What's your favorite Christmas carol?

Thanksgiving has come and gone. It is my most favorite holiday, time with family and wonderful food, the crispness in the air to reminds you God makes all things and He makes all things new. It is also the event that ushers in the listening of Christmas music, which is another favorite of mine.

Christmas music is joy and memories and worship of the birth of our Lord. O Holy Night, Come Let Us Adore Him, Silent Night, and so many more; these songs tell of the birth of our Savior and the response we as His creation should have. It is the wonder and magic of the season. 

In the past few years I have become more aware of how powerful the gospel is in Christmas songs. I guess growing older in age and stronger in my faith has opened my eyes to see the power of these songs. However with this realization has come a question. My question is this: Unbelievers singing Christmas songs, is this blaspheming the name of God or is this an example of something profane being made holy?

The reason I ask this question is as a follower of Christ who has surrendered my heart and sees His grace daily I sing these songs as a worship and overflow of my relationship with Christ. My confusion is, how do I respond when those who have not come to believe in Christ are singing these songs? Do I rejoice and pray that the gospel is going forth through song and ask God for ears and hearts to be opened? Do I feel heavy hearted about the truth of my God’s mercy and grace being sung about empty heartedly and with no regard to the weight of the matter?

I am throwing this question out because I am at a loss of how to respond. I believe that the use of God’s name and the story of a gospel in a flippant way is blasphemous. However I also believe that my God has the power to redeem all things for His good and His glory.

I guess my only conclusion thus far in processing this thought is to challenge all followers of Christ to feel the weight of the Christmas carols you are singing this season. Sing them in a worshipful manner that shows respect to the story you are telling. Let your heart rest in the words of the gospel and pray that as you sing through the season in worship others will see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Thoughts?

Breathe Deep

I abandoned my desk for a moment in the fresh air

the breeze took my breath away



the colors reminded me of a creative creator

the crisp air sent chills down my back

 the trees hoovered like a canopy about me

and the moment of soaking in the day  brought life back to my soul

The lies I believe

I am thankful for blogs. Not only because they give me great ideas about how to decorate a one day home and throw a great party but because somehow through words on a page, and nothing else, I feel like I have friendships with these women who share their stories over their blogs. I realize some of that statement sounds a bit sad, my friends are people I have never met, but it is a reality in this season of my life.

I am especially thankful this week for the blogs that I follow because I have seen a common thought being addressed in their pages, a thought that has been prevalent in my life for some time now. That’s the beauty of women I guess, good or bad, we all in some way struggle through the same seasons at some point in life. For me this season recently has been plagued with lies of the enemy and the demon of perfection knocking on my thoughts and heart.

Emily, over at Chatting at the Sky said it perfectly yesterday, check out her post here http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2011/11/07/good-girls-come-full-circle-2/

The lie is that perfection is necessary and that every small or large misstep in life is failure. If I don’t clear all the papers off my desk before 5:00, I have failed at my job. If I don’t cook a full, hot and healthy meal for my husband each night I have failed as a wife. If my laundry isn’t perfectly folded and put away with no traces of dishes in my kitchen (except for the perfectly displayed ones that are part of my décor) then I have failed as a homemaker.

The weight of perfection is stifling. But where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty. Freedom is fresh and open to those who will embrace it.

It is hard to embrace freedom when your hands are full of expectations.

Praying freedom in my heart, mind, hands and feet will come soon. Only through Christ is this possible.

What lies are you believing today?

side note: i strongly recommend Emily Freeman's new book :Grace for the Good Girl
side note 2: i am a failure at blogging because i never include pictures :) sorry I am a word girl

Just a glimpse

Today I am thankful for perspective. I find that I get wrapped up in my own life so easily. The day to day and the task to task can become overwhelming. So much so that I find myself feeling as if I am the only one facing the challenges of life, love, and ministry.

Today I am thankful for a friend who shared life and shared perspective. Although her challenges are hers and mine are mine there is linkage there that makes the bearing of a load not so heavy. Never would I wish hardship on another but when another can relate to your hardship and you can relate to theirs we bear that burden together and the impossible becomes possible…you gain strength for one more day.

Life is lonely sometimes but I am finding the Lord provides glimpses of community at just the right moment.

The memories we make

I have the privilege of hosting 8 women in my home on a weekly basis. We gather, eat, study God’s word, and share our lives with each other.  It is community and it is refreshing. Last night was an especially good night.

It was my night to make dessert. I don’t do desserts. I can cook most anything but baking and I are not always on the best of terms. However I had a plan (a recipe) and I had the determination to see it through. That was until my canned pumpkin was expired.

The show must go on. No use crying over expired pumpkin.

Side note: what does it say about me that I have expired canned goods in my pantry? Doesn’t that stuff last for like years? I’m going with: we have a small apartment thus a small kitchen thus a small pantry and because I am such a good house keeper (wink wink)  I keep our pantry fully stocked and it was a simple oversight that something would expire. But that is another post.

I regress. So here I am, facing the fear of dessert, 8 friends coming over hungry and expired ingredients.  What is a girl to do? What do we always do? Make it work! It was a Tim Gunn moment yall. I decided I would do what I do when I cook, improvise and use what I have. I baked some very interesting cupcakes with some very interesting icing. My sweet friends (and husband) indulged themselves in what I named “Harvest Spice Cupcakes” like something out of a William Sonoma Catalogue.

The cupcake itself…simply boxed cake mix, but the icing was a creation of innovation. Who knew cream cheese, nutella, pumpkin coffee creamer, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar whipped up a mighty good frosting (be it a ridiculously fattening icing).

In the frantic of making this cupcake creation like a contestant on Cupcake Wars (you know you watch that show) I ran out of time to do the dishes and have the kitchen clean and ready for my guest. A task I hold in high importance each week as the girls gather. I try so hard to make my home a sanctuary for our time. A sink full of dishes does not a sanctuary make, at least not for this girl. However as the night went on and each dear one shared the truth of what they were learning, the exciting announcement of new seasons of life approaching, the tears of heavy burdens and stressful weeks the sanctuary was being built despite the dirty remnants of a busy day.  Our hearts were linking together in celebration and joy.

Today I am thankful for friends who share times with me that make memories. Even when there are dishes in the sink.