When Did This Happen?

It's November?  When did this happen?  It was just August and I was moving couches!  And then came Big's Birthday at the end of September!  Then it was time for Little's Birthday.  AND NOW...it is November.  Good grief.

There are 54 days until Christmas.  There are 24 days until Thanksgiving.  WHICH MEANS...

There are 25 days until BLACK FRIDAY!!!!

If you know me...you'll know...THAT  IS  HUGE.

I love Thanksgiving.  I really do...all kidding aside.  I love getting together to prepare a meal with my family.  I love that we don't have the excitement of gifts...just the excitement of being together and being thankful for our lives.  I love that we can doze off after dinner and no one cares.  I love that it is usually nice enough weather that the kids can still go out and throw the football around after we eat.  AND I LOVE...sitting on the floor at my Mom's or Mother in law's house going through the Black Friday Ads!

Shopping for Christmas is one of my all time favorite things to do.  Coach?  Not so much.  So I make a point to shop with pretty much anyone BUT him.  I shop with my Mom, Granny and Sis on an annual trip to KC.  I shop with my Mom and Sis on Black Friday.  I shop with friends for any last minute things I have forgotten and I take Coach with me ONE TIME.  It is a system and it works.  But if you can't tell...I am pretty darn excited about shopping for Christmas.

I know...I know.  It isn't about the gifts.  But I LOVE IT!

So what is it all about?

That brings me to my next point...

It's all about...JESUS!!!

Yesterday at church, PR brought his four week series home.  The MUMC vision statement that I mentioned a few weeks ago...

Inviting ALL to experience the LIFE TRANSFORMING LOVE of JESUS CHRIST.

First of all...THANK YOU PR.  The message was incredible.  It was moving...it was to the point...and HE was present.  You rock.

PR talked about how in the end...it is about JESUS.  Not just about Him...but ALL about Him.  It is all about His love.  No one gets to the Father except through Him.  You cannot get to Heaven without salvation...and who can we receive that from?  Jesus.

He is the way...the truth and the life.

PR talked about how in life, we want choices.  We always want to choose our own way.  But with eternal life...we are given one way.
John 3:16

For God so loved the world...he gave his one and only son.  That whoever believes in him shall not parish...but have eternal life. John 3:16

John 14: 1-7

¹ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God^[a]; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴ You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus the Way to the Father

 ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
 ⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

We all have troubled hearts.  Some more than others.  But if we believe in God...we believe in Jesus.  God sent his ONLY Son.  And he went and prepared a place for us. 

Sitting there in church yesterday, I heard a certain part of this verse...and it stuck.

Jesus said to his disciples...

If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.

That is how I want to be seen.  I think that as Christians...we should all feel that way. 

If you really know me.  If you really know my heart, you'll know my Father.  You'll feel his love.  You'll see his reflection in all that I do.  You'll know that when I make a mistake...I am human, but when I ask for forgiveness...you'll know I'm forgiven...and that I am loved.

If you really know me...you'll know my Father.  And you'll know the way.

That seems like a heavy responsibility.  To be able to show people the way.  What if I tell them wrong?  What if I lead them astray?  Jesus says...I am the way...the truth...and the life.  Show them the way...tell them the truth and GIVE THEM LIFE.

That I can do.  Go out this week and show others the Life Transforming Love of Jesus Christ.

Have a blessed day all!
Referee of 3

Here are a couple of pics of our Halloween Fun!