Merry Christmas ... From Our House to Yours!

We had big plans for our family Christmas card this year ... it involved making them by hand, an awesome family picture, maybe even a note about the family ... the whole shebang. And, then our fall hit ... as if the fact that I was teaching Kindergarten again wasn't enough, the flu hit us (ok, me) pretty hard and then we had a hurricane. In my head I knew the amazing Christmas cards were not to be this year ... but, my heart just wouldn't let them go.

And, then we got a Christmas card from the Combs (the day after Thanksgiving ... killing me!) encouraging us to forget the cards and the rest of the trappings that we have come to think of as "Christmas," and to focus on Christmas.

And, then I was reminded (twice!) of the story of Zechariah and how God shut his mouth for not believing that God was going to answer his prayer. For not believing that God could answer his prayer. For nine months Zechariah had to be silent and just focus on the promise of his son. His long awaited son. His son that he had come to believe would only be a wish. His son that would be the forebearer to Christ. His son. His answer to prayer son.

God so wants us to do that this Christmas season ... to not focus on how many lights we can get on our tree, how many cookies we can eat, how many presents we can buy, how many cards we can send, but rather to focus on His Son. To focus on how many people we can turn to Him, how well we can love our families and friends, how we live our lives in front of our children so that one day they will love Him well too. God so wants us to stop and breathe and remember His promises fulfilled. In a baby. An itty bitty baby.

Our family has much to be thankful for this Christmas season. We have much to look forward to. 2009 promises to be a year full of hope and joy, but most of all love ... it is our prayer that it will be a year that finds us seeking to focus on Him more than ever. Seeking to love Him more than ever. Seeking to serve Him more than ever. May 2009 be that for you also!

Merry Christmas!

With Love,

Dean, Tracy & Torrey
(& Zack, Zoey, Nikita, Sophie & Daisy Mae)