Christmas Reflections

I just posted in my Christmas blog and thought why not here, too.  In fact, I think doing better with my blogs might just be a New Year's resolution.  In my other blog, I was reflection on expectations.  That is my word for 2013, "expectations".  One that I started off well with then truthfully forgot, until today. And it has been a year for challenging expectations which probably led up to this whole Christmas thing which led up to a second blog.
  It will soon be time to choose a word for 2014 so maybe I will do better blogging as I reflect on that word and how it is happening in my life.  The crock pot is now on in my brain.  I'm sure "the word" will pop out at me unexpectedly, probably 4:00 AM when I can't go back to sleep.  Then it will be time for another journey.  And in the next week, I probably should do some year end reflection on how exactly my expectations have been challenged.  But not tonight.  It's Christmas Eve and it's time to say...
  Blessed Christmas!  Remember the joy of the Lord's presence even if your Christmas is quite challenging.  It is about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Where we would be without Him?  Still walking in the dark...so whatever your circumstances, remember:

Love has come, a Light in the darkness!

The sailor has returned!  It's been over a year since I last posted and so very much has happened since then.  Mom went home to heaven a year ago after a brave fight with Alzheimer's.  I had the joy and privilege of spending the summer with Mom and Dad, and being with Mom in her last days.  We were able to keep her at home thanks to hospice coming in.  I miss her something awful, but so very thankful things were right between us when she went home.
Last summer certainly challenged some of my theology wrestling with some why's and not having answers to Dad's questions and why's.  A year later I believe that my own personal framework of theology is beginning to take shape.  Something very helpful if I should choose to pursue ordination at some point.  I was so blessed to have a church home in Florida.  Calvary Bible Church was just five minutes away and Pastor Bob's teaching was awesome.  I really grew while attending and learned a lot.  I so appreciated the love and support of the church family, and the way they were there for me.
But it was a long hard winter, grieving and just not feeling motivated.  Coming home to the church here and watching it seemingly slowly die.  Bruce and I were challenged in the spring at the pastors' retreat to be intentional in prayer.  As I have continued to read John Piippo's blogs, we have been challenged to be Presence driven.  That is the direction we are now trying to steer the church into--Presence driven, prayer focused, listening for God's heart.  Sure feels like a hard turn into uncharted waters!
And we began a new sermon series on Sunday, put together by one of our Michigan American Baptist pastors.  It's called the "Love Your Neighbor Adventure", challenging us to recognize and reach out to those around us, both through the Sunday message and through personal prayer and devotional time.  We will also be re-starting a weekly meeting time next week.  So not easy to see where all this will lead; hopeful of possible direction and revival of the church.
And so it is time to begin blogging again.  I've made it through the first year, have heard that the second year can be tougher; so between a grieving journey and the ongoing ministry journey and the ongoing walk with Christ, the Morning Star Sailor is heading out from the harbor ready to set sail again.  Hope you drop in once in a while and see how the journey is going.  Thoughts and prayers...