Christmas 2009

This Christmas was surprisingly wonderful! 2009 was a difficult year for all of us. Though, I view 2009 as year of expanding our comfort zone--a year of change. I am grateful for every bit of it. I am blessed to have a healthy family, a healthy me, a roof over our heads and a good life. Yes, times are hard but somehow we seem much happier this Christmas then last. I felt my family and friends really embracing Christ's birth this year. Embracing the significance of the incredible gift He gave us. As Pastor Rick Warren discussed this weekend in church, with HOPE anything is possible. Hard times are only temporary, this too shall pass.

For this reason, I too (as I am sure many others) decided to make the word HOPE the word for me to explore this coming New year. Pastor Rick touched on five reasons for Radical Hope:

1. "God chose me before I chose Him."
2. "God always treats me with mercy."
3. "God has secured my future."
4. "God's power will protect me."
5. "God is preparing me for eternity."

What 5 great reasons to keep HOPE alive and well in my life!

This Christmas was an amazing Christmas with my husband, children, siblings, and my mother! I may not be monetarily wealthy, but I am so blessed with love and family! That makes me a very wealthy woman!

Friends, I pray that Christmas was an amazing time for you as well and I pray that HOPE is alive and well with you and that this new decade we are starting has incredible, wonderful surprises in store for you! May this new decade be filled with much love, much hope, much faith, much prosperity and much good health!

With lots of blessings and love,

Marie