lately

I've really missed celebrating this season of Hope with my family. As much as I love Christmas music, "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" has sent me into tears more than once thinking about people I love and familiar gatherings. In light of those moments, I know that the Lord has purposed these days so I am choosing to press into the Father's heart and desiring to know him more. There are a few things that have made this HK Christmas memorable already:

Revisiting the age old art of decorating seasonally shaped cookies.

Fatih sharing a few pieces of baklava that his brother brought from Turkey.

Watching the construction of the tiniest gingerbread village.

Caroling at local nursing homes.

Truth that keeps my heart in check. The miracle of miracles, prophecy fulfilled...

Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, a son will be given to us; and the government shall rest upon his shoulders; and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

We have to continue to grasp the idea/truth that our lives reflect something. It honors someone or something. It is eternally, infinitely important that we reflect Jesus.

asleep or not asleep?

If you ever find yourself on a bus here in Hong Kong you will very likely find yourself seated next to a person who is sleeping, or pretending to sleep. It's a incredible thing really. People can be fully alert walking to their bus stop, interacting with others while awaiting the bus' arrival, but then as soon as they hit the seat in the bus their eyes are closed and their head tilted downwards. The best part is that they know exactly when they need to get off without lifting an eyelid. The awkward part is when the bus makes a wide turn and the person next to you really is asleep, you find yourself leaning way farther than you normally would to avoid being mistaken as a pillow. Sometimes I just want to wave my hand in front of their face to see if they would look up, but after some logical processing through that thought I realized that in the chance that they did open their eyes, it would be difficult to explain why my hand was in front of their face and not seem like a creep. Perhaps they enjoy a little power nap while in transit. Perhaps they are really perceptive and don't need visual cues to get places. Perhaps they are narcoleptic. Perhaps it's just a little game they like to play to pass the time: am I asleep or not asleep?

taking time

If you know me well, you know that I love to look back through old journals and pictures that seem to capture time as it passes all too swiftly. As our team gathered together this week, we collectively practiced looking back on our experiences together this fall and what the Lord has done right before our very eyes. While many of the things mentioned were repeated as we shared, I didn't grow tired of hearing them time and time again. It seemed as if those very memories grew my appreciation and understanding for what He has done among us. He used the same situation to speak much into us as individual children and as a team. For it is only in and through and because of Him that we are satiated by His grace and provision. What a joy it is to look back and watch him make good of all that has come.

I hope that you feel connected to this portion of my journey thus far and in my desire for you to feel that I wanted to share a couple of the things that found their way from my memory to my paper:

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him [Jesus]. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

{before my eyes}

• He has provided for all we need {Matthew 6:25-34}
• He has most certainly prepared the way before us in a way that we must rely on him {Isaiah 30:21}
• the soil of hearts softening {Matthew 13:18-23}

{in me}

• a deeper desire to know him {Jeremiah 29:12 & 13}
• opportunities to exercise trust in who He is {Hebrews 4:14-16}
• burden for the nations {Matthew 28:16-20}

sway

reason # 812 i really enjoy taking walks here. always a little gem along the way.