Saturday, December 30, 2006

Oh, the Possibilities

Don't you just love the approaching of the New Year? It's just so fun to think about a new start, a clean slate. There are thoughts of how you'll live your life better or healthier and things you want to accomplish. I love that the new year feels like a big blank page waiting to be written on. It's the same feeling when you get a new journal or calendar and it's just waiting to be filled.

As I was thinking about that this morning I was reminded that God's grace is the exact same way. His mercies are new every morning and we have a clean slate, amazing. No matter how my day, week, month, or year has been, I wake up every morning in His new mercies. So this year I am going to live that, and be in that promise. Live in His mercies and share them with others.

Friday, December 22, 2006

Fortunately, Fridays Always Come

I know Friday always gets here eventually, but some weeks it seems like it is an eternity before it arrives. That has been especially true this week, since it's the last week before Christmas, and, since at my wonderful work place, we get the whole week between Christmas and New Year's off. All I can say to that is "Hallelujah"!

But it has been a long haul to get to Friday. Wednesday started the ever-increasing flow of people walking by my office and saying "Merry Christmas. See you next year." They are the lucky ones who are taking extra vacation and adding a little time to their holiday. I, on the other hand, haven't been employed here six months yet, so can't take the vacation time. And today, Friday, I know the office will be very quiet. I've volunteered to help take down the Christmas decorations, so maybe that will waste some time. And there is a rumor that we'll be allowed to leave early anyway, so that would be nice. We made it to Friday.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Fa la la la la, la la la la

I LOVE Christmas music and I love playing it as often as possible during the Christmas season. There is a station that plays all Christmas music starting after Thanksgiving, so I've been listening to it at work and in the car. And as much as people laugh about Christmas caroling, I'm a dorky person who would actually like to go Christmas caroling.

But this year I've been reminded that there are Christmas songs I don't like. This list might get longer as the day goes on and I hear more songs on the radio.
- The Christmas Shoes
- Santa Baby - especially the version Madonna sings
- The Alvin and Chipmunks Christmas song
- Christmas songs by the Jackson 5
- Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses (added 11:23 am)

This is no reflection on any ones talent, but for some reason these songs, or these artists singing Christmas songs, just don't work for me. On the flip side, my absolute, all-time favorite Christmas song is O Holy Night. It's my favorite and my dads too.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Spell Check and Jesus

What do they have in common? Not much I guess, unless...

My spell check on Word stopped working on my computer about a month ago, long story short, I've spent a lot of quality time with the IT department lately. An IT employee, Nate, was working diligently on the problem and we spent about an hour on the phone trying to figure it out (BTW - if you have this problem I can help you fix it now :).

At one point Nate said I was the most pleasant client he had helped all day and that most people aren't very patient. I told him I didn't see any reason to get upset, he was trying his hardest and I was grateful for his help.

That evening I was telling my husband (CDK) about the crazy recurring spell check problem and he suggested that a door was opened for me to share my faith because Nate appreciated my patience. I agreed and determined that's what I would do. After all my "banner" lately has been "Live Intentionally", and I knew I would interact with Nate again.
The next day Nate was in my office working on my computer for about an hour, so there was time for conversation. God opened the door for me to share Christ, and I did. From my understanding Nate practices a form of Buddhism, so I constantly emphasized the grace of Christ.
So here are my questions:

  • Did my spell check break just so I could share with Nate?
  • Did the IT department ignore my help request for two days just so Nate would be assigned to the problem?
  • Did God place Nate in the foster home of a Presbyterian missionary as a child 31 years ago to plant a seed in his heart?
  • Did God place me in this job simply to water that seed?

I don't know the answers to all those questions, but I like to think it's yes. Why? Because our Father cares enough about his children to constantly reveal himself to them. He delicately weaves the whole tapestry of the universe to reveal his glory! (I think that's a Piper quote) Even a broken spell check.

What a mighty God we serve!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Christmas in America

After spending two years in a country where Christmas isn't celebrated by the majority people (and spending the holiday camping in the desert, by choice), I was looking forward to a Christmas at "home" the way I remember it to be. Well, I quickly realized that while my idea of Christmas at home had stayed the same that wasn't necessarily the way it was going to go. #1 I had to travel an 1 1/2 hours to actually get my Christmas decorations. Why you ask, because most of our stuff is still in storage in the previous town we lived in. Why, you ask again. That leads to difference #2. #2 Our current dwelling is only 650 sq ft. Our previous stateside dwelling was almost 1800 sq. ft., so you can imagine, not everything fits in our new one. And there wasn't much room for the Christmas tree. After deciding I wasn't going to move the breakfast table out of its normal spot, I used a small space beside the entertainment center and sort of smushed it against the wall and entertainment center. It works and it's a tree. And it finally feels like Christmas here in our little bungalow.

Saturday, December 9, 2006

The beginning...

So I decided to take the plunge and join the blogging world. I really wonder why anyone would read anything random I might have to say, but I'm addicted to reading my friends blogs, so maybe you'll become addicted to mine too! Though I love to write and journal, so this seems like a great outlet for me. It seems strange to send an email to everyone I know and say "Hey pay attention to what I have to say", but I guess I'll do that. But I think I'll put up a few interesting posts first.