hailey's Christ-mas adventures!

Every December I start out saying that I'm not going to be busy and this is going to be the year that I don't have a lot going and I'm going to have plenty of time to relax and just enjoy the season! I know you're probably all laughing, right now, but in my defense it seems like at the beginning of each December I don't have much planned!! :) But, regardless of what I originally think, my December fills up quickly and before I know it it's off and running and getting close to Christmas! And, this year has been no exception. Hailey and I have been pretty busy the last week- running here and there- getting last minute Christmas stuff, going to cookie exchanges, getting together with friends before we get "too busy", and doing all the necessary home stuff, like wrapping presents, cooking, baking, and decorating! Not that all of that isn't fun, but Christmas isn't even here yet and I'm exhausted!! I definitely need to take a break this coming week...ok, so that probably won't happen, but I am going to take a few minutes out of my busyness to sit and just ponder Christmas, instead of all the rush, rush rushing!
So, here's what Christmas means to me, in the busyness of last week! :)

Christmas means looking to Jesus to help us and realizing that He is the only One that had the capability to save the world! Hailey helped me out with this by getting stuck between the two chairs while she was trying to get to the books...there was no way she was going to get out of this mess unless I picked her up and helped her out! :) A lot of the time I like to think that I can do it on my own and fix all of my own problems, but that isn't true--and, it's especially not true about Korey and his job- I need to stop try so hard to fix it or to plan for "whatever" and just trust that whatever does happen is God's best for our lives!
Christmas also means using the abilities and "things" that God has given us for a good purpose- their right purpose! Hailey was chewing on my makeup- a purpose it wasn't supposed to be used for, and she splattered it all over herself! And, I do the same thing...I do have a lot of gifts and abilities that God has blessed me with, but unless I use them for the right things- for His things- they will eventually blow up in my face! :)

Being in the right place helps! Hailey had been having a hard time pooping, until she decided to scoot down the hallway and read Daddy's magazines in the bathroom...then, she was able to let it all out!! ;) (can you see her poop face?) And, I think that I struggle with that, too...I want to have a right and good relationship with the Lord, but I'm generally in the wrong place- I'm focusing too much on what I need to do or my heart isn't right, but when I get myself back to the place of sitting and taking time to read my Bible or quieting my heart before the sermon at church, then God can talk to me and touch my heart in a way that wouldn't be possible my heart was in the wrong place.

It's all about what we're feeding ourselves!
If I give myself a steady diet of busyness and living to please others- or of junky movies or tv shows, that's what's going to show up in my life. But, if I give myself a steady diet of the Word of God and good godly fellowship, that is what will show up! :)

Sometimes you just need to take some time out and find the good in a situation- even when it's not necessarily what we want! Hailey hates being on her belly, but lately she's been finding out that she can be content and happy playing on her belly- plus, she's learning how to pull herself along a little bit! And, that's what I need to do. I tend to just focus on the bad things of any given situation and I was really convicted by a friend who told me that I could find something good about Korey "potentially" loosing his job, if I wanted to! That's what I need to remember to focus on, instead of what I wouldn't like! It's all about the outlook and I need to remember that this Christmas!