Here we are at another Wednesday.

Our family has been enjoying such a wonderful Christmas holiday time together. The kids and I have been on holidays in the true sense of the word. They have been competing to see who can stay in their pajama's the longest and yesterday 2 of them never changed out of their pj's.

This past week through reading Zechariah I have been reminded of the supreme power and love of our God. It is clear in Zech. 9 that no battle or enemy is too big for God. No temptation or loss or defeat or decision is too big for God. In the middle of this chapter we read the famous prophesy (the Christmas story); the coming of His son to rule with righteousness. He is sent from God and humble to fulfill prophesy. As we look to the coming new year; as we walk back into hurtful relationships, uncertainties and daily challenges let's look to this example and resolve to know where our help comes from.

Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

I hope so much you are enjoying a wonderful celebration.

God is good to love us so wonderfully by sending us Hope in the form of His Son.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 4:1b

How have you experienced God's love this Christmas?

Merry Christmas Eve!

My son is thrilled that today, on the fourth day of winter, on Christmas Eve Day, it is finally snowing! On the 21st Alexander came running up the stairs to the patio to stare out the window. He turned around and clearly voiced his disappointment, "It is the first day of winter and it isn't even snowing!"

He is now celebrating the idea of tobogganing and playing in the snow where you can't see the grass! He is definitely his father's son!
The dog is clearly happy for the snow too!We want to wish you a very Merry Christmas!
from our household to yours!

May your celebrations be filled with joy and your worship intentional.
Love,
Nicole

I love how God says things to us in different ways through different mediums. This past Sunday Dave was referring at one point to the love that God had for us and how Christmas is a great time to give that love to others. We were encouraged to give of ourselves this Christmas season. In the messages of Zechariah 8 God is teaching them ways to live so that the kingdom of God could be lived out in their midst. In verses 16-17 he spells out specific ways to make it a safe and loving community that seeks to do the will of God.

'These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates. Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate', declares the LORD." NASB

Elizabeth Achtemeier expounds on these verses from Zech. 8 beautifully;

The love with which Israel is asked to respond to the unmerited love of God is to be acted out in the love of neighbor. This God, it seems, is always giving away that which belongs to him. "If you want to love me," he says, "then love your neighbor in my place." "...as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me: (Matt. 25:40)
...God's love requires the response of love for neighbor because God's final purpose for his world is to make a new community. This was his purpose in Israel, as it is also his purpose in the church.

What a powerful challenge. God's lavish love is given to us to give away to others so that they too can experience God in their lives.

I pray that as Christmas is fast approaching and family and friend gatherings are upon us that we will know how God wants to share his love through us. That when we are in the midst of being together and it feels like too much together that we will respond with God's mercy and not in selfishness. Rely on God to lead your reactions and to give you your value. Laugh lots. See the good side in things.

Unafraid, by Francine Rivers

After having the "A-ha" moment on Sunday regarding Mary I remembered I had a book by Francine Rivers called Unafraid. It is a historical fiction about Mary, Mother of Jesus. I read it a few years ago but decided to pick it up again.
Last night Alexander brought a homemade gift home from school and being a mature Mom I suggested that he put it under the tree until Christmas. Being a "little man" after my own heart he said he wanted Daddy and I to open it right now!! I have a hard time waiting with gifts!! This is what he made.Very fun!

Good Morning Ladies,

What a beautiful day. It is so nice to think that my kids will get outside for recess today and that I will be able to take the dog for a walk. He hasn't been able to handle much time outside lately.

I just want to encourage you to keep on in The Word. Even when you feel like you are "star of the week" (Alexander was star of the week last week!) or on top of the world - life can throw a curve ball.



Like getting up to run in cold weather, it is sweat and hard work but so rewarding! You know that you can't live without your time with God because it truly frees you up to be who you are and empowers your love for others.


Yesterday I came across an article on an on-line magazine for Teen girls on Vicky Courtney's Virtuous Reality sight. If any of you have teen girls check it out (just click on the underlined link) it is an amazing sight with much Godly wisdom. I told my girls to look forward to it when they get a little older. The author said that if you are caught in something that obsesses you and depresses you and makes you desperate for others that you are caught in a relationship based on infatuation. True love - love from God as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 does not cripple and hurt. You know when you are feeding that infatuation by your unhealthy dependency on it and your willingness to hurt others or do things that you know are not right because you want it so bad. A loving relationship is something that grows with commitment, maturity and sacrifice. This article was referring specifically to relationships but I also think we grow infatuations to things, ways of doing things and people we look up to.

I am so struck by the love of God towards His people. In Zechariah God was gracious and turned to them and called them back into relationship with Him. He forgave them even though they disregarded and turned away from God. God initiated a new relationship with them, a new way of doing things and also gave them hope for the future - the coming Messiah. What a perfect model of commitment, maturity and sacrifice.

I pray that as you spend time with God today you will find renewed hope in His gift - the Messiah.

A Humble Spirit

Hello Ladies,

I hope you are all doing well. I have been thinking of you often this season.

I have really been enjoying the simplicity of this Fall and Advent season in our house. This is the first time that I can remember having such a season of rest. It has been a great learning experience of organizing priorities and focusing on moments and relationships. I have been uncomfortable with parts of it at times but am determined that I don't want to miss out on what God has for me during this time of my life.

I had a big "A-Ha" moment yesterday in church. When Dave was talking about Mary I was shocked by the could-have-been-shame involved in her act of obedience. I freshly felt her sacrifice. But was awestruck by her humility! If she hadn't longed for the Messiah, if she hadn't been open to His way of working in her life, if she didn't have hope for the future then her predicament would have been shameful and unbearable to her. The only way God could perform such an amazing work in her is if she was a servant-follower of God.

That she was.

It says in Luke 1:30 that she found favor with God! In Luke 1:38 her amazing response;

"I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said."

These words really encouraged me to take this time for what it is. To learn the lessons that God is setting before me. I don't want to miss what God has for me by looking and wishing in the wrong places. I want to be a willing servant for the call God has on my life.

In thinking about all of this I wanted to share a video of the Magnificat that Dave created and prepared for a Christmas Eve service in Brandon a few years ago. Just click on the underlined link below to view it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFP-tODmiq4

Our First Love

I want to encourage you today to continue your habit of meeting with God through His word.

In small group last night we talked about keeping God our first love. It is so often my pride that distracts me into believing that my way might be better after all! Then I go ahead and try to merge the two masters thereby creating a life that is culturally acceptable and religiously acceptable .

Using advent as an example; I am on board with Dave on the advent conspiracy thing. We have been working on this for several years and my heart is softening towards it. Sometimes however, I tend to go overboard on the extremes. Things like baking seem just too much. If the Hallmark moment isn't what I am striving for then why do I need baking and decorations. They are so much work and make you wish for all the other things attached. I think that my self control issues cause me to sometimes have to be an all or nothing sort of person. Although it is sometimes necessary to give up something in its entirety so that it does not consume you - like an addiction, this all or nothing is not always the answer. Apply it to other situations and you are just left missing something very important. Another example could be working outside the home while nurturing a vibrant faith in God. If I would say that it is only possible to do that while at home during down time - while then likely a God relationship wouldn't happen. It would be sporadic and spotty at best and non existent at worst.

In reading Zechariah this week, I had a fresh wind blow through me. It came through two passages. One is very familiar to all of us and is from Zechariah 4:6;

Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord of Hosts.

There is so much I try to do on my own. I am blessed with great resources and determination and I allow that to trap me into believing that I can accomplish most things on my own. John 15:5 is clear to say that "apart from [God] we can do nothing." God was promising to Zechariah in his time as well as to us in our time that He will make a difference in the present situations as well as the future. No amount of our might or power can save a situation without the Spirit of the Lord.

In order for this God-difference to be clear in my life though I cannot accept the status quo on everything that surrounds me. So although our culture is screaming for luxury, amazing electronics, and romantic getaways to fulfill the desires of our hearts this Christmas season and although I worry about how I will help my kids through this schizophrenic season, I know that if I do accept the cultural answer that I am believing in a lesser god with lesser reward. Zech. 5:1-4 is clear to announce that if we want God as our first love we need to welcome God's way for us and cling to Him as our only Hope.

It is times like these that I need to restate my pledge of faith to God, keep submitting to the authority of God for all these issues is critical and continue fighting with the Word of God as my sword, believing it is alive and active in me.

Well, here I am trying to stall getting myself out the door to run. Got my running gear on, got my ipod ready and just thought I'd double check the temperature before I got out the door. Wow! Winter is here!!! -16!!! So, needless to say, I am stalling a bit while listening to my Christmas tunes on my IPOD. Max (the dog) is quite confused and looking at me as if to say, "you look like you're going out for a run...but you are just sitting there!"

I love listening to Christmas music. I lean toward a bit more traditional or jazz flavored music with my listening at Christmas. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:

1. Celtic Women, A Christmas Celebration
2. Natalie Cole, Holly and Ivy
3. Tony Bennett, A Swingin Christmas
4. Chor leoni men's Choir, Yuletide Fires
5. Musica Intima, Nativite
6. Steve Bell, The Feast
7. Oscar Peterson Christmas
8. Christmas Guitar
9. Toronto Children's Chorus, Dancing Day
10. The #1 Christmas Album

I also really like the Veggie Tales Singing Christmas Tree Album!

So here's my question, then I will run! What are your (top ten) favorite Christmas albums.

If there is ever something that consumes me it is unforgiveness.

It eats me up!

It is time to give it up. It does not bear good fruit in me!

God's central message is forgiveness so it stands to reason that we will have many opportunities to practice forgiving and minister with a forgiving attitude. God has given so many examples of extending mercy in the Bible. I read a particularly moving account in Zech. 3: 3-4 NRSV

Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.
And he spoke and said to those who were standing before him saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes."

Although Joshua was guilty of not obeying God's commands. God has forgiven and shown mercy. He is then given more powers as a priest than has been previously given to priests. The condition; he must obey. What a beautiful picture - clean garments replacing the filthy and a new improved mission.

I have been meditating and memorizing the scriptures below and find that I cannot allow the wrongful act to fester. I have to give it up. I have to give that person to God. I have to release it to God and believe that I am going to agree with God's way of thinking and acting on the matter. AND, I can't take it back again! This means that some days I am forgiving several times a day!

Col 3:13 NIV
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

James 2:12 - 12 Message
Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.

Romans 2:21 NIV
Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.

Unforgiveness is such a time and energy waster. Let's choose to forgive.