The Best Gift

Can you believe 2009 will be over 2 weeks from today? I was looking at my calendar this morning thinking about this year - what all has changed. In January, I was convinced I was going to nursing school. I think the thing I was absolutely sure of was that I was ready to come home (to MS) - not go back to school for two years. So, plans changed and I didn't go the nursing school route - and I'm still in ATL. I'm slowly learning to grasp the fact that there's a reason why things don't happen according to my plan or my time table. It's about this thing called faith in this person called God. It's almost comical to think that we spend so much time making plans for our life - well, maybe not everyone is as OCD about planning as I am - that we forget to include the One who holds the master plan.

I love the holidays. We usually put up the tree and outside decorations at my parent's houes the day after Thanksgiving. This year was no exception. It's always makes for a good time when you realize that half of a strand of lights are out and you spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what's causing it. In the freezing cold. Awesome. Nothing a quick trip to the dollar store for 4 boxes of replacement lights won't fix. I'm headed to Jackson next Wednesday (23rd) and will be there until January 3rd! SO EXCITED!!!

I was there this past weekend for my friend Saundra's baby shower. Sydney Marie is due to arrive in January, but if her mother has anything to do with it, she'll be here before the new year. It's been a long road for Saundra and her husband, Jason, to get to this point and for sweet Sydney to be here in just a few short weeks. I'm so excited for them and can't wait to meet this new baby girl! I hope she will come before the new year so I can be in town when she's born. (That's another thing I don't like about not being in Jackson - having to miss my best friend's having babies.) Saundra got so much cute stuff; I have no doubts Sydney will be one of the best dressed babies in town! Of course, now that I found my camera cord under the passenger seat of my car to upload these pictures to the blog it's not letting me! Promise to post pictures as soon as I can get it to cooperate...

Best Gift is Pinelake's Christmas music that they perform each year. I had the opportunity to participate in it when I lived in Jackson and although it was a lot of work - it was so fun! Well, Best Gift was also this past weekend and I was excited to have the chance to go - especially because Mom was singing in it this year! They did a great job and since I have an inside connection to the choir again, Mom gave me a CD of the music which I've been listening to in my car for the last month or so. Saundra and our friend Jenna used to make so much fun of me for always listening to choir music! I have a few pictures that Mom emailed me that I'll post with the ones from Saundra's shower.

With Christmas being a week from tomorrow, it's easy to lose sight of the reason we celebrate. Last minute shopping, parties to attend, food to prepare, gifts to wrap - there's so much to be done in so little time. I'm so thankful that Jesus came and that He truly is the best gift we could ever receive! I hope you and your families have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!