Christmas is upon us!

Hello all! I don't know about you but I love the Christmas season. Even if Jesus most likely wasn't born around this time of year, it is the one time of the year where a lot of people finally seem get it right, for the most part. People seem to be more proud of their Christian faith than ashamed. People feel outspoken enough to display a lighted nativity scene in their front yards, saying "Look I'm a Christian and I'm proud of it!" They consistently (for like one month at least) listen to music with good lyrics filled with hope and love. Secular music artists find it okay to record full length albums with Christian songs like, O Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, and so on. It's a nice break from the rest of the year when we just seem to lose focus on what's truly important: Jesus Christ and His impact on this world. Now I'm not saying that we should always display a nativity scene or other Christian symbols for all to see or always listen to "Christian" music (after all there are uplifting songs that aren't necessarily "Christian"). Some people would feel threatened by that if it were constant. What I am saying though is that we should take time to enjoy this season because it's a holiday that tends to bring (or attempts at bringing) out more good in people than bad. This season focuses on giving and not indulging. Through our giving we can witness how the Lord blesses it. And how fitting to start out a new year with these blessings. But will you keep them coming? A new year tends to prompt people to evaluate their past year or even perhaps their whole life, and sometimes causes them to realize how they could do it differently and make goals to change certain things.

As for me, I tend to worry. When I worry, I question whether God even understands what's going on. I've been working on this worry thing and this past year has been a lot of laying down my own plans and objectives for what I believe God has in store for me, and then watching Him make it all happen. I am having to continually learn how to stop worrying about things that I know God is going to take care of, and, when I do, He sees that I finally have the faith in Him to make it happen... And He responds. But in order to be in tune with God enough to understand that I have to let go in order for him to intervene, I have to by in rhythm with God. I have to daily be in relationship and in conversation with Him to be in rhythm with Him. The times when I actually find this easiest to do is when times are harder and uncertain: When worry has an opportunity to present itself. It's in those times that I feel that I need God the most, so He gets my attention. When things are "good," I tend to be comfortable with where I'm at and then forget about God and fall out of rhythm with Him. Though I'm better off by a worldly point of view, I'm worse off spiritually, which is far more serious. When I finally come to this realization, God finally gets my attention again... It's this unfortunate game we play with God. He just wants so badly to keep our attention. And that's all He asks of us. If we keep our attention on God, He will see that we are in rhythm enough to notice Him work and, in turn, give Him all the glory for it.

Anyway... that's what's on my mind at this point in time. Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers. Sorry it's been so long since my last blog.

Also: watch this video, it will move you like no other. It is from some youth convention down in Tennessee.

Love,
Phil and Kylee