Christmas Eve, December 24, 2012

As I sit here in the blissful half light of a Monday morning, enjoying the calm and quiet before the storm of my day breaks, I find myself pondering the meaning of Today and the year that has brought me here.
     I read a book years ago, when I was the mom of 7, that stuck with me.   The author was a Christian woman who talked about how she and her husband went away every year for the week between Christmas and New Years.  I have no idea how many children this woman had or if any or if this was something that didnt start until she was in the empty nest phase of life, (what ever that is).  But the purpose of that week away, for her at least, was prayer and reflection, and planning for the year ahead.  She talked of that week being a time that she spent HOURS and hours extra in the Word to find out what God's plan for her for the coming year was and to reflect on what had happened with the past years "plan"  She settled on a verse of scripture passage each year that became her focus for the year. 
     For me, that idea of going away to a "retreat" for a week, or even 24 hours was never achievable, and I wouldnt have given up my time with the kids out of school, even if I could have gone away,  I'm not that person somehow.  but, I DID spend time when they were asleep, or outside playing in the snow and the littler ones were down for a nap, searching.  During those years, I not only marked "my verse or passage" but I wrote it in the front of my Bible and added comments.  I have "SORT OF" done this in the intervening years between Then and Now.  You know that time frame right? 

     Anyway, this year, I have been presented with a new challenge.  Yesterday, it came in to my head during church, that I am going to read "the Minor Prophets,"  and all the Short Books of the New Testament, to study for this year. 

     So, as today is Christmas Eve, for me, it is also the Eve of a new Challenge.  The morning that I choose celebrate the birth of my Lord and Savior, I begin a quest to know Him deeper and more clearly, and there by, know myself deeper and more clearly.  If anyone wants to join me, it would certainly help hold me accountable and we could set up a "schedule" and find a forum to discuss what we are learing as well. 

     I hope each of you have a wonderful day today and stop to just think about what this day means to and for you. 

S