Merry Christmas everyone! I can't believe I haven't written in my blog for almost two months, but it's been a crazy time for me health wise, so it really doesn't surprise me. I had a great vacations in August with wonderful memories to last me for a lifetime and paid for it with an MS flareup to follow in September and October. My first one since February 2009, so that's not bad.
Just part of the reality of living with a chronic, debilitating disease like MS.. The good news is that I survived the new high dose oral steroid treatment the doctors up at USF put me on, have been in physical therapy for the past 6 weeks and am feeling stronger as we head into this glorious season. Thank you Lord!
Today, one of my Facebook friends posted this question on her page.
Is it wrong to have expectations?
Boy, that's a loaded question, right? She got a myriad of answers, along with mine, the gist of it went something like this: Hope and expectations are what keep us going! Definitely hope! Jesus wants us to have hope for each day and hope for the future so He can use us in the world. We have to look forward so we can shine for Him in the world.
I really thought about that question a lot today and went back to read some of the answers her friends gave her. Most of them were positive but there was also another friend of mine who said" we live in a fallen world. Expectations for a Currier and Ives or Martha Stewart Christmas just aren't realistic. We aren't perfect and striving for perfection and having too high of expectations can set you up for a fall and a tremendous amount of disappointment."
She's right in a lot of ways, BUT, and this is a big BUT..... we have the Greatest Expectation in the History of Mankind coming up in a little over a week.
Jesus Christ, the long awaited Messiah, born of a simple virgin and the Holy Spirit, changed the expectations of the entire universe on that one silent night. Hope sprung eternal when Jesus entered the world and changed the expectations of humanity for all time.
He and His glorious birth are the Great Expectation the people had hoped for,celebrated and we continue to celebrate over 2,000 years after his entrance onto the world scene. He alone is our Hope. He alone is our Great Expectation.
As we look forward to celebrating Jesus birth next week, I encourage you to stop and think about what your hope and dreams are for the future. What do your Great Expectations look like? Health and happiness for yourself and your family members? Peace in our increasingly violent and decadent world? A new job? A new house? A new church? There are a thousand dreams that can be ours because of that sweet baby born in Bethlehem all those years ago. He has brought Great Expectations to the world.
For me, one of my biggest is the promise of a bright future for our beautiful new granddaughter,Grace Natalie, I may feel broken down and worn out many days from this disease that has ravaged my body, but God can still use me to reach out to this precious child and teach her about Him and His Kingdom. I plan to take a considerable amount of my energies toward that end.
Isn't that what we're here for anyway? To reach out and help and love those in our little universe and those we love dearest? Isn't that what Jesus brought into the world when He came?
Hope and Great Expectations for the future of mankind! Rejoice and Celebrate in that amazing truth. Merry Christmas everyone. May the Peace of our Lord be with you now and in the every day in the New Year!
"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 26:3
My verses for today are above in red.
My prayer for today:
Dearest Heavenly Father:
Thank you for sending your son to save us! Thank you for having come into the world, fully God and fully man, born of a simple virgin teenager who had not known a man. Your miraculous birth gives us hope for the future of all mankind! All of our greatest expectations and hope lie in your hands. We commit ourselves to you and we love you Lord.
Amen and Amen.
Just part of the reality of living with a chronic, debilitating disease like MS.. The good news is that I survived the new high dose oral steroid treatment the doctors up at USF put me on, have been in physical therapy for the past 6 weeks and am feeling stronger as we head into this glorious season. Thank you Lord!
Today, one of my Facebook friends posted this question on her page.
Is it wrong to have expectations?
Boy, that's a loaded question, right? She got a myriad of answers, along with mine, the gist of it went something like this: Hope and expectations are what keep us going! Definitely hope! Jesus wants us to have hope for each day and hope for the future so He can use us in the world. We have to look forward so we can shine for Him in the world.
I really thought about that question a lot today and went back to read some of the answers her friends gave her. Most of them were positive but there was also another friend of mine who said" we live in a fallen world. Expectations for a Currier and Ives or Martha Stewart Christmas just aren't realistic. We aren't perfect and striving for perfection and having too high of expectations can set you up for a fall and a tremendous amount of disappointment."
She's right in a lot of ways, BUT, and this is a big BUT..... we have the Greatest Expectation in the History of Mankind coming up in a little over a week.
Jesus Christ, the long awaited Messiah, born of a simple virgin and the Holy Spirit, changed the expectations of the entire universe on that one silent night. Hope sprung eternal when Jesus entered the world and changed the expectations of humanity for all time.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6
He and His glorious birth are the Great Expectation the people had hoped for,celebrated and we continue to celebrate over 2,000 years after his entrance onto the world scene. He alone is our Hope. He alone is our Great Expectation.
As we look forward to celebrating Jesus birth next week, I encourage you to stop and think about what your hope and dreams are for the future. What do your Great Expectations look like? Health and happiness for yourself and your family members? Peace in our increasingly violent and decadent world? A new job? A new house? A new church? There are a thousand dreams that can be ours because of that sweet baby born in Bethlehem all those years ago. He has brought Great Expectations to the world.
For me, one of my biggest is the promise of a bright future for our beautiful new granddaughter,Grace Natalie, I may feel broken down and worn out many days from this disease that has ravaged my body, but God can still use me to reach out to this precious child and teach her about Him and His Kingdom. I plan to take a considerable amount of my energies toward that end.
Steve and I with our little Gracie. She's such a doll!
Isn't that what we're here for anyway? To reach out and help and love those in our little universe and those we love dearest? Isn't that what Jesus brought into the world when He came?
Hope and Great Expectations for the future of mankind! Rejoice and Celebrate in that amazing truth. Merry Christmas everyone. May the Peace of our Lord be with you now and in the every day in the New Year!
Isaiah 26:3
My verses for today are above in red.
My prayer for today:
Dearest Heavenly Father:
Thank you for sending your son to save us! Thank you for having come into the world, fully God and fully man, born of a simple virgin teenager who had not known a man. Your miraculous birth gives us hope for the future of all mankind! All of our greatest expectations and hope lie in your hands. We commit ourselves to you and we love you Lord.
Amen and Amen.
