Surprise!

Well, we had some very shocking, yet exciting news come our way on New Year's Day.

I bet you can guess what it is..................................................
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Yep, we are expecting baby #3 in September! So do me a favor and go ahead and start praying that the summer heat will be kind to me, okay? : )

Christmas {2012}

So, I'm a little late with this post, but that's okay.

Every year we make it a point to visit both sides of the family either on or close to Christmas Day.  In our almost 5 years of marriage, we have always either been with Jordan's side of the family or mine on Christmas Day. However, this was our first year of Jordan being a senior pastor (which has been amazing) and we wanted to have a Christmas Eve Service.  Therefore, this was our first time to spend Christmas Eve/Day in our own house....and we loved it. It was really neat to be able to start our very own traditions and as the boys get older, I'm sure we will add more.  But for this year, we kept it pretty simple.  For example, after the Christmas Eve service, we came home and each of the boys got to open one present. They loved this....I'm sure we will do it again in 2013.  On Christmas morning, after the boys opened their presents, I made cinnamon rolls. And for our late lunch, I cooked blueberry pancakes. We spent the rest of the day relaxing as a family and playing with new toys and watching new movies. : ) And for dinner, I made potato soup...it hit the spot on our cold, white Christmas!

Next Christmas, I'm really hoping and praying that the Lord will give the boys more understanding and that we can heavily center Christmas on the birth of Jesus.  It's not that we didn't do that this year, they just still don't really understand which is perfectly normal for their ages.  I'm really wanting to try some of the Advent traditions this next Christmas so I would appreciate any and all advice and ideas on that. : )

Okay, so for pictures...I'll do them in order, of course...


Christmas in Mount:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we made it back to Lawton, we were surprised to find that a bad wind storm had blown through and had blown a huge patch of shingles off our roof.  So Jordan and Elijah put the boy's new wagon, that Steven and Ashley bought the boys, to good use....We're really praying that the insurance covers this damage...yikes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Lawton:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas in Bowie:

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



So now that the Christmas season has come and gone, I'm ready for winter to leave too.  I get anxious for spring every year around this time...I guess I better sit tight!

 

 









Captivating in the New Year {2}

Stop! Before you read this blog post, you need to read Captivating in the New Year (part 1).

Okay.  Good! Now you can read this post!

Confession. I've never been big on New Year's Resolutions.  It's just always seemed to me that people get their hopes up to do this or that differently only to be disappointed a week later when they realize how short they have already fallen from their goals. And then they give up completely and say things like I'll try again next year!

Did it ever occur to anyone that the main reason why we can't seem to change our bad habits and addictions is because we don't ask God to make the change in us? Or that maybe our goals don't line up with His will for us?

Romans 12:2 says this:

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

...but be transformed by the renewal of your mind...

If we are walking with Him daily and pouring ourselves into His Word, His desires will become our desires and He will accomplish great things in us and through us.

Apart from Him, we are nothing. We are but flesh and bone.  We are weak minded.  We are redeemed but we still wrestle with rulers of darkness and we still give our flesh what it desires.  So what makes us think that we can better ourselves on our own?

Everything good in me is because of the love, mercy and beautiful grace of Jesus Christ.  And every addiction that I will break and every goal that I will meet will be because of His grace on me....because of His strength in me.  It is the same for you.  Even if you reject that truth. 

So what addictions are you trying to break? What goals are you trying to meet?

If you are trying to lose weight, then by all means, exercise and eat right.  If you are trying to give up cigarettes, then by all means, don't keep buying them and expect for God just to take that "gotta have this" feeling away.  Though it is completely possible that He can do that, it is not very likely.  We are still called to be responsible. 

I hope I'm making sense.  I guess the most important thing for you to take away from all this is that...

all your striving will be in vain unless you call out to the One who has the power to make the change in you and through you.  Find your strength in Him.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11