Turning 41!

Today is the day - I can no longer say that I am 40 - I have to deal with a new number 41. I also realized that I am 25 years from retirement. What do I want to accomplish with those years? What kind of husband and dad do I want to be? What will my priorities be?
I have been reading a book put out by Harvard Press, entitled, "Your Leadership Legacy." I am not interested in keeping people happy and this book has made that very obvious. My heart, my desire is to please God - forget tradition for tradition's sake. In the midst of that, I am called to live that out as a husband, a father and a pastor (and any other roles that I take on!:) ).
This Advent season, John 1:14 has really stuck with me, "The Word became flesh". I keep asking why did God become flesh? Because He loves me. Awesome concept and regardless how many times I hear it or think about it, it is still fresh and new - it is life changing for me.
Life has been full these last few weeks, but it has been full of good things. Work parties, school and church presentations, each time it has made me think about why we celebrate Christmas.
It is fun celebrating Christmas in a new church, in a new community and with new people. I learned more about the Canadian ethos and how each part of Canada is unique and special. I am thankful to be here in Alberta, but I cannot get over how much I miss the prairies. Especially this time of year when you can see the sun rise and set, often from the same chair. It was a special gift from God to be able to have lived on the acreage for three years. Maybe in retirement .... ?
I am waiting for the weather to turn cold so that I can make a skating rink in the back yard. We have been over zero just about every day for a couple of weeks now. We still have snow, but it is starting to look dirty and you can see it is melting a little every day. If this keeps up, we will not have any snow by New Year's.
Cameron won student of the week last week at his school. The parents are very proud!:) Andrew had the part of a "cowboy" at his Christmas presentation and had his and everyone else's part memorized. It was good.
We have not gotten our Christmas cards out this year. We were waiting for Andrew's school picture, which still has not yet come. So we will create an email letter that we will send to folks tomorrow or Saturday - sorry about that.
We had 294 at church a couple of weeks ago, which a new high for the church. Quite exciting to be a part of something that big and special.
I need to go and do some work on the Christmas Eve service - I hope to keep up with blogging more often - when I go this long, I feel that I have to write so much!:)
If I am not talking to you, may you have a very Merry Christmas and may you experience the power and hope of the babe that was born in a lowly manger.