My Christmas To Do list

(almost) 2 weeks until Christmas, and still no snow!  :(  

Oh well!  In the foothills, we kinda live in a pocket to where we can see the whiteness covers the mountains, but never (ever) get any ourselves...

Anyways.  

Here is my to do list for the rest of the season:

BAKE! BAKE! BAKE!

Lady Fingers, Cheese Pennies, Sausage Balls, Reese's Cups, cookies....yup.  I'm gunna be busy, and the house is going to smell goooooood!

SCHOOL

Ugh.  gotta finish it up by this Friday....(maybe...I can't find a testing center near me that administers Dantes tests!! HELP!)

DECORATE

Deck the halls with LOTS of boughs of holly (and evergreen :)

CHRISTMAS SHOP

We are doing a new thing this year:

Everyone draws a name from a hat (or cheap plastic cup) and whoever's name we get, we make or buy presents for.  I drew Ben's name this time, so I've gotta figure out what to get him.  I really like the idea of filling a big bag with boyish odds and ends, and what's nice is that stores generally carry a bunch of little doodads that an 11 year old would love ;)

BALLET

Guess what's coming up tomorrow evening in Asheville?!?!  THE MOSCOW BALLET is performing the NUTCRACKER!!!  I've never been to a real ballet before, so I'm super stoked about this thing!  

So much to do, and yet I still managed to get sick with a sore throat and fever yesterday :(

Oh well, I'm sure I'll be better by tomorrow night....I don't think anything could keep me away from the Nutcracker
;D

Gearing up for the Holidays

Being on Thanksgiving break has afforded me the opportunity to blog a bit earlier today...so nice :)  

**

I've got a question; what kind of feeling do you get when you see this picture?

I know for me, it brings a nostalgic feeling that reminds me of cinnamon, warmth, jingle bells, Christmas songs, red and green, hot chocolate, snow, sitting by the fire in my pajamas reading a book, and the smell of Christmas trees. 

I don't know what it is, but this year I just absolutely can not wait for the whole Christmas season to start.  

Actually, I take that back....I think I do know why.  Over the last 2 years or so, amidst all of the craziness, God became a reality for me, and you know what is crazy?  After thinking (and I mean really thinking) about whether I believed what I said I believed or not, I came to realize that for the longest time, I had been riding on my parent's beliefs and not making them my own.  Yes, I knew all of the right answers to the Shorter Catechism, and Bible stories, but I think that's all they were to me; just stories.  Ya know, that word, stories, can get to you after a while - you can almost start to think of truths as fables.  I did without even realizing it.  

Well, I had always heard that at some point in your walk with Christ, you would have this moment when you come to a crossroads that made you decide to either follow Him fully, or follow the world. 

I guess I was expecting a huge defining life crisis that would bring me to this point, but that's not what happened with me.  

It really has been a gradual process within the past 2 years that God has been super kind in taking me through.  It's a cool thing to be able to say:

"I am not the same person that I was even 2 months ago."

He continues to sanctify me daily (and let me clarify something.  None of this is because of anything that I've done....it's God waking up my dead heart!)

and so that is (the long version :) why I think that I am looking forward to Christmas this year more than ever before.  I believe that I am finally beginning to understand and be thankful for the this season of celebrating Christ's birth.  

Oh!  Haha.  Why am I talking about Christmas, when Thanksgiving hasn't even come yet!?!  (some of my family members would shoot me....NO Christmas until after Thanksgiving type of thing....)

SO, I want to end this post with Thanksgiving.  I've got a huge list of things that I'm thankful for, 10 of which I'll list here:

1. Salvation

2. My family 

3. That group of guys from our Church who came over this past weekend to help us work on our basement

4. Christmas

5. My new iPhone that I got for 99¢ (whoohoo!)

6. All of the family that will be coming over for Thanksgiving (can't wait guys!)

7. Cozy, icy, gray weather like this

8. Friends

9. The chance to relax and think about plans for the future

10. The fact that I have never been in any REAL need of anything.  

In America, we are blessed more than I think we'll ever know or truly realize.  

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Asheville

Brrrrr.....It's just now gotten somewhat chilly here in the mountains - so exciting!!!  

Yesterday I spent most of the day up in Asheville, and while I'd like to say that I shopped long and hard with Mom at Trader Joe's and Target, I've gotta admit that I stayed in the car pretty much the whole time trying to study for yet another CLEP test.  (actually I'm not a big shopper, so I guess I couldn't have said that anyways :P)

But it was fun getting to wear my fuzzy boots for the first time this season, finding an awesome CD for only $5 at a used book/CD store, and seeing a few early Christmas lights that evening on the drive home.

Speaking of Christmas, I absolutely CAN NOT WAIT!  Everything about it just seems to special to me this year for some reason.  

:)

{here is a sneak peak of one of our Christmas card pictures that we'll be sending out sometime this December} 

Trust

As Christians, we tend to hear the expression "trust in the Lord" a lot, but like the popular saying goes, "familiarity breeds contempt." 

Not that trusting God becomes necessarily contemptible, but often when we are used to hearing something everyday, it sometimes tends to get blown off. 

In my devotions, I've started to explore more about the whole concept of trust, and what the Bible's definition of it is, so I wanted to share something that I found to be really thought-provoking that I came across while I was studying:

Using Job 13:15 - "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.  Indeed, this will turn out for my deliverance, for no godless man would dare come before him!"

Matthew Henry commentates:

"Trust in God, though He slay us, that is, we must be well pleased with God as a friend even when He seems to come forth as an enemy, we must believe that all shall work for the good to us even when all seems to make against us.  We must proceed and persevere in the way of our duty, though it cost us all that is dear to us in this world, even life itself.  We must depend on the performance of the promise when all ways leading to it are shut up.  We must rejoice in God when we have nothing else to rejoice in, and cleave to him, yea, though we cannot for the present find comfort in Him.  In a dying hour we must derive from Him living comforts; and this is to trust in Him though He slay us."

Actually, someone wrote a song based on that verse....super neat:

~

Had a photoshoot with these two gals.  So much fun!  

:D

Sweet dreams everybodeeeee!

:)

Keep Calm and Tuesday On - Concert at Smokey Mountain Center for the Performing Arts

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of accompanying Mom to the Smokey Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin, NC.  She is the background vocalist in Lori Sealy's new CD, 

'Be Gone Unbelief'

They were doing a benefit concert for the Smokey Mountain Pregnancy Care Center, and I must say . . . it was a super good one (as always)

The next group to perform there will be Third Day - pretty cool, huh?

The place was legit!  With the big light bulbs surrounding all the mirrors in the women's break room, and everything!  It all felt so professional :)

Mom, Lori Sealy, and Charlie (the percussionist)

I'm so proud of my family :)

Keep Calm & Tuesday On - Short-Off Mountain

Huh.  It's a funny thing . . . One week we are at the beach soaking up the ocean, and the next we are climbing a mountain.

{Basking in Nature}

{Jumping off of nature}


{Falling off of nature}

Family LUV  :)

Keep Calm and Tuesday On - Beach 2013

I'm back!!!

Ah, the annual beach trip with Dad's family is always such a blast!  It got kinda late for blogging tonight, so rather than post a thousand individual pics, I just made a whole bunch of collages....that'll have to do.  :)

{What are we gunna do with him?}

{Every morning while the sun is rising, all of us kids take a walk on the beach with Dad .... Done it ever since I can remember :)  }

Keep Calm and Tuesday On - God is still God through business

Mmmmm . . .  Fresh Muffins

Old Disney songs on Pandora

A sunny morning (very rare these days)

New day ahead

Quiet time with Jesus to look forward to

~

Man, to all appearances, my day is made!  But believe it or not, I went to bed last night thinking and worrying about everything I have to get done this month - from school to keeping the house clean - which is a whole other challenge in and of itself.  

(yes, my home is normal too)

:)

My aunt is here from Colorado with her 2 little boys for the month of July, so that should keep us all plenty busy . . . but of course, that's the good kind of busy.  

After that in August, Mom has a big 'ol' surgery that she's gotta get over with, and our family takes our annual beach trip with dad's fam later that month as well.

. . . maybe in September, our life will slow back down to a more normal speed.

Whew!

I don't ever remember a more busy year!  

However, I sometimes get the feeling that with all of this extra stuff that has come up in my life, I am kind of skimping on my devotions in the morning in order to fit in everything else that I've gotta get done.

 Not good!  

So I've started reading this book that I found tucked away in one of our bookshelves that is really helpful and addresses these issues.  It's called; Life Management for Busy Women.

Now, some of the topics are geared more towards the busy Mom/Wife, but even then - most of the points are applicable to me in one way or the other.  

I wasn't quite sure what I would find when I opened the book, but then I saw the very first chapter:  Developing a Passion for God's Word. 

So I though, "hey!  How bad can that be???"

I started reading, and came across something that really hit home for me:

It said, "Somehow, at some time, for some reason, God's Word took a secondary place to other pursuits.  The lesser choices were made regarding how time was spent, until time was not taken each day to develop a passion for knowing and following God's plan.  

At the heart of a woman seeking to live out God's plan for her life is a passion for God's Word.  And when we fail to purposefully and willfully develop this passion, we begin to spend our precious time and days on lesser pursuits . . . which can lead to wandering off the path of God's purpose for our life and out of His will."

Then the author went on to give 10 practical ways in which to develop a passion for God's word.  They were;

1. Refuse to miss a day of quiet time with the Lord.

2. Pray as you approach God's Word

3. Consume God's Word in various ways. (i.e. songs, memorizing verses, placing scripture around the house.  etc.) (basically surrounding yourself with the Word)

4. Find a rhythm or a pattern that fits your lifestyle.  (i.e. when is the best time to have your quiet times.  Mine is in the morning.)

5. Be a woman of one Book - the Book ("Make it a rule to read what honors God's standards and glorifies Him.  And if you only have time to read one book, make sure that book is the Book." )

6. Be accountable

7. Beat the family. ("aim at getting up before your family gets up"

8. Teach your children.  (well....since I don't have any children of my own to teach ;)  I take this and apply it to teaching/encouraging/mentoring younger siblings, or friends)

9. Purpose to get up ("Surely any woman with any passion for anything makes sure she gets up to enjoy that passion!")

10. Aim for more time in your devotions.  

**

I just thought that those were super helpful and encouraging to me, so I wanted to share them with all of you who might just be going through some of the same things as I am . . . especially this Summer.  

Remember!  God is still God through business, and we/I can't just put him on hold while trying to fit "everything else" into our schedules.  

Besides . . . Isn't He the one who gave us these busy times in the first place?

Keep Calm & Tuesday On ~ FRIENDSHIP

 

Just finished listening to this song on Pandora, and thought, "oh, how fitting!" 

In the not so far gone past, I struggled with not having any friends, and when I say struggled, I mean struggled!  It bothered me, I tell ya!

When I was younger, making friends was always easy for me, but as I got older and we moved from VA to NC, it started to get harder and harder. 

Ever seem like everybody is either much older or younger than you? 

Well, that's how I felt until I (finally) realized, 

"God has a good reason for this.  I bet that I have been put in this hard place in order to get closer to my family, and become more dependent on God before he gives me "outside" friends."

And do you know what?  I was right!  My family members became my bestest of best friends, and God became more real to me than ever before!  It was an amazing work that He did in my heart to make me refocus my thoughts from what I didn't have, to what he had already given me.  

Then, and ONLY then, did he bless me with what I had been longing for so badly;
Friendship.
That is why the song by Francesca Battistelli was so applicable to my thoughts today :)

"But when I fix my eyes on all that You are

Then every doubt I feel

Deep in my heart

Grows strangely dim

All my worries fade

And fall to the ground

Cause when I seek Your face

And don't look around

Any place I'm in

Grows strangely dim"

Until everything else starts to look dim in comparison to Christ, all of our longings and desires are simply going to eat us up, like they did for me.

Phlippians 4:11-13 sums it up perfectly:

~

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

~

Just 2 years ago, we became members of Burk Community Bible Church in Morganton NC, and not only did they teach the Bible, but they also taught their kids Biblically.  

They are a really neat bunch.

Happy Tuesday!  

(Wow, and I actually got this posted on Tuesday!  BONUS!!!)

:)