Very Blessed

In December 25th's Our Daily Bread [find the link under Devotion Sites] the story is about a couple going through some really hard trials with money.

They decided to have a party and invite all their friends. For a tree they had what they called a "Blessing Tree". It had pieces of paper tied on as ornaments and each paper had a blessing on it that the Lord had provided through the year.

Instead of getting upset because they didn't have much money to spend, they stayed focused on God and remembered to praise Him for their blessings.

Starting January 1st, every time something happens that is blessing, I'm going to write it on a piece of paper. Then in December I will start hanging them on my little Christmas tree. The ones that don't fit I will hang elsewhere in my room. What a great way to remember what God has done for you! I hope that you may try the same thing and write all your blessings down!

~Emily

Christmas!

Hi everyone,

I had a REALLY good Christmas. I was planning on getting a dinky little cell phone AFTER Christmas with my mom. But her and my dad surprised me and got me one for Christmas!! It's sooo awesome! I was so excited!!!!

I got a ton of other cool things. I got 3 Elisabeth George books from my aunt. And I got a Great Songs of Faith daily devotion book in a year. I think I'm going to use it instead of the other one...

Well, I best go, we're gonna go shopping...Hope you all had a great Christmas!!!

~Emily

Merry Christmas!

Hi everyone,

I wasn't sure if I would have time to post over the next two days, so I thought I could post and wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!! I hope you all have a nice Christmas with family and friends and that you will keep your hearts on Christ.

My Christmas schedule goes like this:

-Monday-
--Matthew and Mark's 1st birthday party [afternoon]
--Grammy and Pappy Barclay's house for the evening [dad's side]

-Tuesday-
--Open presents here
--Lunch at Grammy Kintigh's [mom's mom]
--Dinner at Aunt Nancy and Aunt Sally's [and don't forget about Frank...]

We have plans for after then too. It's going to be one busy week! Have a great Christmas everyone!!

~Emily

Sorry/Happy

Hi everyone,

Sorry that I haven't posted in a few days. Saturday I went and took my driver's test...I passed!! After the test we went to my aunt and uncle's to visit and after 2 and a half long hours there my brother and I got dropped off at Shaffer's for the teen thing. Not many showed up and then we spent the night. Church was good this morning and the small play went well. Now we have this evening's part because it's the Christmast service. The pastor and his wife are leaving tomorrow to go visit people.

The sad thing is I still don't feel in the Christmas mood at all! Christmas is TUESDAY! And I'm just not ready for it. It was the same way last year because there isn't much snow...In any sense, that's not what it's all about. I'm almost done reading Luke becuase tomorrow is the last chapter! It's been a great book to read. Well, I may post later...

~Emily

Merry Tossmas

This was a REALLY good video I just got in an email. It's about 2 minutes long.
http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000005834.cfm

~Emily

The Christmas Season

I have been on a few blogs and I have found that a good many have at least one article on the whole Christmas season.

Why are we so worried about getting everyone the 'perfect' present? Why do we spend so much money on gifts that, 'they won't even enjoy in three months.' Why do we do all this running, worrying, 'I NEED to get' that kind of thing? It's not what matters during the Christmas season. Christmas is a time to remember Christ's birth. To remember WHY God sent Him in the first place. To later redeem us so that we could be saved and get to Heaven.

People stress themselves so much at Christmas time. Santa is not real. And my thoughts on telling your kids that he [or any other seasonal character] is real, is just teaching them a lie, and could put a small dent in their trust towards you. The world has gotten in to most all of our seasons. Christmas and Easter are the big ones. How about instead of buying them 'everything' on their wishlist, [that could get you in to debt] set a spending limit, or a present amount. Such as each child gets $50[or less] in gifts of their choice,[or your choice] or each child gets 3 gifts each. Don't get stressed over the holidays that will be gone in two days, spend time in the Word that you may remember why we even celebrate Christmas.

Yesterday I was looking through the Gospels. I have decided that Luke has 24 chapters in it, so I'm going to read a chapter a day [two one day because I'm a day behind] and be finished on Christmas Eve. What a great way to set a goal in order to remember Christ during this Christmas season.