We're so grateful that the Lord allowed us to share 2009 with each one of you.
We love y'all!
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1
music: "Your Word Is Life" - Travis Cottrell
Yesterday I went shopping because, HOORAY AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES, and while I was out I bought a new calendar for 2010. For the last few months I thought this might be the year that I decide to go all electronic and high-tech with my daily planner, but then I remembered a little quirk I have about forgetting to check any calendar that isn't out in plain sight.
It doesn't matter that it's on my phone and my computer. If I haven't written it down with actual pen or pencil, then the event doesn't exist in my mind.
Plus a new blank calendar just waiting to be written in makes me so happy. It doesn't take much, honestly.
So I started to merrily write a few items down for 2010 and made a little trip over to the LifeWay Womens' Events page to see all the big happenings that are coming up in the next 12 months. And, let me tell you, there is A LOT planned for 2010.
In fact, I made several notes on my calendar about possible travel dates. I don't know if I'll actually be able to attend everything I marked, but a girl with a new calendar is a girl with a dream.
Anyway, you can click over to the Events page to see what's going to be near you this year. It's going to be a good one!
A couple of days ago I had a discussion about marriage with a friend of mine. Anyone who's been married longer than, oh, A WEEK knows that marriage is filled with mountains and valleys. I really do think that knowing how to navigate the valleys - and recognizing that they're temporary - is probably the toughest part of the whole deal.
(Another key bit-o-marriage-knowledge? Realizing that everybody - EVERYBODY - walks through those valleys in their marriages. People who say that they don't are clearly in deep denial.)
(Or perhaps they're robots.)
Anyway, tonight I was looking back through some pictures and videos from Deeper Still Oklahoma City, and I found this little video treasure. There is some SERIOUS wisdom from Beth and Kay - and no matter how long you've been married, you'll be so encouraged by watching what these ladies have to say.
Deeper Still Panel - Marriage from Kris Seidenkranz on Vimeo.
Have a great week, y'all!
A few years ago my church's communication ministry put together a funny video about Christmas, and on a day like today - when most of the major roads are more like parking lots, when we're confronted at every turn with ads that try to convince us that spending more money is the key to holiday happiness, when mamas and daddies are a little stressed out because THE YOUNG'UNS, THEY ARE CUCKOO - well, the video is a mighty fine dose of perspective.
Let's make sure we don't miss Him.
Merry Christmas, y'all.
Merry Christmas to all of our LifeWay women gals out there. I don't want to NOT spread Christmas cheer but I also want to take a moment to acknowledge those who have someone who is missing in their Christmas picture this year. I'm one of those people.
Two of my dear co-workers at LifeWay just lost a parent very near to Christmas. To one friend, one day she was planning Christmas festivities and the next day she was planning her beloved Mother's funeral.
I lost my funny and wonderful earthly father 13 years ago next month. Some holidays are easier than others. This turns out to be one of the harder ones and I don't know why. He is supposed to be in that family photo. But he is not. BUT joy of joys, I'll see him again. Sorry, I don't mean this to be a downer. But maybe its just a reminder to be sensitive to what others around me (and us) are going through.
Its okay to miss people this time of year. I'm one of the cheeriest people I know and God has allowed me to have a more tender heart this Christmas. Christmas just intensifies everything more. Happier, sadder, fuller, emptier, surrounded, yet lonely. Sometimes I think that's God going...'Hey, I'm over here...this is really the way it is!!'
He came, Jesus came to this earth for a hard journey, but He persevered and in the end, He won. It was a hard road but it was a good road. It may the only piece of good news around us this Christmas. But it is the BEST news there is.
So, are you missing someone special this Christmas? if you are, we want to pray for you, tell us about them.
We'll post something cheerier in the days ahead. I promise. We do have much to celebrate in Christ.
We love and miss you!
Paige and LIfeWay women!
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