25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 25

I pray that each and every one of you had a safe and happy Christmas. That you were able to be with your loved ones, even if just in spirit. That you had a moment where you were overwhelmed with a sense of being blessed, knowing that God sent his son to earth this day to be born in a manger for you, in a simple and humble manner so that we would know that his love was not just for the wealthy or the elite, but for each and every one of us. Wherever we are, wherever we've been, wherever we are going, he knew it all before we ever did, and he still chose us. That is the greatest blessing of all and my prayer is that you know it for yourself.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 24

Randy and I slept until 11 am Mountain time today. After a full day with the kids followed by a 12-hour road trip, we were ready for a long winters nap.

My prayer today is that everyone would find time to take a real rest. To hibernate as nature intended. To savor the season that wants us to slow down, and enjoy every moment. To recognize that you can still enjoy a moment that you are sleeping through.

With love from snowy Idaho!

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 23

As we were leaving for our road trip to Idaho today, Randy asked me: "What do we want from this trip?"

He has been asking me some variation of this question ever since we met: what is a word/thought/hope/prayer for today?

I love this question because it speaks to the truth that, while we can't always control what happens during the day, we can choose how we are going to respond to what happens during our day.

We can decide in advance that we are going to be commpassionate, patient, appreciative, annoyed, frustrated... we can decide in advance that even though everything won't be perfect we will see it as such because we'll be together.

So whether you are taking a road trip for Christmas or cramming into a house full of in laws, choose now what your attitude will be for the day.

25 Days of Christmas, Day 22

We just had the most wonderful Christmas celebration at our house!

Randy and I have had such a crazy busy month, from my 15 writing deadlines and his 15 holiday parties to cater, we've hardly had time to think about Christmas, let alone put gifts under the tree. But we wanted to have all the kids and grandkids over to our house before our Christmas road trip and today was the day we decided on.

You should have seen us this morning! Him running one way, me running the other, and eventually us running together. From wrapping gifts for each other to take with us when we leave town tomorrow, to wrapping presents for the grandkids, to filling pantyhose full of practical gifts for his kids (everything from toiletries to their favorite snacks -- I love this tradition of his!), to filling the kitchen with clam chowder and bread bowls, chili, spinach dip, cookies, cookies, and more cookies!

But the most wonderful thing happened. As soon as all the kids walked into the house, we sat down and all the fussing stopped. It didn't matter that there was still a list a mile long that didn't get completed. None of that was as important as the people who filled the room.

We ate, we played games, we strung popcorn and cranberries on the tree, we walked the dogs, we watched a movie while eating (again!) and playing more games, we opened presents, we talked, we laughed, we popped crackers, and we sent the kids all home with leftovers. And the only complaint was that we couldn't squeeze in even more!

My prayer is that each one of you will be able to "stop" once your family is all together for the holidays. Stop worrying. Stop running. Stop wrapping. Stop cooking. Stop cleaning. Stop checking your phone. Stop everything and focus on the people in front of you. Because they are truly what make the holidays so blessed!

(We were so focused on enjoying one another today that we didn't even get a photo of the whole family. Maybe next year!)

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 21

Randy and I went to our church's Christmas program tonight. Between the earth harp, the star made out of drum heads, the sermon, the decorations and the seating arrangements, a TON of work went into making tonight happen.

My prayer is for all the churches, all the pastors, all the choirs and pageant participants and volunteers who have Christmas programs yet this week, that they would feel the presence of God in all their hard work and know that it is appreciated by all who come to celebrate the birth of our Lord.

#GetDateBox

Many people wish that they had a dramatic love story, a fairy tale romance, an epic beginning that sparked their happily ever after. But I have to tell you, it is a lot of pressure to maintain.

Randy and I met on the streets of France and spent our "first date" hiking the Pyrenees Mountains. And our next 34 dates walking across Spain. Each date entailed new restaurants, new foods, new scenery, new towns, new friends, new hostels and hotels, new adventures, and new conversations as we embarked on an unexpected journey to falling in love.

We wouldn't change a thing about it. Not one single thing.

But we've discovered that it is hard to live up to the standards of our initial dating life. How do you plan a date as exciting as the one in which we walked to a fountain that not only gave out water, but also wine? How do you measure up to seeing the arena in Pamplona where every year there is a running of the bulls? How do we date in "real life" when we're used to cathedrals and tapas and daily travels to unexplored lands?

As we found ourselves wrestling with these questions, along came DateBox! DateBox is a subscription service in which you sign up for one, three, or six months, and each month a box is delivered to you with everything you need for your date. Some couples have struggled with the idea because you aren't told in advance what is going to be in your box when it arrives. But that is half the fun for Randy and me. It reminds us of our beginnings, when we never knew what the day was going to hold. AND, more importantly, it reminds us that what is in the box isn't nearly as important as the fact that we are getting to spend some quality time together.

Our first box contained a gourmet meal. Even though Randy is a chef, it wasn't anything we had ever made in our home. We also never cook together, so that was something new (okay, I read the directions and he did the cooking, but we still did it together!).

Our second box contained a kit for making a gingerbread house. While this might be something we would think about doing with the kids and grandkids, we would never have thought to build one just the two of us. We're more the "lets go outside" type than the "lets get creative" type. But this was so much fun! We found ourselves working side by side, encouraging one another, and getting excited over each others creative ideas. Randy loved my Christmas lights adorning the eves of our house and I loved his icicles and his marshmallow roof!

Both of these dates were obviously designed to make us work together and presented opportunities for communication, both key in making a relationship work. We were also able to focus on the excitement of having a date together, rather than the pressure of coming up with a creative new idea on our own. And having this date right before the holidays was especially wonderful. We've been so busy that I know we wouldn't have made time for a date right before we go away to spend Christmas with the family!

We're looking forward to our next DateBox, which an insider's tip tells us is a group date (who wants to come?!)!


As we continue our theme of the "25 Prayers of Christmas," my prayer is that couples everywhere would be less focused on the "what" -- what do I buy, what do we do, what do I say -- and more focused on the "who" -- who has God blessed me with, who do I get to spend my time with, who can I love in this moment regardless of what is inside that box.


Interested in DateBox? Visit GetDateBox.com. I'll warn you: there is more information about this service on this blog page than you will find on the website. But remember, that is half the fun!

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 19

Today the woman in line ahead of me at Starbucks paid for my drink. I could tell from her exchange with the woman at the drive-thru window that the car in front of her, and maybe even the car before that, had started the act of generosity and she was continuing it.

There is something about the holidays that almost makes you expect such acts of kindness, because people are simply in the mood for giving.

But there is a difference between the kind of giving that the woman who bought my drink showed, and the type of giving that the person who bought the first drink showed.

The woman ahead of me was prepared to buy her own drink. But when she discovered that the car ahead of her had paid for her drink, she made the impulse decision to pay for my drink. So her decision was based on an opportunity presenting itself to her.

The person who bought the first drink, however, didn't wait for an opportunity to present itself. That person created an opportunity.

Both acts were equally kind and equally generous. But the first act was intentional.

I'm reading John Maxwell's book "Intentional Living" right now, and he points out this difference. He says that we applaud one another for "random acts of kindness," but random acts rely on emotions and circumstances. We give when we feel like it, when someone plays on our emotions, or when we are face to face with a need. We can choose, however, to be intentionally kind, to look for and create opportunities to be generous and loving.

If you are like me, you are sometimes intentional but more often emotional. My prayer is that we --that is, me -- would be more intentional with our love and generosity this Christmas, not waiting for someone to earn our love or gifts, not waiting on someone to step in front of our path with their hand outstretched, but deciding in advance to live and love and look for opportunities to do so.

Interested in living more intentionally? Be part of John Maxwell's 7-day experiment toward intentional living. It's completely free and you can do it at your own pace. It might be just what you are looking for to start the New Year off right! http://intentionalliving.johnmaxwell.com/7-day-experiment

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 18

Del Oro won the state championship high school football game! We are so proud of our local team. While receiving the championship plaque, Coach Casey was asked, "When your team was 2-8, did you ever think you would find yourself winning the state?"

"Absolutely," he said. "I told the boys we could still win state if we just went out and won, one week at a time."

Del Oro overcame 8 elimination games and tonight claimed the state title. An incredible testimony of perseverance.

My prayer this Christmas is for all the people out there who feel like giving up, who feel like they have made too many mistakes, who feel like a 2-8 record means they have already lost, who feel like their marriage is too far gone or they will never get the job or the child they are praying for, who feel like being sick is simply who they are, who think they will always be alone or sad or angry. I pray that this Christmas God will restore their faith, that they will choose to see that they can still win, that their prayers can still be answered, one week at a time, and that they will come out on the other side as champions!

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 17

Who knew we would still be watching high school football this late in the year! Our local high school football team, the Del Oro Golden Eagles, is headed to the State Championship playoff game tomorrow afternoon. We'll be at Sacramento State to watch them play, but Randy wanted to do something special for the team. So he made them all dinner last night after practice -- steak and pasta and mashed potatoes for 75 boys. It was a treat to watch!

Randy made plenty of food, and insisted that the coaches take home the leftovers to their families. Coach Casey said, you just get in a rhythm of practicing every night and playing every week and you don't even realize how much time has gone by. "I wrote a check the other day and I had no idea we were halfway through December!"

Today my prayer is for the wives and kids of those coaches. The sacrifice they make during the regular season is great, but for those teams who do well the sacrifice is even greater. And for the dedicated parents who were all sitting in their minivans in the parking lot last night waiting to take their kids home at 7 pm. May God continue to give you the strength to love and support your kids and coaches during these long days, may you find moments of quality time even in the midst of your chaotic schedules, and may your Christmas be especially blessed this year.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 16

Everywhere I have ever lived or traveled to at Christmas time there has been a community or neighborhood known for its Christmas displays. For the second year in a row, Randy and I have visited one of those neighborhoods near us.

It is awesome to see families set up in their driveways around fire pits, families walking the sidewalks admiring the cutouts and lights and animation, and families driving with their lights off and Christmas music on the radio. Regardless of whether you are walking or driving or sitting, everyone is amazed at the lights.

My prayer this Christmas is that we would remember that we are called to be a light to the world. That in a time of darkness, we can choose joy and wonder and peace and love to light up the world around us. Not just at Christmas time. Not just if we live in the "right" neighborhood or go to the "right" church. But wherever we are, whoever we are, we can amaze people, put smiles on faces, and bring people together in a spirit of community.


Find a Christmas light display near you: http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/xmas-displays

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 15

I absolutely love the week before Christmas. Every day promises a new picture, card or letter in the mail. It is wonderful to see familiar faces, kids growing up, stories of the year's adventures, and hopes for the new year. I also see this as an opportunity to pray for those closest to our hearts. As we look at the photos and cards from our loved ones over the course of the next 10 days, we can take the time, right there in that moment as we hold their faces in our hands, to remember them by name in our prayers.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 14

The other night I had a dream about a friend of mine who died this year, much too young. It has been a few years since I've seen him. He was only 19 then.

In my dream I am hanging ornaments on a tree. He is there and we are admiring the brightest, shiniest ornament. I am hanging it for him, in his honor, his memory. Because it reminds me of his personality. Bright, shiny, alive with wonder.

My prayer this Christmas is that we would find a way to honor, to remember, all the loved ones we have lost this year, in a meaningful way. Maybe it is with an ornament that reminds us of them. A donation to an organization that fights against the disease they died from. Or simply speaking their names, in our Christmas cards, our conversations or our prayers around the Christmas dinner table.

While Christmas seems like it should be the happiest time of year, for some it is the hardest. But perhaps finding a way to honor the ones we are missing will help us channel a bit of the heartache.

These are for you Corey. XOXO

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 13

I was looking at my Facebook page yesterday and I thought, "Man, that guy is hot!" Then I realized I was looking at my profile picture and that hot guy was my husband! How lucky am I!

I love being in the "newlywed" stage of our relationship. I love when Randy comes home grinning and says, "I just remembered we're married!" But I love even more when I see couples who have been together for 10 or more years (instead of weeks like us!) and the man still refers to his wife as his "bride" and the wife still refers to her man as "still gives me goosebumps after all these years." Those are the moments I want to make sure we have in our future.

But all too often you see relationships in which the couple has stopped fanning that flame, they have let the spark fade. And I think the same can be true of our relationship with Christmas. We no longer get goosebumps when we think about Christmas morning. We think of it as being "just for the kids." We've lost sight of the magic, the sizzle, the wonder.

Jesus, help us rediscover the "wonder" of Christmas this year.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 12

God, we know that we aren't supposed to care what other people think.

The fact that YOU think we are the most important thing, that YOU would drop everything to be with us, is supposed to be enough. Is supposed to be the only thing that matters.

But let's be real.

It hurts to feel like we aren't a priority.

So, even as we seek to be slow to offend, comfort us when the words and actions of others hurt.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 11

My Grandma Audrey once gave me a bookmark with the Prayer of Saint Francis on it, written in French:

Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de votre paix.Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour.Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon...

As I never took French, she wrote out the translation for me:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.

What a beautiful prayer. And though my grandmother died 15 years ago, I still think about her, the books she gave me, the games we played, and this bookmark prayer.

I've been thinking about that prayer especially of late, considering all the violence in our world. Namely the shootings in San Bernadino here in California last week. I think about the little girl, the 6 month old daughter that the couple who did the killings left behind. I think about what a tragic beginning this is for her, that she too is an innocent victim. And I wonder, what if we channeled all of our hatred toward the parents, into love for their child. What if instead of a life of despair, we made sure that she grew up in a world of hope. Imagine, that we have the power to turn her darkness into light, her sadness into joy.

What if, in all things, we carried this prayer with us. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace...

Where there is darkness, let me be light...

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 10

On days and weeks and months when we don't know how we'll ever get everything on our lists accomplished and still have time for all the most important things -- you and family and dinner and friends -- thank you Jesus for stretching us and expanding our capabilities. If you have inspired us to say yes to it, then you will make a way for it. Thank you for enabling us to do far more than we could ever do on our own, and for giving us the peace to have lives of abundance. Amen!

I'm convinced God added an extra day this week so we'd have time to go get a Christmas tree!

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 9

When you are a kid you will dream up all kinds of ways to get attention.

Any time one of my classmates would show up to school with an injury -- a broken bone, a black eye, stitches -- I can remember wishing it was me. That I was the one with a broken leg, the one who needed someone to carry my books, help me to recess, that I was the one wearing the cast that everyone wanted to sign.

I wasn't going to go out and purposely break my leg, however, so when time passed without any broken bones I had to come up with other ways of getting attention -- talking a lot, getting good grades, flirting with boys.

Fast forward to the year I turned 30 and I find myself with a broken rib and a sprained ankle after a 4-wheeling accident. I wasn't looking for attention at this point, just trying to have a good time with family and friends. But a couple of months after the accident I was still having issues, so I went to the hospital for a full body scan. They told me my rib had healed perfectly, and the lower body pain was not from the accident but due to arthritis, a result of the leg I broke as a child.

"I never broke my leg," I told the technician.

"The scans don't lie," she said.

Funny. All that time I thought my prayers had gone unanswered. But somewhere along the way I had gotten exactly what I'd wished for. I just hadn't looked deep enough to see it.

I wonder how often our prayers get answered and, for whatever reason, we don't realize it. Maybe they don't get answered the way we want them to, or in our timing. Maybe we're too busy to see what God has done and is doing in our lives.

Whatever we are praying for this Christmas -- reconciliation, joy, love, new life, work opportunities, good health -- may we take the time to slow down, to recognize God at work, and to believe that He always answers our prayers.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 8

When you are a kid you don't realize that there are different ways to "do" Christmas. It's not until you get older and spend time with friends or in-laws or coworkers that you experience "other" traditions.

For example, in my family we always opened gifts one at a time. It took all day! And everyone watched you open your gifts. I love this tradition. It shows the importance of each and every gift. And each and every giver.

I think it also helped us become gracious receivers. When all eyes are on you, you have to be excited for every gift. We were never told to "fake it" if we got something we didn't like. We learned how to genuinely love each and every gift because of the time, the thought, the money, the sacrifice, and the heart behind the gift.

It seems only natural that as I got older I would come to love giving gifts as much as receiving them. Being creative and thinking about what would bring joy to someone's heart, and then seeing that joy on that someone else's face as they unwrap what you put thought and time and energy and money and heart into was the greatest reward. Whether a poem I wrote for my grandfather or a music box my brothers and I pitched in to buy for our mother, every gift was received as the greatest gift.

As I got older and experienced other traditions -- like those who open all gifts all at once and Christmas is over in 15 minutes -- I also encountered people who are less than gracious receivers. And I'll admit, it has rubbed off on me at times. Instead of being thankful for those pajama pants, I wondered: did you put any thought into this at all, or were they just on sale on Black Friday? Instead of feeling delightfully spoiled by a pair of diamond earrings, I wondered: how long will it take you to pay off our joint credit card bill?

It also makes buying gifts less fun, when excitement over buying thoughtful gifts turns into worry that they won't be well received. The kid who you can never seem to buy the right color gift for; the adult who claims they will love anything but whose face on Christmas morning always says otherwise.

My prayer this Christmas is that we would all be gracious receivers, that our first reaction would always be delight, regardless of whether or not anyone is watching.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 7

I'm thinking today about all the people who will be spending Christmas alone.

I don't know what prayer to pray for them. Whether I should pray that someone would come into their lives between now and December 25, or that your presence alone would be enough God, or that they would receive an unexpected gift or card to brighten their holiday. Perhaps I should pray "why?" or "that sucks" or "you better make this up to them on their birthday."

Sometimes we don't know what to pray. But thank you God, that you still hear.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 6

This is the first picture Randy ever took of me. It obviously wasn't intentional. I'm just a speck of green next to the stop sign. We didn't even know each other then. He simply had his camera posed to take a shot and I happened to walk around the corner and right into his view.

Neither of us would have guessed that this moment would change our lives. But here we are, 21 months to the day later. Living happily ever after.

God, we always look for you in the big moments, the grand gestures, the most obvious and astonishing ways. But today I'm reminded that you are working even when we don't see it, in the tiniest moments, on days that seem so completely ordinary.

Sometimes we can look back and pinpoint the beginning of these life altering events, a choice or an encounter that changed the course of our steps. But you were working even before then.

I know some of the work but I can't even imagine all of the work you did in Randy's life to make sure he was there on that street at that exact moment. I know some of the work but can't imagine all of the work you did in my life to make sure I was there too.

My prayer today is particularly for those people who can't see what you are doing, Lord. Who have a hard time imagining their dreams will ever come true. Help them to trust that you are working, in big and small ways, and that your dreams will not only answer, but exceed all of theirs.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 5

My computer was out of commission for the last 4 hours. With deadlines looming and a to-do list that all involved being online, this was not part of the plan.

Even after yesterday's prayer to not make mountains out of molehills, this initially seemed like the worst possible thing that could happen.

But then I remembered what it was like working in an office in Indiana during the winter. It seemed like we always lost our electricity at the most inconvenient of times. What do you do in an office without a computer? You clean, you organize, you go out with your girlfriends to get mani-pedis. And somehow, hours or days later when the electricity comes back on, you find yourself more relaxed, more focused, more able to conquer the tasks at hand.

So, instead of stressing away the day, I took the dogs for a walk, made myself a nice lunch, organized the kitchen cabinets, and watched a Hallmark movie. And now I'm coming back to my desk with not only a clean computer, but a mind clear of the clutter and stress that occupied it earlier this morning. And the inspiration for today's blog post. :)

Thank you Jesus for the reminder that every interruption is an opportunity.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 4

It's so easy for us to exaggerate and dramatize every little disaster in our lives. It's like we never grew out of those tantrums we threw as three-year-olds.

• The batteries ran out in my wireless keyboard and we don't have any double As in the house. Now I have to go the store. I'll NEVER get my work done.
• I planned the perfect dinner for my spouse but I forgot to buy tomatoes. Dinner is RUINED. 
• EVERYONE is out enjoying the beautiful weather today but I'm ALWAYS stuck inside with the laundry. 

Today, let us pray that we would keep things in their proper perspective. One mistake, one inconvenience, one setback, is NOT the end of the world!

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 3

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

In these troubling times, when violence, tragedy and disaster seem all too common, Lord I pray that we would not become complacent or desensitized to these events. And yet, even as we recognize the severity of the troubles of this world, I am grateful that our trust is in you, the Prince of Peace.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 2

My prayer today is that we would remember this simple truth: people are important.

I have a ton of work on my plate right now, and I'm adding more daily. Yet I took the time to call my parents first thing this morning. Because they are important.

Randy does 99.99% of the cooking in our house. Today he began his busy season, catering holiday parties. So I had dinner in the crock pot when he came home, to give him a break from having to feed us. Nothing fancy, just something to show him I appreciate how hard he works to take care of our family. And that he is important.

Tomorrow I am taking my mother-in-law to the doctor because I don't want her to have to go alone. I want her to know that she is important.

I love to text my sister-in-law Jenn. She always replies, she always gets where I'm coming from, and she has a huge heart for her family and friends. She makes me feel important.

Christmas is that time of year when we get to focus on the things most important to us: family, friends, the birth of our Savior. And yet we can get so busy in the month of December that we might just find ourselves neglecting those things all month long, relegating the celebration to just a few hours on the 25th, justifying our negligence by saying that all the work, all the shopping, all the running around is necessary in order to make those few hours together perfect. But if we truly believe that people are important, we have to show it with our actions for more than just a few moments on a special day.

Father, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, give us creative minds this December, help us see how we can show the people in our lives that they are important.

25 Prayers of Christmas, Day 1

On my Facebook page, I participated in the "30 Days of Thankfulness" throughout the month of November. Once you get in the routine of being thankful daily, and sharing that, it can seem very abrupt to simply end on December 1. Suddenly caught up in all the hype of lights and gifts and elves on shelves and snow.

So instead of simply ending, my plan is to transition into what I'm calling the "25 Prayers of Christmas," leading up to Christmas Day. This is also a great excuse to get back to blogging regularly, to serving God and you in this way, and to share what is on my heart. Here goes.

(Warning: Some of these will be intense, others seemingly inane, because I believe God wants to hear ALL of our prayers.)

DAY 1

(You can say "Dear God," if you want, but I like to get straight to it!)

I've noticed a trend lately among my friends, specifically those whose marriages have ended recently. This in itself breaks my heart. Having been there myself, I know the pain that comes with divorce, and the consequences of all the wrong choices you make in the process, which can take years to work through.

But I also see a common thread in these endings. They have all happened to couples who have children who are either sick or have severe behavioral issues. This can be a major strain on relationships. I know the pain that comes with that too, having ended an engagement after a miscarriage.

And yet, your spouse is the person God gave you to help you through that pain, that challenge. When we say "in sickness and in health" we don't just mean our own health, but that of our kids and our parents and others who God entrusts to us.

So today my prayer is not only for children to be made well, and for children to find the help they need to be overcomers, but for their parents to be strong in the Lord, to lean on one another instead of taking out their frustrations against one another, and that their marriages would be strengthened by these challenges instead of broken by them. And for all parents whose children are healthy, that a hedge would be put around them so that if the time comes when they do have to face this challenge, they will rise to it.