It Was the Night Before Christmas...

Well, it was when I started this blog, but after helping my sister redesign her blog, it is officially Christmas.

Today, I met both my goals not leaving the house (except to get my last vaccination) and finishing another assignment for next semester (only 2 more left!).

The fact that Christmas is here is kind of surreal even though I have been trying to prepare my heart for it for weeks now. I watched The Nativity Story (one of my favorite Christmas movies) last night. Since Kristi and I have been reading through the Christmas narratives, it seemed to take on more weight and meaning as what we have been reading came to life. This holiday represents one of the most important events in history. It tells a story of God reaching down to man to fulfill His promises and make a way for His people to know Him forever. Jesus came to die. It was always the plan. Easter would not be possible without Christmas...BUT Christmas would not be so sweet without Easter. These two holidays that we celebrate are eternally linked together. God may have not commanded us to celebrate them, but I think it is good that we take the time to remember and reflect on them. God had Israel set up landmarks and special feasts as reminders in the Old Testament and He gave us the ordinance of communion in the New Testament. He knows how forgetful we are. Even though the world tries to secularize Christmas and Easter with commercialism and imaginary characters, the theological foundation still stands and these holidays give us an excellent opportunity to speak of the Hope we believers have.

The Sweetest Time of the Year

There are 3 days left until Christmas. Avoid the stores if you can. :)

My sister and I have been reading the Christmas story (Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2 & John 1) every day from different translations since the 16th. Between the two of us we have seven different English versions of the Bible (which goes to show you how blessed us English speakers are as there are many languages which do not even have one tranlation of God's Word). It has been cool reading them from these different versions (ranging from paraphrase to literal) because it makes you hear the story in new ways. We have also read through some of the prophecies in Isaiah that predict the birth of Christ.

These past couple of days I have been trying my hand at truffles. I used the dark chocolate truffle recipe from the back of the Ghiradelli chocolate chip package. It was a little messy, to say the least...

Let me tell you these truffles are very rich and very dark (60% cocoa). I tweaked the recipe some to take the edge off. Instead of using unsweetened cocoa to coat the creamy, dark chocolate filling, I coated some with nuts, some with crushed Oreos and the rest with either a rasberry hot cocoa mix or an extreme chocolate hot cocoa mix. I think the Oreo ones are my favorite.

Back in Fred, MO

I've been keeping the roads hot. Yesterday, I woke up in Louisville, KY, ate lunch & saw a movie with Sarah in Nashville, TN and picked up my sister in St. Louis, MO later that night. Now I am in Fredericktown until I pack up and leave for a much longer trip. :)

The Lord has graciously allowed me to pay off my credit card debt!!! The debt was a result of my own pride as I refused to ask people for help and/or take it from them when they offered it. God's way of providing for me was not my way, so I stubbornly and sinfully refused it. BUT thanks be to God that even in my ungratefulness, He provided ways for me to pay off the debt. I am so thankful that Christ gives us what we do not deserve!

...I own a Snuggie...

Haha. This is very ironic as I make fun of them hard core. My mom got two free with some purchase from a magazine, and she gave them to Kristi and me. Owning one has not raised their value in my eyes...the jokes will continue. This "blanket with sleeves" may prove to be a lifesaver, though, as my parents' house stays a cool 65 degrees or so. Burr. Just now, my mom just told my dad to turn the furnace down because "it's hot in here." I better find my Snuggie...

The Weight of a Moment

This semester is officially over, Christmas is quickly approaching and God's grace has abounded to me in ways I cannot even put into words. Even though I don't feel great, I have many reasons to rejoice in my Savior.

Also, the salvation of two people in my life weigh heavily upon me this evening. Oh how I want them to know Christ and to make Him known!

Earlier this evening I went to a Christmas party. The host read the Christmas story from Matthew 1-2 and we discussed the different aspects of the account that have impacted us or stood out to us. Someone reflected on how the reason that Jesus can be Immanuel ("God with us") is because He saves us (Jesus means "Yahweh Saves"). Someone else talked about the horror of the babies that were slaughtered by King Herod. I couldn't help but think of the weight of that moment in history. At that moment in time, God's long awaited promise came to fruition in the birth of Jesus Christ. I heard a song yesterday (by Chris Tomlin, I believe) about how the world was unaware that the Messiah was born that night. It's true. Only a privileged few knew that God's promised Savior had come into the world. The God of the universe came in the midst of obscurity.

I would like to share with you what is currently my new favorite Christmas song. It is called "Amen, Amen" and it is from Sojourn Music's CD Advent Songs. Click here to listen to it or click here to download the whole CD for free (which I highly recommend!). May your worship of Him grow deeper this Christmas.

Let every creature rise and bring
their grateful praises to our King
Angels descend with songs again
and Earth repeats a loud Amen

(Chorus) A-men, A-men
A-men, A-men
I found my life
I found my life in Him
A-men, A-men

Peace like a river from His throne
will flow to nations yet unknown
His Word a light where all hope is dim
and all tribes unite to cry "Amen"

Chorus

And in this Child we'll find our rest
and all the meek and lowly blest
An infant tongue could sing the hymn
of Hallelujah and Amen

Chorus