Merry Christmas - blessings and peace for the New Year

Like the majority of Americans, I am busiest at this time of year, it seems. I get complacent sometimes, too comfortable in my walk with God. Oh, that I could keep fresh in my heart the wonder of the birth of Christ, of His death on the cross for me, and of His resurrection. I admit, with everything pulling my attention in a hundred different directions each day, I often fail miserably to just bask in the reality of His wonderful gift, of who He is in me, of the amazing grace He's given. No one could ever outgive, You, Jesus. Forgive me for not worshipping You in my heart and with my words and actions all day, every day. I owe You nothing less. Thank You for being willing to come to earth to ensure that I can have an eternity with You. As unworthy as I am, to know that I am safe and secure in Your arms is the greatest present I've EVER received.

"I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing Your praise...and bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your constant love and faithfulness. You have exalted Your name and Your promise above everything else." (Psalm 138:1-3)

Help me exalt You above everything else in my life, Lord. Amen.

If I could, I would...

give everyone the joy of a beautiful fall morning - time to really stop and look at the brilliant colors of the leaves before they all fall to the ground. I'd give everyone the joy of giggling with a child, the warm fuzzies of snuggling with a favorite pet, the blessing of having warm shelter and a full tummy, the fulfillment of a relationship with their Maker, and the gift of a family who accepts and loves them just the way they are - flaws and all. I am feeling so blessed, and I want to pass it on.

If I could, I would...

make all politicians HONEST and concerned with what matters to their constituents instead of the almighty dollar and/or prestige.

Quote worth reading from Dean Koontz's book, A Big Little Life"...

"The life of a seamstress is no smaller than the life of a queen, the life of a child with Down syndrome no less filled with promise than the life of a philosopher, because the only significant measure of your life is the positive effect you have on others, either by conscious acts of will or by unconscious example. Every smallest act of kindness - even just words of hope when they are needed, the remembrance of a birthday, the compliment that engenders a smile - has the potential to change the recipient's life."

If I could, I would...

take one whole day to play Scrabble! I love it!

If I could, I would...

give everyone a day like today - a day to stay in their pjs, eat whatever they wanted without guilt (like lasagna and chocolate and Starbucks), sleep whenever they felt their eyes get heavy, and watch their fav TV shows with the ones they love. The freedom of having a day like today gives me the breather I need before starting another week on Monday, a recharge of sorts. No housework, no schoolwork, no worries, just REST! Amazing!

Why don't we give ourselves more of these kinds of days?

If I could, I would...

make chocolate lava cake like I ate at The Oxford in Raleigh tonight. Oh, my gosh! Sometimes there are just no words...

If I could, I would...

be completely open to others, never pretentious or closed off. Sometimes it's difficult to come out of my shell, but I'm learning. If I intuitively pick up on the fact that others aren't genuine, I tend to "go there," too. I mean, if someone isn't going to give me the respect of knowing him or her rather than a mask, I tend to think that person deserves the same from me. I definitely go there less often than I used to, but I never like myself afterward. It leaves me wondering how those who are never real really know who they are. At some point, do they lose that sense of who they are or the desire to even know anymore? The trappings of wanting to impress others can become chains of loneliness. That's not a place I want to live, and deep down, I feel for those who make it their home.