Feels Like Home

Christmas is JESUS

I was fortunate to spend this morning with my favorite three year old friend. She was so very excited to receive, among other things, a small kitchen set. The look on her face this morning was one of pure joy. You see she has no expectations of Christmas. She doesn't remember Christmas from last year.
Her Joy reminds me of the way I need to be about Jesus. I need to wake up everyday and remember that to simply be in every day in a gift. To have received Christ and to be blessed to walk with him is the greatest gift of all. Sometimes I let my circumstances dictate how happy I am. A life dictated by circumstances is a life which will always fall short.

What I need to do, what I am trying to say, what would be best of all, is this: To wake up each day without any expectations and to count everything joy. To live each day in the moment and not worry about the what if and how everything is to be. My little friend is not concerned about money or clothes or even toys. Her earthly mother can see to provide good gifts to her and she trusts that everything will be OK. Let us then who have a heavenly father put a little more trust this Christmas in him who is able to abound toward us in all things.

Whether you were blessed to receive much or give much this Christmas remember that Jesus the true gift is both free and priceless. Remember the one who knows if you are sleeping and knows when you are awake wants to see that you are blessed with the gifts which never disapoints.

posted by Kate @ 12/25/2003 11:31:00 PM 0 comments

Well it is almost Christmas Folks. I can hardly believe how busy the last year has been. Those who are tight will know it has not been without it's sadness but with sadness is also Joy. As a few have gone home to be with Jesus still others have celebrated in new births and the forming of new families.
School has been, as usual, SOOO much fun-insert sarcastic sighs here- but in the same way there has been this semester a new interest in reading and maybe a new appreciation for the responsibility I have to learn as much as possible now so I can have a deep well to draw from someday when I am a teacher.
I was so grateful in November to get a break from my studies and to accompany my good friend Jeanette and her daughter Caroline on a Disney Cruise. The joy was bittersweet as our thoughts were never too far from her husband Jim who had lost his battle to cancer in the fall. At the same time it was amazing to be in such a beautiful part of God's creation.

How often as I was on the trip I was reminded of God's grace. The most memorable as I was getting my hair braided on Disney's Castaway Cay and the Bahaman women sang praise songs. I realized the beauty of God's creation and how he was everywhere and in everything I did. I had such a peace there.

In a stark contrast the the Bahamas the weather in our corner of New York has been especially brutal. Snow has been coming in feet not inches. Roughly over 40 inches fell last week. It is really beautiful but makes for some pretty interesting driving.

Well I guess that is it from my corner of the world....

posted by Kate @ 12/23/2003 02:49:00 PM 0 comments