He gives strength to the weak

When I got home I flopped down on the bed, unsure of what to do. I had just dropped off my sister at piano lessons, and I wasn't feeling great. Lack of sleep seemed to have finally caught up with me, and now I ached all over, had a cough, was freezing cold, and felt like I could wrap up in a blanket and fall asleep right then and there. I would have sent someone else to pick her up, but the only problem was that the rest of the family was gone for the day. So I started to pray. I needed strength to walk back out the door. I needed peace. I needed faith that God would provide.

And you know what? He is faithful.

Up until the minute I walked back out the door, I still felt pretty bad. And then the verse came to mind, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ALL things. Last time I checked, "all things" included climbing into the pick-up and driving into town. I kept repeating that to myself, praying that God would give me that strength. Because right now, I really needed it.

It didn't come down in a flash of lightning. It didn't come like a supernatural zap pumping me up with power. But it came. On the drive there God brought to mind verses on strength and peace...how perfect that those were the exact same things I had prayed for.

Right now I'm sitting at the dining room table and eating a piece of toast...something I couldn't do an hour ago. Praise the Lord - all that is left is a tiny headache. Now, some may laugh and say it was coincidence, but I'm going to stand firm and say it was God. Because my God is an AWESOME God. He gives strength to the weak. And I'm not saying it just to say it...I'm saying it because I believe it.

Christmastime visits once again

I could describe to you the sound of Christmas music dancing through the house, or the lively chatter of our family as we dusted off the boxes of Christmas decorations that had been tucked away in the attic for nearly a year. I could tell you about all the scrumptious food laid out on the table, or about my little sister tenderly setting up a nativity scene. I could, but every so often it's okay to forgo the words and simply let the pictures speak for themselves.

So here's my basically wordless post of the day we set up our Christmas tree.
What is your favorite thing about the Christmas season?