Last few weeks

Time moves so quickly. It seems like I am usually trying to catch up with all of the things that are going on. We had a group come over the other night to go carol around the neighborhood and then go to our house for cake, games, hot chocolate, and fellowship. It was a wonderful evening! We celebrated my birthday along with a friend of mine that I have known since I was 8 years old. It was great! Since then my family and I have been trying to get ready for our family that is coming into town for Christmas, and all of the things that go along with that. I love this time of year, the chilly air, relatives, lights, Snow, and parties. I love to get together with the brethren and fellowship. My family with another family is also putting together a Barn Dance for New Years Eve. We are so excited! I have to say though, I have never called so many gyms, community centers, or churches. Dad and I were both calling places these last few days trying to figure things out. As usual everything will come together at the end, it always works out that way. :) Sigh. I have been thinking back on this last year though and all of the changes that have taken place. All of the new brothers and sister in the Lord I have met, and fellowshipped with. All of the friends that are now in college, married, and starting a family. It is amazing how quickly something can change. When we had some of our friends over to go carol through the neighborhood, and fellowship with, I was sitting in one of the rooms looking at all of the groups talking, laughing and enjoying themselves. We have all changed so much, but at the same time, we are still ourselves. It is like watching a family grow up and seeing them mature together as well as individually. It brought to memory the verse that says Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 He (the Lord is perfecting His children, and I have been blessed to see it). I was thinking about it again this morning and read: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good work, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. He desires us to walk worth of the vocation which He has set before us. I am seeing my family in the Lord do just that and I am richly blessed by their willingness to be molded by the Lord.