Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Well, today has been fantastic!! I just wanted to get on here for a second and wish all of you a Merry Christmas!! :) I hope that you all are having, and had as wonderful of a time, as my family and I did!! Our Christmas was filled with lots of deep laughter, and lots of hugging! (A staple in the Keplinger/Swafford family lines!!) I say all this, but also remember the reason we are celebrating, and that would be OUR SWEET JESUS!! Aren't we so blessed that we have a Savior who came to this earth, and gave his blameless, spotless life for our dirty, guilty ones.
I really enjoy Christmas, sometimes a little too much... well, if that is humanly possible ;) What I mean by this is, I am the girl who starts listening to Christmas music in October, the person, everyone complains about when they must ride in the car with me when it is Halloween, and I have already started the Christmas season. Although I like to celebrate Christmas as early as possible, this year was very different in terms of how excited I was about it. I have yet to really share this on my blog, and I will not go into detail, but I broke off an engagement in July, and this has made this year a bit tramatic for me. Trumatic may not be the correct phrasing, however, it has been a year filled with major highs and lows. But God has been very present throughout this year, and I would not trade it for anything. I know that may sound crazy, but I say this with all honesty. I am a very sentimental person, and Christmas time being my favorite time of the year, I was a little more lerry, and ready for the Holiday season to be over since things were so different from how I planned them last year. I would find myself listening to the radio, or Christmas music, and just really wanting it to be over because of the memories it would bring to my mind... then on Christmas Eve while spending time with the Lord, it hit me like a ton of bricks. What is the reason for the season Ashley... ummm, that would be ME. Not whatever sentimental things or the commercial excitement you have associated with this holiday, no, it is Me, I am the reason for this time. After this dawned on me, everything seemed to really fall into place. Although I had some amazing times with people last year, and this year I am not in the same place as I was last year, or where I thought I would be, that does not matter. You see the Lord saved this person, this person with all her gross, filthy sin, took my place, so that I may be one of His children. This has just made me rethink a lot of things in my life.
Many of you may already be in this place, you may have realized this already when you pastor told you what the REAL reason for the season was, but for me, it has taken a little longer. I know many people may not agree that I should make myself so vulnerable before everyone who is reading my blog by referring to my broken engagement, but you know what.. no one is perfect, everyone has flaws, everyone has broken hearts sometime or another, and sometimes, I think it is when we get vulnerable with each other when the real healing begins.
The Lord has done a lot in my life this year, and I can choose to look at it in a negative way, or choose to view it in a positive light. The Lord has given me every reason in the world to view it in the positive light. Thank you Jesus for your Precious, Sweet, Sacrificing Son, and thank you for grace, and renewal when we seek you!! :)
I love you all, thanks for sharing in my life with me!! Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Jesus!! :)