These Are a Few of my Favorite Things

It's hard to believe that we are just a day away from Christmas. It's true that the older I get the faster time flies. As I think about Christmas, I think back about the birth of Christ and wonder what it was like on that night? The story itself is still so amazing that God would love us so much that he would send his Son down to this earth to experience this life first hand and ultimately become our saviour. We know that is what Christmas is really about, and that's why we celebrate. However, there are many other awesome things about Christmas with regard to family and traditions. Some of my favorite are watching the "Nativity" movie with Shanon and the kids on Christmas eve, drinking hot cocoa and roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, watching the excitement of the kids as they go to bed and get ready for Santa, and of course giving gifts on Christmas morning. These are a few of my favorite things. What are some of yours? Merry Christmas!

My Last Texas Stadium Memory

This last Sunday night I got to experience one more great Texas Stadium memory up close and personal when my dad and I attended the Cowboys vs. Giants game. It was incredible! Not only was it a great win for the boys this season, but it was just a great memory for me with this being the next to last game being played in this stadium. When I think back, I have experienced a lot here. I watched high school football playoffs when I was a kid. Being from Irving, I actually had my graduation ceremony here. I experienced God here in an awesome way at a Men's Promise Keeper event. Last but not least, my dad and I have some great memories here. This is so much more to me than football, because I will never forget all the fun that we had together watching our team and the bond that was formed. As I write this, I realize that tons of people go through life with little or no relationship with their father, so when I think about Texas Stadium it reminds me of my dad and what a blessing and hero he's been in my life. I will truly hate to see it go.

Hope

When you take an honest look at the world around us and some of the tragedies that seem to frequently take place, it's easy to get discouraged and become depressed. If you combine that with our present economy, it's no wonder that people are struggling so much right now. During this time, it's easy to lose hope, but that is the one thing we must never let go of. Hope is a small word, but it packs quite a punch. I love what King David said in the Psalms, "But as for me, I will always have hope." If you have hope, it doesn't matter what life throws your way. My prayer for you today is that God would give you a fresh dose of hope for whatever you face. Hope is actually the title of our new Christmas series that starts this Sunday. It would be awesome to have you as our guest this Sunday. Maybe a little hope is just what you need.