Well I guess we are going to try and pick up a Christmas tree tomorrow and dig our Christmas decorations out of the storage building. I know I for one will be glad when we have all of our stuff in one place and are settled for a bit. I don’t know when this will be but I hope it will be soon.

Tomorrow is also the day our church is having the trial sermon for the man they want to call for our new pastor. I would love to say that I am excited about this but I don’t really care all that much. I mean the problem that everyone thinks will be solved by finding a new pastor sadly will not be solved that easily. In fact the real problem lies in the congregation or membership itself. People individually need to be right with Christ. I have found that the most difficult people to get along with are usually the people you would expect to be the easiest. “The Christians”. Unfortunately, not everyone who thinks they are Christians are actually serving Christ. We sometimes want to be more important than anyone else and forget that we are suppose to be here to serve others instead of just being served by others. I think it is most frustrating to find the oldest members of the church whining about what’s in it for them. I think what’s in it for everyone is to show the Joy of Christ to others.

I am sorry if it sounds like I am preaching. I desire to help others but at the same time I have to be very careful not to lose myself or my joy in pouring everything out and not replenishing that joy so that I will still have something to give. I sometimes have such commitment to that sense of service that I lose all of the joy of even attending church. Mostly because I end up filling in for the others that just don’t show up. I really need to watch out though because I am starting to feel like one of those people that just don’t show up. More and More lately I am afraid.

I am sure this is not what I should be feeling at this time of year, but I am struggling with my emotions this year there has been so much loss in my family this year. I don’t understand why people are so selfish and inconsiderate. I am so tired of “me, me, me” mentality that I am continually running into in my family, in church and sometimes the places you least expect to see it.

I know from my experiences that God can pull you from the deepest pits of despair using some of the most unlikely vessels. I don’t really know how to express this to people that are hurting other than to share the experiences that I have had. I will save that for another time. But just know that I read some the blogs out there and my heart aches for what I know they are feeling. I just want to wrap my arms around them, give them a big hug, sometimes cry with them and pray with them and let them know that it will and does get better. Sometimes we are so close to the situation that we can’t see how it gets better even when it is. There are always little things going on that are not always visible right away and they can make some of the biggest differences in our lives.

I think this is going to be the Christmas of reflection at our house. Which may make it the best ever. My sister is coming home from the mission field in less than a week and I must admit that I really looking forward to seeing her and spending time with her for the first time in 2 ½ years. I have really missed her and I hope that we will have time to just spend together not really having to do anything. I pray that the time will not be rushed or pressured by other family members being demanding without consideration. If I don’t get a chance to post again before Christmas, I hope that each and everyone of you find the blessings of Christmas in unexpected things and ways. I know that is often the ways that they mean the most. I would like for my family to start figuring out what kind of traditions we would like to keep for us and that we would find the strength to stand up to others to do this. If you think about pray for us too.