Oh Happy Birthday Jesus!

I think this year was the first year that I really really enjoyed Christmas.
There wasn't a ton of family drama; instead, there was a lot of good food, sweatpants, laughing, fires, staying up late, and playing games together.
I absolutely love my family. My family is crazy and often times inappropriate. They know how to be honest and make fun at the oddities of life. Sometimes my mom crosses over the line of 'overly-honest,' but it's hilarious.
My family really knows how to love each other. My parents don't know Christ, but the unconditional love of Christ abounds in my family.
I'm at a place in my life where I am so thankful and content. I sit and reflect on my life and this Christmas, and I am so happy.
I am reading a book by AZ Tozer called The Pursuit of God. It's amazing. Read it. He talks a lot about seeking God alone, not God and... We need to rip from our hearts everything else that is competing for affection. The more we know God, the more we desire more of God.
I'll end with a prayer from the end of one of the chapters.
O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for me. I am painfully conscious of my need of further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.' Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long, In Jesus' name.
Amen.

Wowzer

So it's been a really long time since I've updated my blog. The main reason is because I am convinced that nobody reads it except my best friend, who lives with me anyways so she doesn't really have a need to read my blog. And I'm 1/2 lazy, and 1/2 busy student athlete.
Anywho.
I don't really have a ton to write about because this post wasn't premeditated. But as I sit at my desk this morning having been woken up earlier than necessary by my roommate's boyfriend calling, all I can think of is how happy I am to be alive. There are definitely things that annoy me or make me upset or even sad and hurt, but at the end of the day (or the beginning), when I sit and reflect, I have a deep sense of contentment. I stinkin love life. I am so incredibly blessed and sometimes I just need to sit and think about it for a while, otherwise I forget. I have a wonderful family and I have amazing friends. I go to a great school where prayer begins each class. I have plenty of food to eat and clothes to wear. Yesterday I got a new Mountain Hardware Sub Zero Parka. It dropped straight out of heaven just in time for the tundra to overtake our school. I am currently listening to worship music played at the international house of prayer. A guy named Matt Gilman is playing Christmas music, you know, the music about Jesus, not Santa. It's beautiful. http://www.ihop.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=1000066807 - listen, December 5th at 10pm. I'm super overwhelmed right now by the many blessings in my life. My heart is just happy. I can feel it deep inside, and I want to be able to share that with others.
So whoever is reading this (hhm hm Katie), take some time to just sit and think about how good we actually have it. When I was in Africa I learned that it isn't the stuff we have that brings joy to our lives, although I am pretty stoked about my new coat, it is the people, the experiences, it's God. It's Christmas time and I'm sure glad Jesus came to earth. =) Notice blessings today