10th Day of Christmas

On this 10th day of Christmas the weather in sunny Southern California dropped 10 degrees to a brisk 60 degrees. I actually had to wear a jacket!

11th Day of Christmas

On this eleventh day of Christmas I attended our Senior High Christmas party dressed as a Santa, ate free KFC for lunch (thanks to Kevin's Nana) and went thift store shopping. No elevens for today, although eleven is just two 1's next to each other and I did take a 1 hour lunch, listened to 1 song all day and wrote 1 blog post.

12th Day of Christmas

On this twelfth day of Christmas I worked a twelve hour day and made two dozen (12x2) batches of homemade Christmas goodies.

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

It's officially that time of year! I love Christmas so much, and even though it is currently 80 degrees and sunny in Southern California, I can always dream of a White Christmas or even a Christmas in Connecticut.
Today was busy with Christmas craft shopping for my homemade gifts. There is something very festive and joyous about Michaels this time of year. Everything is covered in glitter and on sale. It just doesn't get better than that!

I am now in the midst of making my gifts whilst watching the California Sunset and A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tis the season!

On a side note, I have been really blessed by the Gordon Conwell's Seminary advent devotional, found here. It is emailed daily to me and I have truly enjoyed it.

Here's to Christmas crafts, tons of glitter and sappy movies! God bless us, everyone!

Why I love the Church

This quote from Kevin Deyoung's and Ted Kluck's book "Why We're Not Emergent" sums up very well my sentiments of late regarding the church;

" I was really enjoying my church and the friendships I'd made there with people who weren't like me- people who were older and sat in cubicles for a living, people who knew nothing about movies, and people with or without advanced college degrees. I felt as if there was real diversity there- a diversity that I would miss if I started meeting with other white, college educated artsy types in a coffee shop church"

I highly recommend this book as it is has been a great summary of the emergent movement in the church as well as a defendant for the truth.

Gooooood read all around! Four Thumbs and a Partridge in a Pear Tree up!

Dear Jenna

Dear Jenna,

Thanks for showing me all the hidden treasures that helped me design my blog, and then letting me play around with it for three hours while you fell asleep on my couch. You will forever be my blog friend.

-Your Friend,

Kelly


Thankful for goodnights, with good friends; wasting perfectly good time and enjoying every minute.

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer

I recently rediscovered this song as it resonates with a lot of whats going on in my life lately. This song has become a prayer of mine over the past couple of days and has given me perspective on how to approach trials and hard times with an Eternal Perspective.

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labour through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

Do Not Fear What They Fear

I was reading an article and ran across this verse,

1 Peter 3:13-14
"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."

This verse comes from Isaiah 8, where it is speaking about the people of Samaria and Damascus who will be devastated and carried away by the Assyrians because of their rejection of the Lord. These people are the 'theys' - A destructive and abandoned generation of God rejecters, a stubborn people who put their trust in oppression and guile, a nation that will rot and be blown away, and a people who will be devoured by the sword. These people are the 'theys'

The part of that verse that really stood out to me was, 'do not fear what they fear'. In thinking through this I was convicted that I do fear what they fear. I fear the unknown, I fear the future, I fear loneliness and rejection, oppression and suffering. 'Do not fear what they fear'. I fear challenges and road blocks, sickness and insecurity. 'Do not fear what they fear'.

These people feared, and rightly so. But what do I have to fear? Why Am I anxious? Who is going to harm me if I am eager to do what is good? If The LORD is my light and my salvation; then who Am I afraid of? If God has not given me a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline, what Am I fearful of? If God has said I will never leave you nor forsake you, then what can man do to me?

So the conclusion has to be that even though I may feel hard pressed on every side, I am not crushed. Though I may feel perplexed I should not be in despair. Though I may feel persecuted I am not abandoned. Though I may feel struck down, I am not destroyed. And why?

Because unlike the 'theys' I carry around in my body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed through me. For I am always being given over to 'death' for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in me.

Because fear has to do with punishment, and Christ took my punishment - I have nothing to fear.

The promise is mine which was made to Moses, "Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you".