A new December.

Christmas is actually not my favorite time of the year. I know...it almost seems sacrilegious or something. I don't know why really. I have great memories of this time of the year... riding in the car with dad and my siblings as we drove through neighborhoods that looked like Christmas threw up on them--fake Florida snow and all. Mom has always made the best Christmas desserts that make you sneak back in the kitchen for more. When we were younger, it was about getting up early to open everything up AFTER the Christmas story was read. When we got a little older, it was a fight with the younger siblings to stay in bed longer--we finally figured out that the gifts will still be there even if we sleep in until 9. Even then, you didn't want to look ugly because Dad's taking video and pictures that ONE DAY we will all look back at these pictures and not want to look ridiculous. Gotta look good. The day was then split running from house to house...more like rolling yourself from house to house...eating good food all day. ...Maybe even close the day with a movie at the theater. Traditions.

This year has seemed a little different. I couldn't wait to put up our tree the day after Thanksgiving. I'm pretty sure once we got home from picking out "the perfect tree", we put it all together in about 15 minutes like we were in a race, but here it is. I know. There is not tree topper. I still haven't found one that I like so we won't have one until I do. It's OUR tradition that we have started that we will look forward to every year.

I'm reminded of what Christmas looked like to us last year. Scary. Felipe was on reduced salary for months and almost lost his job. We needed to raise $20,000 before the year was over. I was still working at the front desk--hating life. We had decided not to buy anything for each other in hopes to save money for whatever was going to happen next and move towards a debt-free life. It was my first Christmas away from "home". Dad was battling with cancer with a surgery soon to follow while my precious niece was having unexplained seizures...and I was 2500 miles away. Instead of it being a season of hope and joy, we were fearful and desperate for change...so we waited.

We took blind leaps of faith. We prayed hard like couples should every day. We prayed for change. A vision. A renewed passion. Hope. We waited on the Lord and he heard our cry.

It's a new December.

Towards the end of last December, all of the funding came in for Felipe to keep his job and the ministry continues to expand. In January, I put in a request for transfer to a different department. By March, I was settled in a stress-free position which has dramatically changed our lives. In June, Felipe had a great experience with a different position at Washington Family Ranch (a Young Life camp in Oregon) doing "program" for the entire camp while I stayed at hope feeling pretty depressed. We learned that being away for that long should not be done and should not be replicated. --You live and learn. At the end of July, we took a great group of kids to camp at Woodleaf where new relationships and even old ones emerged. School began in August and so did club for the kids. New kids are in our lives. By the beginning of November, funding for Felipe was going well at full salary, in fact, good enough to give him a raise. ...And here we are to December.

We are so blessed. We are so thankful to see God's hand on our lives. It's been so great to see God's provision.

So...Merry Christmas.