During my first few years after college I enjoyed all that
this season had to offer. I feel sappy
just confessing this but, I would often sit in my small room with my little fake
tree, while listening to Amy Grant – who I still believe sets the bar for all
Christmas music.
this season had to offer. I feel sappy
just confessing this but, I would often sit in my small room with my little fake
tree, while listening to Amy Grant – who I still believe sets the bar for all
Christmas music.
As I read through the Christmas story in Luke I felt just a
little bit like Mary, waiting in hopeful anticipation for the birth of
something wonderful. My mind was filled
with dreams of the future, the awesome man I would fall in love with, the
family I would have, and the amazing, fulfilling work I would get to do.
little bit like Mary, waiting in hopeful anticipation for the birth of
something wonderful. My mind was filled
with dreams of the future, the awesome man I would fall in love with, the
family I would have, and the amazing, fulfilling work I would get to do.
In my late twenties unfulfilled expectations took a wrecking
ball to those dreams. Christmas became a
drudge. The Holidays served to remind me
of countless expectations that had crumbled into nothing. I still enjoyed time with my sister and my parents
but I missed my extended family. It felt
like everyone else was moving on with their lives and I was stuck.
ball to those dreams. Christmas became a
drudge. The Holidays served to remind me
of countless expectations that had crumbled into nothing. I still enjoyed time with my sister and my parents
but I missed my extended family. It felt
like everyone else was moving on with their lives and I was stuck.
Stuck sucks!
I don’t know how it happened, but last year hope started to
slowly push it’s way up through the dry ground of my heart, like a stubborn
weed determined to grow no matter what the opposition.
slowly push it’s way up through the dry ground of my heart, like a stubborn
weed determined to grow no matter what the opposition.
Last week I had the amazing opportunity to speak at NCCC’s
Women’s Christmas Dessert. It was my
first time keynoting and there were around 450 women in attendance. I didn’t sleep well the entire week before
and had giant man eating butterflies threating to overtake me as I walked up to
the stage.
Women’s Christmas Dessert. It was my
first time keynoting and there were around 450 women in attendance. I didn’t sleep well the entire week before
and had giant man eating butterflies threating to overtake me as I walked up to
the stage.
I had decided months beforehand to call the talk “The Hope
Exchange.” The message was about trading
your expectations for God’s hope.
Exchange.” The message was about trading
your expectations for God’s hope.
It was an incredible night; the women in attendance were
wonderful. I spent so long talking to
Junior High students, who tend to stare at me with slightly bored expressions
while I speak, I forgot that women like to laugh, cry, clap and respond. I had the honor of proclaiming the ultimate
hope of Jesus coming to earth so we can have a relationship with God.
wonderful. I spent so long talking to
Junior High students, who tend to stare at me with slightly bored expressions
while I speak, I forgot that women like to laugh, cry, clap and respond. I had the honor of proclaiming the ultimate
hope of Jesus coming to earth so we can have a relationship with God.
Ultimately, I realized that it’s not possible
to embrace hope until we surrender our expectations.
to embrace hope until we surrender our expectations.
During the last few years, I’ve had to let go what I think
Christmas at my age is supposed to look like, and let hope grow in unplanned
places….
Christmas at my age is supposed to look like, and let hope grow in unplanned
places….
I’ve started to embrace
Christmases with my immediate family and am thankful we don’t have to invite
any in-laws… yet.
Christmases with my immediate family and am thankful we don’t have to invite
any in-laws… yet.
The best part of this
season has become celebrating at Fill-A-Belly.
This year I loved making our Thanksgiving feast a special time for our
guests and now we are collecting gifts for our Christmas Present Project. It’s a joy to help make this season
exceptional for people who have lost so much.
season has become celebrating at Fill-A-Belly.
This year I loved making our Thanksgiving feast a special time for our
guests and now we are collecting gifts for our Christmas Present Project. It’s a joy to help make this season
exceptional for people who have lost so much.
With my incredible roommates!
My roommates and I have
started our own traditions – why wait till marriage to have a real tree,
throw Christmas parties for the people we love, and enjoy sappy Hallmark
movies. On second thought no man in his
right mind wants to watch corny Hallmark movies so it’s a good thing I’m
getting that out of my system now, while I live in a house full of girls.
started our own traditions – why wait till marriage to have a real tree,
throw Christmas parties for the people we love, and enjoy sappy Hallmark
movies. On second thought no man in his
right mind wants to watch corny Hallmark movies so it’s a good thing I’m
getting that out of my system now, while I live in a house full of girls.
The attempt I’ve been
making at quitting consumerism these last few months has made this season
infinitely easier. It will be over
before Christmas but I’m starting to see how taking a break from purchasing has
redefined my views on what’s really necessary.
I’ll be blogging more about that soon.
making at quitting consumerism these last few months has made this season
infinitely easier. It will be over
before Christmas but I’m starting to see how taking a break from purchasing has
redefined my views on what’s really necessary.
I’ll be blogging more about that soon.
On Thanksgiving week one of our guests at Fill-A-Belly said
that he can tell I love this season. I
was surprised considering where I was a few years ago, but I had to agree. My life is not what I expected it to be at
23, but I do love Christmas and have so much to be thankful for!
that he can tell I love this season. I
was surprised considering where I was a few years ago, but I had to agree. My life is not what I expected it to be at
23, but I do love Christmas and have so much to be thankful for!
