In other news it’s snowing outside. We have had such a great winter so far with hardly any snow. It’s only about an inch right now and the temperature is perfect.  It’s not miserable at all at like 33 degrees. I’ll take it! We even have actual packing snow so I made a small snowman hehe.  I enjoyed playing in the snow with Java in my pajamas, boots, and jacket/hat.  It wasn’t cold at all.

While thinking about all this…it made me think about searching for something in general.  My mom always used to make fun of my sister Erin when she was looking for something because she would always yell, “Mom! I can’t find it” and my mom would yell back, “Have you picked anything up to look for it?” How can anyone expect to find something without a full out search.  Not everything is clearly on the surface to find.  In my experience, all the good stuff is found from digging deep.  Say you lose your wallet…you can’t just say, “where’s my wallet” and then stand still.  If you want to find it, you have to start looking…actively looking.  Things need to be moved…or you need to be moved to a different place to find it.  It is not going to just find you because you said “where’s my wallet.”

So, this being said…if you don’t know the amazing power of the Holy Spirit.  If you don’t truly understand the love of Jesus, perhaps it’s because you never “picked anything up to look for it.”  I encourage you to pray…even if you have never done so before…pray to God and ask Him to reveal the Holy Spirit to you.  And then don’t just stop there.  You should look for it.  Look for it everywhere.  Try to truly find it and you won’t miss it.  You will be pleasantly surprised.

I’ll leave you with one of my all time favorite verses (the one that brought me to know Jesus as my Savior)…

Matthew 7: 7-8

⁷“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Have a Holy Spirit filled day

I did learn the other day while Justin was in Texas (by reading some of his old blog entries) that he was originally considering naming our black cat Java.  Interesting…wonder what Java would have been named if her name was already taken. We took her to the vet today for her rabies shot. She did so good.

Just wanted to let you know I’m still here…just being still

He has given us this world to do things “our way” and yet at every corner we mess it up.  We destroy, we hurt, we kill. Isn’t it amazing to know that one day…if WE choose it (because God gives us that choice) we can live in Heaven, the place He has made for us and we cannot screw up? Sadly more people than not think they will get there just by being a “good person.”  When that day comes, when we all die (because we will) we are going somewhere and not based on our character but based on whether or not we believe that God sent Jesus (His ONLY Son) to die on a cross for our salvation.

For it is stated…in John 3:14-16 4Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.^[a]16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^[b] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So next time you see a tree with pretty Fall leaves or a Fall sunset don’t forget to acknowledge where it came from and think about where you are headed one day…which could even be today.

Before I moved to Indiana I really felt like I had really began to grasp what true trust and worship and communication with God was.  I thought I would have no problems once I moved 11 hours away and left my comfort zone.  Silly me…I guess I forgot about Mr. Satan (who is always around).  I realize now and thought I realized then that I CONTINUALLY need God.

I have been failing lately to study God’s word like I should…to even take enough time out of my day to just be with Him.  It’s not like I’m busy at work yet.  It’s the world inside of me that is fighting me.  I walk by my Bible everyday and somehow manage to talk myself out of it (“oh I’ll read it later” or “my head hurts” or “I’m too tired”).  Sometimes I will read the Bible but my mind seems to wander or I don’t feel like I’m getting anything out of it.  I realize that I NEED God, He doesn’t need me so I need to pay Him that attention and if I’m going to live the Godly life He wants for me I need to listen more and learn more and spread more.  It’s hard because the world is ever present and Satan loves to knock us down but we all need to spend more time than we do studying God’s word.

I love my Jesus,  I hate this rut that I have been in and I ask that you pray for me and that you too will look at your life and the time you do or do not spend with God.  He is your Heavenly Father and one day you will come face to face with Him…we all will…don’t you want to know who He is?

So take this challenge like I am giving myself.  Don’t just go to Him in fear when something is going badly or wrong.  Don’t go to Him only in anger when something doesn’t go right.  Don’t just say a quick thank you for the happy things.  Do it all the time! Take the time.  What would we do if God was too busy for us?

“Photo-Exempt License
An individual with a religious objection to taking a photograph may make a special
application to the BMV for a photo-exempt driver’s license or non-driver identification
card. An application may be obtained at a local license branch or by writing to the
above-listed address. The applicant must complete the application and attach a letter
of certification of religious belief on letterhead from his or her minister, bishop, elder or
other leader of the religious organization of which he or she is a member explaining”

What do you think?

Other things going on…let’s see, we’ve been doing the usual Christmas party stuff, trying to shop, working like crazy at work shipping books to anxious students, and oh, PAYING OFF OUR CREDIT CARDS!!! I’m so excited! Dave Ramsey says, “Live like no one else so that later, you can live like no one else” so that is what we are trying to do. Next is cars and student loans. I can’t wait.

I hope you all are having a wondering Christmas season. Please Please Please don’t forget about Jesus. He hasn’t forgotten about you! Something else I learned last week while preparing for our Sunday School lesson was that there is a 400 year gap between the Old Testament and New Testament. Just thinking about how far back in the past Jesus’ coming and his birth were predicted, from when they actually happened is so cool. Who could argue against that?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!