old story, new take

I have heard the story of Christmas ever since I can remember. I know that Jesus Christ, God's Son, concieved by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, who would be called Emmanuel (God with us), was born that day, and THAT is what we celebrate. Peace, joy, freedom came that day! Hope! Our Savior came to earth and was born! For you and for me, He came! To do the Father's will and bring glory to Him, to conquer sin and death once and for all for all of us. To bring us into a relationship with Himself. What an amazing miricle of God! Even as I write I am hesitant to go on, because I am truly in awe of that story, no matter how many times I have heard it or how many times I will hear it in the future.
Ben was reading the Christmas story again recently, in preparation for Christmas, after just coming back from a trip to California. Something he learned there is that if we are not applying what we read in God's Word daily to our everyday lives, then there isn't much point - the Word wasn't meant to just be another story, but something that changes our lives.
Sometimes it's hard to get new things out of stories that we've heard and applied so often. But as Ben was reading the Christmas story he got something else out of it - he closed his eyes and imagined what it would be like to be the shepherds on the hillside that the angel appeared to. Can you imagine that? All of a sudden, out of the darkness, comes this bright angel! And after the angel comes a whole choir of angels appear! They must have been shaken up, hearts racing, excited to go see what in the world they were just told. Can you imagine being out on a cold night, maybe just going on a walk, when BAM the skies open up and angels appear?!
While Ben was imagining this, he asked God how this applied to his life, right now. And this is what he came up with: Having just been to California to see what relational discipleship looked like in all different ways with many different people, this was what the Lord had shown him - that being a disciple of Christ is the most real, most freeing thing to do with your life. That following Christ was really the abundant life. That helping others in their journey with Jesus is what our lives should be all about; our time, energies, efforts, finances, everything. THAT is what he had the opportunity to share with others, to share with people in our lives. The Lord had taught him this - the men that he encountered in California spurned him on to his life being about relational discipleship once again. He had this exciting news, this way of life, to help people that we love get excited about this life that God has called us to - this abundant life with Him.
This abundant life that He offers freely - the reason that He sent His Son to be born on the earth and one day die to free us from ourselves.

Thanks.Giving. Part 2: North Carolina

So even though traveling hours away multiple weekends isn't my favorite, I'm a big fan of the end result: being with people that you love.
The week before Thanksgiving we had my side's "Thanksgiving", and for the "real" Thanksgiving we were in North Carolina with Ben's brother, his family and a few others.
North Carolina has people that we love. It was a great weekend with Dave (Ben's older brother), Dana (his wife) and their four children. Meg, a great friend, and Dana's parents were also around for different parts of the long weekend. We also got to visit a while with Collin and Jinny, a couple that the Thacker family loves dearly. Not to mention Dave and Dana also had their pastor and his family over. The house was full, and sometimes less full, of people coming and going, and it was a great time. We played games, laughed, ate, decorated for Christmas, played with the kids, went to a tour of where some Lord-willing cabin sites will be for Collin & Jinny's continued ministry will take place in the mountains... So many fun things.
It was a great time to get away, to relax. To be with people that we love. To make memories and reflect on things that we are truly thankful for.
We went around the table to share what we were truly thankful for in the past year, and then prayed for those things. The "thing" I was thankful for? Ben. Ben's growth in the Lord. Ben's love for the Lord. Ben's determination to have true, meaningful, deep relationship with the Lord and those around him. His determination to do what is best for those that he loves - regardless of the cost. His growing love for God's Word. That he is everyday living life more God-centered and more God-focused and less self-centered and him focused. I am thankful that we have a bond as a married couple, but even more than that I am thankful for the bond that goes deeper: we are both tied to Jesus Christ. I am thankful that my husband and I share that which matters most. That our hearts, our lives are unified in Christ. They will be forever. I don't know if there's anything I could be more thankful for.