a christmas miracle or 2.

wow.

we are full these days.

this year i do not have everything packaged nicely ahead of time.

i am a beat behind, but still in the song!

we have MANY that we are trying to love this season--
in our home, in our town, and in our extended families.
each gift of time i give is precious spent.
it's consecrated time and consecrated money.
our gifts are sent with grand prayers-- may it bring JOY.
how i hope we are bringing JOY to some this Christmas season.

this is a TRUE story.
my FAVORITE Christmas miracle thus far...
{and i've had many}

in November we were encouraged at Church to invite our friends and neighbors into our home this Chirstmas season.
it was a passing comment that amidst the activity on my bench at church i could have missed.
but, i didn't.
those words bore deep into my soul.
and i KNEW this was something i needed to do.
a neighborhood Christmas party.
we don't really know many of neighbors.
this was a fun thought-- but VERY intimidating to me.
as the days passed the thought stayed with me.
i started thinking of invitations and food and dates
"Twas the night before Christmas Eve" kept running through my mind...
I mentioned this "thought" to my dear husband.
His response, "BAH HUMBUG!"
We're too busy, it's too expensive, it's too hard.... let's just invite over a few people we KNOW not a whole street we don't know.
The days before Christmas were ticking by.
I mentioned the idea a few more times to Todd in random conversations only to meet the same BLAH response.

Last week, we were in our basement watching the final Harry Potter movie.
{{Todd had bet me ONE WEEK of him doing laundry that i couldn't stay awake through the whole movie.
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??  I could stay awake till midnight if it meant no laundry for A WEEK!!!  He had no idea what he was getting into.  The last Harry Potter is the only movie in the history of our 14 year marriage and one year courtship that i have EVER stayed awake for.  insert-- no laundry happy dance here!!  todd is still shocked.  i explained-- it's all about choices MOVIE vs. SLEEP-- sleep wins.  SLEEP vs. NO LAUNDRY-- no laundry wins.  duh!!  and, i cheated... i had MANY Christmas projects to work on while i watched.  he said that i cheated, but he still woke up early on Saturday to get a jump on that laundry!  Christmas miracle #2.}}

During the movie, i was nursing my baby and my thoughts turned to prayer.
Todd and i had not talked about the party for a few days, but i knew where he stood.
Because I again had the feeling that we needed to host a gathering, i said in my prayer...
"Father, I feel we are supposed to invite our neighbors, but Todd really doesn't want to.  Christmas is a busy time of year and I'm just not going to do it unless he is on board.  I love you, but if you want me to do this, YOU have to talk to Todd."

BEFORE I ENDED MY PRAYER...
Todd says, RANDOMLY, IN THE MIDDLE OF HARRY POTTER--
"jen, you know if you really want to do a Christmas party don't let me stand in your way."
i said shocked, "WHAT?!"
he said, "It's ok with me if you want to invite the neighbors over the night before Christmas eve."
i laughed.  REALLY laughed.
he said, "I know it's random, but i was just sitting here and THE THOUGHT CAME INTO MY MIND that if you wanted to host a party I shouldn't stop you."
HAH!! 
I told him that I had just, at that minute told God my party contingency and that before i even ended my prayer he had said that...
We both laughed.

Todd said, "Jen, you've got some great connections."
I said, "My dear Joseph-- when God speaks you are QUICK to respond."
Then, my next thought was... ugh, i REALLY have to do this this don't i?
i'm calling it my "handmaid offering"
{as in-- "behold, the handmaid of the Lord"  not that my offering even compares to sweet Mary, but in my small way, like her I KNOW... and I will DO.}

God is real.
Prayer works.
We are having a Christmas Party the day before Christmas Eve.
Heaven help us!

Have a great week!!