Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Dennstaedt's

To send out Christmas cards would take some planning ahead. I have learned that my life operation of planning ahead is a past time. It seems that our family motto of "taking things one day at a time" is really being lived out. Still.  Just "one" day at a time. Actually I did wrap a few presents last night, so maybe we are a few hours ahead of the game. When we plan this life I find my self still getting overwhelmed. So honestly if it's not this week, we aren't there yet, so we don't do it. I am sure as the kids continue to get older and start adding their own agenda to "us" this will change some. There are benefits to this, and some (well lots) of forgetfulness, but grace meets us those days too. 

I cannot really fathom how another year has gone by. It has been a good year for us. A year or restored health and catching our breath after the life transition of the year before. Kev and I hit the 12 year mark and double digits for our oldest.  Living day by day on this side of "change" has been hard and beautiful all the same. Seeing God's chosen ministry for my life, and experiencing his deep love for me, continues to shape my soul. Every day I am astonished at how much a single event in time can change your whole life, yet  continue to consume and birth "beauty from ashes". I trust more and more everyday the complete and full purpose of my surrendered life here is all for his- Glory. 

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captive  and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness,  a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." Isaiah 61

This past month we traveled to see my baby sister get married. Friends, these life events just  melt me. I had a time in my life where I didn't see myself ever doing these things, so being present in these things, brings a praise to my soul. A living every breath, victory to Jesus kind of praise. Yes I feel crazy sometimes, but also I just feel my heart beating out of my chest in gratitude.  My whole family was there, it was beautiful. 20 of us now. I was blessed to be able to share at her wedding some of the ways God has worked in our lives. From me taking care of her as a teeny baby, to her growing into a beautiful, God fearing women, that has been able to encourage and "take care" of her biggest sister in a whole different way. He's always working wonders.  I want the whole world to see it. 

Do you ever look around the room you are sitting in, or at the faces of the ones right in front of you and just stop and thank God. I say it everyday, I cannot believe I'm here, thank you for this. Thank you. All praise to YOU God. "I will exalt you, my God and King, and praise your name forever and ever. I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever, Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness." Psalm 145

To all my friends and people just "getting through" this week. I am with you too because I know pain. I don't know yours but my heart hurts for you. You are in my prayers and you are the perspective I have sat with, and gleaned from. You are the ones my heart aches with, and praises with, and mourns with, and dances with. 

I have never before felt the meaning of Christmas like I do this year. I actually feel the significance of everything God gave up to be here. Realizing that no matter how He came and where He sat on this earth, none of that would have been to the Glory He is due. Realizing that He came, weak, and gave up everything, knowing what He would have to go through, for me. I just never felt it before. There is something just stirring in me, what we celebrate, why we celebrate, it's the pinnacle for what my whole purpose is. HE loved us first, so we love. HE gave to us first, so we give. HE surrendered first, so we surrender. 

To my old friends, and new even this week or month, Merry Christmas to you. My life would look different without crossing paths with each one of you. 

"The magic of Christmas is not just that God himself came from heaven as man. And it is not just that he humbled himself as a servant to meet the needs of others. And it’s not even just that he came to die, to unfold his service all the way to death. The magic is that he came down, and did all that, to rescue us. Such was the promise of God’s messenger from the time of his announcement: “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

He came down to rescue us from sin and restore us to the final joy for which we were made: to know and enjoy him. He came to reconcile us “to himself” (Colossians 1:20). He came not to supply us with the bells and whistles of a commercial Christmas, but he “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18)." - David Mathis, Desiring God.