Faith, Food and Fitness For Real: Christmas Funk, Hope & Family

Christmas Picture 2012

I ain't going to lie, I have been in a little funk the last few weeks. With social media it makes it easy to connect and get to know people that you would not have had an opportunity to in every day living. It is because of this that you become social media friends. You get to know them, their families, their ministries and what makes them....well them.

You open up your heart and they become part of it. Then when tragedy hits them or their family, you wonder how your heart hurts so much for people that you don't even "really" know outside of the social media realm. There were so many times within the last two weeks that I wanted to blog but didn't know where to start. There were times that I went out to shop and stood in the isle and felt guilty trying to decide the perfect present for my boys, when there are 20 families that were picking out caskets for their babies. Newton Mommies, I am praying for you!

This is the first year that I got my husband a Christmas card. Never thought of doing it before, just wasn't the way I was brought up. As I sat in the card isle trying to find that card to let my husband know that I loved him and grateful that we had another Christmas together. I wept.. Thinking of a lady who lost her husband last week and it would be her first without him. Frank Pastore was a instrumental part of my husbands life. Although we never knew his voice on the radio he sparked the urgency of the importance of defending our faith many years ago. Frank Pastore, we will miss your voice on the radio and Gina as a wife I am praying for you!

unfortunately the list went on, from a pastor losing his five year old daughter, to a friend losing two teenage cousins in a car accident. Lusko family and Sandy I am praying for you.

Saturday night, the house was quiet the family was asleep and I sat there staring at gifts that needed to wrap and I asked God why? Lord please show me that there is more than this. Please show me the hope in the brokenness of these people. My heart ached for these many families.

Yesterday I watched Pastor Levi Lusko preach the most powerful message I have ever heard on the power of Jesus. The hope of Jesus, in the midst of his own hurt and brokenness, he proclaimed the good new of God. He reminded me of the Hope we have in Jesus. The reminder that we are simply passing through this earth. We are traveling to the shores of Heaven a place where we will settle and there will be no more hurt or pain. A place where there is perfect peace and a place where we have some waiting to greet us.

We took in our first candle light night service this Christmas. We visited a local church and what I loved is that we sat in the back with just our small family, and didn't know anyone so I felt as though it was just a true intimate time with us and Jesus. As the lights went out and one by one the candles were lit, darkness fell to the power of just one small candle. As one by one, the candle were lit and people proclaimed out loud that "Jesus is light" I found hope. I was reminded that Jesus came to give us life, even in death He gave us life.

This Christmas is quite different, sal lost his nana, I am sure it will be hard today for his family. My grandma is still in rehab trying to get well, and Noah is now under the weather. Despite all the tragedy and losses we have hope in Jesus. Today I celebrate the birth of our Lord, the one who was born to die for our sins. A living sacrifice because He came to pay a debt that I couldn't pay, and a debt that wasn't His. He is the perfect gift and the only one we need! I pray that your Christmas is more than food and the wrapping paper. I pray that is is wrapped with the love, I pray that its about the time spent with family and not the money spent and I pray that you recognize why we celebrate. If Jesus was never born there would be no Christmas!

I'm going to end this blog with a few pictures. I have been blessed to practice my new hobby of photography with some trusting friends. What I love best about photography is the ones in front of the lens! Celebrate family!