Yes, you guessed it…I got cowboy boots for Christmas. Not just any mind you, those exact ones in the picture, and that’s me in them…not that you can tell. I wanted a quick picture to put on my blog so I asked Nick to take one….not bad for a 5 min. photo shoot. These boots were my little brothers and I’ve tried to talk him into selling them to me for over 6 months, but he wouldn’t give in. You can imagine my suprise when I opended this big box Christmas morning to find them all cleaned up just for me. Isn’t he so sweet.
The guys in our singles group have always been great at serving and leading in so many ways, but last night they exceeded themselves. They hosted a dressy Christmas dinner for the singles group at one of the guys homes. It was all decorated with garland, lights and candles. They arranged entertainment for the whole evening from a snowflake making contest to skits, games and a walk around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. The evening was well planned and the food was amazing. These guys can cook!!! We had turkey, ham, potatoes, homemade bread, the whole works. They even made cheesecakes and ice cream for desert. It was so much fun to have an excuse to get dressed up, but not have to try to cook and clean at the same time.
The whole evening was so delightful, but in particular the time they took to thank all the girls. One of the guys got up and thanked us all for the way we serve and our pursuit of biblical womanhood and then we were each given cards with notes of encouragement. This was such a blessing to me in so many ways. I also really enjoyed the skit and have included a video clip to share it with you all.
So, thanks guys. Not only for the beautiful evening, but for your everyday example of biblical manhood and leadership. Thank you for the way you lead in initiating and planning events, your faithful pursuit of biblical fellowship (not just occasionally, but every time we are together) , and for guarding our hearts in treating us as sisters in Christ. Thank you for walking us to our cars and opening doors, giving up your seats and the many other little ways you serve by helping us with whatever we happen to be doing. Chivalry is not dead!
So, after 10-12 years of not having a Christmas tree, we added it back to our family traditions and got a tree this year. We all went out got an artificial tree that we all liked brought it home, set it up, and decorated it. End of story? Not quite….AFter a series of events about a week later, my Dad decided we really did need a REAL tree. So we undecorated the tree packed it back in it’s box, returned it and went out and got a real tree…set it up and decoarated it. It is a little sparse on decoarations. We haven’t been collecting them for the past 10 years so I guess that’s to be expected, but we will make up for it in the next few. This was Ben and Abbey’s first time decoarating a christmas tree, but they started making up for the lost years by getting to do it twice this year!! So anyways, it is actually a longer funny story, but that is the short of it. What do you think of our tree? Not to bad for all our years of inexperience…if I do say so myself.
“And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
“Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!”
– Dr. Seuss, How The Grinch Stole Christmas
I just ran across this quote and thought it was a fun reminder not to get caught up in how the world defines Christmas.
I need reminders to keep things in perspective. Before I know it life is just flying by and I am not taking time to reflect and enjoy all that God has done. I forget that we are celebrateing how God because man, lived a perfect life and died in our place. There is no greater gift. And though it be cliche, it is such a great reminder for me. I didn’t come to God. I didn’t do anything to deserve my salvation. God chose me from before time to be His child, brought me to himself, gave me the desire to love him. He gave me my salvation. I take that gift for granted so often, but I pray to an all powerful God for grace to know and love him more.
Ok, so I was going to put these videos up ages ago, but….well, they’re here now. I know many of you have already seen this by now, but they made a second video that maybe you haven’t seen. (The first is better!)
My Dad always tells me that “simple minds are easily amused” and I may be advertising my simple mindedness (is that even a word?), but I think every one should see these.
Have fun!
English Camp, Lighthouse Camp and A New Song Friends… (and anyone else intersted)
I have made a new page on my blog that has links to pictures and stories from our times together. (Click on the TRAVEL tab at the top of the page) I couldn’t just leave them sitting on CD’s in my closed anymore so I thought I would upload them so everyone could have fun remembering the good times and especially what God did in our lives during those summers and tours.
I hope you enjoy them and will leave comments. I would love to know how you are doing and what God has been teaching you.
hmmm…what to say? I think I will just leave you with this quote.
God’s call, since it is effectual, carries with it the operative grace whereby the person called is enabled to answer the call and to embrace Jesus Christ as he is freely offered in the gospel. God’s grace reaches ... Continue reading »
