I feel like my mind is scattered recently, as far as my Spiritual thinking goes. I just have not been focused in one area for very long and have had several deep things I have been thinking about thinking about Do you ever do that - ya know plan to think about something! Well I thought I would share with you a few of the things I am working towards thinking about more deeply:

1. Pursuing humility brings joy. While driving across the country for Christmas Brian and I listened to a sermon by Mark Driscoll, pastor at Mars Hill Seatle (aka the “cussing pastor” by Don Miller’s description in some of his books). The sermon was on humility and several things that Mark brought out from the passage in Philippians really made me think. To be honest I often think and know that humility is a needed area for growth in my life - therefore came the decision to think it over some more at another time. Anyway the concept that stayed with me was that no one can or should say “Hey, I am now humble” obviously they would then have lost their humility by their statement. Instead the desire is to be pursuing humility. I like that! I think it sounds like a great pursuit! The second concept was that humility brings joy and that is just worthy of some deep thinking!!

2. What would it mean and what would it look like to have a true contrition, natural compassion and an unshakable longing for God? This comes from Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love. Recently, I checked out 20 Things You Should Read from our church library. It includes 20 chapters of excerpts from famous authors that, in the opinion of these modern day authors think one should be familiar with. I found Julian’s prayer intreging and desiring of more thought!! I am looking forward to reading other chapters by Calvin, Barth, and so on.

3. There is an interesting repetition in the Bible on faith, hope and love. My pastor, Johnny Miller, just started a series on Colossians and this last Sunday he showed us from Colossian 1:1-5 that a great church is founded on faith, hope and love. It really made me think and want to think even more!

4. Sandee told her daughters “Remember this one thing - don’t let this world limit you. Not now. Not ever. People are not qualified to tell you what you can or can’t do. There is only One who is qualified. Your Heavenly Father.” I read this today in the book Where Women Walked by Jean Blackmer and Laura Greiner. I was amazed by Sandee’s story of faith and determination as she worked to provide for her two girls. It reminded me of the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. When Brian and I saw that we left numb thinking there is so much to other’s lives that we know nothing about! So this quote made me want to sit and think - do I let people limit me in areas that God does not desire to do so? Do I teach my girls amazing things like this! Am I actually hindered by the many blessings in my life to not experience faith in God as other’s experience Him?

So those are my future deep thinking plans - along with some dedicated time in Colossians. Tomorrow is our first Study and Share meeting and this semester is all on Colossians. It is going to be GREAT!

Well, this is the year for celebrating big birthdays in our family. We have another joining the “60 Club”
Today we celebrate Grandad’s birthday with a greeting from almost all the grandkids (only missing Julianna ). When we gathered at Christmas time we got them together to express our love for him.

Join us in celebration!!

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This Thanksgiving Brian and I decided to join the masses of individuals and families who woke at drastic hours in the morning, the day after Thanksgiving, to head to the stores to spend money on those great deals that were suppose to be happening - and mostly were!  Brian and I are not big shoppers, it is not like we decide to head to the mall to look around and hang out whenever we have free time.  But there is just something about Black Friday that we enjoy

Our babysitter arrived at 5:00 am and we were out the door by 5:30 with coffee travel mugs full and lots of anticipation for getting our shopping done and having fun doing it.   We were out until lunch time and the morning was really enjoyable.   There was the crazy long line at Circuit City where people were just waiting to get IN the store - we decided to not stop there!  We shopped around Old Navy, Children’s Place, and Kohl’s finding all sorts of fun things.  We took a break for Cinnabon and Starbucks and went in a few stores that were beyond our spending desires, just to look around.  I saw a group of ladies wearing black T-shirts that had simple white letters on the front that said “Friday” obviously this Black Friday shopping is a tradition for them.   It was a great morning and I can’t wait to do it again next year!

So what was it that I learned about the Lord on Black Friday?  I got to experience what I think He must feel in giving gifts just for the fun of it to His children!  I found myself seeing things all over the place that my children would love, and many of them I wanted to buy just to see the joy on their faces.  We bought a Dora doll for Isabelle and I think this thrilled me the most.  We had already planned to buy the older girls American Girl Dolls  and were not sure what to do for Isabelle.  When I saw the Dora doll I knew we did not need to think about it any longer.  Isabelle loves Dora!  And she know loves her Dora doll.  So while I was out shopping I got to thinking about how none of these gifts I was getting for my kids were they truly needing or could they not go with out, however I desired to give them to them for the sheer pleasure of my kids delight.  Is that what God does for us?  Does He give us things in our life just to see us in delight?  Does He receive pleasure from my joy?  I think He does!!  Now how cool is that?  I think it is pretty amazing!!

Then my second thought was do I show God my delight?  Do I do a good job of thanking Him for the gifts He gives, especially the ones that are not truly needed.  On Christmas evening Addie said to me “Mom, I could just never tell you how much in my heart I am thankful for my doll.”  And that made it all worth it, having joy in her delight!

So I am striving to be actively thanking God for His gifts and delighting in Him!!

After Christmas is always a fun time to play with new toys.  This year the Moore family is playing with new dolls, cell phone, bird feeders/bath, books, artistic stuff, coffee press, and much more.  Just recently we got together to play with some hand-made toys from Mandy’s Dad aka “Grampy”…watch the fun below!

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