Reflections this Christmas

Stop.
Take a deep breath and just for a minute cherish the air you breathe-the very air that lil’ baby Jesus breathed in when he was born in a manager in Bethlehem.
What do you think Jesus’ first year of life was like? What do you think Mary and Joseph experienced the first year of their babies life? Did Mary experience long nights trying to comfort and find reason for Jesus lil’ tears? Did Joseph search for jobs to provide for his new family? Did Jesus get a cold, fever, or any illness in his first year of life?

Jesus, he became a baby, a boy, and then a man to experience life as we know it, so we all could be invited into a deep intimate, life saving relationship with Him. He knows what this earthly life entails. Just ask Him if He does...

Yes, Jesus! "He is the reason for the season” A familiar saying. What seasons did you encounter through year 2009? As I reflect on 2009, this year brought Pete and me to places we didn’t know we could go. We experienced a long season of RAIN (human rain, healing rain, and sovereign reign).

In February, Miracle (14months old) was hospitalized for 6 days with baby asthma and pneumonia. Our hearts broke to see our sweet lil’ baby girl struggling to breathe, with oxygen tubes, and IV cords hooked up to her, human RAIN (also known as tears) ran down our faces. Since then we have been administering home nebulizer treatments as needed. The cute blessings in the midst of the RAIN storm: *Miracle learned how to count to 5 because mommy had to think of fun things to do in a confined hospital room. *Miracle was Miss social and figured out how to open the curtain from her crib and wave to all the nurses. *Mommy was 10 weeks pregnant and sovereign REIGN provided mommy energy and strength to spend 24/7 at the hospital with Miracle.

In May, Pete and his “big guns” were accepted into North Dakota Peace Officer Training Summer session in Fargo, ND. So again the human RAIN fell down our faces as we said “good-bye” to daddy every Sunday afternoon and anxiously awaited for Friday to come to spend each weekend together as a family. The blessings in the midst of this RAIN storm: *Nana (Pete’s mom) bought us webcam so Miracle and Mommy were able to talk and see Daddy during the week. *Cell phones – Pete was always a phone call away…how did Mary and Joseph travel without a cell phone?

I don’t know if Pete would admit it, but there may have been some human RAIN in July when he ended up in the Emergency Room with an emergency appendectomy.

In August, the human RAIN came again, this time happy tears of joy, blessing, and life. Our son, Matthias Peter (meaning "gift from God" "a rock") was born on August 10, 2009. On this same day, Pete experienced a different human RAIN as well because he was pepper sprayed as part of his training.

It was a great day on August 18, because Pete was done with Peace Officer Training…well he still has some make-up training days due to his appendectomy.

In September, the human RAIN fell quickly down our cheeks as we prayed to God for His Sovereign REIGN as we drove directly Children’s Hospital Emergency Room(under doctors orders) with our 3week old son, Matthias. This RAIN storm was the longest, lasting 2 weeks, requiring great dependence on Almighty God in the midst of uncertainty and such a small fragile sick lil’ baby. Our world was turned upside down and we found ourselves “cribside” our baby boy on a ventilator, multiple medications, a caringbridge site and no diagnosis…but HEALING RAIN came and we do not take this for granted as we saw first hand that some lil’ ones only experience HEALING RAIN in heaven sooner than seems right.

In November, there was more human RAIN as I headed back to work full time but counting my blessings for a wonderful in home daycare that shines the light of Jesus to my Miracle and my Matthias.

In December now, we are just trusting in the REIGN as we strive to live life for the glory of God our Savior.

I probably should ask you to take another deep breath after that rainy year. Breathe.
Rain…it’s just a season. Thankfully, Jesus is the reason for this season we celebrate, but Jesus is not just a season, He’s forever and can be daily, minute by minute by your side as he was our family this year. So, we sit back now after all the RAIN has fallen with so much more gratitude; thanking God for catching our human rain, providing the healing rain to Pete, Miracle, Matthias, and me, and claiming Sovereign REIGN in our lives. Won’t you celebrate with us this Christmas Season and with every breath you take whether in the midst of circumstances causing human rain or healing rain. And through it all we pray that we would all be found basking in the Son and the Sovereign Reign of Jesus Christ, The Lord God Almighty!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace...He will REIGN!" Isaiah 9:6-7

MERRY CHRISTMAS

& A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

My prayer for 2010…may our rain this year be that of Jesus teaching, truth, and promises showering all of our lives. Yes, Lord let it rain!
"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deuteronomy 32:2