Well, I know last time you heard from me I was not feeling very cheery...well, I am happy to report that my Christmas cheer did appear and I had a WONDERFUL holiday! I hope you all did too!
I got some wonderful gifts and I had a blast giving my sisters their presents. It has been wonderful to just relax and watch some movies, eat lots of sweets and listen to some new music. Everything I love. Food, music, movies...this is the LIFE! :)
We (my family and I) are preparting for a family vacation! We leave on monday for a short trip to visit some relatives. I am very excited for the time away and the chance to see some cousins again! What fun!
Well, this is a much shorter post, but, I just wanted to make sure you knew that I had a wonderful Christmas full of CHEER and SPIRIT! :)
Happy almost New Year to you all!! Much love-
27 December 2008
22 December 2008
christmas cheer
well, i am not feeling very cheery right now. i'm not quite sure why.
maybe i got too excited about christmas too soon, and now i'm on the downword "spirit slide". maybe. hmmm...
or maybe i just am not truly embracing all that christmas brings, and the joy that it holds for me, as a follower of Jesus Christ. maybe. hmmmmmm...
maybe it's the cabin fever i have right now. you see, when there are about 3 feet of snow on the ground, no one really gets out. and when i don't get out of the house for, oh, 3 days, i don't see other people with christmas spirit. maybe that's it. hmmmm...
all i know, is that i "need a little christmas, right this very minute!" i have tried a few things to help my "spirit meter." here, i'll share them!
i remember a line in the movie "Elf" that says, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!" So, i have tried that. i sit in my room and i sing and i sing and i sing. i must say, buddy the elf was right. Singing does indeed make me feel cheery!
and, i have been listening to Christmas music. Natalie Grant's Christmas CD is extra good for cheeriness.
AND i have been wrapping presents. which, REALLY helps my spirit meter. :)
well, i hope you all are feeling cheery. And, not to sound cliche but, let's truly remember why we celebrate this season. when i stop to think about that, I am FLOODED with CHristmas JOY. Because I remember what GOd did for me. How amazing. AMAZING!!
"Suddenly a GREAT company, of the Heavenly hosts, appeared with the Angels PRAISING God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom His favor rests'"
I want to have the joy of those angels. :)
Well, i think writing this quick, scattered blog truly helped lift my spirits. it helped me refocus my mind and heart! Thanks for letting me think "out loud!"
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
maybe i got too excited about christmas too soon, and now i'm on the downword "spirit slide". maybe. hmmm...
or maybe i just am not truly embracing all that christmas brings, and the joy that it holds for me, as a follower of Jesus Christ. maybe. hmmmmmm...
maybe it's the cabin fever i have right now. you see, when there are about 3 feet of snow on the ground, no one really gets out. and when i don't get out of the house for, oh, 3 days, i don't see other people with christmas spirit. maybe that's it. hmmmm...
all i know, is that i "need a little christmas, right this very minute!" i have tried a few things to help my "spirit meter." here, i'll share them!
i remember a line in the movie "Elf" that says, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!" So, i have tried that. i sit in my room and i sing and i sing and i sing. i must say, buddy the elf was right. Singing does indeed make me feel cheery!
and, i have been listening to Christmas music. Natalie Grant's Christmas CD is extra good for cheeriness.
AND i have been wrapping presents. which, REALLY helps my spirit meter. :)
well, i hope you all are feeling cheery. And, not to sound cliche but, let's truly remember why we celebrate this season. when i stop to think about that, I am FLOODED with CHristmas JOY. Because I remember what GOd did for me. How amazing. AMAZING!!
"Suddenly a GREAT company, of the Heavenly hosts, appeared with the Angels PRAISING God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom His favor rests'"
I want to have the joy of those angels. :)
Well, i think writing this quick, scattered blog truly helped lift my spirits. it helped me refocus my mind and heart! Thanks for letting me think "out loud!"
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
05 December 2008
getting to know you, getting to know all about you...
well, today was awesome. it was a lovely ending to a hard, long week. i love it when God ends hard weeks with some sweet time with even sweeter people. today, i had the chance to spend time with one of my friends from MI...and boy was it fun!
it was fun because it was spontaneous...now, i am NOT a spontaneous person, i like routine, schedules and planning, but today, she suggested we go for coffee after school and i said, sure! :) so, we drove (in the BLIZZARD, i might add) to an great little coffe place. side note-i love coffee shops. i love the smells, the atmosphere, and i always imagine having great heart-to-hearts with people in coffee shops...today i had an awesome heart-to-heart. :)
it was fun because of the friend i was with. she is an awesome girl...a true leader, a solid christian, and just plain old FUN! she's super funny, but knows when it's time to be serious, and is a very good listener. i am so thankful i have met her and finally had a chance to sit and chat with her!
it was fun because we had great conversation. i got to know her, i let her get to know me...it was like talking to someone i had known for years. no awkwardness, no annoying small talk (i hate small talk!) just real, God-centered conversation...
it was fun because this week had some heart ache. it was a long week, with some ups and downs and frustrations and tears...i had been feeling overwhelmed, and tired, and a bit stressed, and instead of coming home after school and moping or wallowing in self pity, i had the chance to spend time with a truly amazing girl. what a BLESSING!
and added bonus, i got to drink some OUT OF THIS WORLD HOT CHOCOLATE! which i love. :) it's the simple things in life, right?
the rest of the day was also awesome, baked christmas cookies with some relatives...yum!
now, i am just going to enjoy the rest of the night and make christmas gifts, and listen to music and just thank God for the time to get to know a friend...
it was fun because it was spontaneous...now, i am NOT a spontaneous person, i like routine, schedules and planning, but today, she suggested we go for coffee after school and i said, sure! :) so, we drove (in the BLIZZARD, i might add) to an great little coffe place. side note-i love coffee shops. i love the smells, the atmosphere, and i always imagine having great heart-to-hearts with people in coffee shops...today i had an awesome heart-to-heart. :)
it was fun because of the friend i was with. she is an awesome girl...a true leader, a solid christian, and just plain old FUN! she's super funny, but knows when it's time to be serious, and is a very good listener. i am so thankful i have met her and finally had a chance to sit and chat with her!
it was fun because we had great conversation. i got to know her, i let her get to know me...it was like talking to someone i had known for years. no awkwardness, no annoying small talk (i hate small talk!) just real, God-centered conversation...
it was fun because this week had some heart ache. it was a long week, with some ups and downs and frustrations and tears...i had been feeling overwhelmed, and tired, and a bit stressed, and instead of coming home after school and moping or wallowing in self pity, i had the chance to spend time with a truly amazing girl. what a BLESSING!
and added bonus, i got to drink some OUT OF THIS WORLD HOT CHOCOLATE! which i love. :) it's the simple things in life, right?
the rest of the day was also awesome, baked christmas cookies with some relatives...yum!
now, i am just going to enjoy the rest of the night and make christmas gifts, and listen to music and just thank God for the time to get to know a friend...
29 November 2008
It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS...
Today is probably my favorite day of the entire year...
I love coming off of thanksgiving, waking up and STILL feeling full. My family and I always put up our Christmas decorations and it is FINALLY "legal" to listen to Christmas music! (don't tell anyone, but, i've been listening to Christmas music since LAST friday! *grin*)
Anyways...today was such a fun day! We went to the Christian bookstore where I picked up the BarlowGirl Christmas CD...which I HIGHLY recommend. It is fantastic! The store was PACKED with people and also PACKED with sales...which I love! I got to help my little sister pick out gifts for the family which I really enjoyed doing. It was fun to watch her get so excited about her finds!
After we got back from our quick shopping trip, we pulled out ALL the Christmas decorations...it was awesome! The tree is now up, ornaments are hung, lights lit and it is GLORIOUS! I am in love with this time of year!
ok..so, i'm incredibly tired, but, i wanted to put up a few fun pictures of the decorations and a bit of snow! :)
28 November 2008
a fun day...and a new year's resolution
ahh...today was a fun day!!
i love thanksgiving...i love having an excuse to remind all my friends and family that i am beyond thankful for them. i love seeing 12 faces around the table all full of joy. i just love everything about this holiday. i love that our country chooses to set aside a whole day just for being thankful. the days off of school are not too bad either! :)
i could go on for days writing about all the things i am thankful for...family, friends, faith, freedom, fun...(no, i didn't mean for them all to start with the same letter! haha). the list could go on and on and on and on. i woke up this morning and my heart just felt full!
the past couple of days i have really been missing new york, and at the same time, i have been so thankful for living here. but, the missing new york feelings came over me. my heart ached. i ached for the familiarity, and for people that know me inside and out. i ached for friends to talk to and take walks with. while my heart longed for those things, i also found myself so thankful for the time i did have in new york.
i have also found myself incredibly thankful for where i am now.
And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is where God wants you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.
1 Corinthians 7:17
where i am is where God wants me...and i am THANKFUL for that. since we moved here i have met some INCREDIBLE people. people that in the short time i have known them, have taught me so much and inspired me so much. i have learned to "live and obey and love and believe" right here. i can't put into words how thankful i am to be learning this.
for so long, i didn't allow myself to make friends here. i was so sure that i just didn't need them. after all, i had friends, they just lived miles and miles away. i convinced myself that there was no need to make new friends, or let people get to know me. and let me tell you, i deprived myself of some amazing people last year. THANKFULLY, God has given me the chance this year to get to know people and make some great friends. the truth is...i do need friends here! i love people and i need people and being able to get to know people here has been awesome. this place is overflowing with awesome, solid christ followers that i am HONORED to call friends. for that...i am thankful. so thankful.
***
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thes. 5:16-18
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever!
1 Chron. 16:34
***
instead of regular name cards today, my mom put a verse about being thankful at everyone's place setting at our table. each person got a different verse. it was so neat to look around the table and read 12 verses about thankfulness. when you search "give thanks to the Lord" on bible. com, over 40 verses come up.
i know it's a bit early for new year's resolutions, but, i am making one now.
* to keep an attitude of thankfulness at ALL times, not just at thanksgiving.
i hope you all had a great thanksgiving!! much love-
i love thanksgiving...i love having an excuse to remind all my friends and family that i am beyond thankful for them. i love seeing 12 faces around the table all full of joy. i just love everything about this holiday. i love that our country chooses to set aside a whole day just for being thankful. the days off of school are not too bad either! :)
i could go on for days writing about all the things i am thankful for...family, friends, faith, freedom, fun...(no, i didn't mean for them all to start with the same letter! haha). the list could go on and on and on and on. i woke up this morning and my heart just felt full!
the past couple of days i have really been missing new york, and at the same time, i have been so thankful for living here. but, the missing new york feelings came over me. my heart ached. i ached for the familiarity, and for people that know me inside and out. i ached for friends to talk to and take walks with. while my heart longed for those things, i also found myself so thankful for the time i did have in new york.
i have also found myself incredibly thankful for where i am now.
And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is where God wants you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.
1 Corinthians 7:17
where i am is where God wants me...and i am THANKFUL for that. since we moved here i have met some INCREDIBLE people. people that in the short time i have known them, have taught me so much and inspired me so much. i have learned to "live and obey and love and believe" right here. i can't put into words how thankful i am to be learning this.
for so long, i didn't allow myself to make friends here. i was so sure that i just didn't need them. after all, i had friends, they just lived miles and miles away. i convinced myself that there was no need to make new friends, or let people get to know me. and let me tell you, i deprived myself of some amazing people last year. THANKFULLY, God has given me the chance this year to get to know people and make some great friends. the truth is...i do need friends here! i love people and i need people and being able to get to know people here has been awesome. this place is overflowing with awesome, solid christ followers that i am HONORED to call friends. for that...i am thankful. so thankful.
***
Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Thes. 5:16-18
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever!
1 Chron. 16:34
***
instead of regular name cards today, my mom put a verse about being thankful at everyone's place setting at our table. each person got a different verse. it was so neat to look around the table and read 12 verses about thankfulness. when you search "give thanks to the Lord" on bible. com, over 40 verses come up.
i know it's a bit early for new year's resolutions, but, i am making one now.
* to keep an attitude of thankfulness at ALL times, not just at thanksgiving.
i hope you all had a great thanksgiving!! much love-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)