Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Year on the Horizon

No, I have not slipped off into the land of silence...it's just been a busy week. Having taken the week before Christmas off, this week has been payback at work! But I feel a little more settled in today. Today - December 31 - New Year's Eve! Can you believe 2008 is almost gone, and 2009 is on the horizon? What kind of year will it be? The way our economy is going, I'm sure there will be trials in '09. But like most every year, I'm sure it will be a mixed bag.

This morning in my short (but rich) devotion time, I read Psalms 24 and 25 (both of David). After being told in Psalm 24 that the Lord is in charge, Psalm 25 reminded me to trust in the Lord. What caught my eye, though, was the first line of Psalm 25, "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul." I thought to myself, "Well, that sounds fine, but exactly how do you 'lift up your soul'?" See I want 2009 to be a year of what I call Re-purpose. I need to refocus on Jesus - have a Jesus-year as Beth Moore has put it in her blog. To do this, she has encouraged Bible verse memorization (or familiarity). Of which over 2,300 of us have signed up for! (Can you believe it?)

But as I looked at the study notes in my ESV Bible on Psalm 25's "lift up my soul" I saw the corresponding words - "long, desire, set the heart on, count on, direct my desire" - here's the one that caught my eye - "be greedy." I started thinking,now that's the way to refocus on Jesus...be greedy for Him. See, I understand greed. I think we all have a little greed in us. (In my opinion, that's what's gotten our country in this financial mess.) So if we turn our greed away from things and turn it toward Jesus, what a difference that would make!

I tend not to make New Year's Resolutions, since they are usually all broken by January 2! But this year, my desire is to Re-purpose my heart for a Jesus-year. How will I do it? Well, I'm sure by trial and error. I do plan to try to memorize (or at least focus on) scripture. But Psalm 25 has given me inspiration...I want to be greedy for Jesus! I want to desire Him above all else, set my heart on Him and long for Him. I'm sure I will fail many times, but just think - what if little by little my heart gets it! Oh, yeah, there's a new year on the horizon, and I pray it's going to be one full of Jesus!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas is in the air!

Christmas Eve...the presents are wrapped...the casserole is ready to be put in the oven tomorrow morning...the cheese is grated for the grits casserole tomorrow...Santa is on the move...K is taking care of last minute things while D is napping on the couch...I am tired but awaiting time for the Christmas Eve service. We will come home and put in It's a Wonderful Life finish some last minute wrapping, have some hot,spiced tea and cry as George realizes he really is the wealthiest man in town. Nothing like it!

May you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

A Proverbs 31 Woman

Today we will lay to rest my sister-in-law. Even though she had been battling some serious health issues this year,it was totally unexpected. K and I stopped to see her last Wednesday,and though she was having to begin physical therapy again, she had a great attitude and was ready to get going. You can imagine how unexpected the call was on Thursday that we had lost her. She was tired and went to take a nap, and as my husband said,"woke up in heaven."

To me she was the true Proverbs 31 Woman. Having lost her husband in a tragic accident 30+ years ago, she raised three fine young daughters. They are hard-working, hold high morals, and are God-fearing women. She became post-master in her small town and served her community with dignity. She helped her neighbors, loved her family, and faithfully served in her church. Her works brought her "praise at the city gate." (Proverbs 31:31b)

I loved her, love her family and we will miss her greatly. "Her children arise and call her blessed;" (Proverbs 31:29a) and so does her sister-in-law.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

One Week!

I cannot believe Christmas is only one week away! I still have just a little shopping to do. Need to pick up this and that. I have lost 2 gift certificates I bought at the beginning of the month - so it will be a scavenger hunt at my house this evening!

I have been meaning to blog all week (it's busy the week before Christmas, imagine that!). I had the best time last weekend - it was girl time. Three other girls and I went to Charleston Thursday and Friday. All we did was shop, eat, talk and visit with friends! I love going through the shops on King Street. Charleston has such neat things. Some things I will NEVER be able to afford, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun looking. And some things I can NEVER find in other places! The weather was not near as bad as it was here - it just sprinkled some. However, the people in the Market started packing up early. So that was a bust. Ate some GREAT food and visited with some wonderful friends. Then on Saturday, we had our annual ladies luncheon where 12 of us meet each year and catch up on each other's lives, eat (of course) and exchange such sweet gifts. Needless to say, by 4:00 Saturday I was slap dab worn out! Then I had to decorate two, yes two, Christmas trees! I am looking forward to the next week off.

May each of you have a season of wonder and awe this Christmas. Remember the wonder of the virgin birth of our Savior and the awe that God came down to dwell in human flesh - Emmanuel, God with us! What more do we need?

Love to all!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

A Whirl!

My mind is a whirl today with Christmas ponderings. We had a great Bible Study Christmas Gathering last night. It was a small, but lovely group of ladies. We chatted about nothing and about Everything - the Everything being Christ. We ate and drank and gathered around the Christmas tree for devotions. Hugs, smiles and tears. Life is a mixed bag, isn't it? Blessings and challenges. Christmas time doesn't change that.

Through community contacts, I have learned about school children who may not have presents this Christmas - this difficult economy has not spared their families. Many I know face a difficult time with downturns in business, loss of jobs, vanishing bank/retirement accounts and the struggling economy. Unfortunately Christmas has come to mean a mound of presents instead of His Presence. I saw someone who struggles constantly just today looking at gifts in the dollar store. On her face, I could read the difficulty to provide for those gifts yet again. I said a prayer for her - not knowing her specific needs, but knowing that she does need.

This time of year is filled with joy, peace and love, yet at the same time, they can be difficult to find. So, my prayer for you all is that His Presence will fill you with joy in the midst of difficult circumstances, peace even in these troubled times, love when the world seems so cold and most importantly hope in the One who came, who will come again, who loves you dearly and gave his life for you.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Creative Nothing!

I'm sitting here trying to think of something creative for a new post...and failing miserably! As I went through this process, I wondered, "What's on your mind?" and in answering myself, I said, "Nothing!" What a hoot - a mind with nothing in it! But I do, in fact, have a lot on it. I talked with a friend today who is going through difficult financial times with the future not looking too bright right now...I'm concerned about a relative's health...Other financial struggles...And as I tie up loose ends around the office I'm trying to mentally prepare for my physical. YUK! I hate this time of the year for my annual physical. My cholesterol is sky-high from Thanksgiving. The eating season has started;so if I did lose weight, it's baaaaaack! I'm already thinking that next year I should just wait until my birthday which would mean skipping 2009 altogether since my b/day is in February! Last night K brought home the vacation schedule for next year. And as we tried to discuss what to do in 2009, I couldn't even figure out what to do for the rest of 2008! Too much for this nothing brain, I guess.

So the point of this post is that even though we may not have much creative in our minds sometime, we sure do have a lot on it. I stopped to focus on a verse in Ephesians, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:18-19a)We have a hope to which God has called us if we will allow the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened...He promises riches - not money - but inheritance in the saints (true lasting riches) and incomparably great power (God's power, not ours)...for us who believe. We have much on our minds, but never forget that God has a hope for you...an inheritance for you...power for you...

May your heart be enlightened (and lightened) by God's light...
B E L I E V E!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Catching Up!

Hello one and all! (It's probably just one, but I can imagine!) Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We did exactly what (I think) you're supposed to do on that day - eat LOTS, sleep, and especially enjoy time with family, giving thanks for all of our many blessings.

Yes I did head to the mall on Black Friday - see, I did my part for our economy! Was able to pick up several gifts in a relatively short time. Headed out about 6:45 and was home by 10:00 AM and watching White Christmas! The crowds were not that bad at that time of the day - I did hear that things got busier around lunch time. I'm doing well with my shopping list, too. K and I will head out Friday to round up gifts for D and enjoy a "date day." Twice a year - at Christmas and for my birthday - K and I spend a day out shopping. He is so good to give me this treat. I really think he enjoys it for these 2 days, too. We shop, buy, and eat a wonderful lunch.

Can't wait to get my tree. See, we still buy a real tree, and since we have gas heat and a fireplace (both of which dry out a real tree) we wait a little later to put one up. We will also put one in the Man Cave this year! I want to pick up a couple extra decorations this year. Have an idea for my mantle, which I want to work on this weekend. So I'm getting pumped!

Guess I better go get pumped on work! Y'all have a great day.