I posted an entry this morning. My usual Happy New Year blah blah blah. It had meaning for about 30 seconds because right after I wrote it I visited a good friend's blog and found this:

http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/30/call-to-prayer-for-the-drc

I also found this:

http://www.endingextremepoverty.org/

These two sites gave me more info than I could have imagined and now I am processing it. It's more than overwhelming but necessary for me to remember that my comfort, problems, situations and "issues" are but a tiny drop in the bucket. I mean tiny!

Thank you to Diary of 1 and Woody. Keep up the good work.

If this information moves you, please join with others who have been moved at:

http://www.worldreliefnext.org/

Happy New Year everyone. Keep moving forward and keep Him in your sights.

I have been reading people's New Year's resolutions this week. Some are very funny. Some are very serious. Some are just wacky. I've never been a very good resolution maker. I think it has something to do with the follow through. Hmmmm.

But this morning I was reading in my devotional and the main verse was I Samuel 7:12 "Thus far the Lord has helped us." This being the last day of 2008 I really loved this. I began to think about how far the Lord has brought us as a family and me as an individual. This verse caused me to look back and see all that God has done. He has provided for us, He has even carried us. Always He has helped us.

But, as was pointed out in my devotional, the words "Thus far" also call us to look forward. They mean that we're not through yet. There is still distance to go. It's exciting to think about what God has in store for our family and for me personally in 2009. I look longingly ahead to what will come and I am grateful that I am not traveling this journey alone.

So, I still don't have any resolutions. But I don't really need any if I am focusing on Him. Thus far the Lord has helped us. And he will continue to help us as we go forward in to 2009.

Happy New Year!

At our house the snow has been falling over the last few days. Everything is covered in white and there are icicles hanging off the roof. It's a dream scenario for this time of year. We will be having white Christmas.

Everybody wants a white Christmas. Everybody also wants a bunch of other stuff too. A new gaming system, a car, a computer, a trip to Hawaii. What happens when you don't get what you really want?

It made me stop and think about that first Christmas. There was no snow, I'm sure. But I think there were some wants. A room. A bed. A midwife. I'm not so sure the stable fit the bill. And yet from that occasion of things not turning out as expected came the most wonderful gift ever given.

As I watch the snow drift lightly to the ground I am grateful for the obedience of one man to take his betrothed to a city far from home. For the willingness of a young girl to go along and not complain when the only place to stay was a stable. And for Heavenly Father who loved me so much that He created the dream scenario where a little baby would be born and through Him my sins would be forgiven.

I'm thankful for the beauty of a white Christmas. But I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the wonderful gift of Jesus.

Merry Christmas!