I’m sitting at Starbucks trying to get down some of the thoughts that crowd my mind these days. And all I can do is look for photos on Facebook of my friends who are finally united with their family, which includes two little adopted boys from Ethiopia that God gave them after many years of waiting for children. It is such a beautiful picture of God’s provision, His adoption as sons, and a reminder that some from every tribe will know Him.

And all of this, pushes me closer to South Asia in my heart and mind. It brings tears to my eyes as I think of the reunion that we will one day know in Christ and of the people of South Asia who need to understand the truth of the gospel. It makes the logistics that have been overwhelming me fade to the sidelines and forces the faces of people to my mind. And I think, “Yes, Lord!  Help me remember the people!”

Smoke alarms, smoke alarms,
Why do you shriek
At odd hours
When we need our sleep?
And it’s cold.

I don’t know about you, but I often fall short of supporting mercy ministry in my local community. I get overwhelmed by the opportunities that are in front of me and can’t figure out what to pursue. Or I get busy with life and don’t take the time to be intentional and it just gets lost. And I hate to be one of those people who only remembers to do mercy ministry around the holidays, but here we are. At the holidays.

So, I ask. Why do mercy ministry? Well, because it’s a part of our calling and because I have more than I need.

And then, why NOT at the holidays?

I found out about an opportunity to help Grace Works, a ministry in Franklin. http://tnne.ws/CK. And I encourage you to do something too.

How have you been blessed by helping someone through mercy ministry?

Again, inspired by my friend Heather, a few things I don’t like about Christmas…

1. I know that I’m a girl and I’m supposed to like this, but I really don’t like wrapping presents. I always want them to look so cute, but I’m so bad at it that they usually look like a child wrapped it.

2. Remembering that I don’t like our tree topper or any of the ones I’ve found, but knowing the tree looks too weird without one.

3. Christmas Shoes, Hard Candy Christmas and bad versions of my favorite carols.

4. When giving gifts becomes materialistic and not about loving someone.

5. Spilling wax on the new dining room table.

6. Expectations that get in the way of real loving and giving to family and friends.

7. Trying to figure out the perfect book of the Bible or devotional to read during Advent and ending up not reading anything because I can’t find the “perfect” one.

What about you?

As inspired by my friend Heather, here are some things I love about Christmas.

1. Remembering all of the stories (and people) behind the ornaments as I put them on the tree.

2. Giving presents!

3. Baking fudge and other unhealthy things and not feeling guilty about it (or trying not to!).

4. Singing O Holy Night and other songs about Jesus that remind me of the cross, God’s plan for salvation and redemption AND give me hope for the future.

5. George Bailey, Clark Griswold, and the Grinch.

6. Planning meals and time with my family.

7. Unpacking the Christmas dishes (the ones that I got from CVS after Christmas one year before I was married because I really wanted some Christmas dishes).

8. Fun lights everywhere at night (the tasteful kind, not the tacky kind).

9. Christmas cards in the mail (sending and receiving!)

10. Realizing that taking the time to remember Christ is something that I need and being in awe of God who became flesh.

What are some of yours?