Blessings

I feel like I have been "running" for a week or two solid and I haven't even been to the gym! I have gotten so tied up with too many committments that I found myself very edgy today. I had absolutely NO "merry" in my Merry Christmas so I ran on to one more event, a concert at our church by a guy we all love to listen to. His name is JohnWaller and he talked tonight and sang about blessings. He told how he and his family had just spoken a blessing over their new son and then we sang that blessing. It made me think of all the ways God blesses us and how we need to ask him to bless us. We have received so many blessings this year. I know God blessed us so much through Luke's life. We continue to feel blessed to have so many friends and so much family but tonight I was reminded that we can also be a blessing to others and the way I was feeling today I definitely wasn't a blessing. It was so good to sit, listen, worship and connect with God and ask him to make me a blessing this year. I left with such a better attitude and a calmer heart. I pray this year I can slow down and remember to be a blessing.

Psalm 34:1 "I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."

P.S. This is one of the pictures we took while trying to get a picture for our Christmas card - only the most photogenic one isn't looking right!

a lamb...

This week Sydney and I are in the Living Christmas Tree at our church. It is a big commitment (7 shows in 5 days) but always so rewarding. Sydney is just beside herself that she is finally in it. She is on the front row of the children's song and does her actions so well. She just loves to perform. She is also in the biblical part, but I haven't seen her yet since she chose to walk with her friends instead of her mom! She is SO independent at 7 years old.

Each night they put Jesus on the cross as we sing this beautiful song, "It took a Lamb". It just makes Jesus so real. First to see this innocent baby then seeing the same innocent man on the cross brings tears every night. It seems like I would get used to seeing it every night, but every night I find myself in tears. To think Jesus endured so much just to save each one of us is overwhelming. In the midst of all the hubub of the holiday season it is nice to have a visual reminder of the gift God gave us in his Son and the way he gave his life for us. I pray you will be blessed this Christmas season with some time to reflect on the gift of Jesus - an innocent lamb sacrificed so we can be forgiven.