FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT
Yesterday Jenna and I read finished Luke 1 in our Advent readings.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah blessed God for redeeming his people, showing us mercy, delivering us from enemies, that we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all our days (Luke 1:67-79).
Although each of our weeks probably contained tough moments, we each also saw more moments that were full of the “tender mercy of our God” (Luke 1:78). Let’s praise him for that!
Here are five ways I saw his compassion this week:
1. Gracious supporters
After months of hard work, the River of Life Players performed their best for God’s glory in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever last Friday and Saturday night. We were blessed to have friends and family join us to support Jenna.
An after-performance tradition is eating pancakes at 11 p.m. at IHOP. My favorite part of that? Watching the hard-working waitresses’ faces when Jeff blesses them with extra big tips each year for their patience with our large crowd. 
2. Sweet weekend visits
Jeff took Morgan and her boyfriend duck-hunting Saturday morning, and we taught Fuller how to play dominos that afternoon. I was especially blessed after Sunday lunch to hear Morgan and Fuller maturely discussing their Sunday morning Bible class together.
Fuller brought me this beautiful ornament for our tree. Wasn’t that thoughtful!
3. God’s artistry
Jenna won several awards for her photography at our homeschool group’s Fine Arts Festival on Tuesday night. She captured great images of some of God’s beautiful creation. I anticipate great shots from her for a long time to come! 
4. Overflowing
Kay gave me this framed photo as a sweet memento of our Overflow weekend. Part of this same crowd gathered to overflow on three of our elderly Christian friends at their home on Wednesday night. We all were blessed by it.
5. Relationships of Christmas
I am so NOT a shopper. Because my sweet husband bought several Christmas gifts last week, on Tuesday I was able to start and almost totally finish the remainder of our list in one afternoon. Then Jenna graciously volunteered to wrap the gifts last night. I feel so blessed to be able to rest now and enjoy relationships again instead of fretting over buying presents.
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Where have you seen God’s mercy this week?
9 comments:
Overflowing sounded like a great time they had, you can see in the photo as well.
Congrats to your daughter on her photo art.
I'll agree husbands are great shoppers, I'd rather give a gift card. Its just I don't have ideas and try to stay away from stores. ba humbug
My girlie is helping me wrap as well - what a blessing!
Congratulations to your girl on her photography award. A beautiful shot!
I love your thoughts on the tender mercy of God - I'll be thinking of that this week. Thanks Lisa!
Many blessings!
Photography is a hobby others do that I like to admire. Congratulations to your daughter on her award. God's tender mercies - the words are a blessing enough. I love the way you make them your week's faves.
Congrats to Jenna on the play and her awards! That's sweet to give the waitresses an extra tip -- an encouragement to them, I am sure.
I'm just about done shopping but haven't started wrapping -- hopefully this weekend! I've been working on Christmas cards this weekend and hope to have them out today. But things are going pretty well -- for not having started until after Dec. 1.
Great post, Lisa! I'm so thankful for God's tender mercies - and I need them so much!
I loved seeing your daughter's beautiful smile in your photos this week. She seems to have such fun interests - acting and photography.
Fuller seems to have the right idea giving ornaments - I was just thinking that may be the way to go, giving ornaments for gifts. So many people already to seem to have all they want ... but a thoughtful ornament is something anyone could appreciate.
How generous to give the extra big tip. That sure gave a blessing and good testimony to the waitresses.
How wonderful that the rest of the season can be spent on relationships instead of fretting over presents. You have some awesome people in your life. Have a blessed week.
You're right that even rough weeks contain some sweet moments. Congratulations to your daughter!
The Overflow print is lovely. That verse is one of my very favorites; what a source of comfort it is.
Hurray for husbands shopping! The relationships are the most important so I'm glad you can focus on the people now instead of presents.
Yes, rough weeks do contain some good moments to focus on! The play sounds like it was great and what a fun tradition of pancakes afterwards.
Congrats to your daughter on her photography awards.
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