After Thanksgiving "Thanks"
Thanksgiving has come and gone.
I have been hesitant to even post anything about it.
It just all seems so cliche.
This year it has been especially crazy.
Dad was in the hospital last week.
Drew had surgery on both feet on Monday.
Kevin came down with cellulitis in his foot on Tuesday.
We think Alayna has strep.
I have changed ice packs and Depends.
I am the resident nurse and pharmacist for the whole household.
I have spent more time in the hospital/dr. office than a recovering hypochondriac can handle.
Not to mention…
Everyone keeps talking about how grateful I should be to have both parents with me on these holidays…
And when I don't feel very grateful, I feel very guilty.
That being said…
When I walked in the door tonight, Mom and Dad were having pumpkin pie by candlelight, listening to the local radio station play Christmas music.
At first I was teary eyed just looking at my parents… it was precious!
Just then, on the radio, came my very LEAST favorite "Christmas" song ever!
You know…
The old...
"and so this is christmas…
blah blah blah…
let's hope it's a good one…
without any tears…
war is over, if you want it….
blah, blah, blah,"
Do you know the one I am talking about?
What in the world? What kind of song is that anyway?
That song in and of itself has the power to send me into a state of depression.
Ok… enough of my "unthankful thanksgiving" rant.
I promise I have a point here.
You see, in the past couple of weeks I have been grappling with the meaning of "sanctification".
What does that word entail?
How is it that we become "sanctified" in our walk with Christ?
Here is what I am learning.
I AM THANKFUL…
Thankful that in ALL of the mess this week….
God loves me tremendously.
He has a purpose in ALL that I am going through…
A much bigger purpose than I can even see.
As I learn to walk closer to Him and lean on Him in all of this, not expecting things (especially holidays) to be picture perfect, He wraps His arms around me and satisfies me even in the darkest night.
I actually looked up the word sanctification… googled it :).
I found out that it means to be "Set apart to God" and "Set apart from the world".
As I go through the crazy hard times, He is making me realize that the world does not satisfy.
Jesus + nothing = everything.
Everything - Jesus = nothing.
I do not need the perfect holiday to feel blessed…
Or the perfect family to feel thankful.
Jesus ALONE is enough.
Am I thankful for all that God has given me?
Of course I am!
Both the good and the bad.
But for real…
When I look to the holidays this season, I don't want to think like that old Christmas song says… "Let's hope it's a good one, without any tears".
Ugh! Where exactly is the "hope" in this song?
Nope… that will NOT be my theme song.
Instead, I want to sing a song of thanksgiving for my Savior's life that was lived, and the cross that He bore, and His body that was resurrected so that I would have a REAL HOPE!!!!
Today…. I live, in all of my circumstances, to KNOW the one who is my hope!
Rom. 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a much better song…
Not Christmas, but much more fitting for where I am this week.
I have been hesitant to even post anything about it.
It just all seems so cliche.
This year it has been especially crazy.
Dad was in the hospital last week.
Drew had surgery on both feet on Monday.
Kevin came down with cellulitis in his foot on Tuesday.
We think Alayna has strep.
I have changed ice packs and Depends.
I am the resident nurse and pharmacist for the whole household.
I have spent more time in the hospital/dr. office than a recovering hypochondriac can handle.
Not to mention…
Everyone keeps talking about how grateful I should be to have both parents with me on these holidays…
And when I don't feel very grateful, I feel very guilty.
That being said…
When I walked in the door tonight, Mom and Dad were having pumpkin pie by candlelight, listening to the local radio station play Christmas music.
At first I was teary eyed just looking at my parents… it was precious!
Just then, on the radio, came my very LEAST favorite "Christmas" song ever!
You know…
The old...
"and so this is christmas…
blah blah blah…
let's hope it's a good one…
without any tears…
war is over, if you want it….
blah, blah, blah,"
Do you know the one I am talking about?
What in the world? What kind of song is that anyway?
That song in and of itself has the power to send me into a state of depression.
Ok… enough of my "unthankful thanksgiving" rant.
I promise I have a point here.
You see, in the past couple of weeks I have been grappling with the meaning of "sanctification".
What does that word entail?
How is it that we become "sanctified" in our walk with Christ?
Here is what I am learning.
I AM THANKFUL…
Thankful that in ALL of the mess this week….
God loves me tremendously.
He has a purpose in ALL that I am going through…
A much bigger purpose than I can even see.
As I learn to walk closer to Him and lean on Him in all of this, not expecting things (especially holidays) to be picture perfect, He wraps His arms around me and satisfies me even in the darkest night.
I actually looked up the word sanctification… googled it :).
I found out that it means to be "Set apart to God" and "Set apart from the world".
As I go through the crazy hard times, He is making me realize that the world does not satisfy.
Jesus + nothing = everything.
Everything - Jesus = nothing.
I do not need the perfect holiday to feel blessed…
Or the perfect family to feel thankful.
Jesus ALONE is enough.
Am I thankful for all that God has given me?
Of course I am!
Both the good and the bad.
But for real…
When I look to the holidays this season, I don't want to think like that old Christmas song says… "Let's hope it's a good one, without any tears".
Ugh! Where exactly is the "hope" in this song?
Nope… that will NOT be my theme song.
Instead, I want to sing a song of thanksgiving for my Savior's life that was lived, and the cross that He bore, and His body that was resurrected so that I would have a REAL HOPE!!!!
Today…. I live, in all of my circumstances, to KNOW the one who is my hope!
Rom. 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Here is a much better song…
Not Christmas, but much more fitting for where I am this week.
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