Christmas EVE:::

Warm blanket on my lap? Check.. Hot coffee? Check.. Sleepy kittens? Crud! Where did they go? Oh well.. Check--ish.. Christmas Eve? CHECK!

Early Christmas present to me. Last Friday I found out that I'm FOR SURE starting nursing school in Fall!!! And on top of that I had straight A's this semester in school! **Bragging voice** I'm not bragging or anything.. **Sarcasm** But I have a 3.72 GPA! :) Not that it actually matters! Cause in honesty, it doesn't. But it's been funny. This has been one of my most relaxed, God focused semesters yet and I had all A's. Where as when I used to kill myself for the grade, stress out and bite off everyone's head. Yes, I was making A's then too. But I prefer this way, compared to that ANY day. Next year hasn't even started yet and it's filling up fast. EMT program in Spring. I'm praying about and hoping to go on a mission trip to Ghana in May, and then starting nursing school in FALL! I think God might have known what He was doing when he told me to sit still this last summer. I needed the rest!

Last night my family walked though Winter Haven. I love looking at all the lights! It was incredibly cold out though. Since we had to drive separate cars, I talked Mom into stopping at Starbucks on the way home. Coffee sounded good not just because it was warm but because we had other things we had to get done once we got home. Like clean the Kitchen which had been clean, but at that moment looked like a train wreck. Sad to say.. But whoever was the barista that made the drinks needed some retraining cause they were so awful that I didn't finish mine. THAT right there says something! But I saw the calendar that is in the picture above. Yes, I was THAT crazy person near the counter taking half a dozen shots of the calendar until I got one that I wanted to post!

It got me to thinking though... Living each season as it passes! That's one thing I have really learned this year. To be content in the season of life that I am in! Being happy here and now. Knowing that right here is where God has me, and here is where my purpose is. Also I've learned, to look to God first before I start looking for the answers from people. I guess you could say that God's taught me to find contentment in Him rather those around me. Even though I very much love the people around me.

I started thinking about all the things I would have missed this year if I wasn't right here in my life. Fun times with my family and friends. Battles won and lost. Friends gained and friends gone. Watching my brother getting bigger (almost as big as me!). Sometimes it's been heart wrenching to watch God work, shape and mold my friends and their lives. But it's been such a blessing and encouragement when I get to watch them have a deeper more intimate understanding of our Lords love. I love talking to them and seeing the joy and peace on their faces when they talk about how they know God loves them! :) If this was not the place God had me now, I would have missed it all!

This next year is going to be such an adventure! I might not be out sharing God's word with brothers and sisters in Christ in foreign lands quite yet. Or then again maybe I will (Mission trip to Ghana in May?) But that I'll be able to share God's love right here!

I know what your thinking.... "What an unusual blog post the day before Christmas." Yes, I know it is! But I wouldn't be where I am today, learned the lesson or seen the things that I have, if it weren't all started by God's love.
A baby in a manger that was my savior!

Merry CHRISTmas!