Today is Day Thirty-One of 31 Days of Encountering God! We did it, ya'll! If you missed the kick-off, you can go HERE and find the Introduction as well as each days post! (I will be adding every day as the month goes on!)
We did it ya'll! Thirty-one days talking about Encountering God! I pray that we didn't just talk about it... talk about meeting up with Him - about giving Him room, inviting Him in, expecting Him to actually show up - to speak - to move! I pray that along the way, you have looked back over your days and found that He has been there - and that you have encountered Him through out this month, turning your thoughts and your hopes to finding Him right there - in your every day life!
So - lastly... let's look for Him here:
Encountering God in your Traditions...
I know, I know... I wrote about this LAST year - on the 31st day of #31Days... about Halloween and Traditions and the like... but this year I want to talk about how we can find God... how we can invite Him in - to the traditions that we hold dear!
This time of year - once we get past Halloween and all the candy and costumes... our culture tends to go straight to Christmas, boldly overlooking Thanksgiving! But not here... not us!
Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday! We have learned well from sweet Ann with no e of the value and practice of Counting Gifts... we count one thousand and beyond, three or more per day... and this spirit of thankfulness has become a tradition around here that is not limited to the month of November. It leaks out all over to the rest of the holidays - and every other day too! No - in this house... our traditions go all year long!
I love traditions... passing them on down to the next generation... how they create history and speak of belonging and they tie us all together. I was not raised in a home that was committed strongly to doing a lot of Family things... so the few things that we did - I kept going, and then there were a few traditions we started new, when our family was young. I look back over them now and notice that each of them is relational... each one is wrapped around the power of words... each one invites God in. From now 'Vintage' Hallmark Salt and Pepper Shakers, and Handmade Placecards at Thanksgiving where we'd write down things we were thankful for through out the year... to celebrating Hanukkah because when Jesus was here with skin on - he didn't really sing around a Christmas Tree - but He did light the Festival Lights and say the nightly blessings! Easter Sundays with family sharing our favorite parts of the Story, Birthday celebrations stretched out long, with intentional blessings... each of these traditions, inviting Him in, as we speak life over and into each other!
As the craziness of the holidays fast approaches... all the lists get bossier and the calendars fill up... we can choose to be intentional... we can ON PURPOSE invite God in to our Traditions. We can make prepare Him room - not just at Christmas time, but at all times, and we can bring Him with us - and give room for Him to show up! We can help bring an Encounter to everyone around us!
That is my challenge... that is my prayer!
So - lastly... let's look for Him here:
Encountering God in your Traditions...
I know, I know... I wrote about this LAST year - on the 31st day of #31Days... about Halloween and Traditions and the like... but this year I want to talk about how we can find God... how we can invite Him in - to the traditions that we hold dear!
This time of year - once we get past Halloween and all the candy and costumes... our culture tends to go straight to Christmas, boldly overlooking Thanksgiving! But not here... not us!
Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday! We have learned well from sweet Ann with no e of the value and practice of Counting Gifts... we count one thousand and beyond, three or more per day... and this spirit of thankfulness has become a tradition around here that is not limited to the month of November. It leaks out all over to the rest of the holidays - and every other day too! No - in this house... our traditions go all year long!
I love traditions... passing them on down to the next generation... how they create history and speak of belonging and they tie us all together. I was not raised in a home that was committed strongly to doing a lot of Family things... so the few things that we did - I kept going, and then there were a few traditions we started new, when our family was young. I look back over them now and notice that each of them is relational... each one is wrapped around the power of words... each one invites God in. From now 'Vintage' Hallmark Salt and Pepper Shakers, and Handmade Placecards at Thanksgiving where we'd write down things we were thankful for through out the year... to celebrating Hanukkah because when Jesus was here with skin on - he didn't really sing around a Christmas Tree - but He did light the Festival Lights and say the nightly blessings! Easter Sundays with family sharing our favorite parts of the Story, Birthday celebrations stretched out long, with intentional blessings... each of these traditions, inviting Him in, as we speak life over and into each other!
As the craziness of the holidays fast approaches... all the lists get bossier and the calendars fill up... we can choose to be intentional... we can ON PURPOSE invite God in to our Traditions. We can make prepare Him room - not just at Christmas time, but at all times, and we can bring Him with us - and give room for Him to show up! We can help bring an Encounter to everyone around us!
That is my challenge... that is my prayer!
Tomorrow - or maybe the next day... or maybe the next day - I will be back to wrap up this series... give me Grace, I pray. I
Love your amazing encouragement!
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