!!! Merry Christmas !!!

While preparing for Christmas this year I have been busy traveling and saying some goodbyes. I went down to Florida to visit and say my goodbyes to grandmas, aunts and uncles and a few friends. I am blessed to have an amazing family who while they are sad to see me go are very supportive of the reason why I go.  I love you all and I’m blessed to have you in my life.

While in Orlando, I got to go to Epcot to hang out with Aunt Elizabeth, Gabrielle and the Mouse.  I had a blast! While there we rode some rides and prayed for the Nations while walking from country to country.  We had lunch in Mexico, dinner in France and our hearts broke for the lost in China seeing the statue of Buddha full of offerings left by those visiting the park.

Me and Gabrielle with Our Ears

I made it back home to Georgia in time for Christmas!!  I enjoyed spending Sunday with my church family and celebrating the birth of our Lord and rejoiced in the anticipation of His second coming. The young adults gave me some very thoughtful gifts to take with me to Africa and made me a cake. A huge praise is that the young married couple I have been praying about taking over the group have committed to taking over after the New Year! I’m excited for both them and the group!

My Cake From Young Adults

 

Christmas this year could have been big, wild and full of social chaos but that was not what I wanted. I wanted a nice, quiet Christmas focused on the greatest Christmas present ever given, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  So we celebrated Christmas as a family, the four of us, Dad, Mom, my brother Bryan and me.  

 

If you didn’t know my father is an amazing cook but my mother is also a good cook who does not get to practice her culinary skills that often because my father is the top chef in our home. On Christmas Eve day, mom taught me how to make some of our favorite cookies from scratch, so that I can make them next year in Africa. For fun, I reverted to a childhood favorite activity and made a ginger bread house. I thought it turned out pretty good.

 

My Gingerbread House

We always strive to make it to a candle light service on Christmas Eve. This year we went to one of the churches our family helped charter. It was nice to see old friends and familiar faces.  Since there are not little ones in our home, Christmas morning gets a late start! We sleep in and then have brunch in our PJ’s before gifts are opened.

 

It’s been a great Christmas and I pray Christmas is much more than a baby being born in a manger long ago for you. My prayer is that Christmas will be a reminder and celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ who came to die for you and for me.

                               Merry Christmas!!

A Christmas Party and The Hobbit

Thursday night was the Christmas party for the young adults from Beulah. I have an amazing group of young adults who are on fire for the Lord and I’m excited to see what the Lord has in store for each one of them. We crowed around the table eating our hearts out, indulge in too many sweets and played games. The crowed dining room full of conversation and laughter was the perfect way into the second half of our night, the midnight viewing of The Hobbit.

Some of the Young Adults playing Loaded Questions

 

We actually had the pleasure of making our journey to the theater and back in a limousine (oh yeah we arrived in style). One of the members at Beulah went out of his way to love on the young adults, making our Christmas party extra special and we were all soooo much appreciative. 

 

 Our Limo Ride to The Hobbit

 

If you know J. R. R. Tolkien's work you know it’s not that hard to find symbolic meanings that relate to our lives and walk as Christians.  Our reactions unfortunately are at times very similar to Bilbo’s initial reaction to the task he was chosen for, “Sorry! I don’t want any adventure, thank you. Not today”. The excessive comforts and safety in a predictable life-style was holding Bilbo back from LIVING.  Yet in the end Bilbo goes on this journey, is challenged and grows along the way and it became much much more than just an adventure.   

 

While I’m currently packing and thinking about my up and coming adventure I remind myself: The safest place I can be is in God’s sovereign and perfect will.  My comfort can and will only be found in Him. I was chosen before the foundation of the world for this journey and I am not going alone, He will be with me every step of the way! Those truths don’t promise that the journey will be easy, not challenging or even always "safe"  but they are more than enough for this girl to say, Yes, I want to go on an adventure!

Christmas Is Coming, It Just Might Not Be Cold

The tree is up, the halls are decked, lights are twinkling AND it’s warm outside.  I guess this is just a way of prepping me for Christmas in Africa.  With the weather being agreeable, I went for a hike yesterday at Kennesaw Mountain with a good friend.  Melinda is my hike, kayak and anything outdoorsy buddy and I am going to miss her….sad. 

We went up the trail on the backside of the mountain, this was new to me. It is much more challenging, longer, scenic and less crowded then my normal hike up.  Why am I just now learning this? We came across a group of young adults on the trail and I was excited to hear that they are headed to Passion 2013. The Passion conference is a month away and one of the last things I will get to do with my group. I’m looking forward to it!!

Later in the evening we went to see A Christmas Carol at the Alliance Theater. The play was great and you would have to be a Scrooge to not enjoy it. It has however made me want to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol. I know it’s silly and for kids but it’s one of my Christmas movie guilty pleasures.