Christmas Anticipation

This morning, I can't help but think back to the Christmas that Jesus was born - to what it must have been like. Mary was probably uncomfortable - nearing the end of her pregnancy - there must have been much anticipation for her and Joseph. Today, we are full of anticipation at Christmas too but it's not for the same reason - we worry about what we are cooking, are the presents wrapped, what we will wear to a family outing, excited about seeing cousins and friends we haven't seen in awhile - the kids anticipate opening gifts, seeing their family, etc. We have to wonder - with all this anticipation - how much are we able to think about the power of what happened that first Christmas?

This Christmas, I've spent a lot of my prayer and study time reading the birth of Jesus again, the parables that he spoke while He taught on this Earth, and about his death and resurrection. During my reading, God showed me a scripture passage that I've never read before. When we read about Jesus' birth, we often read what is recorded in the gospels. On several occasions, God led me to Philippians 2:5-7 - "Have that attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and being made in the likeness of men."

You see? This scripture reminds us that Jesus didn't have to come to Earth on that first Christmas. No one forced Him....Jesus CHOSE to come down from his holy heavens to this dirty, sin filled world because of YOU and ME! Jesus CHOSE to come to this Earth to SEEK us and to SAVE us. What an awesome act of love! Without Jesus, we would have been separated from God forever - death was the ultimate end - but Jesus couldn't watch us perish - so He humbled Himself and came to our rescue. Through our belief in Jesus' virgin birth, sinless life, death, and resurrection, we have a HOPE beyond our imagination. And, that brings me back to anticipation....

On this Christmas Eve, I am so thankful that my savior CHOSE me - and today, Christmas, and everyday throughout the year, I anticipate and look forward to the awesome works Jesus' IS still doing today through His Power and Spirit in the body of Christ! The gift of abundant life that Jesus wants to give each of us is available everyday when we seek a personal relationship with Him - and it all began on that first Christmas! What a time to celebrate!

Toddy 

The Light in Our Life Turns 4!

Did you know that December 21st is the darkest day of the year?  It's the first day of winter and the sun is out less hours than any other day of the year.  Well, on this date, 4 years ago, God gave us some extra light on this dark day - at 11:21am on a Monday, Luke Shelton Bumgarner, entered this world. Not by coincidence, the name Luke means "light" and boy, oh boy, he lives up to this name - brightening our lives everyday.

Yes, Luke is stubborn, he's VERY energetic and has his moody moments, but catch him at the right time and he will use that energy to snuggle with you so hard that he shakes and sometimes he will plop himself right on your lap.

As his Mommy, there are so many things I could say that I love about him, here are my top 10 favorites...

(1) I love how he hums rescue songs as he plays around the house.
(2) I love how he so carefully mows the yard on his big green lawn mower - always trying to get every spot.
(3) I love how he wraps his arms around me at night when we lay down for bed or how he tells me that he wants to hold "the mommy arm" and he grabs my arm and hugs it until he falls asleep.
(4) I love how he adores his baby sister and tells everyone that she is "my baby."
(5) I love his big blue eyes and long eyelashes!  They are so bright when he gets an idea about how he wants to reenact a story he read or TV show he watched. His imagination is unbelievable!
(6) I love how he wants me to build all of the characters from books and shows using Legos and then he hugs on these characters and takes care of them like they are real.
(7) I love his sense of humor.  He will make funny noises or make up silly words then laugh at himself until we are both laughing together!  His laugh is so contagious! Speaking of his laugh - anytime I want to hear it, I can just tickle his little belly and he laughs and laughs!
(8) I love how he wants to pillow fight or wrestle on the big bed or sometimes he wants me to build him a pillow house or fly him like an airplane on my legs.
(9) I love how he enjoys visiting his granny at the nursing home so he can work the big puzzle, see the fireplace, and look at the fish pond.  He lights up the eyes of the elderly patients as he walks (or runs) down the halls with a huge grin on his face.
(10) I love that he is a Mommy's boy. He loves to be with me.  Even when we are at home, he wants to always be in the same room with me. He loves to go on dates with me and he makes our days together so much fun! Our Luke and Mommy dates will always be a highlight of his childhood.

I really could go on and on....this little boy is such a joy!

Today and everyday, I pray that Luke will fulfill his purpose that God placed in him 4 years ago.  Each piece of his personality was designed by God to be used for His Kingdom...so, may our precious Luke choose to follow the ultimate light - Jesus.  May Luke develop a personal relationship with His Savior at a young age - always trusting in Jesus and always being led by the Spirit listening to his Heavenly Father and seeking God's desire for him.

We thank Jesus for brightening our lives with Luke Shelton 4 years ago. Now, off to celebrate...

Toddy

The closest MODEL of Jesus

For the past few days, I've had something on my heart and mind that I cannot get released from, so, in obedience to my Heavenly Father, here it goes....

As a mom who is very grateful to my savior, Jesus, for saving me and as a child of God who genuinely desires to be fruitful in the Kingdom of God, I constantly pray that my fruitfulness will begin in my own household....I pray daily that my children will come to know Jesus as their PERSONAL savior at a young age, that they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and that they, too, will be fruitful in the Kingdom of God. I talk to God about my role as a mother and a wife daily and just as He promises in His Word, He talks back to me, helps me, encourages me, and yes, corrects me in His loving way daily!

So, on Sunday, when our sweet baby Kate was being dedicated back to God, Landis and I thrived on every Word being spoken over her. It was a very emotional morning for both of us.  We view a baby dedication as much more than a "religious" ritual that you do because you are "suppose to" - we KNOW that our Kate is a gift to us - but, ultimately, she is God's child and He expects us to equip her with His Word and His Spirit so she can accomplish what He has planned for her in the Kingdom of God. As we expected, God has big plans for Kate in His Kingdom - she already has the hand of the Lord upon her.  (Even her name, which I will write about one day, has a meaning that corresponds with the Word of God and was spoken to me before she was conceived.) Landis and I have a huge responsibility - we have promised God that we would raise both of our children under His Word and that takes diligence and, most importantly....it takes parents that love Jesus and serve Jesus whole heartedly THEMSELVES and out of abundance of their hearts comes the Word and Spirit in their household.  And....this is why I'm writing today....

Our pastor said this when dedicating Kate (and he also said it 3 years ago when we dedicated Luke)...the closest MODEL of Jesus that our children see is his/her parents. Wow!  If I want my children to KNOW Jesus as their personal savior, it starts with ME....I have to MODEL the character of Jesus and show my children the personal relationship that I have with Jesus....I have to abide in Him, daily, minute by minute with every situation I am faced with - whether that be with other people or with my children.  You see kids watch and listen to everything that we do as parents - EVERYTHING (even when we don't know they are paying any attention).  So, when they watch and listen, who are they seeing???

I now understand that they should be seeing Jesus and the only way that will happen is if I seek Him - daily, diligently, constantly, and whole-heartedly.  I now understand that exposing my children to the Word of God and the Spirit of God is more than just teaching them a scripture or two or more than sending them to Sunday School.  Exposing my children to the Word and Spirit requires that I show them Jesus in everything that I do - how I treat people, how I respond to negative circumstances, how I discipline them, and most importantly, how I LOVE them.  Y'all by writing this, I'm not claiming to have this mastered....I am FAR from it and I am so thankful that I have a patient savior who extends His grace to me and helps me each day.  The bottom line is this....in order for me to show my children Jesus, I have to KNOW Him personally and abide in Him myself...it all starts with ME and my relationship with my beautiful savior and I have to make HIM my number one priority and the rest will come in alignment.  

Not ironically, a great friend of mine and a sister in Jesus wrote a beautiful blog about this same topic just last week....she is a wonderful, Jesus loving, mother of three children....I LOVE her heart.  Her words (inspired by the Holy Spirit) are worth any mother's time to read...please check out her blog at
http://www.lindseybroere.com/uncategorized/first/ 

(I love you, Lindsey, and cannot wait to see you soon!)

Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this today!

Toddy