Thankful for My Morning Coffee Wake-up!

This morning I prayed for my husband as he left for work.  To be more accurate, I prayed out loud while I gave him his hug goodbye.  I rarely do this.  In fact, I think it's been years since I have done it last.  How sad.  I'm going to try to do it more often.

I am extremely thankful for the man God brought me with which to spend my life.

People are often shocked that I get up early to make my husband's lunch and see him off to work.  Right now this means getting up at 5:30.  Actually, he comes in with a fresh cup of coffee to wake me up!  Not too bad, really. He is up around 4:45 and gets the fire going, feeds the dogs, and has his quiet time. I often get looks that say, "Are you serious?" followed by the, "I would NEVER do that!" to which I usually think to myself, "That is why your marriage isn't as good as mine."

That may sound extremely pompous, but if you aren't willing to get up a little early for your spouse, are you really living in unity?  Are you giving as much of yourself to your professed loved one as you are expecting in return?  Why would you draw a line of "never" to the one to whom you vowed to love?  This always confuses me.  I would do anything for my husband, the least of which includes making his lunch in the morning and getting to start the day together.

Now, granted, I have an incredibly amazing husband who is not only an excellent provider, but also a gifted leader.  He lives surrendered to God, and I can trust him to follow Him!  This makes living in submission to each other much easier.

Notice I didn't say easy.  I'm still a human and become selfish more than I'd like to admit.  I'm also not necessarily saying everyone should do exactly what I do.  Your spouse may not care a whit about the morning send-off, but I'd bet there is something that does matter to him/her.  Usually it is something relatively small, fairly painless, and could move mountains if done regularly!  I'd also like to point out that discouraging and ridiculing someone else's act of love is highly reflective of your own level of loving.  Just saying.

If God called you to be married, then this is your act of service to Him, not necessarily your spouse.  I take the verse in Luke 16:10 to apply to marriage as well, though that takes it a bit out of context!  If I can't be faithful to show my husband love in small ways, how on earth can we hold up in hard times?   Being faithful to love each other in small ways will lay the foundation of Godly strength when the storms come.  My marriage is a huge testimony of what I really believe about God.  I know I've failed before, but in God's continuing story of redemption and second chances, I have an opportunity to let God shine through my marriage.

I love the chance to talk about what I do for my husband.  It gives me an opportunity to share how far God has brought me.  It reminds me of the gift I have and my responsibility to care for that gift.  I also hope it encourages others to give more of themselves, and then they can experience the sweet joys of selflessness.

Time for my second cup of java joy!  (O.K., my 3rd!)

I've noticed this season that my favorite Christmas Carol has been "O Come All Ye Faithful." I have teared up more than once singing the chorus of "O Come Let Us Adore Him" hearing the congregation in unity coming to Adore Him! I'm so thankful that He is what we celebrate, not a pagan solstice or commercialism.

I've also gotten one of the best Christmas gifts! These are 3 of my N&N's that have shared some singing and dancing with me! I just couldn't keep it to myself! They are so special to me and made my Christmas happy! I hope you all have a very special Merry Christmas!

Merry Monday!

God has been going overboard on the decorating! The sunsets have given better colors than any collection of Christmas lights, baubles, or tinsel.
I have to admit, I've been more excited this Christmas over the gift to Jesus than to any other gift I have given to any other person. My Christmas gift to Jesus was not my idea. I wish it had been, but since it was my hubby's, I'm extra proud! His idea to make use of our time of little to provide for those who have greater needs has been profoundly meaningful to me. People all over the country have helped to provide as well. I can't help but feel that this is the kind of gift-giving that Jesus wants.
I have been privileged to enter into a family who is also living this idea of gift-giving out this year. I am so excited to be a part of giving to KIVA this year as a family. Instead of fancy gifts for us adults, we are giving as a family to the microloan organization to help others work their way out of poverty. My family is also forgoing adult gifts this year, partly out of necessity, and partly out of a desire for stress-reduction! When did gift giving become obligatory? I have to admit, that there are many in both families that don't feel this way at all. I hope that a year with a renewed focus will allow for gift giving as desired in the future, with no strings attached, no record-keeping, no price-minimum expectations. Giving from the heart. Giving to Jesus.
On a totally non-spiritual note, I finally made the world's best Gluten-Free chocolate chip cookie! I tried a flour mix that is really expensive, but after this experiment, the hubby said it was worth it! I knew you were wondering how I'd fare on the cookie front!
My Christmas decorations are somewhat minimal. I don't go all out on decorating the entire house. Mostly, to be honest, because our home is small and with our gigantic tv that was purchased at a garage sale for $50, I don't have much room. I'm not bitter or anything. I know you'll love the Alaskana Christmas look we don for the season. (Alaskana is not usually a great compliment!) I don't think it's too much, but I did neglect to include the bear skull with the santa hat on it. Some things are best left to the family blog!
As Christmas is fast approaching, and God has been moving in both my husband and my hearts, I have a sense that this may just be the start of something new. I pray that Jesus' birthday will renew a right spirit in all of you and He will stir joy in your hearts this year!

Majestic Monday

Yesterday the sun came out! Isn't that just like the Lord? Feeling a little bummed and mention the lack of sunshine, and God just brings it out just for you! It was stunning. The fog has brought an incredibly thick hoarfrost and made everything glisten! Hoarfrost is what happens when the moisture from fog freezes on whatever is colder than the air. Our temps have been in the single digits, which is normal this time of year, but the fog was warmer! Those gloomy days were necessary to create this magnificent image. It's just hard to see it until the light illuminates the scene.
I do feel a bit uplifted, even though its cloudy again today! I just needed that little touch of Light.
My perspective had been a bit cloudy as well. It's time that those that discipline becomes so important. I didn't feel like being joyful, but I chose to find things to think on that honors the One who has complete access to my mind. I was trying to fix my mind on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise! It's not something that comes easily, but practice make perfect!
God invented flocking, and he is really the only one who does it justice. The fake flocking is just not the same, don't you think?
This is the way Jesus decorates His trees. I heard something today on Christian radio that makes me rethink Christmas gifts. A gal said that she puts up a stocking for Jesus and on Christmas morning they pull out the "gifts" that they have specifically and especially chosen to give to Jesus. I've heard of the birthday cake for Jesus, but do we give Him gifts? Not just the "usual" things we do throughout the year, but something special that He would like just for His birthday? I don't think I have. He's given me so much. I have a couple ideas...!

Momentous Monday!

This is one of my favorite girls in the whole wide world. Can't you see why?! I love this picture and I've shown it before, but I can't help it. She's been on my mind this week.
My sister told me that my little gal (really she's my sister's little gal, but I'll take her any day!) had asked Jesus to come into her heart! At that moment, my heart just burst! I'm a pretty emotionally proud Aunt! My sister, not wanting to dismiss this momentous occasion, but wanting to understand the depth, asked her why she wanted to do this. Her answer is the very best answer I have EVER heard: "I just love Him so much!"

Every time I think of this, my eyes well up and I just about loose it. It's a similar reaction to when I learned of each of my N&N's decisions to give their hearts to Jesus. I just don't know if I've heard such a perfect motivation. I know mine wasn't! I was a little concerned about my level of fire resistance. Jesus knew it was also that I trusted Him to keep me safe. But really? I just love Him so much!? How absolutely perfect is that? I don't think I can add anything. My 4-year-old niece has just surpassed all my knowledge and study with the simplicity to which God calls us. It's really all He wants of us. I hope I can be like my niece when I grow up and be able to say about the things I do: "I just love Him so much!"

Silver and Gold

I'm having a nephew!
Actually, I'm having two.
My brother and his wife just found out that their baby will be a boy, due in March. Coincidentally, my sister and her husband are in the adoption process and they just may be traveling in March to pick up their son from Ethiopia. As much as I would love to have my sister's family be completed sooner, and have been praying for just that, the silver lining of the later time would be that I may be able to be present for my other nephew's birth! My sister and brother also have girls that are similar in age and are friends, so it would be a very special connection for the boys to have a similar time to celebrate even if they are different ages.
I saw over at Gitzen Girl a canvas that said "Too many people miss the Silver Lining, because they are looking for Gold."
How often do I miss the silver that God has placed for me in my greed for gold? Is my heart's desire really for what God desires, or is it what I want, period? I think I need to be open for the silver more often. I imagine it will give me much more to celebrate! There may be much more Gold than I realized as well if I can take my focus off of the one piece that I want and let my view expand to see more of the picture. I can't wait to see both those Golden Boys! Silver linings and all!

Makenna's Monday

ELEVEN!

I now have eleven nieces and nephews!
My husband's sister had her 2nd little girl on the 19th.
Her name is Makenna Joy.
I don't know if you remember, but that is my middle name! I feel honored to share this name with two nieces. My other gal, Hannah, has begun to learn about true Joy (she's 5 and a half, you know). I pray that Makenna will learn about what her middle names means at a young age as well. I won't be too surprised, as I tend to have genius level nieces and nephews (not biased at all). They all have seemed to grasped that Joy is a gift from God that is accompanied when you ask Jesus into your heart and "you let Him be the boss," as one nephew put it! I have been moved to tears every time I hear of one of these little hearts having been given to Jesus.
Talk about Joy!
I can only imagine the Joy of their parents to hear of their own child's desire to pray, even if they do want to do it all by themselves! I know that all these parents are providing an atmosphere of Christ's love that draws these children in. Just like what I had as a little girl.
When I was about Hannah's age, 5 and a half or so, I heard from Awana what it was that I needed to do to be with Jesus forever. Being a type A personality, I really wanted to do it right, so I asked my sister to help me pray. We went to the living room, and she sat on the big orange rocker while I kneeled down. She spoke one phrase, and I repeated it, asking Jesus to forgive my sins, and to come into my heart. I may not have fully grasped all the in's and out's of salvation, but I knew that at that moment I was Jesus' forever.
Talk about Joy!
I remember my Mom and Dad being very excited for me. They wanted me to tell everyone! I also remember some people just saying, "that's nice!" Oh, they must not have known the Joy!
I hope I can continue to celebrate the Joy of knowing Christ with all my nieces and nephews. I wish I could celebrate every year when my sister has a Doughnut Party to commemorate her kids' decision for Christ. You see, the doughnuts have holes in the middle, just like us. Only when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts does he fill us up! I think it's genius. It's a great way to remember and to share with others!
I pray for Makenna, as with all my kiddo's, to walk close to Jesus. I can't believe how much I love them all and want to spend eternity with them in the presence of the Father!
Talk about Joy!