Pondering Christmas 2016

"Noel"

"Come and see what God has done."

"Noel"

"The story of amazing love."

These words, these very powerful words from the song "Noel", sung by Lauren Daigle...

ring true for me every single day as I intentionally recognize God's protection, His steadfast pursuit and His blessings and direction in my life.

However, at Christmas time, they especially come to life as this family of nine relies on Him to provide what we cannot...

"Come and see what God has done"

It is a "story of amazing love" as  we step out and trust that He will fill the gaps...

not just financial gaps but those bankrupt gaps of the spirit that gradually fill as we release more and more of ourselves to Him...

amazing, transforming love...

It was a beautiful Christmas...

it always is...

The tree got trimmed...

the house was filled with the yummy scent of Christmas goodies...

and our yearly adventure into the dining room for Christmas Eve dinner, never disappoints!

sometimes it feels as if we come skidding to a stop around midnight on Christmas Eve...

but it always gets done...

and it is always just enough...

and it is always a reminder of His love and faithfulness.

"Come and see what God has done"...

This year one verse kept coming up for me...

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

I have always been a ponderer.

As a child, before the Lord became real to me, circumstances around me and outside of me, affected my heart and I would "ponder"...

long car trips are perfect for pondering... 

and I believe I may have a "ponderer" now...

as I watch her...

her sweet, beautiful face gazing out of the window, seemingly lost in thought...

she knows Him...

How I wish I had known Him then...  as she knows Him now.

She is His and it is beautiful.

However, it wasn't until I became a wife and a mother, that His longing for me prepared the transformation of my heart and I began to "treasure up" moments in time...

and as soon as I became His born again daughter...

it all began to make sense and it was like Christmas all year long...

even in the hurt, even in the fear, even in the hard, even in the mundane...

there is joy...

there is joy, because there is "amazing love"...

and as Mary treasured up and pondered...

the world prepared to be transformed...

"Come and see what God has done"

It is always purposeful...

It is always beautiful and it is always breathtaking.

Merry Christmas y'all