A Still Moment

 

  Christmas is over. Today it feels it like Christmas was ages ago. I have been spending the day sewing with my cousin who is working on a pair of lounge pants. I have been listening to the rumble of the sewing machine, the snick of scissors, my cousins voice, and the sounds of Switchfoot. This week has been busy between hanging out with cousins, shopping, sewing and doing a Hobbit marathon. Christmas vacation has been a lot of fun.

The Prayers of the Saints

  I have been infinitely blessed with my family. To be able to join with my cousins and aunts and uncles in prayer is encouraging beyond words. I have been given a family with whom I will spend eternity. Not everyone has been given that blessing.
  Today I was reminded of my gift as I listened to my Uncle pray for my Mom. Yes, my Mom still has cancer. And yes, I am still scared, but I know prayers are being lifted up on her behalf. And I am encouraged to hear my family praise the Lord in all circumstances.

Colds and Mortality

  I am well aware of the fact I am a human being. I need food, sleep and climate control just like everybody else. I am young, however, and that often leads me to believe I am invincible.

  Then I catch a cold. Colds are miserable. You spend at least one full day in your pajamas shuffling around with a over-used tissue, coughing into your sleeve, and ingesting an insane amount of vitamin C. The worse thing about a cold is the fact you know in a few days you will be feeling good again, but a few days away is not today.

  The woes of coping with a cold reminds me of my humanity. I am living in a imperfect, mortal body. I am not invincible, my body runs as well as it does because I am in the hands of the Almighty Creator. The shell my soul is living in will crumble one day, and there's nothing I or anyone else can do about it. Everyday I need to remember this world is not where I belong, I am not home yet. I never will be until my body dies and I leave behind my mortality to go and meet my Maker. 

Trusting God and the "C-word"

  I am not by nature a worrisome person. A good deal of the happy-go-lucky personality I had as a child has carried over into my adulthood. Naturally, I know understand the cares of life more now then I did then, but I am pretty good at not letting them get to me. Then I found out my Mom has cancer.
  Now I understand what worry is. I have felt the presence of the terrible fog you cannot see through. I have always tried to trust God no matter the circumstances, but this is different then anything else I have ever experienced. Never before have I felt so threated by the world around me and I realize there are so many things I cannot control.
  Then last week my pastor preached a sermon on Isaiah 36-37:7 about Sennacherib's threat to attack Jerusalem. Hezekiah, the king of Judah, responded rightly to the threat against his nation. Instead of looking to the nations around him to free him from his enemies, Hezekiah cried out to the Lord for mercy and deliverance. God listened to Hezekiah's cry for help and He rescued the nation of Judah and destroyed Sennacherib and his army. Hezekiah had great faith in God in the face of adversity. He had great faith in God when his circumstances did not make any sense.
  I needed to be reminded to have a bold and daring faith in God. Right now, I do not understand why my Mom has cancer. I still come to God screaming why. At the same time I am learning to trust Him and he is giving me a peace that pasts all understanding.

December the 2nd, In Alvin

  My brothers yell into the house, "Hey Hannah, come look at this snake."

 

 

  So I go outside to see it and end up staying outside to take pictures of the fall in southeast Texas.

 

  And yes, I realize it doesn't look much like fall. It is about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but no worries, I like the warm weather.  

Happy Thanksgiving

  Today I joined hundreds of other Americans in waking up at the crack of dawn to put a turkey in the oven. Now my family will participate in the annual American gluttony festival. We will be sufficiently fueled to wake up in the wee hours of the morrow so we can rush out and pay homage to the gods of crass commercialism.
  I am kidding.
  Thanksgiving, despite all appearances, is not a gluttony festival. And I will not go black Friday shopping tomorrow. I will, however, list the things I am thankful for this year.

My little sister. I waited eighteen years for her and she was worth the wait.

My brothers. Sure they drive me up the wall half the time but my life would be miserable without them.

My parent who love me unconditionally and encourage me to follow the Lord everyday.

That I got my driver's license with no drama.

For brownies.

For Nutella.

My cousins with whom I share a bond in the Lord.

That the Allen's visited us this summer.

My crazy awesome friends who put up with me.

For the turkey that laid its life down for my lunch.

For the marriage of two of my friends that took place this summer.

My converse.

The chance to volunteer at ALERT, and for the friends I made there.

That The Desolation Of Smaug is coming out in less then a month.

Coffee.

Stars.

The color blue.

I am most thankful for the saving grace of Christ. I am thankful that despite my past and my sin He still loved me enough to die for me and a save me from the punishment I deserve. I am thankful for the love He shows me everyday and that because of Him I can celebrate Thanksgiving.
 

Careful What You Pray For

  Sometimes, I ask God for things I do not really want. Things like contentment. During my second week at ALERT, I was asked to stay two weeks longer then I had planned to. Though I was looking forward to seeing my family again, I was also enjoying my time a ALERT and wanted to stay longer. I left the decision of whether or not I would stay up to my parents. After asking my parents if I could stay, I prayed for contentment. And I am sure I prayed an honest prayer, but I really wanted to stay at ALERT.

  When my parents called a couple days later and told me that they were going to pick me up when they had originally planned to, I was disappointed. I was not content. I did not want to be content. I sulked a little bit that day, I will admit. Then in the evening I went running with a friend. When we were done we walked out to the runway and laid down on it to look at the stars. As I watched the sparkle of a billion suns shining light-years away, I realized I was tired of being discontent. So I prayed for the same contentment I had asked the Lord for earlier, and He gave it to me.

  It really is almost funny, the way I do not want the things that are best for me. And I am not talking about whether or not I stayed up at ALERT, I'm talking about being content no matter where I am. At some point I have to let go of my selfish desires. The longer I hold onto them the longer they will hold me down. But when I let them go and give them to God, then I am free, and then I am content.