FUN FRIDAY- Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!....do something FUN like put on a pair of FUN Christmas socks today! 

Thank you Mom for both the gift of you, and the gift of these socks...you make me smile.

Preparing to UNWRAP HIS PRESENCE

Another last minute gift that I decided to box up and place under the tree!  I know what you’re thinking—not another thing to add—really?   

It’s simple—cost me nothing...

On my morning walk I was mulling over what I had read in God’s Word and in this blog post that I read earlier.  While walking I was reminded of God's whisper to me earlier in the week and I’m planning on posting next week about God’s whisper—be looking next week here and be looking for Him to speak to you during these next few days...He loves us so much!

With my heart desiring to keep the focus on Him this season, I've also read about things to do with my kids to help keep God the focus and I’ll admit some ideas are just not for me—some are just a little TOO MUCH as I strive for balance in desiring to instill the meaning of this season.   I don’t want my children to be pious, gimme brats—but I don’t want them to miss the point of RECEIVING God’s love either.

I'm not great at this but I'm always trying to do better--as a family we are behind on our advent devotions because of busyness, but I'm not throwing in the towel yet!

With God’s help, I want to love on my kiddos this season, everyday actually—praying and talking about Jesus and asking God to fill their precious hearts and protect them from being jaded or legalistic about love but to truly become vessels of His love and I just feel the best way is for them to be loved first!  How I love them will shape their ideas of God's love.

I love this idea and that’s why I'm sharing it…it’s a simple empty box—with 3 note cards with scriptures on them for us to open, read and pray over on Christmas Eve when the boys also open their brand new jammies J  A tradition every year so they have new jammies to wear for Christmas morning. 

We will unwrap the presence of God the night before we unwrap the rest of the presents! 

We will thank Him for guiding us this past year and literally breathing life into us and ask Him to continually fill our hearts with His love. 

So how are you going to unwrap His presence this season? 

There is still plenty of time and I love to hear your ideas!

12 Days of Christmas

The HUSTLE AND BUSTLE!  Can you feel it? 

The countdown has begun in our house—not a day has been missed counting the days until Christmas but I have to confess my December 1^st gusto of focusing on love has been distracted. 

What do we do when curve balls are thrown and jumble up the plans of the day...month?  —we persevere right?!?

As the days draw near I am thankful for an extra pair of hands around my home helping me wrap and prepare for Christmas morning.  And I am reminded first and foremost to love and focus my time on those nearest to me.

So many things that we can choose to focus on and so many things we can think about it.  I’ve read about the 12 Days of Christmas and even encouraged you to give and celebrate Love and I’m not going to stop now! 

I came across some interested information online about the 12 Days of Christmas and one of them being this video.   I’ve encouraged those around me to give simple gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas and my boys and I participated in a very simple way.  We prepared a box of 12 candy canes and gave them out to those around us.  I showered some close friends and family with some little gifts to make their day a little brighter and now I feel nudged to celebrate and shower one person for 12 Days straight.

As I’ve thought about who to give out candy canes or who to shower with gifts and other random acts of kindness, I’ve thought about how overwhelming it is to receive love.  And the weird emotions even of extending love.  I couldn't decide whether to gift just one person with 12 gifts or pick 12 people to gift--when thinking of one person and gifting them with 12 gifts...my first thought honestly was (now don't judge), "They are going to think I am NUTS!" 

Aren’t we prone to question and doubt the motives behind love?   Isn't is a little scary extending love--with questions looming in our minds like, "Will they receive this?"  Discouraging thoughts enter my mind all of the time before I feel compelled to love--"They will think I'm stupid," "They are going to think I want something," "They will think I am nuts!" 

Oh, this makes me sad and I realize I want to make a difference—gift by gift—little act by little act and fight through the discouraging thoughts that come with it. 

I realize though, that upon receiving Love myself, the first acts of love that I follow through with must be within my home. 

Thus, the decision to shower my hubby of 15 years with 12 gifts!  12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas! (Maybe he is the safest too--he won't think I'm NUTS! :) 

Beginning Christmas day and 11 days after that I will plan to give him little gifts.

Are you in this with me?   Is there someone that you can shower with 12 little gifts?  

Let’s allow the Love to extend into the New Year!  

Comment below and let me know that you are in—share any of your great ideas and encourage us!  Maybe we can remind each other that we are not NUTS!  And maybe...just maybe our acts of love will ellicit such expressions as this one...out of the mouth and on the face of my babe!

Everyone who shares will be entered into the drawing, which began December 1^st.  Name drawn will win their own special gift...”A Starbucks Gift Card.” 

Drawing held January 1, 2012!   

Can’t wait to hear from you!

Show Me Jesus

It’s Meet Jesus Monday and I can’t help but think about Jesus’ birthday coming up this week.

There were just plain folk like you and me during Jesus’ day, who were beckoned and prepared to visit Jesus for the first time as a newborn baby in a stable.  Luke 2 describes the shepherds living out in the fields nearby watching their flocks when an angel of the Lord appeared to them and told them what to expect and the shepherds set off to Bethlehem to meet Jesus. 

Something in me thinks we are given lots of angel visits like these Shepherds to prepare for meeting Jesus; but we are often just too busy to hear or see them and thus fail to take them in.

—more on this another time.

Luke 2:17 struck my heart and I realize that this truth has become a blazing spark in my efforts to love.  Is love effortless?  Do you feel urges to love and give come from out of nowhere at times?  Or is just the idea of loving and giving exhausting to you?  I myself have experienced it all.  Sometimes I even admit loving to receive love—Jesus calls us to love something different and you will recognize the difference but most importantly, others will recognize the difference. 

Will you join me this week? 

Can we meet Jesus this week and will you say to Him, “Please show me how to love better.” 

You can also go here and download free at iTunes the latest show from Girlfriendit Radio titled “Men of Honor,” which aired last week.  It’s not just for men…but us women can learn to walk like Jesus too.

 As I type these thoughts it’s as if the sun is shining brighter and brighter in my living room-oh, how the stars must have been doing the same that Christmas night when Jesus was born! 

When the shepherds had seen Jesus, verse 17 says, “They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child.” 

Isn’t that what we do…when we meet Jesus and receive His love—we can’t help but share what we’ve received with others?!?! 

I read this blog this week too and it might stir your heart like it did mine.  May we encourage each other to run to Him this week—this season! 

May we increase our understanding, our knowledge of who Jesus is—receive His gifts of love and mercy. 

Then…then, we may just begin to understand and know Jesus a little better. 

I am always looking for great blogs/books and teachers to follow, please feel free to share your favorites that point you to understanding Jesus better...Share your comments below!

FUN FRIDAY- HAPPY BIRTHDAY

This morning I woke up and could not wait see my birthday boy break through this!

 A girlfriend pointed me here for the idea. 

We are celebrating him today and just got home from bringing his class donuts and later his favorite lunch "Taco Bell" at school!

As I think about making the day special and fun today for my son, I am also thinking about the balance of sharing what I do for FUN!  I do not desire to boast or brag--or say, "Look what I am doing..."  But truly my heart is to encourage FUN!

I am very aware, that my heart is able to go down the envy road just like anyone else's and I definitely don't want to breed such emptiness--I do believe there is something healthy in us sharing and encouraging FUN! 

As a child, I have to say--the FUN department was lacking a bit in my home--and no fault to those around me; I just realize now that God's love is inside of me and there is a happy heart churning inside of me to enjoy life and have FUN! 

My other son, who is NOT celebrating his birthday today reminded me this morning maybe just a little speck of why God has wired us for this?  Why have FUN...why make the effort?

My son woke up and was at a crossroad...literally in the hallway this morning and seeing the streamers decorated for his brother, he could have chosen to frown and think or say, "I want that!"
(I know we've all been there.)

The first thing out of his mouth after screaming, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' to his brother was..."I love our family...we have FUN!" 


"I had fun with Mom."

"YAY! Dad's home!"

He not only said it this morning, but wrote it on  Dad's 'welcome home' banner we made last night for Dad as we welcomed him home from a week long business trip.




OH, it feels good to have everyone home...I'm ready to have some FUN with my family this weekend.  Life is full of both up and down moments and I'm going to squeeze out every drop of FUN AND LOVE in my days!

What do you do to celebrate with your family?  Hope my sharing just spurs you on to keep it up and squeeze out the FUN in your day! 

Word Wednesday: STRIVE

We were made to strive for something....

What are you reaching for?

Let's keep going and keep encouraging each other. (Heb 10:25)

Monday Meeting on Love

Praise the LORD!  It really didn't take long for my hubby to fix up my hard drive and I'm back up and writing!  (I was expecting it to take longer..but God surprised me in a number of ways!)

 Today's post is a little taste of my meetings with Him last week...grab your favorite cup of the season and take a short walk with me.  I pray your heart will be smiling at the end :)

I read somewhere, either in one of the three books I am reading, or a blog, or a Facebook post, that stress is a choice!  I had to chew on that for awhile and realized that yes indeed it is a choice!  There are all kinds of things that the enemy tries to use to rob us of peace and he loves to see us stressed out and running after different things distracted from the Prince of Peace. 

It is hard not to be busy this time of year, isn't it?  We have two birthdays in our house on top of Jesus' this month and it is hard not to get lost in my to do list and how I "want" things to turn out.  Even with the best of intentions of making this season wonderful and meaningful and full of love--I can so easily miss the boat and my vessel of love can sink in an instant.  God's timing of reminding me of this is impeccable...He spoke to my heart and as I type I am knee deep in stuff getting ready for my boys' birthday celebrations, finishing school projects, decorating, wrapping, cleaning...the list goes on.

So what do we do?  We must ask Him to help us and...

MEET WITH JESUS!

I woke up this morning and these words rang in my head and the verse Jer 31:33 which I read that night came back to my mind.  It says that God writes on our hearts...His truths--His love!  We must spend time allowing Him to do this and REMEMBERING Jesus throughout the day!  Yes, the quiet times, the Bible studying, the memorizing of scripture all benefit us, but I've found that I need to open my heart and look for Him throughout the day in my everyday surroundings to see and hear God speaking to me...it's like getting texts, emails and phone calls from Him throughout the day. 

Even with the hustle and bustle of the season and days with to do lists much to long, I noticed there are still plenty of opportunities to hear Him speak to us.   Have you attended any Christmas programs yet?  This one here is one of my bestie's daughter performing "Seasons of Love."  While watching this live, I felt God speak to me again the meaning of this season, "We must first receive His love--receive Love--receive Him for He is Love and then, only then can we truly love."

Go here to see video I posted on Facebook.

My own boy had his first band concert last week and as I watched him dressed in his finest playing proudly "Hot Cross Buns" and a number of other beginning songs his smile on stage melted my heart and I heard God whisper,"As beginner's you have the opportunity to shine for Me--you may be playing little notes and you may mess up these littlest notes, but your efforts do not go unnoticed...I see and use EVERYTHING!"

Joshua playing trumpet in his first band performance.

As I watched my youngest boy crawl over to the sofa and pull down every bit of laundry that I just folded and my heart partly frustrated because my work would have to be re-done but some how all I could do was smile and take a picture of him in the mound of laundry, I heard God whisper, "When you have gotten your hands in and messed things up in the past, this is how my heart feels about you." 

Jacob helping with laundry.

As I watch him take off finding every obstacle he can in the house to crawl through just for fun, I hear God whisper, "You have learned so much and grown closer to me through each obstacle you have had to climb over with me."

Jacob overcoming obstacles.

With my boy's determination to hold and love on my friend's little guy while I took care of him for the day, I heard Him whisper, "You were wired for love just as JD can't help but love this little guy he just met, you can't help but love those I bring into your path." 

JD with our new friend Cruz.

So who has God put in your path to love?  Sometimes I know it can be overwhelming to think about loving all of those dear to us...especially if we do it from our own strength and if we think we have to do something BIG or be perfect at it. As I prepare my heart, I hear God whisper, "Be willing...I will show you...we will keep it simple."

I realized this week that I felt the most loved through whispers I was still enough to hear.  My family this week is getting ready to celebrate two of the most precious gifts in our lives but we are also going to focus on loving those around us.  I will post more about this later...

What are some simple ways that you are choosing to let your love overflow this week?  Please share with us--not in a way to boast of course, but there is something healthy and contagious when we give each other ideas and permission to simply listen and love! 

I'm encouraging girlfriends here to post their ideas and pictures.  Join us as we encourage each other to meet with Jesus and love this week. Sunlight pours from His face (Matt 17:2)...let's seek His face this season; for someone is bound to see Him radiating from you and thus meet Him too!

Monday Meeting

Well, this is not what I had intended to post...but with some minor hard drive issues on my laptop I'm needing to go with plan B this week and actually as I sense the nudge to focus on Jesus during this season and I see others around me taking a vacation.  I'm going to take this Cyber Blog Sabbath (Sure is fun to write and make up words) and hault from posting here until 2012. 

The New Year is coming soon!

Please continue to join me on Facebook (I can easily post there with my pad but my writings I have stored will just have to wait for the new year!)

Also, don't forget to check out my FB Page "Princess Path."  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Princess-Path/131673090271327. Where I will be sharing some joys through this season and hope to see other princesses encouraging others to love during this Christmas season.

Looking forward to writing and chatting with you in the New Year!

Merry Christmas!

FUN FRIDAY

This week I had some super girlfriends over to kick off some FUN this season.  We gathered around my living room with coffee mugs and sweets and ushered in this season of Love—this season that Love came down!

I’m encouraging all my girlfriends to spread some extra LOVE this season…and spread some cheer for 12 Days!  Check out the detail of the 12 Days of Christmas at the GirlfrienditFacebook Page.  Then share an idea with us at the Princess Path Facebook Page and be entered in a drawing for a Starbucks Giftcard! 

Have fun loving on those around you—and if you need some ideas…just keep checking in and see what other girlfriends are doing.  And most importantly, remember Him…remember God’s love!  Know and rely on the love that He has for you—BELIEVE in the love that He has for you and then share it--you never know who just might need it!

Have FUN and if you haven’t listened yet, download the podcast of yesterday’s Girlfriendit Radio Show…be inspired by hearing about other girlfriends who are believing in Love and applying it in their lives!