Focusing on Christ - December 9, 2012

              Focusing on the truth and the positive seems quite difficult at times. This world is a place where Satan plays with his people and tempts them regularly to think negatively and sin. I have been dealing with a few negative things lately and I’ve been amazed to see just how crafty Satan can be. Satan has tried to take away my joy of the Lord this year, but I am fighting hard against him and his schemes. I have to work hard to capture my thoughts and really try to focus on God and his mercies that are new every morning. I have to be thankful for all the good, even when some little things are magnified and they seem to try to take center stage in my life. The only one that should be taking center stage is Christ and He is it.

                I have been stressed out about a wide variety of things in life lately - my health, housework, child rearing, family, work, relationships, money, the never –ending to- do lists, the state of our country and the direction it seems we are headed, etc…  When it all comes down to it, it is all very trivial in the scope of the big picture of life, love, learning and living for Christ.  It saddens me that we humans tend to focus on the negative so easily. A woman can go to a party and hear that she looks wonderful from 15 people, but then one person says something negative about how she looks and she tends to forget all about the 15 positive people. I see this as being the case in many people’s lives - they just get tunnel vision and only think about the one negative comment. This is where I have been lately. I have so much to do, and I’ve been feeling tired and run down by it all. The whole idea of Christmas has seemed like so much work.

                Yesterday, helped to slowly change my feelings about the holiday and my energy and efforts. In the morning, we had family pictures taken by my friend Monica. It was difficult at times as the little guys didn’t want to cooperate at times and many had sensitivity to the bright sunlight and so there were lots of pictures taken with closed and watery eyes.  Some of the time though was very fun and I am hopeful that we will have some good pictures.

                Right after the pictures, Mark and I got into a stupid argument about… well, I hate to admit it - but where we were going to eat. It was silly and short-lived but I hate the fact that we argued in front the kids and that there was the stress.  I ended up dropping off Mark at the house because he wasn't feeling good and then I took the kids to get ice cream at Baskin Robins. Finally, we got our act together after a bit and we ended up getting the tree out and decorating. Even during that time, I wasn’t too excited. I kept thinking about all the work to put it all back and such. There are still big Rubbermaid boxes everywhere and ornaments on the ground and such and our cats have been having a grand time playing with everything.  Holly and Hope decorated the whole stair banister and put up the stockings, and it was great to see them work together so well in an effort to make it all pretty and festive. Mark and Hannah put the outside lights up and our small wooden nativity looks so pretty with blue colored lights wrapped on it.

                At around 6, I remembered that we had planned to go to Current church for their Journey to Bethlehem. It’s really cool!  It’s a walk through trip, set-up as if you are going to do the census along with same roads Mary and Joseph traveled.  You eventually get to the manger and the final part is seeing baby Jesus and hearing the good news. They had a few men and women dressed as soldiers that were abrupt and rude; they were supposed be, as they were pushing people for the census and taking taxes. Hudson was scared of them and he held up his paper every time they asked for it. It was so cute. They had the angels come up over a hill, a short history of Christmas on a video and more. I highly suggest going if you live around here. It’s last day is Sunday which is actually today. I am up in the middle of the night again. I keep getting up at around 1:30. Anyways, that was the first things we have done this season that was focused on Christ and the Christmas holiday. 

                I am praying that we can all get the more into the Christmas spirit and do more that focuses on Him. Our last day at school will be the 19th and I am really looking forward to the break. Please pray for our family and the time to be what God would want it to be - Love, peace, and a focus on Him and his glory and miracles. I’ll pray the same for you too.

Blessings,

Karri