Holidays...

I love the holidays! I love the smell of fresh baked goodies! I love children's eyes as they open up their gifts. How they treat each gift like a new found treasure. I love getting together with family and friends. I love the feeling of love and compassion that floats in the air. But, in the blink of an eye it is gone.

I took our tree down yesterday and tucked away the nativity scene. In just a few short hours it looks as if Christmas never even existed at my house. Everything is back in it's place and it is back to the "ole grind" I guess you could say.

My pastor has been preaching on God's providence alot lately. Of how God is in control of every little detail of our how lives. Even the little bitty things that we often don't think about. As I drove to work this morning I began to think about the upcoming holidays for 2009. I had a wreath that I left hanging in my living room and simply replaced the red bow with a white one. Kristina and I tossed around ideas yesterday of decorating this wreath month after month with whatever holiday that fell during that time and just enjoying a little bit of holiday spirit all year long. As I began to think about Valentine's Day, Easter, the 4th of July I began to see God's providence in our calendar.

January - New Years...Here we are just a week after Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus when he throws in a day for us to "resolve" to change. A day for us to think about what choices we are going to make in the upcoming year, what type of life are we are going to lead, what type of stand are we going to take for him.

February - Valentine's Day...A day of love! I know we use this day to show love to each other. Kids exchange Valentine cards, husband's buy their wives flowers, wives buy their husbands....what do we buy them? Huh, never thought about it. Anyway, moving on, here is a day devoted strictly to love! But, I believe this day is providentially placed on our calendar to remind us that God loves us!

March - Spring begins...At the perfect moment God creates a beautiful picture of flowers, colors, smells, wind, the sun shines brighter and you just can't help but have a smile on your face. Just when you think that you are in control, God changes the seasons to remind you that HE is in control!

April - Easter...A time to remind us of his death and resurrection. A time to celebrate the ultimate sacrifice. A time that is providentially placed on the calendar at just the right time to remind us that HE is the way, the truth and the life!

May - Mother's Day...This one really stood out to me! How amazing is it that Mother's Day follows Easter? A day to honor mothers is providentially placed after a holiday when a mother lost her child to save this world!

June - Father's Day...A day to honor our Fathers. A day that reminds us that our heavenly Father loves us more than our earthly fathers can even imagine. See, after a time to remind us of his resurrection and a time to honor Mothers he quickly brings our minds back to THE FATHER!

July - Independence Day...Now, go figure this one! Independence Day! Yes, this is a day that we celebrate the independence of our country but maybe, just maybe this day is providentially placed on our calendars to remind us of our very own independence from sin!

August - School begins...Now, I love my children more than life itself but let's just say...I am so happy when school starts back! Just when parents can't take one more day of hearing "I'm bored" God sends them right back to school! =)

September - Autumn beings...Oh the beauty that is Autumn! The wind is crisp, the leaves change colors and yet again God reminds us that he is in control. He controls the seasons, the heavens and the earth.

October - Halloween...Maybe others look at this day as a day of evil but I like to look at it as a day of choice. God gives us a day to choose how we will live our lives. Will we follow the crowd and decorate with witches and evil or will we choose to stand apart and decorate with harvest and celebrate the upcoming holiday of Jesus' birth.

November - Thanksgiving Day...A day to prepare us for celebration. This holiday is providentially placed to prepare our hearts and minds to be thankful for everything we have, for everything that God has given us and thankful for God sending his son Jesus Christ to save us.

December - Christmas Day...Jesus' birth! Oh what a day! This wonderful day is providentially placed at the end of the year to bring our focus back to HIM. Back to the day when Jesus was born with the purpose to die on the cross to save us from sin.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life!" John 3:16

God's providence...day after day, week after week, year after year. He is in control!