The most wonderful time of the year

You'd never from these precious pictures what a day we had trying to get Ava to pose and smile for the camera!  Shesh! Anyway, the holidays are upon us and we are already enjoying them in a whole new way.  Seeing all the wonder and magic through a child's eyes is really something special.  But most special of all is remembering and focusing on what Christmas is ALL about!  Every year the Christmas story amazing me. Every year I am emotional thinking that the King of all Kings came as a humble, innocent child into a sinful world that would ultimately betray him and sentence him to death   He was born with one purpose.  To save us through dieing for our sins and then conquering death by raising three days later!  So, while it's so fantastic to remember the sweet baby Jesus who was born in a manger, also remember what he was born to do and the price he paid for you, for your me, and for every person who ever lived.  Pretty darn cool.  
So, purpose...it's a good time to think on what God's purpose is for your life as 2010 is wrapping up and a new year is about to begin.  This year we have discovered a lot about God's purpose. God called us to adopt which I was EXCITED about but this is kind of how my conversation with him went..." I would like to adopt an infant girl.  This is my first child and I would love to experience those early months with her. Also, I don't really want to deal with the baggage that comes with adopting an older child.  Also, I plan to adopt a child without any kind of medical problem or health issue. I definitely want healthy!  What mother doesn't?"  Ok, so that clearly wasn't God's purpose for this family!  Although he did give me a girl :-)  But as all of you who know us already know, we wouldn't have it any other way.  Now, don't think that I think I have figured out God's exact plan for my life...that's not really how it works.  It's a constant process and it's always evolving but one thing that doesn't change is that he wants our life to glory him.  And sometimes that looks different then we expect it will.
When I pray for Ava I pray that God would use her to do great things for Him.  I pray that he would use her exactly how he made her to inspire and touch others in the name of Jesus.  And I pray that he would use every hardship that she's had in her past and will have in her future for His purpose.   
So, I hope that this Christmas season we can all think about the great purpose that Jesus had in this world and ask him what his plans for us might be.