Halloween Redemption

Tonight, as we scoured the cottage lined street hauling our buckets of candy and huddling close as the wind swirled around us, my heart swelled with thankfulness. This very morning, I sat across from a lady over breakfast sharing my story of Halloween five years ago when my marriage was in shambles. We showed up with broken and bleeding hearts at a very gracious couples home, whom we did not know well...at all. They had gathered with other couples for trick or treating and it was the kind of crowd who has no need for gossip, the darkest pits of life don't send shivers down their spines, because most of them have lived and breathed in the pit and had managed to find their way out. Broken, authentic people who can let broken people JUST BE. What a glorious safe place. I hope to be that. I have a hard time being that. Letting people just be. I told my friend I didn't see that couple much anymore, we weren't close, but they were a safe place for us that Halloween.
Tonight as we scooted past homes and familiar faces, in the flickering lights I saw my gracious friends profile. I ran up to thank her for THAT Halloween. For being Jesus with skin on to me...to us that night. What a gift.
Everything and everyday is just a gift. The good, the bad and the ugly. Live with a kingdom {eternal} perspective, that your body is just a tent housing your soul and that God is making all things new. All things new. Let that sink in. Giving all people, all places and all things over to him. (Insert the old hymn I surrender all) That is the key to living a free, fulfilled life. It's a daily practice,that sometimes I practice and sometimes I don't.
So glad God saw fit to remind me tonight of his glorious riches, his infinite love and his faithful promises he gives his people....a day at a time.

O Holy Night

Tonight, if you are struggling with feeling lonely, bitter, a longing, a sadness. There is hope. Today was a good day, a hard day filled with family and fun and friction. No major drama, but enough to remind me my home is not my "home". My family is awesome, we are blessed and generally a healthy family unit, but there is always that longing deep inside that they can't fill. They were not made to. So I turn, and continue to turn, to my savior who came silently into the night into a dirty stable to save this broken world.

Tonight as we sang this song at our 1st Christmas Eve service in our new little church I understood the lyrics in a new, beautiful way. I've sung this song every Christmas for 35 years, but tonight it struck a cord with me and my lip quivered as I belted out "the weary world rejoices". An image of a weary world, with all it's shootings, all the homeless, the starving, the orphans and the widows...it does NOT end here. We were made for more. Christ has paved a way for us. No more striving and trying. We can rest, knowing He who came as a babe came to save our lives and give us freedom. IN Christ we can have hope and that longing doesn't go completely away, but it doesn't linger quite as long and the things in this world and of this world own us a little less.

Merry Christmas. Thanking Jesus for saving me and that he is what I need when my heart aches. Enjoy this Holy Night and celebrate it with joy and triumph bc he has overcome the world, we need no longer fear.

Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name