Ready to Wrap it Up....

When I am still and alone, I think about all that we have been through this past year....really this past six months. It's been tough. Really tough. I am super excited about Christmas this year, and I think I may be even more excited about a New Year. If I am brutally honest, my driving force this Christmas and New Year is the fact that I am so ready to be done with 2011.

But, I know that is not how Jesus wants me to feel. I am pretty confident that He would rather me at least try to look at all of the blessings He has so generously given me over this past year. I know that it is ok to grieve, and I know that it is ok to be sad sometimes. But, I don't think I should simply try to move on and not recognize the good in all of our circumstances and experiences this past year....and there really is good in it all.

My prayer is that I truly celebrate Christ and all of His wonderful blessings this past year....not to rush through Christmas so I can move on to 2012. I pray the same for those of you who have had a particularly tough year. I pray that we are calm and bright in the knowledge of Christ's love for us. I also am fervently praying for more growth next year...and if it is His will, maybe less painful growth.

I adopted this favorite verse of this season from my sweet Erin...
"In him was life, and that life was the light of men." -John 1:4

Merry, Merry!