6 More Sleeps 'til Christmas

I love Christmas, I have ever since I was a kid...although back then it was for more obvious reasons....presents! Lots and lots of presents! Since I've gotten older I've really fallen in love with the holiday for another reason. When Ben and I first got married, I went all out. Every single room was decorated in some way. Nothing over the top, our budget never allowed that, but I always made sure that in every room and from every angle that you sat, there was something "Christmasy" in your line of vision. It was fun and cheerful. However, over the years as life got in the way with busy schedules and destinations to be, decorating the house became less and less of a priority. Then some years I would have grand visions of all the wonderful things I was going to do for the holiday season only to be so exhausted that by December 24th I still hadn't put up a tree and I was totally ok with that. The ebb and flow of family and friend relations as well as finances also affected how we celebrated. Some Christmases it would feel like a greeting card with the happy hustle and bustle of activity, while other years we would sit with the poor and homeless at a community shelter, listening and empathizing to stories of life. Some years there would be many gifts exchanged, other years not even a card.
Each year though, regardless of it's joy or sad loneliness, I have still loved Christmas. However, it's taken on a deeper meaning to me. It used to be all about the gifts, decorations, music, food and being surrounded by people....however now, to me it has really, truly become the realization that without the true meaning of Christmas...I wouldn't have the true meaning of Easter...and without the true meaning of Easter....I would be lost.

Yes, it's true....generations ago a group of people combined a pagan holiday with a Christian meaning to create a day in the wrong season of the year to honor the savior who died for me. Over those same generations that altered holiday has become so over commercialized to the point that the true meaning has been lost on the masses. However, the fact still remains that with all it's faults...Christmas honors the birth of the one who died with you and me on his mind and heart. It's not about the highs or the lows of the festivities of the day. It's about the shadow of a cross cast by a star....a star that led the way to where a baby slept peacefully warmed by the breath of stable animals while His earthly parents, one by birth and one by marriage, sat in awe at the lack of festivity to celebrate a child that they knew had been not only sent by, but also entrusted into their clumsy human care, by God Himself to save the world.

We only have a few sleeps left this year until Christmas day. You may be faced with overwhelming last minute shopping and menu planning, or you may be faced with loneliness and silence. Whichever you're faced with, I challenge you to love this holiday. Don't love it because of what we've been taught by culture that it represents...that's temporal, love it because without the birth of Christ, the temporal could not hold hope of the eternal.

💮 Joy All Ways,
Fran

Flight Delays : Will it Ever be Within Reach

Hey Everybody,

Have any of you ever been scheduled for a flight somewhere only to be standing in the terminal and instead of hearing the announcement that you can start boarding....you hear the dreaded word, DELAYED? It can be a real pain when all you want to do is get to your destination, but it can be even worse than a pain when you're weary from the journey and you just want to get home so you can rest. Sometimes our lives can be like that. We have a destination in sight, our bags are checked and we are ready to go....but then.....delays. Sometimes the delays are from choices we made, sometimes they're from circumstances beyond our control. Sometimes they're a minor inconvenience....other times they are enough to make us want to lose our minds from exhaustion. Whatever the reason for the delay, I want to encourage you. First of all, you're not alone, and second, God may just have a reason why your in a holding pattern.
Click this link to watch my short video, Flight Delays to encourage you as you wait.

💮Joy All Ways,
Fran

Broken Halos : When you Fall Short

Hey Everyone,

How many times have you felt like a complete failure as a Christian? Like somehow you dropped the ball because if you were a "good" Christian, things would be going differently? Well, be encouraged....we've ALL had those feelings and we've ALL thought at times that we are missing the mark. However, the good news is that....God DOESN'T think you're a failure!!! In fact, in His eyes, you're a success! You know why.....because you are His and calling on Him for help! Here's a short little video to encourage you and remind you that God is bigger than any broken halo you may think you have.
Click here to view, Broken Halos and be encouraged to know that you aren't alone!

💮Joy All Ways,
Fran

Wild Fire: When You Can't Take One More Hit

Hi Everyone,

Recently my husband and I were in a long season of continuous difficulties. It seemed like as soon as we would successfully conquer one battle, before we could even catch our breath, we would be blindsided with another one. To say we were battle weary would be an understatement. However, through it all, God sustained us and showed us favor on every front....and even though we weren't always HAPPY.....thankfully we never lost our JOY. I know so many of us seem to be living in that place.....that place that feels like you're inside of a blender and somebody keeps hitting the "Pulse" button. Well, then this is just a short little video that I recorded to send some encouragement your way. Please click this link and know that you aren't alone.
Fran Facebook Live Video - Wild Fires


💮 Joy All Ways,
Fran