Whether today finds you peacefully sipping eggnog or frantically baking and wrapping, there’s something special about Christmas. We just sometimes, *maybe* get a little busy and distracted from the real Christmas meaning. The Hope. The Peace. The Rescue. Let’s try something different instead. Treat yourself, your family, and your guests to six minutes. Six minutes to remember the reason, the real reason. Hear the words of the true Christmas through the eyes of Mary, Joseph, and Heaven itself. Join me for a Scripture reading, a re-telling of that first Christmas to enjoy with your family and friends.

Remember, you're not alone in this. I'm praying for you, Friend. Have a Glordinary Christmas!

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If it feels like it’s been a year, you’re not the only one. Psalm 23 reflects a year-long journey for the Shepherd and his beloved sheep. From the home winter range, to springtime mountain paths, to shadowy valleys, to pristine summer tablelands, and back each fall to the home range again. Full circle.

Four seasons. Six verses. One constant. The Good Shepherd- preparing, protecting, providing. It really is all about the Shepherd. Join me as we wrap up and cap off our series, "It's a Psalm 23-Kinda Day."

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Here’s a small excerpt: “During every season, every change, every danger, every shifting circumstance, the shepherd’s constant care and attention leads the sheep back home. Full circle. Well-tended and well-attended to. Because it really is… all about the shepherd. About his full attention at all times, in all ways.”

Have you ever had a moment of surety and confidence, where you just know… that you know… that you know?

Me too, and it’s with that same confidence we begin wrapping up our series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” Pour yourself a hot cup of Joe (or cocoa) and join me for the backstory. “Surely goodness and love shall follow me all the days of my life.”

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Here's a short excerpt: “But, I’ve gotta say it, my confidence gets tested. Yours too, I’d imagine. We ask God, “Why?”...a lot. We question, we accuse, we falter. We assume we could handle things better, or at least faster for sure. When life is falling apart, can we confidently declare that goodness and mercy are following me? Probably not, if we’re honest.”

Life is BUSY...and beautiful, and hard, and amazing, and complicated! (sigh) We’re inundated with places to be, things to do, gifts to buy, cookies to swap, and don’t forget to drink at least 8 cups of water per day. Add in the rest of regular life, and it’s a recipe for breakdown- physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Let’s chat about it as we take a deep, cleansing breath for the soul with Psalm 23:5- “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

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Here’s a small excerpt: “As we inhale, we can offer a short prayer. Breathe in. “God, I can’t handle this!” Breathe out. “Make haste to help me.” Interestingly enough, that’s actually called a breath prayer. Just as the shepherd’s oil brings instant relief to the sheep, the Holy Spirit’s Presence calms us amidst the nasal flies of this life.”

'Tis the season...for craziness! Keep your sanity this year with two special Glordinary holiday episodes. Spend Christmas and New Year's with me, Friend. Oh, and bring your family. It's for them too.

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Confession: I don't own a tablecloth. There, I said it. I’m not exactly skilled in the party-planning/table-prepping department. I prefer a bowl of chips and salsa as my centerpiece.

Thankfully, it's not all on me to set the table. He's done everything to prepare the table, complete with a place setting for me...and you. All we need to do is come. Join me as we chat through verse 5 as we continue our series: "It's a Psalm 23-Kinda Day." www.glordinary.com

Here’s a small excerpt: “…our Shepherd knows a thing or two about preparing a table in the presence of our enemies…even when the enemies sit across the table, the courtroom, the classroom, the breakroom, the living room…even when the enemies sit within us…our own choices, our own habits, our own sin, our own worst enemies.”

I like to be prepared. You too? Trying to pack in everything we need for all the days, in all the ways, with all the people in mind is exhausting! It’s comforting to know it’s not all on me, myself, and I to take care of ev-er-y-thing!

Psalm 23:4 reminds us the Good Shepherd’s thought of every last detail. So whether life is feeling extra awesome or extra complicated, let's unpack all those "extras" together.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “Maybe we’re so entangled and weighed down with our own overpacked baggage, overpacked life, overpacked thoughts, overpacked everything. Whether we’ve lost our way, our hope, our health, or our minds for a moment, rest assured… we are not alone in this. The Good Shepherd packed all He’d need to perfectly and completely care for you and for me.”

“Are we there yet?” That blessed, universal question every parent loves to hear 23 minutes into a 600-mile road trip. It’s gonna be a long day, friends! Yep, we’ve reached the halfway point of our series, “It’s a Psalm 23-Kinda Day.” And, well…it’s about to take a turn.

Join me as we round the bend into a deeper (and darker) part of our Psalm 23 journey. Yet, the deeper the valley, the deeper the relationship can build. May Psalm 23:4 bring comfort as I share a glimpse into my “valley of the shadow of death." Valleys aren’t usually our favorite part of the journey. Let’s walk it together.

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Here’s a small excerpt: “Friend, for nine months, I walked THROUGH the valley, until I walked out. I didn’t walk out with a son, but I did walk out with something else… my bedrock belief that He.is.good. It’s why I so readily refer to Him as the Good Shepherd because the depth of my relationship with Christ was forged in the depth of that valley.”