with you always,” Jesus said before he ascended to heaven, “to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIV). Search for restrictions on the promise; you’ll find none. You won’t find “I’ll be with you if you behave…when you believe. I’ll be with you on Sundays in worship…at mass.” No, none of that. There’s no withholding tax on God’s “with” promise. He is with us.

God is with us.

Prophets weren’t enough. Apostles wouldn’t do. Angels won’t suffice. God sent more than miracles and messages. He sent himself; he sent his Son. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

While You Were Sleeping

Christ In Me

Christ in Me
by Max Lucado

Like Mary, you and I are indwelt by Christ.

Find that hard to believe? How much more did Mary? No one was more surprised by this miracle than she was. And no one more passive than she was. God did everything. Mary didn't volunteer to help. What did she have to offer? She offered no assistance.

And she offered no resistance. Instead she said, "Behold, the bond- slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

Unlike Mary, we tend to assist God, assuming our part is as important as his. Or we resist, thinking we are too bad or too busy. Yet when we assist or resist, we miss God's great grace. We miss out on the reason we were placed on earth-to be so pregnant with heaven's child that he lives through us. To be so full of him that we could say with Paul, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." (Gal. 2:20)

What would that be like? To have a child within is a miracle, but to have Christ within?

To have my voice, but him speaking.
My steps, but Christ leading.
My heart, but his love beating
in me, through me, with me.
What's it like to have Christ on the inside?

To tap his strength when mine expires
or feel the force of heaven's fires
raging, purging wrong desires.
Could Christ become my self entire?

So much him, so little me
That in my eyes it's him they see.
What's it like to a Mary be?
No longer I, but Christ in me.

From the book Next Door Savior

Where's Your Center?

I overheard a couple gals in a store the other day saying how Christmas is only for kids, that kids are the only important factor about Christmas, and if there aren't kids around, there's no point in celebrating Christmas. I have been thinking about that, and while kids can make Christmas fun and special, they are not the reason for Christmas. Well, I take that back. ONE baby, one child is the reason for Christmas. Christmas is not about presents, it's not about cookies, it's not about a perfectly decorated home and tree, nor is it about cards and letters, or parties. Christmas in about a baby. A baby born in a stable in Bethlehem. It's about God sending down His son for you. For me. It's about a life being brought into this world to save mankind from their sins. Yes, it helps to have a childlike wonder as we think of the baby in the manger, and we worship Him for His gift to each of us. Unfortunately, many children in this day and time we live in do not know about the child who came for them, and they miss the wonder of His birth, the star, the shepherds, and the angels. They miss the miracle of a virgin birth by a young woman who was obedient to God, and favored by God. They miss the teaching that Christmas is not about how much they get, but how much was given for them. Children are not the only ones missing this message. Most of our society is missing, forgetting this message. Many hearts have been taught about Jesus, but many have let presents and worldly things replace the true meaning of this season. His presence. Many shift their focus, and Jesus is the last thing that most people think about at Christmas. We allow our hearts to get so preoccupied with busyness, to do lists, and decorating that we forget to stop and remember why we celebrate, we forget to focus on the manger and the baby who came for one reason....to save you and to save me. I am guilty of running so fast, I forget to stop and worship. I am guilty of busyness crowding my mind and not taking the time to focus on the true meaning, the only reason that matters, for Christmas. God has definitely been working on me the past few days and trying hard to center me, to show me that none of that matters, just Him, His Son, His Word.

My heart has been experiencing grief over the way I see how Christmas is being treated, and how Jesus has been forgotten. He waits. He waits for us to turn our hearts towards Him, and to remember, to focus on the manger, to remember to draw peace from Him as we sit in wonder of what He gave for us.

My center has been off, but it has come back to where it should be. Jesus. Where's your center this Christmas? What is most important to you? Where's your focus? What do others see when they look at you, and how you treat this Christmas? If you are a believer, do they see Jesus? If you aren't a believer are you willing to truly search out Jesus and explore the Bible for the gift He has given to you? It's all there, His love poured out across the pages. The book of Matthew or Luke would be a great place to start your journey.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:6-12

The Great Christmas Tree 2009

Once again, we have a large tree. Yes, 14 ft. tall to be exact. My hubby had to cut a good foot from the top AFTER it was in the house and in the stand. Yes, he left a large green streak across the living room ceiling as he put the tree up. There are 1200 lights on that tree! We could not put the beautiful blue ribbon garland on the tree, as it would have only covered the bottom quarter of the tree. So, it's loaded with our ornaments, which are full of memories, as they have been given to us by loved ones. My parents and grandparents gave us ornaments every year as we grew up, so we had a lot of ornaments when we left home to start our own homes. The tradition continues within family members so we do not have a shortage of ornaments around here, which is why my hubby thinks we always need a gigantic tree.

Our tree gathering involved us, my sister and her family, my cousin, and my parents. We all found our trees that day, enjoyed walking through the woods, and of course, playing in the snow. A number of snowball fights broke out throughout the afternoon. There wasn't much snow on the ground, but it was enough for making a mini snowman, snow angels, and snowballs. We had a great day and enjoyed a lot of laughs.

Guess who is about to get this snowball, even though she's holding an expensive camera?? Six year olds don't seem to care when it comes to pelting an aunt with a snow ball. haha

Making a snow angel