My friend, Mari, at My Little Corner of the World posted this on her blog and I knew I had to share it. While little is known of the true time when Jesus was born, He WAS born and He lives today as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
As we gather with family and local fellowships in these next hours may we keep first in our minds the faithfulness of God in the fulfilled prophecy of the birth of the Saviour of the World. Father, it's your great name and your faithfulness that we celebrate. Thank You for the gift of life that came from glory at the time You deemed He should come. We bow.

Coming Soon to a Snowball Near You!

Global Warming. Grin and share it! (I received this cute photo from my Mom.)

The Prodigal Country

Something is tugging at the core of the American Heart and Soul, and it's well expressed in this article by Peggy Noonan called, "The Adam Lambert Problem." I don't often post along what some would consider political lines, but my heart is crying out on the inside for what seems to be surfacing in the general public. (Besides, our lostness isn't political, it's spiritual.)

My question now is, will we turn? Will we repent? We're not satisfied on in the inside , and that's because there's not much Jesus left. Please don't take that wrong. I'm simply saying we've allowed something and someone(s) to erase, corrode and deface why we're here and how we got here. We have lost our way, but it's never too late to look to the author and completer of our faith. The hand and heart of a sovereign Father has brooded over our country, watched over it's formation and beginnings....and like the prodigal we have now wandered. Is this our cry to our Dad? Does this article represent that, "Where is my father? I miss my home!" cry of the prodigal son? I think it does, and now the light of Jesus must shine brighter and brighter....oh may it, so that the world will see and know that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

That's my heart, so I hope you will click the link and read the article.

Honest Scrap Award

Yesterday I received an Honest Scrap Award from Susan at Penless Writer. Thank you so much Susan! I was so blessed! I have nominated 7 other blogs to receive this award, and they are listed at the bottom of this post. Here are my top 10 honest things about me:

1. I tend to be a procrastinator when I am not sure how to do something, or if I feel like I am going to have to ask something of someone that will obligate them or infringe on their time. In God's wonderful sense of humor and in His desire to not leave me like I am, I have a handful of responsibilites that make me face that little monster almost on a daily basis. It's getting better, but it's still hard.

2. I am an exhorter. I believe God has put in me the ability to see what is the need of the hour, or the moment in words. He gives me the wisdom needed for others when simple practical advice is asked . He has given me an ability to express gracious words as needed. I know I have to lean on the Lord for that or it can become a work of prideful, flattering flesh. Yulk. No thanks.

3. I am very sentimental. I have cards my Mom sent me when we would spend summers with my Dad after their divorce. I have Valentine cards she sent me. I have old spelling bee medals (yes, I'm a really good speller most of the time!),and now that I'm a Mom....I'm still extremely sentimental but am learning to throw more stuff away. I will usually date the back of papers or write an explanation on the back as to why something is special. Then when I get the chance, some year (see #1), I will hopefully file these away in their long term spot.

4. Job History: Previous jobs: Administrative, Administrative, Administrative! Mostly in the telecommunications industry, but also in accounting and staffing. I am not an administrator as in being ultra organized, but I know how to keep several tops spinning at one time. The people skills always came to the top of my stack because God has just made me that way. So, no matter how administrative a job was, I always found a way to highlight the relational aspect of it. When I worked in staffing I had a manager who had the sense to custom make my job for me so I could use those gifts in that area, and it profited the company because she did so. I had a Jewish boss that I still pray for to this day. My goal was to serve him as unto the Lord. He loved to have me wait on him hand and foot whenever his manager came in to town. And I loved to do it because I knew it made Ed look good, and it made the Lord super happy. I was serving one of His. For those reasons I enjoyed it. I didn't care if it seemed condescending. You're never more liberated than when you do something as unto the Lord, even the most menial job.

5. I have much to share about this next unnamed area, but will not name it specifically because I feel I'm to share this with my daughter and son first. I am not sure when that day will be. I can say that it is my greatest heartbreak. As a result I have watched the Lord, with the exception of going back in time, rewrite my history. The best came out of the worst. I really wish I did not have my history, but I would not give up what I have with the Lord for anything. I learned to accept His grace by faith like I never had to before. I can say that the Lord has the last word even in the most devestating of circumstances. I learned that the Lord truly is my defense. I learned that He could speak through others the truth of how He sees me and cherishes me. I am wiser, much much wiser, because of it. I am the Lords. God waited until I married Danny to heal some of the deeper hurts of those years. He's still working on a few of those, and He knew I needed the safe arms and devoted heart of His adopted son, Danny, to help me across the more treacherous terrain of of past memories.


6. I need plenty of time alone for recharging. Probably more than the average bear. I like to have time to be still. Danny is a commercial pilot, so down-time is written into our lifestyle barring a coup from motherhood or life in general.

7. The Lord has graced me to write music, to lead worship in a unique way. It's difficult at times for me to accept my voice for example, but I have learned that my "sound" is what He put in me, so now I just accept it and realize that the Lord really does use me whether I understand why or not. I am learning to trust Him that His intention is to do just that. Now I just accept it, work to improve where improvement is helpful, and then just trust and obey, literally. I rely heavily upon Him to lead me to write, and His leading me as I lead worship.

8. I would rather have a bowl of hot buttered and peppered brussel sprouts than almost anything else in the world. It would be a win-win however if a gigantic steamed lobster with a crock of melted butter were right next to the brussel sprouts. If topped off with milk chocolate covered cherries then....what more is there. But....I would wait two or three hours to eat the cherries because I would not want to ruin the memory of the flavor of the veggies and lobster.

9. My favorite subject: my children and homeschooling. God has made me for this season of motherhood and teaching. I love to suggest curriculum to others, I love to research curriculum, and I love to help others cross the bridge into a homeschooling experience.

10. I'm going to turn 50 in July. I CANNOT believe I just wrote that! I will say, I have lived the fullest, richest life so far. If I went home to be with the Lord in the near future (but I'm in no hurry) I would not feel cheated, I am so blessed. I can say that because I have traveled this life, not alone, but with the Lord. I have experienced Him as my best friend. He is my greatest confidante. I do not have the ability to view life outside of the faithfulness of God. I am forever greatful He showed me my greatest need; His love, His eternal, blessed, and gracious salvation. I am nothing without Him.

Wow, Susan. I had no idea I would have so much to share! I hope that gives everyone a deeper peek in the girl whose middle name is Lucille! : ) Proudly named after my Jesus-loving, book-writing, adventurous Great Grandmother.

I now have the honor of nominating 7 blogs for the inspiration, the creativity, and the joy they have each brought into my life. Each of you are a blessing to me!

1. Mary Lee at Into the Abyss
2. Andi at The Learning Pomegranate
3. Michelle at Delightful Learning
4. Tricia at A Future and a Hope
5. Gina at The Journaling Gina
6. Christy at The Secret Lies With Charlotte
7. Mel at In His Grace.

If you've been nominated and you would like to participate, the Rules are:
1. Leave a word of thanks for the person of nominated you, and link to their blog.

2. List 10 honest things about yourself.

3. Nominate 7 other blogs who have inspired you for one reason or another. (I think I got that right-Susan did a good job of explaining the rules on her original post.)

Thank you again, dear sweet Susan, for this fun idea and very special award!

Advent

The last two weeks we have schooled officially about half-time (at best), and so the next week and a half we plan to pick it up a bit. The big crunch for a couple of projects are out of the way, and I anticipate being able to focus our hearts even more in celebrating our Saviour's birth. Though we do not know or need to know the exact day Jesus was born we find it thrilling to stop and consider how it must've been when Jesus came to earth: that fixed point in time where He came down from glory to His humble yet destined earthly beginnings.

Advent, the Latin word meaning "to come," is one of the things we'll use to draw us closer each day as a family. Most of my ideas came from a book called Advent Activities for Home and School. Advent has already begun, but it's not too late to turn our hearts in a fresh way to the Lord. Here are the activities we'll be doing, Lord willing! Each activity has a Bible Verse to go with it.

1. Make an advent wreath with fresh boughs
2. Make an advent poster with a Bible Verse
3. Make an advent candle
4. Make a Jesse Tree
5. Make a star and an ornament from yarn: the old "yarn glued on the balloon, and pop the balloon when it dries" trick.
6. Make a map of Palestine noting important cities in Jesus' time.
7. Make a Giving Tree by decorating a pinecone like a regular tree
8. Interview an older neighbor who loves Jesus about how she celebrated Christmas. We'll also be taking her home made cookies.(We're especially excited about this one.)
9. Give ourselves to the Lord in our special family way on Christmas Eve
10. Light the Christ Candle and Read the Christmas Story.

Happy Birthday to My Danny

Danny, this video's for you! : ) I love and admire you, and our children adore you. Not only that, they are big Johnny fans just like you. We're looking forward to this day with you.

A Song Blog!

One Each Day is a song blog. One fresh song a day sounds pretty good to me, and it'll make for a great catalog of my own song loves, and maybe a fun place for you to come by and hear something that either you've never heard before, or haven't heard in a long time. There's one up already, so come on by!

A friend had this song on her facebook page, and I knew I had to post it. It's by Brian and Jenn Johnson. Recall the love of our Lord for us this morning, or whenever you're able to listen.