All the stockings were hung…we’re ready for all the festivities. God brought me from deep depression I used to experience over this holiday to joy, from past trauma, through the wonder of the incarnation, knowing that He set aside His glory to come and relate to what we endure.

Today Advent starts. Advent has us entering into the darkness, with great hope. Advent is where faith is planted and it grows looking forward to the coming Messiah (first and second time). Grieving will finally be replaced with gratitude. Peace and Joy is on His way!

I sent in my proposal to the literary agency I’m hoping will represent me. I have pretty much finished my book on my story of having been transgender and how I believe God can work redemption through it. I have two weeks to wait to see if they take me on. Would appreciate prayer to that end.

“Cogito ergo sum” casts its ugly shadow more darkly and farther as we see across the pond an evil commitment to destroy the infirm, the aged, the mentally disabled, the vulnerable. It’s a sad day.

The calm before the storm. So grateful for good family, good conversation, good provision, and a good God who allows it all to intersect. Happy Thanksgiving!

Annual morbidity in the 20th century, before and after vaccines:

Measles:
Before: 530,000, After: 47

Mumps:
Before: 160,000, After: 429

Rubella:
Before: 50,000, After: 3

Diphtheria:
Before: 20,000, After: 2

Smallpox:
Before: 30,000, After: 0

Polio:
Before: 16,000, After: 0

A painting I did about my bipolar disorder from which God continues to speak into and sanctifies. He shows up in the darkest places to tells my story in which He is YWHW, there for me!

I’m sitting out on my patio and our last temperate evening with a good bourbon and cigar reading what I think is an important book on “mission.” Ah, thank God for Sabbath.