It's a Wonderful Life

I love watching Christmas movies this time of year. And now Steven is forced to be a part of it. :) One of the ones that we watched (and he had never seen) was, It's a Wonderful Life. A classic. I've seen it before but this time it really hit home to me and made me cry. What I noticed was that the constant theme of George's life was sacrifice. He was always sacrificing in order to help someone else out. And at times, he would get bitter for it and lose perspective...like he did at the end of the movie when he was ready to take his own life. I love it when the angel comes down and shows George what life would be like without him in it. People are worse off and it grieves George. And then the angel explains that it's amazing how one man can affect so many peoples lives. Thats so true. We are here for a purpose. And sometimes I don't think that we realize what we do really matters. Our sins don't just affect us, they affect everyone around us. Just as our obedience. There is fruit all around us. Since my fast, I have grieved for the body of Christ to take their stands in the Kingdom of God. I think that it is sadly safe to say that most of us aren't. I felt Jesus grieving over me about that during my fast and I have decided to step up to the plate. Although far from perfect, since that decision I have seen a change and now I grieve for the rest of the body to do the same. So many un-touched lives b/c we are choosing not to be "displays of the Glory of God." I pray that the Church rises up in 2011! I pray we see our wonderful inheritance in Christ, and live for it here on earth so that others may see and want it themselves. Otherwise, eventually we will find ourselves like George Bailey and that's a sad place that too many are in. We'll either be at the end of ourselves, or realize we had no impact. Let's sacrifice instead. Lose ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom, and therefore gain the Kingdom. That is why Jesus came this time of year after all, right?! As one of my favorite Shane & Shane Christmas songs states, "He was born to die!" May we follow suit and die to ourselves, that we may truly live and shine His life to those around us to catch onto!

In conclusion, I wanted to post some pictures of the rest of my fun December thus far since my last post... :)

A true Christmas evening with our friend's, the Park's, over egg nog and chestnuts roasting on an open fire (people really do that what the song states...ha!)


Another Christmas evening out with our friend's, Jarrad & Crystal. What started out as a sushi dinner out and looking at Christmas lights in River Oaks, turned into crashing a Christmas party at a random person's house in River Oask...hillarious! :)


But here's lights really here! :)

Letters to Santa! :)

Steven and I watching Christmas movies as earlier stated (see here the enthusiasm that Steven and Linus have for doing this...ha!)


many days at my friend, Aimee's house as we chat and are entertained by her new puppy, Piper!

YL's last events of 2010...Our All area Red Neck Christmas tradition...



And our annual YL all area Christmas party (Steven was practicing & marking his territory) :)


And the rest of Red Neck Christmas (see if you can find my man's normal background poses in pictures...lovely!) :)