Christmas 2009

We had a really fun Christmas this year with our families. Although it can get a little crazy, we feel very blessed to have all of our families here to see and celebrate with. It is hard not to get caught up in finding the perfect gift for people and the commercial side of Christmas and to remember why we really celebrate. Probably the most inspiring and life changing experience this season for me was seeing Craig's younger brother Matt and hearing about his experience in Camden, New Jersey. He is there now with a program called Mission Year (http://www.missionyear.org/program/) and his goal is to love people the way Christ loved people, especially the people that are different than us and have nothing and no one. Also he has decided to live a simpler life, so that he can give to others. Instead of giving out gifts this year, for the names he drew he gave time (babysitting, dinner out). He also gave each family member a book called The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. He is a radical servant for God and God has used this book to change how I view people and showed me that Christ loved and served the unlovely (including me).