Beginning Advent Season

On this first day of Advent, may we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas...the birth of the Messiah! Let's put our focus and attention on what that means for us today. God sent his Son down to earth as a baby, in flesh and blood to fulfill his purpose. That purpose was to pay the penalty for you and me on the cross. He took our sin, died a cruel death but then defeated death and the grave and IS returning for us one day soon! That's right....he came not just as a baby but as a mighty Rescuer! Hallelujah!

As we truly begin the Christmas season, make time to celebrate with your family. Read the scriptures together, pray together, and worship together. Don't let this season slip by as just another Christmas. Prepare today for worshiping our Savior in a way like never before. Ask God to renew afresh this season of Advent.

Let's celebrate the birth of Jesus, the precious Christ child, but let's also look with hopeful anticipation of His second coming....when He returns for HIS children!

~ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.~

Luke 2:10-11 (NIV)

Celebration of Advent

Our family began a new tradition last year to celebrate Advent. We have always focused on the true meaning of Christmas in our home, as this is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, in Bethlehem. Sure, we have our fun traditions of Christmas and will continue. We love to bake cookies, sing fun Christmas songs, and buy gifts.  But this was a way to focus our attention even more on the celebration of Jesus birth, the first coming, and also look in great anticipation for his second coming, when he returns for his bride!

I am excited to begin this again tomorrow on the first Sunday of Advent. It was a wonderful time as a family last year as it made us pause and share scripture together, pray together, and celebrate together what God has done and is doing now. A beautiful time of expectation and remembrance!

Here is a little video by LifeWay that explains a little about the Advent season.

Click on the link below:

Advent Video

Thanksgiving Eve!

One of my absolute favorite days of the year has begun! The day before thanksgiving may not sound like anything significant to you but for me, it is a day at home with my amazing husband and awesome kiddos, cooking all day, preparing for a celebration of thanksgiving with all our family. This morning I got out of bed and tiptoed downstairs for a special rendezvous with my Jesus and had to maneuver around children sleeping in the living room. Yes, Callie and Caleb decided to have a camp out downstairs last night and watch movies together. So, I quietly tiptoed past them and took my place off the kitchen where I could spend some quiet time reading my love letter from my Lord and telling him all the things he is to me.

O, there is nothing quite like being in the presence of Jesus! When I open this precious book, I read his promises to me and know exactly how he feels about me....his daughter. As I bow my head in honor before him and share out of a heart of thanksgiving for all he is to me, the tears flow. Not tears of sadness, but tears of joy because he is so good to me. Even through trials and dark days, my God is so good to me. He has carried me through some dark days this year but he has also celebrated with me on many mountaintops. Life is hard, but God is good! No matter what the circumstance, my God has been right there. At. All. Times!

In just a few minutes, I will be in the kitchen cooking breakfast, preparing my station for a day of cooking, and getting ready to welcome a couple extra kiddos for the day. I will play my Christmas music or watch a Christmas movie as I cook and I will enjoy the lights of my Christmas tree as I prepare our thanksgiving feast. (If you're wondering, it is possible to celebrate and honor the thanksgiving holiday even with Christmas decorations up. ) It will be a day to praise God with a truly thankful heart for the many blessings he has bestowed on us this year.

Thanksgiving..thankfulness..not just a day but truly an attitude that we should take on. Gratitude..to my God..for his blessings..for his goodness..for his faithfulness..for his love..for his provision..for his grace..for his mercy..for his protection..for his Word..for salvation.

Abba Father, I love YOU and I thank YOU!

"I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."


Psalms 9:1-2 (NKJV)

My Prayer Today

Lord, today, help me keep my focus on YOU! This world is a dark place filled with hate but I am reminded of what you did on Calvary where love overshadowed all hate any human could muster. By stretching out your arms on a cross and feeling the sting of death all because of my sin and my ugliness, you displayed a love that conquered hate. Your sacrifice is the reason I live and am free today to walk this earth and share your love with others. A love that will overwhelm our souls and help us understand that there is hope. YOU are HOPE! Your love is better than life and today, precious Lord, I praise YOU! You tell me in your word that there will be a day where there are no more tears, no more sadness and today, I am reminded that this world is NOT my home. I am just passing through on my way to eternity with you my Abba Father. Help me to be a light in this dark world until you call me home or return for me. This world needs more light. This world needs more hope. This world needs more Jesus.

Today, sweet Lord, help others see YOU in me. You are Peace. You are Love. You are Hope. You are LIFE and today....I PRAISE AND WORSHIP YOU!

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV)

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NIV)

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Revelation 21:4 (NLT)

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)

The Week of Thanksgiving!

Here it is! The week of Thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for and all praise and glory goes to my Father in heaven. This morning I sit at my kitchen table in the quiet and praise God for all that he is to me. Holding his precious Word in my hands and my heart overflows in thanksgiving. I praise him for salvation and the gift of his grace. I am a life transformed by that precious gift and I love him so much.

Today, sweet Savior, I sing YOUR praises and thank YOU for your mercy and love!

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."


Psalms 100:1-5 (KJV)

A Moment of History

November 19, 1863, 151 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln stood before the people and delivered one of the most famous, albeit very short, speeches of all time. Though before him a very popular speaker had just delivered a 2 hour eloquently written speech, it was Lincoln that delivered a message that still resonates in our hearts today.

I thought I would share it with you today, as I will have my kids research it for their homeschool, to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom and remember what our forefathers stood for. Take this part of our history and remember today and pray for our country.

"...that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

~ Abraham Lincoln

______________________________________________________

The Gettysburg Address

November 19, 1863

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Happy 14th Birthday Callie

Happy 14th Birthday Callie!

November 13, 2000, at 7:51 in the morning, Matt and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl into this world and we could have never fathomed what an incredible journey it would be! Callie brings so much joy to our home with her vibrant personality and love of life! It blesses my heart to see her growing every day into a beautiful young woman that loves her God and desires to be a light for Him! I am eternally grateful that God chose me to be her mom and count it such an honor to raise a young lady after God's own heart.

Callie, we are so proud of you and love you for the special, unique, beautiful, loving, passionate, joyful, charming, and fabulous girl you are! I am certain that this world is a sweeter place because you are in it and I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for you!

Happy Birthday sweet girl! I love you!

Honoring our Veterans

Today I get the honor of staying home with my kiddos! Though I LOVE my job immensely, there will never be a "job" more precious to me than that of mom to the three most amazing kids in the world. So, I'm going to treasure this day! I'm thankful to be able to cook them breakfast, share a devotion in God's Word with them and then help them with school (in the morning this time. Lol!) Then an afternoon digging deep in the Word of God. Oh, how I love His Word! I love the freedom we have in Christ and the freedom we have in this country to open that precious Book whenever and wherever we choose!

"Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth."
John 17:17 (NET)

Thank you to all the men and women who serve in our military to make these liberties possible. Yes, it's a day off for me, but it it is a reminder of the sacrifice and service of each person who serves our great country. Their service comes with a great price and I am humbly grateful.

So, to the countless heroes of our country. Today, I honor YOU!

~ Down a Country Road ~

I love living out in the country! Now I am, by no means, a country girl, but I do love the peace and serenity of living out here in the country. I can look out my front window and see a beautiful field that grows different crops each year. The first year in our home, the field across the street was growing cotton and it was spectacular to watch it go through the different stages. At dusk you can see the deer congregating in large groups and it is just a beautiful sight! You see for me it is win/win situation. Out here in the country I have the beauty and peace of nature and spacious landscape but in as little as two shakes of a lamb's tail (okay, so I am a little bit of a country girl, haha!), I can be right in the heart of the city shopping at Mayfaire orTarget or sipping my “cup of joy” at my favorite little coffee house, Starbucks! How perfect is that?

As I ride down these country roads, I pass a number of old homes that have been abandoned. Some of those homes have been demolished recently and some are probably next in line for it, but I can only imagine that at one time, those homes had life in them. When I pass I try to make up a story for that home based on its character. I know, this may sound crazy, but I can’t help but think that at one time real people lived there and that home had a story. I just think one up myself. I passed a particular home one day that really caught my attention. It was so adorable and had so much character that I’m sure it had beautiful memories. I could almost here the laughter of children and picture a big family kitchen table where lots of family dinners were shared. I even imagined that the front porch definitely saw it’s share of guests as people congregated there maybe swinging on a porch swing and sipping sweet iced tea on a warm summer night. I could see families gathered there as they sang old hymns and prayed together to give God glory! I just knew that home had such happy memories! What a warm cozy feeling I had as I let my imagination run wild!

As I got home that day, the Lord started pricking my heart about the homes I pass by everyday that do have life in them now. From the outside that home could look completely normal. Beautifully manicured yards, white picket fence, nice cars in the driveway, but what really goes on behind those doors? Behind those doors, there could be heartache, pain, and lost souls. Do those souls know the real joy of living? Do they know my Jesus? I found that as I rode by I was convicted to pray for those who live in those houses. So many times we see people that look “normal” on the outside but on the inside could be in real pain and in need of a Savior. Appearance can be deceiving and I began to pray that God would open my heart to be more sensitive to those I pass everyday.

We live in uncertain times. Jobs are scarce, money is tight, the world is a mess but my God is a God of hope, joy, comfort, provision, compassion, love, forgiveness, and on and on I could go! What I do know is that my God loves the hurting, the broken! He desires to see those lives come to know him and love him. In these uncertain times, the ONE thing we can be certain of is that God has our futures planned for us. It is a plan of hope and joy. One of my favorite passages of scripture is:

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Oh, if only people would know that they have real hope! That hope is my LORD! We need to be the ones that tell them! We who have experienced this hope, this joy, this forgiveness, should be the ones who shout it from the rooftops that there is HOPE and his name is JESUS! Hallelujah!

From a drive down my country road the Lord showed me that those I pass by daily need this hope.

Sweet Heavenly Father, may I be the vessel that shares and prays for those in need of you. May the hope and love that I have experienced through your forgiveness be the light that touches souls and helps them see that hope is there for them as well. Lord, mold my heart and use my words as a testimony of your unfailing love! You are the breath I breathe and life is so much sweeter being filled with your Spirit!

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. "

As you begin your week, stay open to the Holy Spirit’s leading of a home in need of him. As you pass those homes daily, be in prayer for the souls that abide there. What awesome power is in prayer!

Blessings~

Allison

Celebrating my Mom!

Today, I am so thankful for my mom!

She is the picture of grace and love and I always know that she will lead me straight to scripture in any situation I face. Whether we talk several times a day or if it's been several days since we talked, she is never quick to judge or condemn but only to encourage and lift up. She gives daily to her family, her friends, her church and those she doesn't even know because her heart is to share the love of Christ with all. Though her means are not vast, she gives so freely of what she does have and her time is spent in constant ministry to the needs of others. Her wisdom and guidance truly exemplify the heart of Jesus and God uses her in mighty ways in my life and the lives of so many others. If there was ever a human being born without a selfish bone in their body, it would be her.

You may be asking why am I writing all this?

Well, because my mom has touched my life so deeply and set such an example of what a woman of God should be. But also this week she will celebrate her 70th birthday and I just felt it necessary to share some of the amazing things about my mom. My mom is not on Facebook but I can tell you this....her face is always in "the Book". Her love for God and his Word have made a huge impact on my life. I love calling her up to share what the Lord has shown me in the Word and being able to share that excitement with my mom. I love that she always points every situation in my life back to scripture, whether good or bad. I love that she loves my husband as her own son and is an incredible granny to my children, even Louie. Ha! I love that she has such an open home to all who need a place of rest or comfort. I love that she doesn't let her past and hurts define her but chooses to walk in victory of what God has done in her life. I love that she has embraced this modern technology of texting (even though it has been hard. Haha!) and is quick to send me text of encouragement and scripture almost daily. I love that she embraces this life that God has blessed her with. Even though many things in her life most would not see as blessings, she has found the blessing in it all.

I have looked back over her life in preparation of her special day and my heart fills with gratitude to my God for blessing me with the MOST AMAZING mother but also blessing the world with her presence. This world is definitely a better place because she is in it. She is the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman and I am blessed immensely. My prayer today is that I can be even a portion of the amazing woman of God that she is and that others will see Christ in me as I see in her.

Mom, I love you and I thank you for just being YOU!

"Her children arise and call her blessed"

"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."

"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

"Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

Proverbs 31