The Inside Out

Christmas is so close! And my children are so ready! Amazingly enough, I am too! Besides a touch of cleaning before my family arrives, I am ready for it this year. Sarah and I even painted our toenails red and green tonight! Spare time is such a miracle! This is the first year I’ve felt like I am actually appreciating the real reason for it all. I’ve been reading a book called 25 Days, 26 Ways by Ace Collins and it has helped me focus. I’ve not been perfect about it and read it every day like I’d planned and I also didn’t have the devotions every night with the family like I’d planned but even just having a touch of it has really encouraged me. It’s like I’m a little lit up in my soul this Christmas. Or maybe I just understand more about the truths of Christmas. It’s like I feel His presence more this year. I think it helped some that I was more prepared. Like Dave Ramsey says, “Christmas is always on December 25th. It’s not like that changes.” All the other tedious stuff was taken care of so that I could have some time to prepare my heart more. I made dates in my calendar that I stuck to…like when the cards had to be sent, all the presents bought by, times for lights and family outings…it’s all way too perfectly organized to have not been a gift from God! I love that he did this for me this year. It has been the best gift I’ve received. I hope I can keep this preparedness up through the year, because yes, we should totally celebrate completely and all out that He was born, but I’d also like to make it an everyday celebration. Because not only was He born for us, He died for us. And He lives again everyday. So why not live more prepared to celebrate it!

Tomorrow will be a big day for me.

I’m trying something new.

I am always excited to try new things and this time is no different…except I’m pretty afraid. Fasting is something I’ve never done before, and as my husband is very aware, I can be quite moody when I haven’t eaten. When my blood sugar drops, so does my attitude! I’ve been in a church that has all fasted together before, twice actually, but both times I was pregnant and couldn’t fast (I was having trouble gaining enough weight anyway, so both of my doctors said it was a “no go” for me.). This time it’s different. Columbia Church is different. Since signing on for the inception of this awesome new church, we’ve discovered that in so many ways. This special Sunday is one of those ways. We’re going to be taking up our first offering and giving half of it away. Yes, half. It’s called the Miracle Project. And the money is going to some awesome places: the Jubilee Academy in Columbia and Rwanda Clean Water in Africa. A school for needy children and a culture with no clean water. This is huge. So the leadership of the church asked everyone to fast and prepare for the big Sunday. See http://columbiachurchonline.com if you want to know more about this fast, the Miracle Project or Columbia Church. Ok, I thought…I’ll finally get to do it. Jesus did it. Tons of people in the Bible did it. They received clarity, answered prayers, growth through testing and lots of other things, so this is a good thing right? But now it’s the night before we start, and I’m a bit fearful. I don’t want to fail (but I don’t want to pass out either!). I really think I can do this. The hardest part will definitely be resisting the popcorn when we see “The Princess and the Frog” tomorrow. I’m praying tonight for growth and learning through it.

And I’m praying Columbia Church’s big Sunday isn’t just big, but God-sized.

Tonight, right before bed, my sweet Noah had the most precious conversation with our Elf on The Shelf, Hansel. He was telling him how much he loved him and how glad he was that he had decided to “land” in his room for the day. (If you don’t know, Hansel flies to Santa every night to tell him how good our kids are being, and that they shouldn’t be on the naughty list this year. When he gets back to our house he lands in a different spot every day. The kids love trying to find him in the morning! Then they can’t touch him all day because it will cause him to lose his magic and won’t be able to get back to Santa.) Then Noah said to Hansel, ” I know that you’re in a  place where I could touch you today, but I’m not gonna’. Tell Santa that.” It was so precious my heart almost burst!

I love watching my children during Christmas. Under all circumstances we have failed in hiding all the secret mysteries of Santa and this little elf. We forgot to move the elf one night…but said he just liked that spot cause he could watch the Christmas specials on tv. Boxes keep coming because I got all their gifts online this year…but Noah and Sarah just think it’s all for Daddy’s work. Sarah actually saw some gifts in the back of my car but had no idea that they were previously destined to be from Santa. We fail left and right, but our children still believe in the magic. They fully believe that Santa is one of Jesus’s bestest best friends and that’s why he gives out the presents for His birthday. They believe because in their hearts they want to. We are made to believe, even when we are young. The magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes is one of best examples of faith, and I get to watch each and every day, right here in my own home. And I love it. I love seeing what Jesus meant by “faith like a child.” He places examples all around us each and every day…don’t miss them.