Believe

It has been such a fun Christmas season for us thus far! Whitney is getting older, understanding more and it is fun to see her get excited about little things. We got her the Little People Nativity scene that she loves. She likes to put the baby Jesus in her stroller and drag him around. The other day Danny had to take it away, I asked why and he said that Whitney was drowning baby Jesus in the dog water. :(

This season I started out with a big long Christmas wish list I had created for Danny of "things" that I wanted for myself.. I got the "me, me, me" syndrome and forgot why we really celebrate Christmas.. It's not about all of the gifts that we get or even the gifts that we give but about spending time with the ones you love the most, celebrating the birth of Christ, and cherishing every moment we have with each other. A couple of weeks ago, Danny's mom, Vicki, had a heart attack.. She is ok, they successfully put in a stent and she is back to her "selfless" giving self. But she was rushed in an ambulance to the hospital and for awhile the hospital staff wouldn't give us any information on if she was ok or not. Luckily she was, but throughout the whole experience I really got a reality check and realized how delicate life is and how extremely important it is to not let even 1 day go by without expressing your love to others.

I love the Christmas season.. I love making sugar cookies and wrapping presents with my family.. I love the Christmas eve talent show we have every year.. I love the smells of goodies and eating in extreme amounts.. it gives me the warm fuzzes just thinking about it! :) But what I love the most about Christmas (and sometimes I forget) is the birth of our Savior. What an amazing gift He is. This Christmas season I have dedicated myself to reading the New Testament and I feel like I can't get enough of it. The stories of Christ have come alive for me- more than any other year. Reflecting on 2009, I have seen and am a witness of the many miracles Christ has given me and my family. I am amazed while reading the NT-- that Jesus would perform miracle after miracle in front of the Pharisees and the Pharisees where so hard hearted that they didn't believe. How can that be? How can you physically see Christ heal the lepers, the blind, and dumb and NOT believe?? As I pondered that, I thought, we may not have Christ with us physically but He is with us spiritually and does perform just as many miraculous miracles in all of our lives. I need to remember to BELIEVE in Christ, BELIEVE in His birth, BELIEVE in His miracles. Sometimes I forget or don't appreciate everything I have.. This year I hope to be better, I hope to not be like the Pharisees who only cared about worldly possessions and who didn't believe (and sadly that is exactly how I am most of the time).. but I am going to BELIEVE this year.. all year long!! :)

I hope that everyone has a great Christmas!!