Celebration and 24 Hours Without Pain Medication

I am celebrating that I have gone over 24 hours without the need for pain medication! Woohoo! I think the storm of the previous migraine has ended. I am hoping that it was the last. I do believe that God wants to heal me....it's the when part that concerns me! Anyhow, for now I feel good. I have my contacts in again which is something I can't do when I'm suffering from migraine. Sue plays in the symphony Saturday. I pray that I feel this well for that. I have a busy month ahead. I have finals until the 9th and relatives coming in from the 11th to the 16th. I can't wait! Then I have to bake a cake for about 100 for the awards banquet for WRAP which is on the 18th! OH my life! Anyhow, I love the hustle and bustle but in the mean time I forgot to leave time to decorate and shop for Christmas! I'm sure glad Santa will take care of that. What a relief...ummm...anyhow..



I invited my friend, Jeanie to come to the "WRAP" banquet as my guest. I told her it was the "Academy Awards of WRAP" banquet (because it is a formal banquet). She thought I meant the "Academy Awards of Rap" and looked at me really funny because she knows I am not a fan of rap music. I knew immediately what she was thinking and I started cracking up as I cleared up what I was talking about.



Anyhow, after the 18th I hope to finally get some much needed time to relax and enjoy the remainder of the Christmas season....all seven days. But, since I imagine it will be spent rushing around trying to get shopping done and gifts wrapped...oh well isn't that how it always goes? There's never enough time to reflect on what it's really all about is there? Ahhh but, there is...there's the tape player in the car and the church services and well, I think the fact that my job at the WRAP banquet is to say the blessing.........THAT MAKES CHRISTMAS VERY SPECIAL FOR ME! That was a gift from God. I have no idea why they asked me...except that my precious Lord wanted to bless me through it. I think I am looking forward to that part of the evening more than anything. WRAP is a secular organization. To have the opportunity to invite God to be a part of such an event is an awesome gift. Wow, I'm just jabbering on.



I'm sure at the symphony I will hear beautiful music about the birth of our King. I will get to reflect on the meaning of this holiday season then as well. So, maybe all the business will not take away from the Holiness of it all. In fact when I really think about it...My finals..they are because of the calling He has placed on my life. I am involved with WRAP because of the calling He has placed on my life. Sue is in my life because of Him and her being a part of the symphony is a blessing from Him. And she will be blessing Him by playing music that will glorify Him and using a gift He has given her to do it. Wow, He is in it, all around it, through it...He will be a part of the season in all of the activities that keep me busy. I am excited to share this time with Him.



Our church is also doing our first dinner theater this year with our new theatre group. That will be a Christmas dinner theatre...and this Sunday is our annual Renewal Banquet Celebration at church when we renew our Covenant membership. It's the biggest celebration of the year. This is truly an awesome time!



I remember when I was little and I realized that the stories I believed about Santa were just legends. Something magical about Christmas was lost after that. But, then I received Jesus and as I grew in my relationship with Him, each Christmas season began to have a new kind of meaning...better than magic...reality! The story of Jesus is the TRUTH, not a legend. And that will never change. I learned the real story about St. Nicholas and the real story about Jesus. St. Nicholas was said to be a man who loved God and loved with God's love. Jesus is that Love...God's gift to us...Christ.....Emmanuel...God With Us.



Somebody told me this week that Christians on Earth are seeing the closest thing they will ever see to Hell. The lost on Earth with those Christians are seeing the closest thing they will ever see to Heaven. That leaves room for a lot. I wondered...What part of Heaven do the lost see through Christians? And, shouldn't that motivate Christians to want to strive that much harder to reach out to the lost and set a better example through the lifestyle that they live? I know it sure did put a spark of motivation in me to work a little bit harder, and have a little more mercy and compassion on those who need to know Christ's love.



Wow, I sure did go off on a rabbit trail. Oh well, I need to leave it as it is and go back to studying for my final exams. Thank you so much for all your prayers. I will continue to keep all of my beloved prayer warriors up to date as God is graciously answering!



It's all about Him!