A song & a prayer

CHRISTMAS!!! IT'S HERE!!!!! FINALLYYYY!!!!!!

Now that I got that out of the way, a post on Christmas. I wanted to share a Christmas Carol today and I couldn't pick one... then I got it. 

"Away in a Manger"

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

It tells the Christmas story so simply, a child can understand. But it also has meaning for us older ones too, the children in heart! ;)

The third verse, especially the last line, contains a simple, yet wonderful prayer! Something we should ask on a daily basis: "Fit us for heaven, to live with Thee there."

I'm not going to talk about it because it is self-explanatory, but maybe in your own heart, ask that of the Lord today. Jesus, fit me for heaven so that I can live with You there!

Last days of November...

I wanted to finish up Thanksgiving before posting a Christmas post. It has been crazy here, and every time I went to blog, something else came up! Grrrr…. Anyway, I’ll post the last three days of November, and have a Christmas post up later on today.

Day 28- I am thankful for… family. I have mentioned specific members of my family, but I wanted to say how thankful I am for extended family: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. I grew up with two of my cousins especially (we were tight, let me tell you!), and it’s still wonderful when I get to see them! Family isn’t just those that you’re related to by blood… It’s those you accept into your heart as family.

Day 29- I am thankful for… snow! I loooooooooove snow! I’m not fond of driving in it, but I will. Winter is without a doubt, my FAVOURITE season of the year. Fall is an extremely close second, but I love the smell of the air right before a snow storm, drinking hot cocoa after a snowball fight, smelling bread & cookies baking in the oven, watching the cardinal & juncos play in the falling snow, etc. It’s quiet, peaceful, relaxing, and calm. Who doesn’t love snow?!

Day 30- I am thankful for… the Christmas Season! It’s here! It’s finally here!  Music, lights, parties, presents, decorations, snow, long lines at stores, crazy traffic, but it’s still here!!! I love this time of year, and most people hate it. I understand that most people hate it for personal reasons, but I love it because of personal reasons. It’s the time that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ! If you haven’t read much of my blog, this is something you need to know: I am a Christian, simple as that. (Please don’t let this hinder you from reading my blog! Contact me if you have a question, and I’ll be happy to pray for you and help if I can!) The real reason behind CHRISTmas, is… well, Christ! Focus this season on the birth of Christ and what it means to you! Share it in the comments below? I’d love to hear how His coming has affected your life!

Okay, a Christmas post is next! 

Days 22-27! Happy Thanksgiving!

Days 22-27 of the November Thankfulness Challenge.  Tomorrow will be a special Thanksgiving post!

Day 22- I am thankful for… conversation. You get to know people; you share your deepest secrets, hopes and dreams. Conversation opens people up and it’s a great witnessing tool.

Day 23- I am thankful for… birds. Strange one, I know. I love in the summer, waking up at camp at 5 (yes, am!), shuffling to the ladies’ room for a shower, yawning, and then, pausing to listen to the birds singing praise to the Lord. How awesome is that?! It was a good daily reminder of why I was there!

Day 24- I am thankful for… long car rides. Whether it’s with family or friends, I know I’m in for lots of laughs, maybe some tears, and a whole bunch of time to know people better.

Day 25- I am thankful for… made-up games. Another unusual choice, but I have a reason. I used to pretend I was Lucy from “The Chronicles of Narnia” I was on the Dawn Treader or riding a horse through the Western Woods. I learned how to deal with stuff, even if it was made up. I sound nuts… I promise I’m normal… Well, kind of ;) My mom makes up games for long car rides too… There was one where we go through the alphabet and have to name different songs for each letter, or characters from the Bible… or sing the first lines of Christmas carols… we are a very extraordinary family!

Day 26- I am thankful for… music. Hymns, choruses, background jazz at Starbucks, opera at Barnes & Noble, The Messiah by Handel, Christmas carols, country music for the summer (well, all year round really) Christian contemporary for youth meetings, classical for studying, movie soundtracks for writing, etc. Music is a gift and a blessing.

Day 27- I am thankful for… late nights. Some of my best memories have been made at night: sitting in the boathouse at camp, eating Nutella and talking about Jesus; sitting on a couch, watching movies with my best friends; having dance parties for two; telling secrets under the blankets, etc.

May you all have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

~Abby

November Thankfulness Challenge! Days 19-21

Hello readers! I’m going to do a little plugging and ask that you follow me here & Twitter, share the posts on your Facebook and Google+! You can also add me on Google+ and let me know you found me through the blog! Comments are always welcome… I would love to interact with you and get to know my readers better! It would be a big help to me and hopefully these posts bless you today, and in the future as well!

I promise that’s it. Here are days 19-21 of the November Thankfulness Challenge!

Day 19- I am thankful for… hope. Imagine your life without hope. You would have nothing to push you through bad days… you might as well give up. Hope in Christ saves you from that. You never have to feel that way. You will not want to give up because the hope that we have in Christ gives us that extra shove when we need it and when we do not.

Day 20- I am thankful for… my notebook. It’s spiral-bound with a picture of a girl under a tree and it is perfect for my writing ideas, words I like the sound of, quotes, pictures, and even a sketch or two. But I carry it basically everywhere and I write lists in it, things to look up, and anything other thing. It keeps me organized and sound.

Day 21- I am thankful for… prayer. I can send out a mass text and within 5-15 minutes, people are messaging me, sending love and prayers. I’ll get calls with people praying with me over the phone, asking what they should be doing. It’s just amazing! I don’t know where I would be without this important aspect of my life… lost probably.

Many Blessings!

~Abby

Thankfulness Challenge: Days 9-18.

I'm doing a terrible job at this... it's been a busy couple of days. Here's the next group of days for the November Thankfulness Challenge!

Day 9- I am thankful for... technology! I am thankful for being able to keep in touch with so many people so easily from all over the country, and you, my dear readers! I would not be the person I am today without being able to call or text a friend, view wedding pictures of those I would otherwise be unable to see, send birthday wishes, etc. It can be viewed as a bad thing, but used for the right reasons.

Day 10- I am thankful for... my darling friends... everyone else! I mentioned two on previous days but then I felt bad in case others feel like I'm slighting them. I have several dear friends that I do not speak to everyday, but I am eternally grateful for! There are so many of them that I will not name them, but you know who are. I've known some of them since I was born and others I have just become close with, but I love them all. They encourage me, purposefully or just by their examples, they make me laugh and cry, they are there. I have so many people that I can count on to pray when I need it, be there when I need to cry, etc. I pray for them and thank God that He gave me such a wide circle of friends.

Day 11- I am thankful for... my dogs! I love my babies! They bring such happiness and excitement into our lives. Something as simple as a dog's bark when you walk in the door from a long day at work can flip the whole day around.

Day 12- I am thankful for... laughter. This is something my family and friends do... a lot!!! No matter what I'm feeling like, a quick laugh and the day is a little bit better... and the situation doesn't look as bleak.

Day 13- I am thankful for... the people who protect our country. I have a few friends and family who members have served in the military. People protect our land with their lives and that make me proud to be an American.

Day 14- I am thankful for... solitude. Sometimes being alone is good. Walking through the park with the wind blowing autumn leaves around your legs, thinking, praying, reading, humming, etc. It sounds a bit strange but I like when I can be alone with my thoughts. I also get lots of ideas for my writing!

Day 15- I am thankful for... books! I can't believe this isn't an item on further up on the list! Books have opened a different world for me! I can live in those worlds, those situations, meet those people, be their friends, go to their parties, go on adventures, cry with them and laugh at them. I don't understand people who don't like to read. They must no be doing it correctly! (But I'll leave that for another time.)

Day 16- I am thankful for... my church family. Growing together in Jesus and helping each other along the way.... What else could I add?

Day 17- I am thankful for... food! I love food. I love eating, making it, making it, boiling it, steaming it, frying it, etc. But what I'm more thankful for with this, is the opportunities that go along with... the chance to gather with friends and laugh, talk, and eat! Thanksgiving is coming soon!!!!

Day 18- I am thankful for... traditions! Thanksgiving traditions, Christmas traditions, Easter traditions, birthday traditions, family traditions, friend traditions, etc. Tradition can become just that, but I enjoy them, and I don't tire of them!!!

Okay, that's the next batch. Share below what you're thankful for!

Blessings!
~Abby

November Thankfulness Challenge!

It’s November!

I haven’t posted like I promised. I think I’ll stop promising. But what I will do is a “30 day Thankfulness Challenge!” Many of my friends have been posting this on Facebook but I thought I would do it on my blog. Below are the first 8 days!

Day 1- I am thankful for… my parents. They are wonderful! They are there and can always make me laugh, or at least smile, when I’m having a terrible day. They are a great encouragement by showing excellent examples of their love for each other and their walks with the Lord.

Day 2- I am thankful for… my job. I started at a new job back in June and I absolutely LOVE it! There are days, of course, when it becomes tedious and long but I am enjoying it either way.

Day 3- I am thankful for… beautiful sunshine! This one sounds a bit odd, but there is nothing like waking up all groggy and "blehh" in the morning then turning towards the window and being reminded that sun is shining and Jesus loves me! That’s a big job for some sunshine!

Day 4- I am thankful for… my Savior. His love has become more apparent than ever to me as we have been watching The Bible series in our church on Sunday nights. The mercy and grace of our is just amazing! I can’t believe that He said a sinner, such as me!

Day 5- I am thankful for… my sister, E! She is awesome! Depending on the day, we can fight and be at each others throats or laughing so hard, we are on the floor! She is talented and smart: perfect example, she’s teaching herself guitar and Chinese!

Day 6- I am thankful for… my dear friend Sarah. She has been there for me through thick and thin, especially recently.  (And, I’ve known her since I was a few months old!) I know that she is there to listen, to pray, to encourage, and to “fangirl” over things with me. *wink* She has pushed me back to reading, encouraged me in my writing ventures, and taken me places in NYC that I would probably never have gone to otherwise. Love you, Sarah!

Day 7- I am thankful for… my friend Bethany. We became good friends through a very odd bunch of circumstances a few years back, but it was a friendship worth forging. She introduced me to Starbucks, midnight Skype calls, The Mummy movies, and lots of other things. We don’t talk as much as normal friends do, but let’s face it… our friendship was never “normal” to begin with! Love you, Bethany.

Day 8- I am thankful for… coffee! Another odd choice, I know. Well, there’s a good reason for this one.  Aside from all the awesome caffeine side effects, some of the best conversations I have had have been over a cup of coffee. Whether it’s outside Starbucks, teeth chattering in the middle of January, or inside a kitchen with warm baked goods, it’s afforded a comfortable place to open up.

Okay, I’m all caught up! What are YOU thankful for?

Blessings!

~Abby

An Ephesians 2:19-22 Blessing

Sorry for my absence on here. Last week my grandma was rushed to the hospital for multiple things, so our household was a bit "topsy-turvy" this past week. But thank the Lord, she is at a rehab center slowly improving! But this post isn't about that. This is something I wrote recently and I felt lead to share it with all my readers.

"19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." -Ephesians 2:19-22

You are part of a family & a kingdom. The family of God. Nothing you have done can change that. What really matters is not the choices you've made, but the child of God you are. This song, "You are More", by Tenth Avenue North tells us that our decisions of the past do not define us... we have been forgiven by our Rock, by our Savior. AND, because of that, we are now part of a loving family and we are part of the Lord's kingdom What a wonderful promise this is! 

In the next section,  the Bible tells us that we, the family of God, have a foundation of the prophets, the Bible. We stand firm on the promises of God in the Scripture! The chorus of an old hymn say this: 

      

"Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God!" 

R. Kelso Carter

Another song says this: 

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 

is laid for your faith in his excellent word! 

What more can he say than to you he hath said, 

to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?" 

"K" in Rippon's A Selection of Hymns

Isn't is marvelous that we stand on the promises of our Savior? He is our Rock, our Fortress, our Shepherd, our Lord! He is the cornerstone that we as a family of God, and as individuals, can put our trust and faith in.

The last verse says that we are being built together to be a dwelling place for God. Our bodies are a temple. We as a group are a temple of God. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, it says "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" When we are saved, we are no longer our own. We have the Almighty God living inside us, we belong to Him! 

One last song, I promise: 

"Know ye not, know ye not ye are the temple?

Know ye not, know ye not ye are the temple?

Know ye not, know ye not ye are the temple?

Ye are the temple of the Holy Ghost!"

I don't know where that's from, but I remember singing it in church years ago. What a faithful reminder that we are the temple of God! 

So my main points: 1) We are part of a family and a kingdom. We accept each other, we help each other, we love each other. 2) We are founded on Christ and the promises we find in Scripture. Trust in them. Keep them close to your hearts. 3)We are a temple! We have our Lord living inside us, helping us, loving us, teaching us.

Thank God today! Thank Him for everything that He has done for us! Thank Him for your salvation, for His love, for His promises, and for the family that you are a part of!

A rainbow, one of the promises of God.

I hope that this little thought blessed you as it did me!

Blessings, 

~Abby

God is right here...

Hey!
I haven't posted like I hoped last week! So sorry! Life gets crazy real quick...

Just something quick... I've learned this past week that distance doesn't separate us from God. He's right then when you ask Him. Isn't that awesome? Simple, yet we often find it super hard to understand. Thank God that He is patient with us!

Blessings,
~Abby

Home from Camp!

Greetings! 

I haven't posted in forever... I was a camp!!! I'm finally getting back into my schedule. This last week I had my first full week at my new job. And I was all by myself! The other woman in the office who does kind of the same thing I do was on vacation so I was all alone. And I made it through! God is good.

I just want to share a few thoughts from the time I had at camp. The theme was worship. What a great theme! Our meetings were wonderful. God really came and met us all individually and as a group! I am so thankful for what He did for me personally. I went to camp with a huge burden. I could not seem to get rid of it even though the situation that was connected had disappeared. I tried numerous times on my own, but I needed to truly realize that I couldn't not do it by myself. Letting go of the entire problem, I opened myself and in His mercy, God took it all away! That's one of the lessons I learned while I was up there. We feel like we need to handle it all when in reality, Jesus wants us to open our hearts and give it to Him. Truly give it to Him. Only then can He give us true peace. 



I had a fantastic time! My staff in housekeeping was amazing. Andrea, Sarah, & Kristen all worked hard and we had a good time together. I want to thank God very specifically for Andrea. We roomed together! She, without realizing it half the time, was such a great encouragement to me. Her amazing Christian walk was so obvious to everyone. She blessed me more than she will ever know!

I loved all the staff- we worked together very well and we had a good time too! Love you all!

Left to Right: Kristen, Sarah, Andrea, Abby
Photo By Andrea Dai

 

Blessings,

Abby

 

PS - I will post like normal starting again this week!





Stars

The first full week of March is over and spring is, finally, almost here! We had a snowstorm Thursday night into Friday, but the snow stuck little and by tomorrow it had all melted away.

Tonight, I am thankful for stars. I was outside for a few minutes taking the new puppy, Ebony, out for a quick walk. I looked up and saw a crisp, clear, black sky, sparkiling with stars, scattered like diamonds. It was beautiful! So awe-inspiring. God is so amazing! What looks, at times, like total chaos to us, is completely in order for Him!

What a good reminder that when we feel like the world is falling apart, God has everything in control!

Blessings,

Abby