The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day 2

Today I would like to express my thankfulness for my husband! He is a wonderful man. Over the last 6 1/2 years, I have grown more and more appreciative for his gifts and abilities. He is kind and gentle. He is the quiet strength that holds our family together. On our way to my parent's house for Christmas, we got caught in a blizzard in West Virginia. From 5:30 p.m. to midnight, we sat in our car in stand still traffic. Finally (after screaming children woke up in their car seats at 12:00 a.m.), we turned around and found a hotel. NOT ONCE did my husband lose his temper or self control. I was losing it all over the place! :) That story is a perfect picture of his calm, steady spirit. It is truly a gift.

I am thankful for a husband who loves the Lord, desires to walk with Him, and strives to honor Him with his life. I am thankful for a husband who is humble, non-argumentative, who always puts others first, loves his wife (I am truly spoiled!), and is dedicated to loving and teaching his children. Second to Christ, he is the greatest blessing my life has known. I look forward to many, many years of knowing and loving this wonderful man.

Pictured above: my superhero, with Buzz Lightyear.

The Twelve Days of Christmas: Day 1

I would like to set aside these 12 days of Christmas as a time to be thankful. Many of us have been through difficult times as of late: times of uncertainty, lonliness, loss, and sorrow. I find that one of the benefits of suffering is an increased clarity. When we struggle in this life, we are often blessed by God with a renewed sense of what is truly important.

I would like to kick off my 12 Days of Christmas by expressing my appreciation for our Father God--the One who has given us all that we have. I've been studying through Genesis this year with the women at my church, and I am constantly amazed at the faithfulness of God to love His wayward children. Created to bring Him glory, we selfishly desire to be independant of the only One who can bring us abundant life. The effects of our selfishness are all around us--we destroy ourselves and each other. Why doesn't God just give up on us? He should scrap this world and start over completely!

And yet, the heart of God yearns for us, His rebellious children. The first chapter of John is beautiful in the way that it describes God's heart for us. For years He sent His word through His Spirit to His people. What was our reaction? We distorted His message, convincing ourselves that He was a hard and brutal master. We killed the prophets He sent to warn us of the effects of our sin. We hardened our hearts to His love. What was God's reaction to us? Did He destroy? Did He give up? Did He withdraw from us forever?

John tells us that God did none of these things. He was not content with being misunderstood. He was not willing to lose us to our own destructive ways. He wanted to be KNOWN by us--so He sent His Ambassador, His exact representation. He sent His only precious Son. He wanted to show us who He is--a God who is willing to bear the burden of our life, the sorrow of our pain, the weight of our debt.

He sent His most precious possession, His baby boy, into a world that would use Him, mock Him, and eventually nail Him to a cross like a common criminal. Why? Why go to such effort for such undeserving people? Because He loves us with a love that is unfathomable. Because we BELONG to Him and this makes us worthwhile in His sight. Because the only way to free His beloved children from the power of the sin that imprisoned them was to take on the chains Himself. In one day, God paid our penalty, and freed us from bondage.

How can we resist a God like this? His love changes everything--we are free! Free to love, free to give, free to obey (our obedience is no longer a chore, but a joyous offering to One who is so beautiful!). I am thankful for a God who wants to be known, and a God who wants to know me. I am thankful for a God who is willing to suffer, so that I might gain everything from His hurt and pain. By His death we have abundant life. Life to the fullest!

Merry Christmas! I hope that today is a day that you set aside to realize how precious you are to God and His Son, Jesus. You are His reward, His prize! I hope you feel the depth of His love today, and that your response will be love in return. What are you waiting for? There is abundant life to be found in His Light!

Happy Birthday, Little Man!

Harry turned 4 last week! We had a great time celebrating his birthday and what a gift he is to our family. He is sweet-hearted, fun, energetic, and full of life. He bring such joy to our hearts. He brings sunshine with him into every room. I have really come to appreciate him this year as he has been attending pre-school twice a week. The house is so quiet and dull without him here! He is my little source of joy. We are so thankful for our son and brother!

Pictured above: Harry and his presents and our family out eating birthday dinner at Harry's favorite pizza place.

Getting Away

It has been a hectic few months at our house with all the traveling that Ken and I have both been doing, school functions for the kids, and all the fun fall festivities. Add on top of that the fact that our kiddos have been sick on and off for the last 3 weeks, and you have one stressed out, stir crazy mama! I desperately needed some alone time with the hubby, and my sweet friend Jessica watched my kids along with hers (making that a total of 4!) on Friday night so we could get away. We booked into a local hotel and shopped, ate out, and went to see a movie, and just spent some great time focusing on one another, without interruptions or distractions. You don't realize how much you need to be alone until you actually are. It was wonderful to get to sleep in on Saturday morning. My son did not get the memo about the time change, so now we all wake up every morning to him singing at the top of his lungs at 6 a.m. I have a renewed appreciation for sleeping in these days.

It was a much needed break, and I am thankful for an evening out with my husband, renewed energy to tackle my kids, and my sweet friend who was willing to sacrifice for me. Jessica, you are a wonderful answer to prayer, and I thank God every time I think of how He has blessed me with your friendship.

Unfortunately, our date was cut a little short on Saturday morning, as one of my kids decided to throw-up. Not to be out done, the other child was also throwing up on Sunday. It almost seems as if sickness has become a competition at our house. So, I've been doing a lot of cleaning since I got home. Ahh...such is reality. We can't all live our lives in posh hotels, although I wouldn't mind trying that sometime.

Halloween Fun

Harry's parade

Fancy Nancy, Buzz and Woody

Buzz and Woody strike again!

Nana and Giselle (from Enchanted) :)

Halloween this year was nuts! On Thursday, Harry dressed up and had a parade at his school and his class party. That night we went trick-or-treating with some friends (different townships of our city trick-or-treat on different nights--I have no idea why). Friday, I volunteered in Hannah's classroom with their party complete with cookie decorating, spooky gym, and a parade through the classrooms. My parents were in town for the weekend, so we decorated pumpkin shaped cookies with them on Friday night. Saturday we went trick-or-treating around our neighborhood with some of our friends. All that to say, we are up to our eyeballs in candy (my kids would see that as a positive, however I do not), but have lots of fun memories from the weekend!

Already and Not Yet

At my church's women's retreat this weekend, we talked about the concept of the "already and not yet" aspect of our lives as followers of Christ. When we become new creatures in Christ, we begin to see areas of our lives redeemed, revived and renewed. New life grows in us and we experience healing in our families, relationships, communities and world. Yet there still is a longing in us that is never quite met here on earth. We are not as we were created to be; the ravages of sin have taken their toll on us and on God's creation. Yet we have this great hope in us: that Jesus entered into our brokenness and pain and is healing and renewing from the inside out.

I had such a beautiful taste of that this weekend. I am so thankful for the women of my church. As I looked around the room, I saw my mothers and my sisters in the faith who have really made Columbus feel like home to me. Their friendships and love have brought healing to my soul. They have truly been the hands and feet of Jesus to me over the past 2 1/2 years. Being with them was a taste of the "already"; a glimpse of heaven here on earth.

When I came home from my lovely weekend, I was again reminded of the "not yet"! My baby girl was sick and she and I spent the next two hours in the urgent care waiting room to see the doctor. Good news is she doesn't have H1N1. Just a really bad cold. Even in this though, I saw God's hand of redemption. I have been away from home 7 days in the last two weeks. It was a joy to get to spend two hours cuddling with my darling girl and just enjoying her presence (subdued as it was). It reminded me of some of my favorite verses of a hymn we sang in RUF:

No chilling wind nor poisonous breath

Shall reach that healthful shore.

Sickness, sorrow, pain and death

are felt and feared no more!

When shall I reach that happy place,

And be forever blessed?

When shall I see my Father's face,

and in His bosom rest?

I am bound, I am bound, I am bound

for the Promised Land.

I am thankful for a God who was not afraid to enter into the sickness and suffering of the ones He loved so that He could rescue them from themselves. I delight in partnering with Him as He recreates His world through His Church. I long for the day when I shall see Him face to face; to see Him as He truly is will be heaven enough for me.

Pumpkin Patch

Harry and I went with his preschool class to the pumpkin patch this morning. It was SO cold!!! You can see from the pictures how we had to bundle Harry up! It was lots of fun. First we went on a hay ride with all of his classmates and parents. Then we listened to a presentation on how pumpkins grow. Then came the fun part. We picked indian corn, gourds, and pumpkins. Afterwards we headed straight to Starbucks to load up on hot chocolate. It was such fun to spend the morning with my little man. He is a joy to my heart.

Also awesome was the fact that we paid $4.50 and got 4 ears of corn, 6 gourds, and 2 pumpkins. Talk about a deal! I just spent $5 on a pumpkin from the grocery store last week. I guess it pays to go local.