Happy Valentine's Day

Warning: I am being oh-so-for-real, extremely vulnerable. Read cautiously.  :)

I woke up this morning kinda groggy when my alarm went off to spend time with Jesus, the ultimate Lover of my soul. I had some pretty understandable reasons to sleep in this morning, at least in my mind, being that we'd dealt with sick kids for the last week and I ended up with the stomach bug Wednesday night through the wee hours of Thursday morning. We've been getting lots of rest and taking care of our bodies to kick this...and then we were able to go celebrate Kara's birthday at her party last night. I was taking temperatures before leaving, trying to be extra cautious. I know, I think I have a problem.  :) All this to say that I was tired and not really "feeling the love" to compel me out of bed to spend time with the Lord who died for my sin and showed me the greatest love in all the world. Our flesh is still very here, isn't it?

I laid back in bed for a few more minutes and then the Lord graciously got my butt out of bed after the baby woke up a little earlier than normal to eat, so I was up. I went downstairs and was greeted by a small arrangement of roses with a heart and a note from my husband with scripture written out on it. As I went from coffee pot (God's grace to make me more than the walking dead in the morning) to my little spot I've made my morning meeting place with the Lord, to later on to the computer, my hubby had left little rose arrangements with scripture on it for me. After I'd seen the first two and sat down to journal and be with Jesus, I was struck with a sobering reality. Had God's grace not gotten this ungrateful, spoiled brat out of bed, I would've missed the blessing of love from my husband in the way he intended it to be received. I mean, Gary set those out in those places for me to find and be surprised. Had I not gotten up and gone to those spots, I would've missed the intended act of love from my husband...who is one avenue that God displays HIS love to me. Here's the point: God's grace is more than we can even begin to know. Apart from His grace, we'd totally miss out on it all. Every act of love from others is an outpouring of His love towards us. We don't deserve any bit of it. What we really deserve is hell. That He chooses to show us any kind of favor is a miracle in and of itself. 

After my time this morning, I decided to make heart shaped pancakes with chocolate chips for breakfast. Okay, people. Sometimes it is totally the thought that counts. I don't know what on earth I did, but those things looked like anything but hearts. And yes, I was using a heart shaped form. Am I the only one who can't use one of those things? My mom makes it look so easy! And then I couldn't get the dern syrup bottle open. I'd gotten maple syrup, it was in a glass container and the lid wouldn't budge. I had pieces of the slip grip thingie on my counter from twisting so hard. So we ate retarded heart pancakes without syrup. Happy Valentine's Day, kids. HA. And my sweet Bekah was being so kind- they're really good Mommy, even without the syrup. I told her she didn't have to lie and it really was okay. Then she said they'd be really really good with syrup on them.  I gotta make more sometime next week when we get that bottle open.

Anyway, this may be one of the best Valentine's days in my life yet. Gary has to work...when you own a business that's open on Saturdays, sometimes you don't have a choice.  We are spending tonight together as a family, making heart shaped pizzas. (Hopefully this will go WAY better than the pancakes!) We're doing a romantic dinner alone a different night. Valentine's day isn't about the stuff or the big fuss. What it is is just a day the world has created to show love, or in my brother's opinion, a conspiracy to make a ton of money...he may be on to something. As a christian, I'm not going to just act like it doesn't exist, cause it does, so I'm not going to lie. At the same time, we're not going to fall into the materialism trap. Yet, there is a way that it can be God glorifying. Just like any other day. Is the answer for us as believers just to trivialize it? Act like we're SUPPOSED to show love EVERY day, so I'm not making a deal about today. That'd be fine if we really did express love EVERY day, but we don't. It's not even about stuff. If I get mad because I didn't get STUFF today, that'd be wrong too. Here's the reality- it's about a day set aside to express our love to those we love most. When that doesn't happen, it hurts. I get mad. Some of us then call the day stupid and act like it doesn't exist. Not because we really think it's stupid, but because it hurts too much to admit that we don't feel loved by the one(s) that are supposed to love us most. This is what I've experienced in the past, whether on a Valentine's day or birthday or anniversary or whatever. There were times that Gary did get me something, maybe even expensive, but it still hurt me. Because he made it about just making sure I got something. What I really wanted was to feel loved. It may be something that is actually pretty cheap or would seem stupid to someone else, but to me expressed that He knows me and loves me, appreciates me. It's a woman thing to want that. This is the way God created us. It's not bad. It's bad when we react wrong because it doesn't happen. That's what I've done in the past. Instead of running to God in the midst of the hurt and knowing that He alone fulfills, I've gotten mad and hurt Gary as much as I was hurting. Since the garden of Eden, woman has had a desire for her husband. According to Ephesians 5:29, husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, nourishing and cherishing it. That's what we desire as women. To be nourished- our needs, loved by our husbands similarly as our children. To be cherished- our desires, what makes us different from our children. What distorts this is a lot of wrong perspectives- that love is to be made much of, to have a feeling only...that love is all about me. That love means you're going to...insert whatever wrong thinking you've dealt with.

Here's why this is the best Valentine's day ever for me this year:  God's grace has finally brought me- maybe just for today, so when I struggle with it again, remind me- that each and every act that expresses love towards me that really does touch my heart because it's done out of love and not duty, happily and not grudgingly, knowing me and not just anything to say it got done- this too is an outpouring of love from God. What I should TREASURE isn't the feeling of being loved or even the person expressing it to me. These are simply arrows pointing us to the one who is to be fully treasured, God Himself, who IS LOVE.

So if you feel loved by those around you today- thank them, show appreciation to them, but don't treasure them, treasure God. And if you don't feel loved by anyone around you today- hurt, don't hurt them,  and treasure God. And in all things, let's give thanks for His gifts!  Happy Valentine's Day! 

Celebrating New Life!...and Health after sickness!

We are SO excited for our friends, Jon and Robin, who have just adopted their newest baby girl, Rachel Joy, who was born on February 5th around 12:30ish am. There is much to their story of coming to this adoption that testifies of God's incredible grace. We are glad to have a tiny part of that in prayer, walking with them through it. 

After a lot of ups and downs and having to rest in the Lord as they got word this baby would be theirs, to not, to theirs, etc, last night they met their baby girl and were able to hold her and take her "home"- to a nearby hotel, until the papers they need to come home are in their possession. 

After talking with Robin today, I can NOT wait to see this little baby girl. She said she kind of looks like a Hirsch baby, but with darker skin. She has lots of dark hair (not just on her head)  :)  and slanted eyes. They took her to the doctor today and she is perfectly healthy.  To think of all the joy in anticipation and waiting and holding loosely their desires, this baby girl now has a home with a loving dad, mom, and two big sisters.

Rejoice with us in the beauty of God's grace to us revealed through adoption. What a small taste of our getting to be in the family of God! Thankfully, God never had to wait and go back in forth in limbo if we were His or not. :)  I so hope that one day we can experience this within our own family. For now, we will rejoice greatly with those who get to right now!

We are also rejoicing...though cautiously...over healing of yucky sickness within our family. Poor baby Brie was a tad sick with belly aches- I thought it was something I'd eaten, but then a couple days later, little Bethany was sick with the flu, and then Belle til yesterday. So far, no one else has come down sick with the bug, and we're hoping to be spared. For now, we're steering clear of sugar and faithfully taking our immune stimulator and getting lots of rest. We have a party to go to Friday to celebrate Kara Igo's 1st birthday! It would be very sad to not be well enough to go. So, we're nursing everyone to get over this. We've experienced lots of love from the Lord expressed through family and friends during this craziness- help from my parents, food from friends. It's helped lighten the load and keep me semi sane. Let me tell you, at one point, as the baby was screaming to eat, Bethany was crying just because she felt so bad, and Belle was crying, having had just thrown up across the kitchen floor, I  thought- OH BOY! Lord, quickly...be near!   I am MOST DEFINITELY in need of your strength today. And He was faithful. We all made it. And He's bringing us through today too. 

So...that's the latest within our home. Hope you are getting to experience God at work around and within you too! He is so good to open our eyes to be aware of His presence, in the midst of great joys like adoption, and not-so-great things like sickness. Even if you're not, know that there is hope, because HE CAN and HE DOES. He is good!

Ice Ice Baby: Part I

If you hadn't heard, we had a big 'ole ice storm here in the Ozarks, and it was pretty nasty. That would be why we've been "offline" and no blog updates for a while. A tree took out our phone line on Tuesday and it just got fixed Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, most people have weathered it fairly well and God spared us from losing electricity for any extended periods of time. We are beyond grateful to live where we are right now and not back in our Thayer home, as most of Thayer is without electricity, which means no water either because we have a well. 

This week, because of the ice storm, we have been feeling the pressures. We had someone wanting to come look at our Thayer house this week, interested in buying it. I laughed, like, come on, Lord! Really?! The week you send a huge ice storm?! Knowing who controls the weather helps us rest in His sovereignty and not freak out. Gary ventured out to Thayer on Thursday to check on the house, business, and family members, and said it looked like a bomb went off, a mess everywhere. Gary's dad who lives only a couple miles from our house rode his tractor with front end loader on it and cleared a path of limbs and debris, taking over 2 hours to get to our house! It's a big mess. We have TONS of trees in that yard...well, now we have TONS of limbs down. It'll be okay, though.

Also, our main store, Kosh Wholesale, has been out of power since Tuesday, which means the store's been closed since then. Hard thing for a small business owner to be closed so much, especially in these times. BUT, God's been faithful to remind us that He is wise. The Bible curriculum we're using for home school talked about God is Wise: He works all things out perfectly. The text was about Joseph. We've been reviewing the curriculum as part of our family worship time each evening, and it was such a good reminder for us in the midst of this time, a time when little money is coming in and many bills are due. One way God is providing is through our insurance which is going to help out on loss. It is good to know that God is still in the midst of these things and we get to allow our children to see how God is providing for us. 

Another cool thing: our home fellowship couldn't meet at the home we usually meet in because of the ice storm- too hard to get there. Instead, this morning, we broke up and met in 3 different homes. We hosed one of them here and had a big breakfast together, then had worship time and then worked on cleaning up yards and such. Well, the worship time was sweet in intimacy and sharing. One of the things shared was James 1, about suffering- consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds...this was a passage that Gary had mentioned to me and we discussed just last night as he's doing a study on James with a friend. Anyway, it was really neat. And all the sharing and adding to and encouraging was so sweet. And the house here is all cleaned up, trees all taken care of- only need to haul off the piles of debris now. It was such a blessing to have the church body together helping. Here are a few pics of the ice storm and the clean up in progress. 

God is near

So, I have been really busy...I know, not really anything new with that. We have taken the month of January to re-evaluate and look at some things, and work on setting up some better "systems", organizational type stuff that may take the month of January to get going, but will make our life smoother for the rest of the year. This had led to a little less blogging, but necessary. Having four children, two businesses, and being involved in others lives takes real purposefulness in order for all of them to be done well.

God has been really near in this past week. I don't know about you, but there seems to be seasons of life when His presence seems more near- that I'm more aware of Him being actually involved in my life than at other times. Probably because I'm taking time to slow down and be aware. Anyway, I wanted to share a few ways we have known His presence very clearly this past week specifically.

Well, one of those happened this past weekend. We'd gotten into an argument over something little- laundry- that was really about something bigger-communication, or the lack of good communication. It manifested itself through the laundry, specifically a load containing the baby's car seat cover which she'd exploded in the night before. (There's a reason I mention this so specifically.) Well, anyway- so we were getting ready to go to fellowship in the morning and it'd carried into Sunday's time of getting ready. We'd gotten into this disagreement so strongly, that Gary said forget it, I'm not going. He didn't want to be around people and try to act fine when everything wasn't, and needed time away to meet with God. He'd been around people lots, especially with him gone last week to Dallas for Market. Anyway, so I was like, well, I REALLY need to be around people. I've been home all week with the kids, some of it by myself, and I'm so tired, I need help to meet with God. I was just so tired that I felt like I couldn't even go to God on my own. He was gracious to understand and said, then you go and I'll stay home with the kids. Then we got into it a bit more, and it got late, so I told Bekah to tell her daddy I was going to FBC instead. As I drove away, I was convicted that I just told my husband where I was going through my daughter, when the last we'd talked he'd told me to go to our church fellowship. So, I decided it'd be best to just go where he'd told me. Then I started freaking out inside, thinking about how I explain that I'm there and he's not and how much to say that would explain we're in need, but without disrespecting my husband. Just cause they can act a little bit jerky sometimes doesn't mean their a complete jerk, ya know? It's more like sin at the time. It doesn't define us, it's just that we're living a lie for the moment, not living as free in Christ. Anyway, so I quickly called my mom, tried to get ahold of my parents various ways til finally my dad answered his cell phone. I asked him to pray for us and he talked me through some things, giving some really good wisdom for the situation through a man's perspective. In the meantime, I'd pulled over to talk with him and when we were done it was already 10:55- 25 minutes past our starting time, and I still had at least 15 minutes to get there. So I called Gary and asked him if it'd be alright to just go to FBC, where my family attends and we used to go. He said sure. So, I walk in to this: the chairs in a u shape, with partitions around the back except for a huge cross and Scripture posted on either side. So, you have to walk through the cross in order to enter, reading Scripture. Very cool...prep for worship. We sing a song that I often sing all by myself on the top of my lungs to Jesus, Sing to the King (or whatever the name of it is) and I know God's telling me he really is near and really is very in control. Then we sing a song I'd never heard before, Hosanna, with words that talk about God's grace being enough for us to make it through just today (I REALLY needed to hear that, cause I was just trying to get strength enough for the day!) and about God's presence being near casting out all fear. And I was reminded of the scripture in 1 Peter 3 that talks about being Sarah's daughters if we obey doing good and do not fear anything that's frightening. I realized then that all my responses toward Gary were based on fear, not in trusting God. Out of my fears, I was getting mad and responding in sin. So then we hear a sermon on 1 John, talking about if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God and each other. So, if there's broken fellowship, there very well be sin...and that if I say I'm without sin, I'm a liar. So, I realize then that Gary's not the only one at fault in our specific situation we'd been arguing over. Here's what is hysterical. As I'm sitting there, the baby blows out her diaper. The car seat cover is again a mess. And I just started cracking up. It was like God saying...okay Lynette, I'm giving you opportunity to do this over again, this time do it the right way. I laughed out loud thinking about God sending me back home to deal with the "crap."  :)  I got to share this with some of the people who plan the service, how God used it to show me more of Himself and get me ready to go home and work through it with my hubby. It was then I found out that the music had been changed the last minute. It was so great. I know it definitely wasn't that God did it all for me. Oh my, how self centered that is! However, I do know He spoke very clearly to my heart in order to restore fellowship and then now we're able to share with the rest of the Church and hopefully it's encouraging to others too. When I got home Gary asked me how it was and I got to share it all with him. I asked for forgiveness for specific things and then asked him about his time at home and what he heard. He said to not isolate himself. I asked him how he heard that, cause that seems pretty wild to hear those words specifically. He said- Proverbs 18. (we're reading through Proverbs this month and Sunday was the 18th.) In our ESV translation it says- "Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment."  I was cracking up. He said it made him laugh when he read it. And verse 22 says- "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." And he smiled at me. It was so funny...and sweet...and wonderful to restore that fellowship and then get to talk through and deal with the situation. It was so encouraging to us- hope it encourages you to go to God too.

And this morning, as our new President, Barack Obama, leads us for his first full day, I was reminded of these words from Proverbs 21:1- "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD: he turns it wherever he will." We could not vote for our first African American president. Not because of his race. Dern, that would've been so stinking awesome to get to be a part of that history making. Because of our convictions of life, we couldn't vote for such an outspoken very extreme pro choice candidate. Some things he stands for...or doesn't...get me worried. I think about living in America now and wonder what kind of change he really is going to bring. I was so grateful that God reminded me that God really is in control- STILL. Barack Obama's heart remains in the Lord's hands. There is reason in God's placing him in our leadership. Obama's leadership is still in submission to God's. And so we pray. And trust God. No worries. 

God is gracious to pour out his presence to us, to allow us to see that He is near. Spend time being still enough to hear Him. He is speaking. And it's oh so refreshing!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From the Hirsch family, we hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas season and have a great New Year! This is our attempt at a family photo with our Christmas outfits...and we finally gave in to a silly face, crazy picture. 

Probably more accurate of our family, anyway!  :)

Ours was a blessed Christmas...so much fun this year, with the new baby Brie and three girls eager to actually be a part of handing out gifts and capable of tearing up the paper. It was funny at times, trying to get them to slow down. At one point, Belle was handing out gifts to whoever she could get to take them, even if they weren't theirs. Bekah was quick to help straighten that out- that was quite a stretch for her personality. We have laughed often this holiday.

We were able to finally breathe from all the preparations, and I've definitely learned what NOT to do in adding to the already hectic schedule. People, do NOT bake 12 loaves of bread in one evening. Yes, this mom of four did stay up til 4 am baking bread that WOULD NOT rise and had a frustrating run in with a Walmart employee who was obviously just worn out from the holiday crowd. Thankfully, God reminded me that her day was probably just as insane as mine and prompted me to ask her about it and how she was rather than tell her off like I really had wanted to at first. Amazing, how when we stop long enough to think, we can get over ourselves. Anyway, so just don't do it. Bake the bread early enough to freeze it so you're not up all night. :) I AM learning!

Anyway, a few things we got to do in celebration of our Lord's birth:

• Had a Christmas celebration with the Wiehe family and got to hang out before it got really crazy. It was so fun to watch them open their presents. And hysterical, as we got them (Kurt & Melissa) what they had gotten for each other! (And that sweet Melia in the middle, she didn't want a purse, she wanted a dolly...but let me tell ya, a few days later, she was missing her purse cause her momma put it away until she had a grateful heart and as her sissy Natalie on the left carried hers around, it was making Melia want to have a grateful heart. A few days later when we we over there, she came up to me and said "I forgive you" which Natalie quickly helped her reword it to "I'm sorry I was ungrateful for my purse and said I wanted a dolly. Do you forgive me?" People- these are two little girls, learning. It was beyond cute.)

• Christmas Eve morning we spent at Lynette's family's house, waking up like it was Christmas morning. Tia and JaJa were with us, so it was extra special, since all of that side of our family was together. We also got some very thoughtful presents, some even handmade. (Notice Belle holding up her sissy Brie's head. She was thoroughly worried about her head not being "up." Bethany is obliviously happy, in her own little happy world.)
 

• Christmas Eve night we ate Chen's with the family (a tradition since living in Missouri) and then began our own tradition with the Igos, skipping the candlelight service and instead coming back to the house to have our own time together reading the Christmas accounts and letting the kids act it out with their nativity sets. And we tried to sing some songs, but kept forgetting the words. Then we played a mean few games of Sequence, which by the way, the women WON! This has been an ongoing thing since we've been friends, but seemed like the women were always getting beat. So, this was a nice relaxing time and one I'd like to keep instead of trying to juggle kids in the crammed sanctuary and keeping them quiet and not burning down the building with the candles. (The Hirsch/Reavis families in our annual color coordinated picture!)
 





• Christmas morning we woke up and read from the Bible and then gave each other gifts in celebration of Jesus. It was really fun. It's funny to see the girls personalities come out as they opened gifts- Bekah more quiet, smiling, Belle screeching every time anyone opened anything, and Bethany trying to steal everyone else's stuff or beating them on the head with it, and Brie just chilling. I really enjoyed that Bekah has been so excited about getting gifts for people, and had asked about doing some "work" to earn money to buy her own gifts. She did, and got some things for her sisters at the dollar store. It was so sweet to watch her get excited about giving and thinking through what they may like and then her watching them as they opened their gifts. Bethany's reaction was so wonderful. I was blessed with way too many things from my sweet husband, but my two most favorites that I've really really really wanted- my very own new ESV study Bible (the new ones that came out!) and a Cricut for all my crafting needs. So fun! I was feeling overwhelmed at one point and told Gary that it was all too much, to which he winked and responded- you have to learn to receive graciously before you can give graciously, right? We've learned much in the giving and getting area- one being that.
  

• Christmas day we went over to the family's and had a huge lasagna meal with them, the Igos, and Gary's dad. We got to just chill out and enjoy company with bellies full- way more fortunate than so many others. (The girls with Gary's dad, Mopa)

We have begun looking toward 2009 with prioritizing and planning. I love a fresh start. It's a great reminder of what God's done for us. Everything new, clean, hopeful. Gary and I have talked a lot about what we'd like to see happen with our family this new year.  He's expressed some things that God's put on his heart to lead us in, and I'm really excited. I know we'll fail at times and priorities will be turned upside down, but we're grateful that we can start over at any time. We hope to begin the year strong, prayerful and ready to be flexible with whatever God wants to do with us. We really desire God to be seen through our family, in whatever ways He wants to do that. We pray that for our family and friends too! Have a Happy New Year! Party like it's...2 thousand and nine!

Christmas time celebrations, new adventures, home school fun

So these days have been full. "Normal" for our family has been officially redefined. We can safely say that we have now been acclimated to our family of six. It takes a lot of work, but the rewards are great. There is much dependence on God, just to get through the day all in one piece. We may have a lost shoe or someone screaming about something, but in the end, after the shoe is found and the screamer calmed done, it is good as long as we've seen God through it. We're laughing more...and also enjoying quietness more.

We enjoyed our business Christmas party for Kosh Wholesale and Home Matters. Gary and I had fun coming up with the awards and prizes for our "awards ceremony." Some of them were REALLY fun, but all of them shared a bit of each employee. We really are so blessed with the people who work with us. 

Angela with "chinese" eyes, sitting with her husband Carl, Ciera and Pat.

 These ladies are always asking us when we're going to bring them chinese for lunch.  

Miss Pat with her husband Howard, looking on as Gary is presenting some "awards."

 (With that silly grin on his face that I love so much!)

Is that...Anderson Cooper? Oh no- that's just Kurt, with his wife Melissa. 

Kurt won the celebrity look alike award.

On that same day, we became owners of a school bus. Yes, people, a school bus. And no, it's not our new family vehicle- though some day we may have need for one. (like taking family trips with the Igos and Wiehes! ha.) Really, though, it is a part of our expanding the business and taking on a new adventure- doing flower wholesale to florists. This is going to be a really fun one too. It is in the works. 

Kurt, Melissa, Me and Gary in front of the bus- before the renovations!

And so, before we had to do the renovations on the new bus, we took it out for a spin around the big city. Since our friend Becky's 30th birthday party had to be rescheduled due to strep throat, we went by there and sang Happy Birthday to her and delivered flowers. Then we went around and looked at Christmas lights and sang to some other families. It was a good time, topped off with hot chocolate too. Kurt even strung festive lights on the inside of the bus. It was hysterical. Good times. 

The Wiehes, Cobbins, and Hirsch families all aboard the bus. Don't worry- Kurt has a cdl.

We also finished our chapter on Mars in our Science curriculum. Did you know Mars has the biggest volcano in our solar system?- Yep, Olympus Mons. Keep that for your trivia info. So, since Daddy oversees science projects, Bekah and Daddy built their own volcano, and then the next few days it has been erupting numerous times. I always wanted to do that as a kid, but never got to, so this was fun for all of us. Belle was a little nervous about the explosion and it getting all over the place. She'd whisper- I scared. And then ask to do it again when it was done. Silly girl. 

Daddy and Bekah building their volcano

Watching the volcano erupt

Now we're just having Christmas celebrations and preparations. JaJa and Tia come on Saturday for the holidays. The countdown has been on. Bekah will not let me forget. 

Hope your days are full of joy as you prepare to celebrate too!

Bread and biscuits

Well, more like biscuits and bread. This past Friday Carolyn, a woman from our church fellowship, taught me and my friend Leigh Ann how to make her homemade biscuits. She also happens to be our pediatrician. She'd brought them with a dinner to us after we had Brie, and Gary and I both agreed they were the best biscuits we'd ever eaten. Come to find out, they are so simple, made of 4 ingredients! Her trick is to not really mix them hardly at all, and to make smaller ones that will cook through without burning. They are oh so yummy! I made 2 dozen myself to bring with us to Gary's grandma's for dinner with a bunch of the family. They turned out perfectly.

Then, yesterday afternoon after church fellowship, my dad taught me how to bake his bread. We-mostly him- made 18 loaves! He was making them for his staff Christmas party, as gifts. Anyway, so yes, my dad is the one who bakes the bread in our family, and it is SO good. He used to make it for the cafe- all their sandwiches were made on homemade bread. Anyway, it was fun to get to learn with him and I'm anxious to try it out by myself. I'm one that has to learn things like that by watching and then doing it myself with them there, and when I feel confident, to try it out myself. I'm ready to test the bread.

That was most of our weekend. Lots of errand running and little things here and there. We have our business Christmas party this Friday night and a friend's 30th birthday party Saturday night that I'm preparing for. Mom and I are going to start bake cookies sometime this week too. And I have my 6 week check up- praise the Lord!  Our week is already full of things that need to get done. I am praying that with the busy-ness of the season, we are quick to spend time at Jesus' feet before doing all these things that celebrate Him. If we're missing Him, then what's the point of doing these things to celebrate Him?! I'll have to share some things from the Christmas passages that have been stirring as we've been reading through them for our quiet time and family worship time. I'm still rolling them around. What are some things that are meaningful to you this Christmas season?