Labor of Love

"But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move"

Christmas means...

So, recently I haven't really had much to say. Okay, I take that back, I always have something to say but nothing lately that is blog worthy or anything I am able to put into words. So many times the thoughts come but somehow are unable to make the leap from mind to fingers to page, but in honor of the Christmas spirit and the fact that this blogs title contains the word "christmas" I am making an effort at blogging before the holiday is actually here.

Christmas tradition of ornaments on ears

This Christmas has been one that hasn't really been stressful for me because of this nice little thing called the internet. I'm not a fan of shopping except at outdoor stores like Rock Creek, Bass Pro Shops, etc. Since everything was bought online and there's no stress about Christmas shopping, it has given me a chance to think about the meaning of Christmas and to notice what's going on around me instead of focusing on completing shopping. This evening I went shopping with Wesley and it hit me. All the hustle and bustle but no one really focuses on the meaning of Christmas. Materialism... I'm so tired of seeing it pop into my life, yet I feed into it every Christmas and somehow it overwhelms what Christmas really means. My family is the greatest but we have way to many presents. This is nice but way overdone. Lovely, but unnecessary. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas and it's definitely my favorite holiday with all the colorful artsy lights, decorated trees, crisp cold weather, wassail, holiday cheer etc. There's nothing wrong with buying presents and seeing the joy of the person who opens them. I love that. It's truly a time when traditions and family mean the most to me but somehow over the years I have lost the true meaning. Of course I know what it means but I haven't taken it in deep inside my heart, internalized it and then let its influence play out in my life.



The true, precious meaning of Christmas where the best gift was given to this earth in the small vernix covered, bloody baby package sent to us by God himself. A true sacrifice for a perfect Father to send an innocent little baby into a sin filled world that would reject Him and even turn his birthday into a materialistic mess where, by most people, He would be forgotten. His sinless life always an example for those who listen. I also think of Mary, what a heavy burden it must have been to be labelled by her community as an adulteress. We believe now but certainly those around her wouldn't believe. Would you believe the story if it happened today? It's a pretty crazy story. To her though it was worth all the ridicule and torture just to carry the Son of God. What an immense privilege to be carrying our Gift. Would I be willing to stand up against all odds to carry such a Gift? Am I willing now to stand up for what I believe about Christ, His birth/soon coming and not let the influence and ridicule of the world around penetrate through to my core? What if I missed out on the best gift ever? The gift of seeing God face to face, visiting with Him in a perfect world where babies don't die, little girls aren't sold as slaves, where cancer doesn't eat the body from the inside out. What if I missed out? The thought brings tears to my eyes. Worse yet what if the precious Gift that God sent hadn't won the victory and the entire world was lost forever into Satan's grinchy hands. See what Christmas is about? Jesus won the victory and as a gift we get eternity. Is there any better gift than that? Nope.

Travels

My feet are itching to explore. Friends are taking trips across country, through Europe, to the great unknown wherever that may be. Honestly, I am so jealous. Not kill someone jealous but sad jealous. Exploring places discovered long ago, making memories in new places with new people. Sigh... I love Collegedale but it is time to get out. No more happy valley for me, give me a mountain to climb and explore, make me work hard but enjoy every minute of the journey. Here's what I would like to do if loans weren't in the way. I would save up money for a few months and then promptly quit my job. First, I would wander my way through Canada, exploring where my grandmother grew up. Then my wandering, itching feet would take me to Romania to see where my ancestors lived.

Scotland would be next, to find my clan with the head on a sword (long story), soon after this would follow Iceland and Greenland. England would happen for sure to visit my family there. Sweden to visit more friends. Australia to chill with the Bonellos and kangaroos. The list goes on and I want to see it all. The magnificent mountains of Pakistan, the endless deserts of Arabia. Spain, to learn spanish with a lisp.

 To get lost in the towering Alps with nothing but
wilderness around me. Skiing, snowboarding,
hiking, photographing, running, sleeping, camping, canoeing, laughing my way around the world. But alas, reality calls and with it the realization that six inductions and three c-sections await me tomorrow at work, so sleep must happen.

Galaxies

"Oh telescope, keep an eye on my only hope

Lest I blink and get swept off the narrow road

Hercules you've got nothing to say to me cause you're not the guiding light that I need.

For He is the saving grace of the galaxies !

Dear God I was terribly lost when the galaxies crossed and the sun went dark

But dear God you're the only North star I would follow this far"

*Owl City*