Countdown to Christmas...

My dad drew this on the chalkboard last year for Christmas. SIMPLY amazing.

It seems to sneak up on me every year, no matter how early I pull out the decorations, glitter the house, do the shopping, wrap the gifts and plan the menu. There never seems to be quite enough time to get it all done. Is it because there really isn't adequate time or is it because we try to do too much, expect too much or perhaps we make it about what it's really not. Is He receiving our praise through our efforts?  

Seems funny to me that there is so much emphasis on decorating and making things looks beautiful and sparkly when the event we are celebrating actually took place in polar opposite conditions- a stable, dark, dirty and about as primitive as conditions get. I struggled with this for years- the conflict between wanting things to feel lovely and festive and then coming to reality about the real conditions and meaning of Christmas. I guess the great thing about this struggle is that it challenged me to seek Him for wisdom re: what the season really suggests and how to glorify Him through it all.

One of my favorite parts in the story of the birth of Jesus is when  the  angel comes to the shepherds and scripture  says the glory of the Lord  was shining around them and the shepherds were afraid. But then the angel says, 
"Do not be afraid. I bring good news of great joy that will be for all people."
And then it goes on to say that suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the hightest,

and on Earth peace to men on

whom his favor rests." 

How awesome would that have been to witness the sky singing praises with these humble shepherds to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Oh so awesome!

And then this precious part of the story about how the shepherds decide to go look for the baby that they have just been told about. They hurry! They can't wait to find this amazing family.  Then after they see them they are filled with an overwhelming excitement about what they have seen and what has been told to them about this baby. They must have shown great enthusiasm because the scripture says that all who heard their story were amazed. 

And then this is the part that gets me every time.. .
It says Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. She takes it all in -savors every moment. Everything about that evening and what led up to it was a treasure that bubbled up inside of her. Can you even imagine what was going on inside of her heart? Take a second and think... really think about it.  I think about how I feel when my boys have accomplished something that means everything to him. Or when I've been blessed with a great evening together as a family, or when God answers a prayer, or seeing my children awarded for something they did well. The joy inside and the awe of God's power to do what he wills in and through us is simply stated...         
a miracle.
I want my heart to know and my actions to speak that  everything I do this Christmas is done for the glory of God so that I can experience the supernatural gratification that Mary had, knowing that is was ALL about Jesus. 

So now when I decorate, I do it in honor of Jesus. 
I ILLUMINATE the house to represent the glory of the Lord. 
I GLITTER to remind myself of the humble means by which Jesus came into this world.
 I SHOP to be reminded of the gift we have in Jesus.
 I WRAP pretty packages and place them under the tree to remember that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed into a manger.
 I PLAN my menu to prepare for the time we will have as a family to go humbly before God together in prayer and thank him for his wonderful gift.
 And I DECORATE to tell the world that, 

"On this day a Saviour has been born to us, 

he is Christ the Lord!."

Much love and Merry Christmas...ALL for his glory.

I just showed up for my own life...

I think Sarah Groves spoke my heart the best when I heard her sing these words recently...

There are so many ways to hide

There are so many ways not to feel

There are so many ways to deny what is real

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by life.  Do you?

It's many demands, in every area. A continuous stream of activity- physical, emotional, mental, ever-flowing and overflowing energy; most of the time excessive. Do you ever feel this way?

And then the never ending relentless task of putting a finger on it, diagnosing the problem and trying desperately to figure out how to repair it only to find most times it's beyond repair. So we do what Sarah describes in her song- We find ways to hide- ways to numb the pain- ways to deny what's really happening. How do you hide? I go to Target. How do you numb the pain? I eat and drink.  And how do you deny your reality? I tell people, "I’m good, great, things are good, just busy- you know. Just keep smiling”, I tell myself. 

                                                                                               

We can't hide from God. In Psalm 139 David says to God,                                                                    "You have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely O God. You hem me in- behind and before. Where can I go from your Spirit?Where can I flee from your presence?"

                                              David continues to name all of the places that it would seem impossible for God to be with him and then agrees with God that even in those places, God is there.                                                                         

  In the heavens, in the depths, on the wings of dawn, on the far side of the sea.                                                  I don't know about you but knowing God is EVERYWHERE with me all the time gives me great reassurance. I think often times we take that reality for granted. I mean really????...everywhere?! That is awesome. That is God. Pure Awesomeness.                                                                                        Sarah's song continues to address the issue:                                                                                      Spending my time sleep walking                                                  Moving my mouth but not saying a thing                                             Hoping the changes would take by working their way from the outside in

I was in love with an idea

Preoccupied with how a life should appear

Spending my time at the surface repairing the holes in the shiny veneer

"Preoccupied with how life should appear." That line gets me. This trips me up. How much time I spend thinking about how my life should appear- and trying to repair the holes, instead of putting my weight of the world on the one who created the world. But we have to make the decision to choose to put our hope in HIS promises:                                                                                                                          With Him all things are possible. He will never walk alone or ever be in need. He wants us to live an abundant life. If He is for us who can be against us? He will give us perfect peace... just to name a few.                                                                        Listen to Sarah pour out hope- which is why I love her so much...                                                           I'm going to live my life inspired

Look for the holy in the common place

Open the windows and feel all that's honest and real until I'm truly amazed

I'm going to feel all my emotions

I'm going to look you in the eyes                                               I'm going to listen and hear until it's finally clear and it changes our lives

 I want to start looking for the holy in the common place. Even when my common place feels overwhelmed. Especially when my commonplace feels overwhelmed. When I started asking God to show me the holy in my commonplace of feeling overwhelmed, I heard him tell me to share it:                                                                                                                                          Tell them you feel this way often. Offer them my hope and direction. Tell them what brings you perfect peace when the storms in your life are whirling uncontrollably around you...tell them it's me that brings you perfect peace. And tell them I'm using it for good. They may not see the good right this minute but I am using it. That is a promise. Using it to make them more like me. Tell them to trust me. It's all I am asking them to do. Trust in my strength. I have redeemed them. Whatever is true, pure, lovely, worthy... think on these things. Tell them to think on these things. 

                                  

The chorus in the song is the best part:                                                                                                      And I just showed up for my own life

And I'm standing here taking it in and it sure looks bright
listen to the song!

Welcome to treasured life!

This is my first post to my new blog who's purpose is to get you excited and help you to find nuggets of joy in all facets of your life. My hope {on my knees girls, don't let me down!}... is that you are inspired by my own life; personal experiences, daily struggles, and creative endeavors.  I will share my heart through it all- home life, creativity, family, indulgences , etc and hopefully offer you laughter, a smile, a little guidance or reassurance because of  the confidence I have in the promises of my maker. He created me. He loves me. He knows my every thought and has equipped me to do what he has called me to. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend... some days not such good one.  I work in my home, run a small business and try to serve where I am called...I said try.  I make lots of mistakes...did you hear me??...LOTS, and am often led astray only to humbly return to the one who makes all things new.  It is by His grace through faith that I can do all things. I KNOW! I can't believe it either! And you can do all things too. YOU CAN!!!
Thank you for following my journey or should I say my chaos through treasured life and may you be inspired to embrace and commit to living your very own, custom made treasured life. Oh yes, and please feel free to leave comments...only nice ones. haha

much love,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Dana McNamee