The True Christmas Spirit

"The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity- hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory- because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard, or will hear.

We talk glibly of the "Christmas spirit," rarely meaning more by this than sentimental jollity on a family basis. But what we have said makes it clear that the phrase should in fact carry a tremendous weight of meaning. It ought to mean the reproducing in human lives of the temper of him who for our sakes became poor at the first Christmas. And the Christmas spirit itself ought to be the mark of every Christian all the year round.

It is our shame and disgrace today that so many Christians- I will be more specific: so many of the soundest and most orthodox Christians- go through this world in the spirit of the priest and the Levite in our Lord's parable, seeing human needs all around them, but (after a pious wish, and perhaps a prayer, that God might meet those needs) averting their eyes and passing by on the other side. That is not the Christmas spirit. Nor is it the spirit of those Christians- alas, they are many- whose ambition in life seems limited to building a nice middle-class Christian home, and making nice middle-class Christian friends, and bringing up their children in nice middle-class Christian ways, and who leave the submiddle-class sections of the community, Christian and non-Christian, to get on by themselves.

The Christmas spirit does not shine out in the Christian snob. For the Christmas spirit is the spirit of those who, like their Master, live their whole lives on the principle of making themselves poor- spending and being spend- to enrich their fellow humans, giving time, trouble, care and concern, to do good to others-and not just their own friends-in whatever way there seems need. "

- J. I . Packer, "God Incarnate," Knowing God

Card Catalog Calendar

It's that sentimental time of year. With Christmas right around the corner and the end of the year fast approaching there is a lot to reflect on. With that in mind I love this idea from Design Sponge for recording the thoughts and happenings of each day. While I love journaling, finding the time to do that every day is a challenge. This card catalog calendar is the perfect (and pretty) place to jot down little reminders of significant events (and sometimes the not so significant events too) so that later on you can look back on all that was happening in life. Love it!

Advent & Christmas Cards

It's probably no surprise that I love Christmas. Over the last few years though my love for this time of year has increased as we started observing Advent. I love the longing and expectation for our risen Savior that is wrapped up in the observance and remembrance of His first coming. While the rest of our house is decked out in all the trimmings of the season, the simplicity of the advent wreath that sits on our dining room table is a reminder to me to not be distracted for the true reason we celebrate.

And another favorite part of the season? Christmas Cards! We got our first cards from friends this weekend, and I'm itching to get ours ready to send out. I'll confess I've been thinking about them since before Thanksgiving and planning out the perfect picture/card combo. Typically we have a snow picture from our time in NH the previous year to use, but this year we didn't have one that I deemed "Christmas card worthy."
So instead, on Thanksgiving day my sister graciously braved the cold and the wind to take our picture up at Wagon Hill. (Thanks Megly!). Now all that is to be done is to find the perfect card. This year we are using shutterfly, and I'll admit that with all they have to offer I'm having a hard time deciding. . .
I love the ones that open like a traditional card and leave space for a greeting inside, like this one.
And then of course, I have to decide if I want the traditional Christmas colors or the blues and browns that seems to be popular this year. (ohh, too many decisions!)
Ultimately, I think I have decided that I like the ones that scroll the greeting across the bottom. But which will we choose? I guess you'll just have to check your mailbox to find out!

Late night musings

Up late with a nagging cough that won't let me sleep. So as I slurp down my tea and honey, I thought I would share this new found song. Matt Maher is new to my music radar (and I'll gladly confess it's my husband who introduces me to almost all my music). I got to sing this with Josh last week for our college group and the more we practiced it the more I fell in love with the words to this song. I love in the bridge the call it gives to the church to stand in the light of the gospel, not the shame of sin. What powerful words to remind us that God in Christ has conquered sin and death by the death of His Son! How much I have to be thankful for!
You can listen to the song here.

Christ is Risen

Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us

{Chorus}

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but heaven's will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

{Bridge}
O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead
He's alive! He's alive!

The Battle of Belief

The Girl Talk blog (one of my favorites) recently posted this ever pertinent reminder from John Piper on the importance of using Scripture to battle anxiety. It's such a good reminder that when we allow ourselves to be anxious we are actually choosing not to believe the promises of God. This is true of most sins we struggle with. When I choose my sin over obedience to God, I am, in reality, telling God that what he has commanded and promised is not true.

When I choose to be dependent on myself instead of God, I am not believing that He is strong and mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17).

When I choose to be prideful instead of humbling myself I deny that with pride comes disgrace (Proverbs 11:2).

When I choose to manipulate a situation rather than trust in God, I am not believing that God does not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).

We are constantly waging a battle against our unbelief. When the world all around seems menacing and there is so much to be anxious about, I need the reminders of Scripture in order to fight for faith in the promises of God.

Here are some reminders from John Piper:

* When I am anxious about some risky new venture or meeting, I battle unbelief with the promise: “Fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will help you, I will strengthen you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

* When I am anxious about my ministry being useless and empty, I fight unbelief with the promise, “So shall my word that goes forth from my mouth; it will not come back to me empty but accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

* When I am anxious about being too weak to do my work, I battle unbelief with the promise of Christ, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9), and “As your days so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

* When I am anxious about decisions I have to make about the future, I battle unbelief with the promise, “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).

* When I am anxious about facing opponents, I battle unbelief with the promise, “If God is for us who can be against us!” (Romans 8:31).

* When I am anxious about being sick, I battle unbelief with the promise that “tribulation works patience, and patience approvedness, and approvedness hope, and hope does not make us ashamed” (Romans 5:3–5).

* When I am anxious about getting old, I battle unbelief with the promise, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4).

* When I am anxious about dying, I battle unbelief with the promise that “none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself; if we live we live to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose again: that he might be Lord both of the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9–11).

* When I am anxious that I may make shipwreck of faith and fall away from God, I battle unbelief with the promise, “He who began a good work in you will complete it unto the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “He who calls you is faithful. He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). “He is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

fall photo series

My Sweet husband knows how much I love the fall, as well as how much I completely miss it living in Southern California. This time of year I always get very homesick as I think about the changing weather and fall foliage in New Hampshire. In less than two weeks we will be back in New Hampshire, but until then my husband (did I mention how sweet he is?) has been taking a series of fall pictures on his iphone and sending to them to me throughout the day.
Here are a few of the highlights:

The tree outside our front door.

Pumpkin Time

Free for a day

We've been living the crazy busy life lately. All too often that translates into survival mode- just focusing on making it from one commitment to the next. This weekend however marks only two weeks left until the end of the cross country season, and as much as I have loved coaching this season, having the end in sight is a really good feeling!
Not only that, but today was the first Saturday in what feels like forever, that we haven't had somewhere we had to be. The last few weeks I've had this creative itch- like I just need to paint/sew/photograph something, but alas, the crazy busy life leaves no time for creativity. So today I made a point of bringing the camera with me on our errands/thrifting run. So here's what our free Saturday looked like.

Getting ready for the day - favorite pair of jeans and new comfy shirt from Urban Outfitters.


Thrift /Antique store time- one of our favorite things to do on Saturdays, but it's been forever. I even scored a necklace and bracelet at Fishy Finds.




Love my Toms.


Sharing coffee


Pickin' up our organic produce (it's like Christmas every weekend)


Put together a fall centerpiece using the leaves my mom sent from New Hampshire

Possessing Everything

I am reminded today that if we posses Christ, we possess everything. This also means that for those who do not possess Christ, they have nothing. What a sobering thought in light of eternity.
2 Corinthians 5 reminds us that to those who possess everything, God has committed the ministry of reconciliation.

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. " 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

We who are Christ's are able to participate actively in the redemption and reconciliation of man to God. And yet, so often I choose to deny my own role in reconciliation, refusing to do the work of an ambassador. I'm left convicted by my own lack of passion and simple obedience.

Time With Family

Time with Family always goes too fast! I am so grateful for the family that God has blessed me with and the opportunity to spend time with them this summer. The thousands of miles between us just makes the times we spend together more precious.

All the fam together!


mom and sisters


Micah with his Great-Grampy


Sisters!


Doesn't this face just make you chuckle?


And then you just have to kiss those cheeks!


Dad dishing up lobster dinner

New Hampshire

The last 10 days we have been soaking in all the New Hampshire goodness we can! We come back here every summer to spend time with family and simply enjoy all the beauty around us. This trip seems to have completely flown by, and I feel like I haven't basked in the fresh New Hampshire air quite long enough.
One of our favorite places to go (a favorite of mine since high school) is downtown Portsmouth. Portsmouth was the fourth European settlement in New England, and with it's brick streets, old buildings, and view of the Piscataqua River it is high on our list of things to do whenever we are back here! Here are a few pictures to give you a feel for this historic city:

The view down Market Street looking toward North Church

Old Warehouse- you can still see the old adds painted on the brick

North Church fun facts: Daniel Webster was a member here as well as William Whipple, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and in November of 1789, President George Washington attended services here.

Another view of North Church

I love the fire escapes and street lights!

Prescott Park

The best way to get around.

More New Hampshire fun to come!

ingredients for a summer date

A summer day in our life:

wash the dog (he hates his baths)

explore new streets

try out new treats




feel the grass between your toes




steal a kiss



explore old books


stop and smell the roses

June 23, 2010 = 4 years married to my best friend

See to it . . . that NO
root of bitterness
springs UP and causes trouble,
and by it many become defiled.
Hebrews 12:15 b

It is well with my soul

One of my favorite things to do is to listen to Josh play guitar and sing, but I especially love it when he plays hymns. Right now I'm listening to him sing It is Well with My Soul by Horatio Spafford.
If you aren't familiar with the story behind this hymn, well then you should be! The story goes that in 1873 Spafford sent his wife and four daughter ahead of him on a ship to Europe. On the way over the ship sunk and all four of Spafford's daughters were drowned. On his way to England to meet his wife, Spafford penned the words to this song as they were nearing the place where the ship had sunk. In this hymn Spafford focuses not on the trials themselves, but on the redemptive work of Christ in the midst of trials.

It is Well With My Soul

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Fresh Basil

Wise and Gracious Purposes

I'm currently reading the book My Heart in His Hands about the life of Ann Judson, wife of Adoniram Judson, the first missionaries sent out from America. I am completely amazed by the faith of this woman who was willing to leave all behind in order to follow Christ.

In the midst of the daily trials and tribulations of 19th century living in the foreign country of Burma and with little to no contact with other Americans, never mind English speakers, she faced the added burdens of health issues and the death of two children. In the midst of a seven month period, during which she did not know if her husband was dead or alive she wrote the following:

"I am trying to bear this state of uncertainty as a heavy affliction, a painful chastisement from my Heavenly Father, inflicted, no doubt for wise and gracious purposes. Perhaps it is only a prelude to greater afflictions. Perhaps this is the school in which I am to be taught the rudiments of suffering, and to prepare for those heavy trials, which without these first few lessons, crush as soon as afflicted. I feel however, a dreadful conflict ; sometimes inclined to complain of these dark dispensations of Providence, at others endeavoring to make this language my own: 'Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him."

What a sweet reminder that in the midst of pain and hurt, God's "wise and gracious purposes" are at work!