Okay, so I'm a slacker. I haven't blogged in nearly a month. I suppose sometimes life gets a hold of me and I lose track of time...and sometimes I just don't have much to say. I feel like I've been in a silent season with God. I don't like those seasons. I'd like to think I don't know or understand why they happen, but in this case, I do. I've not been in my normal, souled out, Jesus gazing, loving Christ follower mode that has possessed me these last few years. It doesn't mean I'm no longer souled out for God or that I no longer love my Jesus at all. I know part of the reason is I'm not putting the time into my God that I should. I know part of it is just that's the way it goes some times, and I know there are other reasons as well, some I choose not to openly talk about. Regardless of the reason, the quiet season has been upon me and now I'm choosing to break the silence!

So my house is all decorated for Christmas...if I'd been a good blogger girl, you'd have known it was decorated the first week of November. I love Christmas, on so many levels. As a kid, loving Christmas is so easy...cause you get loot and lots of it. As an adult, Christmas takes on new meaning. Giving is a huge part of that meaning. Not just material things...but giving time, spending time with family, giving of yourself. It means traditions...I'm a blessed mama...my little one puts just as much value in tradition of decorating, gift wrapping, gift giving and celebrating the birth of our Savior as she does in getting gifts. That's not something Paul or I have done, it's something planted in her heart by our God, so we foster it as much as possible!

One of our favorite traditions is reading Luke 2...learning of the birth of our Savior and what a joyous occasion it truly was. I think of our troublesome, turbulent times and I think, wow, what a glorious day it would be for us to receive a Saviour to this world. I know He is with us born again believers all the time...the Bible tells us that the moment that we TRULY accept Jesus as our Savior and begin a true relationship with Him, that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and He dwells within us until the day of redemption. Knowing this, I have to honestly believe that even when He is not evident in our society, He is still with us that know Him and love Him. I worry sometimes about the current events of our nation and world..but I refuse to dwell on them or the hard times they will bring. I know that through it all He is going to be there...to be with us, to carry us through it and receive all the glory in the end. It's the reason God came to this earth as a human over two thousand years ago...to be my Savior and yours...THAT is why I love Luke 2 so much. Knowing that it ws a gift specifically for me! (selfish huh?) I like Luke 2 for other reasons, but that is the top of the list!!

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year, for so many reasons. Right now it is bringing me back to sit in the lap of my God, so that I can take the time to gaze at His countenance, to worship Him in my own personal way, so that I can once again begin to dialogue with Him in the way I did not too long ago. He brings a sweet, sweet conviction to my heart as I write this...to seek His presence and to follow His lead. I've missed my conversations with my Redeemer and I look forward to renewing the relationship I knew not so long ago. I haven't strayed far from Him, but I've taken some of my focus off of Him. I pray in my heart of hearts and to my God through whom all is possible, that I never look in any other direction than His again. That even in the silent seasons, I will remain strong in Him.