Journey to Bethlehem

If you every get an opportunity to attend a "Journey to Bethlehem" event sponsored by a local church I urge you to go.  There are activities for the kids as well as an atmosphere of excitement as th time of Christ's birth is recreated.  I just attended my first one a week or so ago and am glad that I did.  It reminded me of what the real message of Christmas should be - the birth of Christ pointing the way to salvation offered by His sacrifice on the cross at Easter.  Here are a couple of pics taken by a good friend of mine to give you a flavor of what Journey to Bethlehem is about.

And even if you can't attend such an event try to keep in mind that Christmas is much more than the decorated tree, the perfect present found, the cookies baked and frosted, or the office party.  It is about the birth of a baby come to save each and everyone of us.  Jesus came so that not one would be lost except by our own choice.  It is my prayer that you will choose to follow Jesus from Bethlehem to the Cross and beyond.
                                                                                                              Blessings, Becky

Small Things

I've begun to notice that it's the small things in life that are most important because they make up so much of our daily lives. Like a donut for breakfast each day. My husband goes into town each morning to pick up the hired man and stop at the grocery store. That is when he gets a donut for me and a muffin for himself. I never really thought about the donut as being important until I began doing December Daily. Today I took a picture of the donut he brings me to include in my album. It's my favorite kind, a peanut covered fried cake donut and it's yummy with a capital Y. So the next time you are considering what to take a picture of think abou the small things in your life that speak to you and capture that moment as it will never be there again the same way.
                                                                                                         Blessings, Becky
                                                                                                 
                                                                                         

December Daily

I discovered December Daily while I was surfing the net.  The object is to document your life during one of the busiest times of the year December.  I decided to do this but took it a step further.  I am documenting the things I am grateful for over the 37 days of the season.  Yep, you read correctly, 37 days. I began the day after Thanksgiving and will continue through December 31.  It's kind of fun finding things to take pictures of as well as documenting what brings me joy or makes me feel grateful to be alive.

                                                 Here is a pic of the cover of my book. 

I used a 6x6 album that I had and decorated the cover.  The album is getting fatter by the day as I add pictures and journaling.  I hope it is a keepsake my children will enjoy reading in the future.  I have enjoyed this project so much that I am planning on doing a modified version of Project Life, a way to document a year of your life.  The object of Project Life is to document the everyday happenings of your family's life through pictures and journaling.  Becky Higgins has a kit you can use to make doing this easier but I decided I only wanted to do an 8x8 album so I am creating my own pieces. 

Doing the December Daily is helping me to heal more quickly because it makes me focus on the positive rather than the negative.  I hope that as I do more of this with Project Life, focusing on the positive will become a habit that I cannot stop.
                                                                                                        Blessings, Becky

Giving Thanks

On this Thanksgiving Eve I am thinking about what it really means to give thanks.  We have this one day a year to remind us here in the US that giving thanks is important.  But to whom or what do we give thanks?  This is the more important question in my opinion.

In our fast paced world we have a tendency to overlook those to whom we should say thanks.  When was the last time you thanked the janitor or cleaning person?  When was the last time you thanked your mother or father for being your parent?  When was the last time you thanked God for all you have? 

If you've done those things recently, thanking those we take for granted, did you mean it sincerely or was it just a rote "thanks"?  Being sincere in giving thanks is as important as saying thank you.  So tomorrow, when you sit down to the feast we call Thanksgiving, think about what you're giving thanks for and then take time to tell that person just how thankful you are for them the next time you see them.

                                                                                                          Blessings, Becky

Healing

Healing is a funny thing.  There is more to healing than meets the eye.  It takes so many things to bring it about.

It takes time.  Often more time than we want it too.  We are an instant society which causes us to be impatient with anything that takes what we believe is too much time to happen.

It takes work.  Your body and your mind have to come back into sync with one another so that they can function again as one.  This often means that you must rest more than you believe you should have to.

It takes faith.  Without faith, no one can feel they are completely whole.  Faith works on both the body and the mind to bring about wholeness.

I am slowly healing in body, mind, and spirit.  But I am a long way from being whole and well.  It will take more time, more work, and especially more faith.

                                                                                                                                                                                       Blessings, Becky

Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Have you ever really thought deeply about this verse from Psalm 23?  There are many ways to look at this verse.  What does it mean to go through something?  Well, for starters it means that you will not be stuck there forever.  This thought is very helpful as it brings comfort and hope to the one in the valley.  Second, it means that you will experience valley times that will feel like death is about to swallow you.  But because you are going through death has no hold on you. 

The whole verse reads "Yea, though I walk through the valley of hte shadow of death..." (Ps 23: 4a KJV).  When we are walking some trips seem to take forever and we wonder if they will never end.  But they do.  And so too will the journey through the valley.  But as we walk through, we need to ask ourselves, "What is the lesson or message God wants me to learn or at the very least hear or experience?"

A person can never rush a journey when they are walking, they will only tire themselves out and have to remain in that place longer than they need to or want to.  A slow steady pace is what is required for someone to move through the valley.  Keep focused the destination and you will get through, with the Lord's help.

Blessings, Becky

Insights and Random Thoughts

It has been longer than I thought since my last post.  I have been on an emotional roller coaster over these past few months as I have adjusted to living in a parsonage without my husband.  He has had to remain at our home so as to continue farming.  This has caused me quite a bit of consternation and trepidation.

As I have become more comfortable with this new living arrangement, other issues have come to the fore.  Issues that I have had to deal with and am still dealing with.  But God never promised that life as a Christian would be free of problems and issues, he only promises to "walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death." (Paraphrase from Psalm 23) 

I have come to realize that every time I experience a season of upset, discomfort and introspection I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death.  Often when I look back I see that I have become a better person for all that I have been through.  That each time, I emerge from that valley a bit lighter and a better person because something that needed to die in me has done so.

It is not an easy process walking through the valley and sometimes I remain in the valley a long time.  But I always know that I have God right there with me, just a thought, just a prayer, just a call away.  He is there waiting for me to surrender my will to his so he can continue to help me become all that he has planned for me to be.

Blessings, Becky