new mornings

So much has been going on, I can't believe I haven't posted in two weeks!  BAD blogger!  Wow. 

We had a lovely Christmas.  The boys and I had about a week and a half before Christmas of creating crafts and decorations for the house, gifts, reading through the advent calendar and just hanging out and enjoying the break from school.  This has been a fantastic time of renewal and refreshment for me and I'm (almost) ready to jump back into school on Tuesday.  Most of my family was able to make it and we gathered at OUR house for the first time in Fraser family history!  As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time we didn't celebrate Christmas at my parent's house.  It was such a blessing to be able to host my family here, I loved every minute of it!

After Christmas, we had an annual youth trip from the 29-31st, down in central Oregon.  We met with several churches in the Northwest and had up over 450 students.  We meet at the Young Life camp in Antelope called Anderson Family Ranch.  It's a beautiful camp, with a fascinating history (I'll share sometime, but I'm sure you could google it if you can't wait!) I haven't been able to go for the last couple years, so when I was able to get my childcare covered, I was ecstatic!  Since moving to Richland, it has been hard for me to transition into the Jr. high and high school ministry with Hayden.  This was a great way for me to be in the picture and get to know some of the girls better.  I say this again and will say it as long as we're in youth ministry: it is a humbling privilege to be a part of these student's lives.  I have been praying for the opportunity to join the team for youth group on Tuesday nights and I think God just provided the childcare we had been wanting!

As I look ahead to this coming week and starting school back up, I do so with a full heart.  I love the opportunity a new year brings.  I have a few "resolutions" bouncing through my mind and haven't decided yet which to settle on.  I do think a book list of what I'll be reading in 2011 is in order though.  That will be an upcoming post as well.

This year, while teaching my kids the calendar, God impressed something upon my heart in a new way. I had been having an especially hard day and just longed for it to be over.  It was then I had this little epiphany, and God has continued to bless me with it:

Even in the small detail of our daily existence, the calendar, God knows our needs.  He knew that we would have painful, unsuccessful, depressing, frustrating, mundane days.  When He created the sun and the moon and the day and the night, He knew how much of a gift a new morning could be.  He knew that we would organize our lives around this "calendar."  He knew we would make New Year resolutions and have great success and yet also fail miserably year after year.  Because God is a God of second, third, fourth.... innumerable chances.  He doesn't need a new day to set things right, but He knew what kind of significance it could have for our hearts.  Can you imagine if life was one long day?  Ugh.  I hate to imagine that.  I praise God for His provision for our hearts, His provision for our minds and for loving us through every detail of our existence!

Happy New Year!