December 14

Sunday - the day of no lists! In the midst of a busy season I am thankful for the lifeline of the Lord's Day. While it may still be a very busy day with church and perhaps company, I am thankful that it is a day that is fundamentally different and affords my mind a stopping point from the constant managing of to-do lists.

After morning worship we had a full house of guests. The house is all decorated for Christmas but it really comes alive when there are people talking happily and children bustling around playing together. And sitting together at a table eating, this certainly is one of the greatest fore-tastes of heaven here on earth. I am grateful to my mom for helping me out each Sunday!

There were just a few moments before evening service to begin a new book, Every Valley, a commentary on Handel's Messiah. Since I already love this piece of music I am particularly enjoying this book and its focus on explaining the Scriptures behind the lyrics (which are mostly word-for-word Scripture anyway).

I went early to the evening service to set up for communion while Michael stayed home to finish up his notes. I had previously taken Andrew to his youth group at the church building and so the three littler ones came along with me. About 10 minutes into the service I suddenly wondered where Rachel was. Certainly nowhere in the church building! And not reachable on her phone or by text. So I drove home to find her fast asleep in her room with her phone on silence. We had forgotten to take her to church! But we made it back just in time for the sermon! (Thankful to live only 5 minutes from the church.)