It has been way too long since I have written on here. Advent is always a busy season for us, this year has been no exception. I haven’t done much shopping at all, though we have ordered our kids’ big presents online so that’s done gratefully. I haven’t done a lot of shopping for friends over the past few years, but this year is different and I haven’t even started. God has been so good to me! Over the past few years He has been replacing and replenishing my circle of friends and He says “it is good!” I want those ladies to know how much they mean to me. In teachings from Craig Groeschel at Life Church, I have learned so many valuable things about friendships and as a family, we are extremely grateful for the years we attended that church. Because of such teachings, I know that I am an average of my closest five friends. Over the course of my life, I’m not sure I would say I looked too great, but today I can say I am honored to be among who He has given me. God puts some that have more wisdom than you to keep you humble, and some will be those you offer the wisdom God has given while we ALL seek Jesus with passion!
Another valuable thing I learned is that if I show you my friends, you’ll tell me my story. In other words, we are who we hang with. I think for so many years I never felt worthy to hang out with faithful Christian women, my shame and guilt wouldn’t allow that. And even though we were Christians, my friends and I, we spent more time looking to this world for pleasure and pain relief. We were not representing Jesus very well. Gratefully, several people from my past have come back into my life, and amidst all the sin and shame in our friendship, they’ve said I reflected Jesus’ light in those dark seasons. I am not sure how that happened other than Jesus in me. I’ve had to repent of so many things, but it also taught me so much about grace and forgiveness along the way. To seek to know Jesus more means I want friends that are wanting the same, daily. Our conversations ooze with words of encouragement to seek Christ and know His will in all we do. This year, especially, has been a year when God chose to bring those ladies into my life and so, I have some Christmas shopping to do!
My number one love language is gifts and throughout our marriage, hubby has been really good about loving me that way. I didn’t recognize it for so many years, sorry hubby. I do today, he has gone to our closet so many times, randomly, and pulled out a box with undergarments of all kinds or a new pair of jeans, it’s very cool. And I would be amiss if I didn’t share that he has figured out how to listen throughout the year to things I say I want and he figures out how to make them happen! I think gifts for him is closer to the bottom of the five love languages, if you don’t know yours or your spouse’s, there a quiz online you can take:
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/
This year for my birthday, hubby surprised me with tickets to Mannheim Steamroller and a Dept 56 Ford Motor Dealership!! I put two exclamations because for me, that is way cool!! If you aren’t sure who the orchestra is, I encourage you to google them, their music is fabulous. And, I have a houseful of a beautiful Dept 56 Christmas Village right now and it IS my delight at Christmastime! My daughter requested, as we were putting the village up this year, to leave a place empty in the downtown portion of our village (yes, there are five different areas where we put different scenes!). I got frustrated with her when she spoiled the surprise but then I discovered hubby asked her to do it, so I got over it. Hubby and I talked about getting a new piece earlier this year and I asked him about the Ford Service Station but he said there wasn’t one. He kept to himself that there was a Ford dealership. When I opened it I was thrilled! (I may be able to put some pictures of the incredible day I had yesterday)! So, although it is not his language, he has learned to speak it for me, so I want to say thank you hubby. You are the love of my life (he edits it, so I want to let him know on here that he is awesome!) and I can’t imagine one day without you in it!
Since gifts is MY language though, I am anxiously looking forward to shopping for my friends this year! Each one of them has played a beautiful role in my life and I want to show them love from my heart at Christmas. You may not agree, but I love the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping! Yes, people are grouchy and there are lines, it takes some time and patience. But, looking around the shops and seeing the beautiful decor brings joy to my heart. If you haven’t been to NorthPark Mall in a while, or ever, I highly recommend making the time to go this year. Hubby and I do some of our walking around there and it is beautiful! I also love thinking about each person that I am buying for and picking something especially for them. For me, Christmas will always be a gift giving season. I am not too crafty, and God has blessed me with the ability to budget for this time of year, throughout the year, so I am looking forward to shopping. If it is more of a curse for you to have to shop for this season, I am so sorry. I hope God will bring back the meaning for the season for you if it’s gone, but you don’t have to enjoy the hoopla…it’s just my personality.
Today I am writing because I got the morning off, I asked hubby if it was okay and he said yes. It is hard to ask him for that when there is so much to be done at our office, but sharing my life on here is such a blessing for me. Thank you to my readers, I’m not sure why it blesses me to share, but it does, so thank you for being interested our lives. As Christmas approaches, I thank Jesus! In all of the hoopla the world has to offer over Christmas, I get to stop and remember why there IS a Christmas. The song I am hearing right now as I type is Reckless Love by Cory Asbury and it says I don’t deserve it, I didn’t earn it… the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God. That is the reason for the season that I want to celebrate in love this season and I challenge everyone reading this to take that kind of love Jesus has for us and offer it to anyone and everyone you can. Have a blessed weekend!
As Beauty Unfolds... 