Thursday, December 16, 2010

Christmas Day!



Mercy received a Noah's Ark with all the little animals. :) She sat here playing with it for a very long time.



Sam's favorite gift was the blanket we bought for him, "I dreamed of this!" he proclaimed to us as he snuggled into the folds of fleece . :) I would not have guessed that he'd pick this gift over the Cars book we bought him, hahaha!



Julia received a bath bomb from Sam, how sweet ! :)




Winter Storm: brrrrr!!! I'm not used to -28 wind chill yet... but i can tell you that -6 felt positively warm after the previous temps!!

Everything out of my window is white and soft, oh, except for that first days' worth of snow that turned into chunky ice clumps under the soft drifts...
*sigh*
I love walking in the snow, i love sledding ( we went on one of the three snow days we had this week, with Julia's little friend, oh man, it was FUN!!!!) I love looking for animal signs in the snowy trails, i love tea, coffee, and our hot chocolate tradition after an "exploration" hike!! i love lights glistening on the white drifts.


Alright, I feel funny about posting one of my Bible-reading-thoughts online, i don't know if i want to... but i wrote it here instead of in my journal this morning... and my sense of productivity tells me it would be a waste of time to have written these words only to erase them. Writing out my thoughts helps me to assess them more fully for myself, hopefully someone else enjoys this read as well:

2 Corinthians 4:5
For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.


Words i need to chew on daily: "For Jesus, and only for His Sake" that is why we live, love, care, serve. He must be the motivation. All other motivations and reasons will fail us, and fall empty. Though they may bring joy for a time, it is only joy from Jesus who loves us unconditionally that will last.

I want to live for His sake, i want my words and thoughts and actions to Glorify God and draw people to know Him. I wish it was easier to do away with the desire to feel appreciated and loved here on earth for what i do, but it isn't. I think that battle will last in my heart until i leave here.

Which brings me to the next verse that stood out to me:

2 corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Cracked and Frail, that is what a jar of clay looks like to me. And how i feel some days when i forget that God is my strength and support. He is all I need, but how often to I act like that?


2Corinthians 4:14
...knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

Isn't that a glorious thought? just think about it for a while. *happy sigh*

2Corinthians 4:17-18
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

This also made my heart glad. I love these verses, the thoughts they bring, the pondering of what needs to change in my heart from what i have heard here.

3 Comments:

At 8:58 AM, Blogger The dB family said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Mine are the same. It's so good to know that even though we struggle here daily that some day we will be able to live in glory!

Blessings, my friend!
Deborah

 
At 11:39 AM, Blogger DAve and JAnie said...

Good morning! I've been thinking of you and yours often.
I'm amazed at the storm that hit there for you. We've just passed a cold snap here, which comes every year, but always feels just chilling! Glad you were safe and warm.

Daily I reflect on Christ's/Gods being and presence in/on earth. Some words that constantly come to mind, but look and feel different daily are: acceptance, unconditional, light, belonging, security. I appreciate that I have been allowed to work alongside people where ever they are in their journey because it has taught me the power of those words and how it feels to have or not have them. Not be equate pop psychology with the stories of God, but it always amazes me that the very things people often seek help for in their lives from counselors/social workers are the promises God has made to his people. This isn't something I can say to people in my "professional" work, but it sure has been powerful for me to see and feel over and over again. And now that I'm home I see it for my own children and relationships!

Merry Christmas (the one that is still coming) to you!

 
At 2:52 PM, Blogger Doug said...

Powerful devotional thoughts Sue. Thanks so much for sharing them. Mum and I have recently discussed how much we are like little children who badly need to rely on our Heavenly Father daily.

 

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