More Christmas Pictures!!

Christmas Round 2

Denver, Audrey, Hudson and Dean got to mom and dad's this morning. They made it to church and were quite popular. We headed home and played a lot and ate lunch. The boys took a nap and we played some more then went to church again for evening service. We had lots of fun with the boys today. Their personalities are starting to come out and they are hilarious!

 Hudson

 Dean

 Time for presents

 Audrey and Hudson

Aunt Brielle and Dean

Christmas Traditions

I made it out of work early yesterday (Christmas Eve) to head to Indiana to spend the weekend with my family. Brielle's been home since Tuesday. Since Denver and Audrey are coming Sunday we had some new traditions we established last night. Christmas Eve we always have cheese fondue followed by chocolate fondue after we watch our favorite Christmas movies/shows like It's a Wonderful Life, Mickey's Christmas Carol, and Claymation Christmas. Last night, Brielle made a delicious Yule Log that was light and fluffy. I think we should have it every year from now on. We had some mulled cider and drinks. We opened some gifts from members of church where my parents attend. We laughed so hard at dinner that we cried. I finished the evening by falling asleep on the couch watching It's a Wonderful Life. Mom gently awoke me suggesting I go to bed.
Brielle was the first to wake up this morning at 5 but then she went back to sleep. I was the first one downstairs and put on a movie. Brielle came down next and finished up the baked french toast casserole that was in the fridge. I cooked the sausage patties and we ate our delicious breakfast and then opened presents. I got some much needed kitchen items and gadgets. We then followed up by playing Wii. I'm not sure what else today holds but whatever it is, it's always good to be home :) God bless and Merry Christmas!!! And now we wait for Denver, Audrey and the boys to get here!

                                                      Brielle and her delicious masterpiece

                                             Brielle's German plates: so pretty!

                                           Some fun little glasses Mom bought

Merry Christmas!!!

Relient K - I Celebrate The Day

Growing up in a fairly "conservative" Church of Christ family, we never celebrated or talked about Jesus' birth around Christmas. In fact, I feel like we went to the extreme. We all know Jesus wasn't born on December 25th but that it was started to counteract a pagan holiday. I however, love this song any time of year. I never used to like "Christmas" songs that revolved around Jesus; I used to think, "We all know he wasn't born on Dec. 25th" But now I think that if it gets people thinking and singing about Jesus, then I'm all for it. And now, I think that I cherish those Christmas songs even more, it doesn't matter when I sing it, Christ was born, the King of Israel. So celebrate Jesus' birth, resurrection and burial each day.

Obedience and Love

Obedience: compliance with someone's wishes or orders or acknowledgement of their authority. Today's sermon was on obedience. My scripture reading this morning from Philippians 2 also mentioned obedience. Our culture is bred on the belief and teaching of independence and doing things our own way, however we want. To some extent we have been blessed by those ideas, free to create, to think, to grow, to learn. But it is also to our detriment at times, when it causes us to go against God's will and desire for our lives. We all know the general will for God for us: to love and serve Him and one another. There are things along our journey that challenge those commands.

Lately, I've been doing a really poor job of reading and studying the Word. Is it really considered poor if it's actually non existent? The last time I studied and took notes was November 23. Some decisions in my life and my overall attitude has reflected my lack of time studying and seeking God. I know he is there, pursuing me and I have been pretty complacent to not respond. I nod and say, "I know you're there" but I don't extend or push myself beyond that.

Obedience and love go hand in hand when it comes to service and commitment to Christ. It's because of his extravagant love for me that I draws me to Him and to obedience, submitting what I want or think that I may want in exchange for what God wants. God's plans and what He wants for us are so much bigger than anything we could plan for ourselves. I don't know why I forget that so often. Of course He knows what I need, He created me. Who else would know more than Him? I sometimes think that individual is me and so I leave the path in search of my own way and mechanism of action, forgetting that the creator of the universe has something far better for me if I would submit to Him.

My study bible had a comment of Philippians 2:12-13 which reads: "

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in  you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

The comment was this: To be like Christ, we must train ourselves to think like Christ. To change our desires to be more like Christ's, we need the power of the indwelling Spirit, the influence of faithful Christians, obedience to God's word (not just exposure to it) and sacrificial service.

It's not enough to just read the word or memorize it. It's about doing it, acting on it. We are called to be a people of action and of love and they go hand-in-hand. God helps us want to obey Him and gives us the ability to do it.