So as a takeoff from last years' post by Jason - What are some new-year's resolutions you definitely WILL keep this year? Not phony ones - not unrealistic ones - but truthful stuff that really means something to you. Be honest.

Here's my list:

1. Sleep in a lot more....... a lot more....definitely.
2. Go to church and be engaged and involved... not cause I have to (actually, this one sounds pretty good!) But because I really want to be there.
3. Seriously dig into the word - I want to study God's word for me more- not just cause I have to teach others.
4. Focus on becoming more physically healthy - I don't want to be obsessed with my weight or how I look - I just need to get more healthy, it's really sad...
5. Give 100% to whatever I am doing - this is a biggie for me. I tend to hold out and hold back - at work, in relationships, with my family.... it's pretty pathetic sometimes. I'm just really not all there lately.
6. Get my finances better under control & give more.
7. Use my camera more - carpe diem! My kids are growing up and I'm missing it! Aughghggh!
8. Take more quality time with my wife.
9. Write more worship songs! (How about "a" worship song for a change.....sheesh.)
10. Blog more often.

There, that wasn't so bad. Now it's your turn.

Merry Christmas from the Hughlett family!

Do you ever feel like you need a helmet when reading the word? I do. Every time I open it I usually don't come away feeling refreshed, but rather crushed.

I don't know what to say. I guess I could just stick to Psalms 23 and Phil. 4:13 but that feels dishonest and immature. I need to figure out Hebrew 6:1-6 and Matthew 7:13-14.

Lately these hard scriptures have been haunting me. When I'm honest about how I steward areas of my life I don't see anything to be really proud of. This can come across in my countenance and I continually have people exhort me to start living like "the King's kid" and to cheer up. I appreciate that, but I don't want to live in that dillusion. I think that produces mediocrity. A lack of responsibility. Like those spoiled royals we see in the tabloids that don't have to answer for anything because of who their blood lines.

So what do you do? I know the gospel. I know that I will never be made righteous by my works and good looks, but I also know that when I read the word, there is an expectation that believers "shine like stars" (phil 2:15) and most of the time I feel like a black hole...

What do you do with hard scripture? Do we say they are there to point us to our unrighteousness and need for Christ? Or do they signal how far we are from an authentic and real relationship with God?

I don't know, just being honest...

-Jason

8 years married.

Woo Hoo!!!

And it isn't even snowing this year...

I'm headed into the city tonight with my best friend and love of my life to get some great food, and stay in a hotel with a view.

-Jason

Since Steve never taught us about advent in youth group, I had to read up myself. ;)

Just kidding.

I am serious about utilizing this season to make the holidays more meaningful this year.

An song for the first week of Advent (Steve never played this song in youth group either...)

Lo How A Rose E'er Blooming
Lo how a rose e'er blooming
From tender stem hath sprung
Of Jesse's lineage coming
As seers of old have sung
It came a floweret bright
Amid the cold of winter
When half spent 'twas the night
Isaiah 'twas foretold it
This rose I have in mind
With Mary we behold it
The Virgins mother kind
To show His love so bright
She bore for us a Savior
In half spent was that night
O flower whose fragrance tender
With sweetness fills the air
Dispel in Glorious splendor
The darkness everywhere
True man yet very God
From sin and death now save us
And share our human load

6 years ago, I woke up knowing something was wrong. It had been a picture perfect 9 months. No morning sickness, no problems what so ever. But on Nov. 26, 2002 Naomi woke up having one huge non-stop contraction. Pretty soon there were numerous doctors, nurses and others swarming into our hospital room fretting over the fetal heart monitor and shouting to get her into the Operation Room.

In a blur, family and medical personnel were all around us. Some were praying, some were trying to get us to sign release forms. A grouchy anesthesiologist didn't help matters with his attitude. Then in one of the most surreal moments of my life everyone disappeared. They took my wife into the OR and everyone else left the pre-op area to the waiting room. I was totally alone.

I'll never forget the question that was delivered into my heart from heaven. "Am I good even now?" "Yes Lord, even if it all ends up terrible for me today, and I lose everything, you are still good." I have never been so close to my Creator than I was at that moment. I can't describe it now and never will be able to. All of the sudden I was filled with fire to pray and intercede for my family.

Shortly thereafter, a nurse came and asked me to come into the Operating room with my wife. They were just pulling the baby out. I looked at my poor, scared wife and she asked my why the baby wasn't crying. I didn't know. Then I heard it again "Am I good?"... "Yes Lord, you are good and your love endures forever..." In what felt like an eternity, but was probably only 10-15 seconds, Noah finally yelped out a cry and the nurse brought him over to us in kind of a sitting up position. I remember my first though was "Where did he get that cleft chin?!?!"

Later on, people were asking what his middle name was. I had a hard time trying to figure it out actually. But it came to me when I realized the name Michael means "Who is like our God". It would be a memorial of meeting God in that place. Kind of like Jacob and Bethel. It was chosen so I would never forget that day. (It also helped that is his grand fathers name!)

So today, I remember God's goodness to us that day. His grace over our family. His sovereignty. I believe if things had been different, or if they become different and not as planned, He demonstrates His faithfulness to walk through the fire, pain and terror with us.

Happy birthday Son!

-Jason

I just thought I would throw out a passage that really stopped me in my tracks the other day.

Luke 17:7-10
“Will any one of you who has a servant​ plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly,​ and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants;​ we have only done what was our duty.’ ”

This passage once again opened my eyes to how I often use my obedience as a bargaining chip with God. I foolishly act and think in such a way that if I can just build up enough of my own righteousness that I will twist God's arm into blessing my desires. This is both foolish and wicked and sadly when I do this I do not experience the benefits and blessings promised to me in the gospel.

We sometimes sing a song in Church that is difficult and humbling for me to sing but helps counteract this harmful attitude. The second verse reads:

Take all my cravings for vain recognition
Fleshly indulgence and worldly ambition
I want so much Lord to make You the focus
To serve You in secret and never be noticed

I want to have a heart like this, and I know I do not get there by negotiating with God using my own works.

-Dave