So this morning as I sit here feeling sorry for myself, missing my
friends back in Cali and my siblings like crazy, feeling isolated, and
wishing I was somewhere else, I pose us ALL this question...
What if we
looked outside our traditions, our circle of comfort, the activities or
things we feel make Christmas feel festive and instead made a point to
make a difference in someone else's life that normally you might not.
What if, instead of feeling the pressure to buy everyone gifts and
decorate and make cookies or gingerbread houses (which are all great
traditions), we also or even instead gave someone a meal they might not
have otherwise, or bought a family a goat or cow or filled a box for a
child in need, or even donated for a child's surgery. Honestly my
daughter does NOT need any more toys, I do not need those boots or mixer
I've been admiring.
Christmas is a season that is more about giving
that any other holiday celebrated in the world. Those of us who live in
America are blessed with comfort beyond what we deserve. What about
those that are without, don't they deserve a warm meal? A dry bed? A
smile? A reason to keep going?
So...What can YOU do? Giving isn't about
it being on YOUR terms! You don't get to decide what the recipient does
with their gift, you're called to give! :)
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
“Christmas Won’t Be The Same Without You”
As we transition from Thanksgiving into Christmas families make plans, best friends continue traditions, children dream of snow, and stories of the first Christmas are being told. It really is a special time of the year. It's one of my favorites honestly!!! I love how it's not just one avenue to express the festivity, but it includes so many! Food, decorations, music, activities, traditions, family, friends, and SNOW (of which I've missed the most since I was 12!!!)!
As I listen to Christmas music and clean my house in preparations to decorate tonight with my little family, I'm reminiscing of past traditions that we repeated each year with our friends, our church, and those that lived life with us. I've wonderful memories and can close my eyes and in an instant relive my favorite ones!! The people we left behind were such a HUGE part of my life, leaving holes not easily filled. The phrase "life must go on" is one that brings me to tears still even though it's cheesy and silly. Yes life does go on, but when it does, that means things change. Relationships change. Best friends that planned on raising our kids together now have to do it via FaceTime and pictures instead of in person, which today, honestly stinks, and is SO NOT the same. Being the one that left, all my friends continue on with their lives, and their days go one with out me, where as my entire world changed and often feels upside down. It's easy to feel forgotten.
Many of these songs I've been hearing for the past couple hours have been about missing a loved one, or wishing they could be home for Christmas. And even though I'm home, it's kinda how I feel. It's that feeling you have when you're away at college and wishing you were home. Yes we have a new home, and are making wonderful new friends and have a great new home church, but newness is still difficult for me. I'm home-sick for my old home. Can't I just go "home" for Christmas like these songs are all suggesting?
“Christmas Won’t Be The Same Without you”
While teaching, December was always my favorite season, watching my students eyes get bigger as they tried to comprehend how God could be born as a baby, and why on earth it would be in a stable when they would gladly share their bed with him! The innocence of children is nothing to be taken for granted, and I see it in my daughters eyes!! She stared in wonder at the full moon last night as I told her about the long journey that Joseph took Mary on, riding on a donkey all the way to Bethlehem because that was where Jesus needed to be born to fulfill the prophecy. Sure she really didn't understand it, but it was still special!
We will put up our tree tonight, decorate it with ornaments that we've collected over the years and some from my childhood, hang lights & tinsel, and sing our favorite Christmas songs! Same traditions, just a new venue! We are already starting to fill our Calendar with Christmas parties & activities, tours of lights, family time and cookie baking! We will have family around throughout the holiday season which will be wonderful, time with new friends building deeper relationships, and hopefully even some SNOW!!!!!!
So as this Party of 3 tries to create new traditions, new memories and push our roots deeper, please continue to pray for us as we embrace the life here that God has called us to! This is our mission field and we need to be faithful where He has placed us and with those that we are called to serve.
As I listen to Christmas music and clean my house in preparations to decorate tonight with my little family, I'm reminiscing of past traditions that we repeated each year with our friends, our church, and those that lived life with us. I've wonderful memories and can close my eyes and in an instant relive my favorite ones!! The people we left behind were such a HUGE part of my life, leaving holes not easily filled. The phrase "life must go on" is one that brings me to tears still even though it's cheesy and silly. Yes life does go on, but when it does, that means things change. Relationships change. Best friends that planned on raising our kids together now have to do it via FaceTime and pictures instead of in person, which today, honestly stinks, and is SO NOT the same. Being the one that left, all my friends continue on with their lives, and their days go one with out me, where as my entire world changed and often feels upside down. It's easy to feel forgotten.
Many of these songs I've been hearing for the past couple hours have been about missing a loved one, or wishing they could be home for Christmas. And even though I'm home, it's kinda how I feel. It's that feeling you have when you're away at college and wishing you were home. Yes we have a new home, and are making wonderful new friends and have a great new home church, but newness is still difficult for me. I'm home-sick for my old home. Can't I just go "home" for Christmas like these songs are all suggesting?
“Christmas Won’t Be The Same Without you”
"I'll be home for Christmas"
“Merry Christmas, Darling”
“All I Want For Christmas Is You”"Blue Christmas"
"You're all I want for Christmas"
We are trying to make new traditions though, it's just taking time! Our Little Miss is nearly 2 now and can understand so much more of what Christmas is truly about! Last night we decorated her Papa's tree with him, which for him is also a new thing to even do as it was always something that Mom did herself. So we are not alone in missing the past and creating new memories.
While teaching, December was always my favorite season, watching my students eyes get bigger as they tried to comprehend how God could be born as a baby, and why on earth it would be in a stable when they would gladly share their bed with him! The innocence of children is nothing to be taken for granted, and I see it in my daughters eyes!! She stared in wonder at the full moon last night as I told her about the long journey that Joseph took Mary on, riding on a donkey all the way to Bethlehem because that was where Jesus needed to be born to fulfill the prophecy. Sure she really didn't understand it, but it was still special!
We will put up our tree tonight, decorate it with ornaments that we've collected over the years and some from my childhood, hang lights & tinsel, and sing our favorite Christmas songs! Same traditions, just a new venue! We are already starting to fill our Calendar with Christmas parties & activities, tours of lights, family time and cookie baking! We will have family around throughout the holiday season which will be wonderful, time with new friends building deeper relationships, and hopefully even some SNOW!!!!!!
So as this Party of 3 tries to create new traditions, new memories and push our roots deeper, please continue to pray for us as we embrace the life here that God has called us to! This is our mission field and we need to be faithful where He has placed us and with those that we are called to serve.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
National ADOPTION Day
Today,
on National Adoption Day, we celebrate in deep humility, privilege and honor
the God of our salvation; the ultimate adopting Father of His children, for
"graciously giving" Karis Janai Kroeker into our family.
On
April 18th this year, our beautiful daughter, Karis became officially ours for
as long as The Lord chooses. How deeply moving it is, to look across the room
at our 19 month old and see a modeled spiritual prescription of our adoption
into the inheritance of Jesus Christ's eternal Kingdom.
Not
of personal pride, but with rested assurance, we praise His name for our
responsibility in raising this child to "...grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and
to the day of eternity. Amen." (2 Pet. 3:18)
Friday, September 7, 2012
Fun quotes!
Ok so you know all those cute photos or quotes or pictures you see all over? Well I always thought it would be fun to print some of my favorites in cute frames and hang them in different places. Well, that's not happening for a while!! So instead, I thought if share then with y'all!!! Enjoy!! 
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