Christmas and New Years

As I sit here (already in my jammies at 8:22 pm) eagerly awaiting 2012 with my husband, I can't help but wonder, is this how Joseph, Mary, and the Wise Guys felt when they waited for the birth of our Savior? I'm sure they were much more eager since they were waiting for the Son of God and I'm just waiting for mid-night. Then I thought, why don't people feel this way when celebrating Christmas. Of course, some people do for the presents, but the vast majority do not eagerly wait for mid-night Christmas Eve night to celebrate the greatest gift of all, just they gifts they will receive the next morning. I am grateful for the gifts I received, but I must say I was most excited about spending Sunday morning in church with my family (those I've been given and those I've chosen). Of course until my dad fell and broke his arm (prayers please) Christmas morn. But still, I loved being in church with the ones I loved.
Now, I'd like to say I am eagerly awaiting Jesus coming again, and I am excited to party it up in H-Town with my Main Man and those who have gone before me, but I find sometimes that I think I have some unfinished business that I want to do before I head Upstairs.  I guess my New Years Resolution needs to be to focus more on how awesome my life is going to be in Heaven. There it is, my New Years Resolution.

Happy New Year!
and Merry Christmas!

Blessings

Sometimes I forget how truly blessed I am in life. I have the ability to want to buy a pair of shoes that kids in parts of the world need to live.  Even if I have absolutely nothing in my bank account I'm still richer than most of the world because I live in America. I have a husband that God picked out for me and I could not be happier with His choice. I have parents who right now are working so hard, along with my church family, to better the life of one sweet innocent kid who just wants to go to college. I have friends who I can text at anytime with a prayer request and I know that they will stop what they are doing and pray for me.

It bothers me how ungrateful people think Americans are just because of the few they have met. It makes me almost as mad as when people have a poor judgement about me because I am a Christian because of a previous encounter with a Christian who did not act as such (that's another soap box...). I thank my God daily for what he has provided me with and what he will continue to bless me with. I will admit that sometimes I get caught up in my own agenda that I forget what blessings I have, but I do take time to stop and think about all of the wonderful things God has given me in my life.

I guess you could say this is me still being thankful after Thanksgiving. O well, I'll just be thankful all year 'round.