Did you decide what you don't want to miss?

Did you read all the way to the bottom of the Dec 8th post? (Probably not.) Let me just recap something that I'm finding really important. Think ahead to January 5th or so. Kids are trudging back to school-everyone's getting back into the normal routine- what do you wish you'd done. What gives you that unsatisfied feeling? "It went by so fast we didn't even get to ________!" Fill in the blank... I'm trying to change my to do list to not only reflect "have to's"- which will always be with us- but to put on my to-do list some things that are TRUE PRIORITIES for me and my family!

Of course these things will be different for all of us. Some of mine were making a gingerbread house with the kids- and I wanted to read Little Women to the girls and end the season watching the movie together. These things probably wouldn't be in your top 1 million- but I know you have things, too! So, why not take a moment to decide now what is truly important to you, and decide to get it done first. You can bank on not having time "left" to do these "too-important-to-miss" things!
Now- get off the computer- and GO MAKE SOME MEMORIES!!! :-) unless of course it's midnight and hubby or the kids are asleep- but put it TOP of tomorrow's list at least.
love to you all...
~katherine

PS- In response to SusieQTpie's comment- NO :) This is NOT the gingerbread house we made LOL! Just a good representative "gingerbread house" I found! Ours was an "out of the box" kit! (I'm just cracking up here-) And- Ryan & I were just talking of posting a pic of a gingerbread house that Hope brought home from a church activity tonight made out of small graham crackers- it's half eaten and roof fell off! That would be good humor!

Several things...

There have been several things I've wanted to post about this week... but, it's been a little crazy so I've had a hard time sitting down to do it. Now, dog-dead tired, I'm here, ready, willing, and ... well, evidently not able, because I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY of the many things I wanted to share! Well, I suppose that's what I get for passing my neurons out to four other creatures ...

Josiah turned 4 today and is sleeping tonight for the first time in a "big boy bed". I'm feeling a little sentimental about it all... I go most of the year without being a really sentimental gal- but, the older my kids get, the more I find their birthdays bring it out in me. It's a good thing. :)

(time passing at the speed of light- or life!)

So, now that I'm typing, I'm remembering one thing... I was driving home alone (an extremely RARE experience) on Friday from a dr. apt- (everything's great- no need for curiosity or worry!)- and was listening to Greg Laurie on the radio. He grown son passed away in an automobile accident this past summer. When I turned on the radio, I joined them as he's describing when his wife called him asking where there son was- he texts his son, "Where are you? Call me"--- "But," he says, "he couldn't call me, he was in heaven." Well, that's MORE than enough to make the tears start flowing- and a mother is certainly inclined to feel even more sentimental when her darlings aren't IN the car squabbling with each other (effectively ruining any potential sentiment- not that mine would squabble with each other... pastor's children are perfect after all! lol!!!). But, I felt the Lord reminding me of a truth. There is no dress rehearsal in life. THIS IS IT! We have to be the parents/grandparents/spouses/friends we want and need to be now. This is our children's only childhood. Our spouses only marriage (hopefully- or at least their LASTING one!) Thinking of kids though- the issues they grow up with are born NOW- not later when we've figured it all out. It's the time to put selfishness behind- and make the kids, my spouse's needs more important than my own.

Philippians 2:3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

It's not that any of these things is really new news. It's just that in the humdrum of life, the sense of urgency tends to wane. But, what more perfect time than advent, to recommit to being ready- recommit to being present- to recommit to being alive and fully engaged in the lives of those the Lord has place around us, in our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our neighborhoods, etc ? In an email I got- it was suggestd that we make a holiday "hit list" rather than a to-do list. I thought this wise. What things do you not want to get to January 2nd and not have done? Write those things down. Complete this sentence... "I'll feel really let down if I don't __________." Move that up on the list, and move something like... cleaning under the sofa, down. (You don't do that regularly, do you?) Blessings to each of you as you seek to live out your "inspired life"...
~katherine

Thanksgiving is on the way...

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

What does it look like to be thankful this week? Does it include shouting for joy? Worshiping with gladness and song? Knowing that our LORD is God- and that we are His... Entering HIS gates with thanksgiving and praise- praising His Name? Even in these hard times, we have so much to be thankful for. In fact, if we had nothing else but Him, it would be more than enough, wouldn't it. I'm going to try to remember that and to be thankful, Psalm 100 style, this week as I prepare for Thanksgiving Day and Advent. I hope that you will too...

Love to you all... and Happy Thanksgiving!
~Katherine

Looking to the Holidays...

But first-a little business. If you missed out on the Snapfish photo gifts- you can still get them for 20% off. Better than full-price!

Barak Hussein Obama is America's President-Elect. I will join millions of Christians in praying for him and our country. He is our elected president- and that deserves respect, whether he was my pick or not. I received a great email today about this, and my husband has a blog series going on things to pray for him. The Presidential Prayer Team has a 77-day campaign going- praying for him in this time of transition. Check it out (thanks Marge!)!

Check out the new poll on the right and tell me what you'd do with an hour and a half to yourself. If your choice isn't listed, comment and I'll add it! :)

Also, I had a rough day today. No details... but, would you say a prayer for me? Thank you in advance! On to the real post topic... As for the holidays...

What are you doing NOW to start getting ready for the holidays, if anything?

Comment and let me know (so I can do it, too!)
Blessings,
~Katherine
<><