Merry ChrisTmas...

...Everyone!

Please remember this truth from John 3:16-18 out of The Message, and allow it to sink into your heart this ChrisTmas season:

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

Be Encouraged Today :)

Psalm 42 (the Message)
1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek;
I want to drink God,
deep draughts of God.
I'm thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, "Will I ever make it—
arrive and drink in God's presence?"
I'm on a diet of tears—
tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
people knock at my door,
Pestering,
"Where is this God of yours?"
4 These are the things I go over and over,
emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
right out in front,
Leading them all,
eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
celebrating, all of us, God's feast!
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my God.
6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
sing songs all through the night!
My life is God's prayer.
9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
"Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
harassed by enemies?"
They're out for the kill, these
tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
"Where is this God of yours?"
11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I'll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He's my God.

Psalm 121 (the Message)
1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
3-4 He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.
5-6 God's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.
7-8 God guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

This Time of Year

For me, Christmas time holds nostalgia. I love the memories of the way Christmas was as a child, or at least the way my mind and heart remembers it. I enjoy watching Christmas movies and getting goose gumps because everything turns out alright in the end. I wish that I could be the heroine (the person, not the drug) :) in the movie that gets her beau, walks downtown in the moonlight and under the mistletoe, rides at night in the one-horse open sleigh through the snow, skates on the perfect outdoor ice skating pond in the middle of nowhere Vermont, and walks down Main Street in the quaint town, looking at the Victorian style houses arranged in their Christmas lights.

But as I've gotten older, there also can come a bummer-feeling and sense of dread. I love all the things that I have done in my life and most of the relationships I have, but I still long for more. I long for a husband. Is that so wrong? God made us for companionship. I long for my soon-to-be-daughter adopted from Ethiopia to come home. I long for my home to be filled with the laughter of family. Many of these things have not come to pass, yet.

Yesterday, I was on My Space, and many of you know that I am not a huge fan of it but I do get on there from time-to-time. One of the questions to complete is, "Who would you like to meet?" You know, I couldn't think of anyone in particular, at least not with a specific name. I did, however, (in jest, and with some truthfulness) type in "my husband" and then quickly erased it. I know that for many single adults, this time of year, especially, brings up those kind of feelings. People are together with family. Some singles have already lost their parents, obviously don't have a spouse because that's why they are single, may or may not have children, and friends can sometimes be quite busy with their own families. It is not only a difficult time for singles, but for others who feel lonely even though they may be surrounded my people.

So, today I am wondering how I can make a difference in the life of someone else, and in the process have a great feeling inside because of giving to others. What can I do to avoid the dread, not remember the times of getting gilted and hurt around Christmas time, and build more Christmas memories for the future? It's not all about me - I sometimes wish it was, but it isn't. :) This Christmas where should my heart be? What should my actions say? Let me ponder this, and I hope you do the same.

P.S. This is mostly a post rambling thoughts for the world to read, but I hope that it challenges you to think and process what your part to play is in all of this.

Book Release

I just found out some exciting news from some friends of mine here in Oklahoma City. They are releasing their first book about their adoption journey; the foreword is by Tom Davis of Red Letters Campaign. Please click on the image below for more information.

Christmas Videos that Will Touch Your Heart

Steven Curtis Chapman Shares about Hope & Peace in Loss


Steven Curtis Chapman's Music Video, The Miracle of Christmas


Marc & Sherry Lewis' Christmas Daughter

Christmas Baked Goodies

Here is the newest Adoption Fundraiser flyer for Christmas (click on the image for a larger, more readable view). Please let me know if you are interested in making a purchase (only available in the Oklahoma City and Topeka, Kansas areas).