Going Home!!!!!!!!!!!

Hal and I head for Fayetteville tomorrow afternoon! We are looking forward to spending time with friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

It Finally Feels Like Christmas!

It was a big day yesterday....I got to wear a coat and a sweater to church! It finally felt like Christmas! I have mentioned several times that one of the hardest things about moving for me has been adjusting to the weather. It is funny how we associate times of the year with how the weather feels. Even though our Christmas tree is up and we have been going to Christmas parties, it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me when it is 80 degrees outside!

Even though the weather hasn't been what I am used to in order for it to feel like Christmas, I have been thinking a lot about Christ this Christmas season. I have been working on our next study for our students at Church. Beginning in January, we will start studying the Trinity with them. As I have been swimming in the deep theology of the Trinity, I have been faced again with the reality of who Jesus Christ is. It has been a good reminder for me as Christmas is rapidly approaching. When I think about Jesus this season, I want to think about more than just a helpless baby in a manger. I want to think about the fact that the baby Mary and Joseph cared for was God Incarnate. He is worthy of praise and adoration and should be lifted high not only during the next few weeks, but every day of my life.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Luke 2:11

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Grateful

Okay...so I am a little behind on my Thanksgiving post, but I guess better late than never. We were in Mississippi for Thanksgiving and had a great time with Hal's parent's and his brother's family.

Here a few of the many things I am grateful for this year:

• My relationship with God. The Lord has been so gracious to be this year. it has been a great year of learning more about who He is and what He wants to do with my life.


• My Husband. He is simply amazing. Last Friday I went downtown to meet him for lunch, as we were sitting on the balcony outside talking I thought about how blessed I am to have a Godly husband. I could name a 100 things here, but the thing that comes to mind first is how he is supportive and excited about our choice for me to be a stay at home wife.


• My parent's health: After a few scares this year, I am so grateful that they are both in pretty good health.


• My friends: God continually blesses me with wonderful people in my life who encourage me in some many ways.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!

The Big Event and More

Here are a few things I have intended to blog about for awhile, but haven't taken the time to sit down and do it!

1. I flew home from my Fayetteville trip on November 7th, a few days earlier than I might have in order to attend an event with our students at church. It was cleverly titled "The Big Event." Our students had been inviting their friends and family for months and the student staff and adult leadership had been praying for months. There were over 700 people at the event, but more importantly over 80 students and adults experienced a life change that night when they confessed their need for a Savior and asked Jesus Christ to be King of their life. Around 25 of those were then baptized this past Wednesday night. Perhaps the greatest thing about November 7th, was that the generator that was running the sound equipment went out about 5 minutes before the event was to start. Although it ended up being a little different than first planned, a backup system was brought in and the Gospel was presented. We were then able to have a time of worship at the end. I heard someone say after the event was over that maybe God was trying to remind us that he doesn't need smoke and lights....he doesn't even need a powerful sound system. All He needs is His Word to be proclaimed. Plain and Simple. It was a good lesson for me. As I continue to work on writing curriculum for the students, I need to remember that it is just about God's Word, nothing more.
2. Continuing on the writing theme....I had turned in a query letter to a publication in September. They accepted the query letter and asked me to write the article on speculation: meaning that they don't guarantee they will publish it. The article was about a very personal struggle and although it was difficult to write, I was thrilled they might be interested. I submitted the story. After a few weeks, I got an email saying they weren't interested in publishing it. Honestly, I was crushed. I don't handle "failure" any better at 26, than I did at 16. But, I learned a few lessons from this denial. Hal asked me after I read the email, if I learned anything from writing the article. I told him that I had...and he reminded me that is what was important. It was also a good pride check. I wanted and still want to get published, but I need to remember that getting published isn't any more important than the writing work I am doing for our students at church.
3. Costochondritis. This is a new word in our lives. No, I didn't make it up although I thought the doctor was making it up when he told me that was what was causing my pain. In September I began to experience pain in my chest. It could be quite sharp at times and other times it was just a dull pain. After a few weeks, we went to see a doctor. He felt that since I was young and my family didn't have any history of heart disease that it was costochondritis. He told me to take Advil and it should get better. It did get somewhat better, but never seemed to go away. Over the past few days, it had become quite painful again, so I saw a different doctor yesterday. He gave the same diagnosis, and told me he experiences the same pain as well. He gave me a shot and a prescription to help with the pain. Simply put, costo is inflammation of the joint where the ribs join the breastbone. They aren't quite sure how I ended up with it since it usually occurs in those who have chest trauma nor are we sure how long I will experience the pain. We are praying it goes away soon. See this link of you are curious. :)
4. Hal's home!!! We think he has finally made it through all of his trips for this year! He should be able to get some much needed rest. Of course we will be traveling for the holidays, but those are fun trips!

Quick Trip Home

Hal and I both headed for the airport last Saturday. He is in England this week and I made a quick trip to Fayetteville. We had originally planned on me making the trip to England with Hal again. We had tossed around visiting a few different places on the beginning or end of the trip, but we decided it was just too much travel for Hal in such a short period of time, so I decided to make a trip to Fayetteville. My days were filled! When we were in England in October, my grandparents had a car accident, and I did not want to wait until Christmas to see them. I was able to spend some precious time with them. I also got to see my nieces for the first time since last Spring. I enjoyed playing with the younger girls and talking with Courtney. I also had a great dinner with friends from college. We hadn't all been together(apart from weddings and showers) since college. It is crazy to think about how all of our lives have changed in the past 4 years. This was the first trip since we moved to Houston that I was able to come home and not have to work at the bank....it seemed kind of odd to be in town but not be at the bank on Monday morning. I did stop by the bank on Tuesday to visit. The trip flew by, but it was great to spend some time with family!

Humbled, Amazed, Thankful......

The list could go on and on for me this morning. I picked up Hal at 5:45 last night. He was tired after almost 24 hours of travel with no sleep, but he was home!

I have struggled with anxiety and worry with his travel over the last few years. I will admit that there were times that I worked myself into an all out panic where I would be in a cold sweat and feel sick to my stomach. But by the grace of God this trip was different. I know that many of you prayed the requests I put on my blog as well as others whom I asked to pray for me here. We both felt your prayers.

Studying the temptation of Christ in Matthew 4 last week also had a big impact. I don't think that I had ever really thought about my worry and anxiety as Satan tempting me to doubt God's protection and provision for Hal and I. In Matthew 4, when Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted, He uses God's word to answer Satan's temptations and he trusts in God's provision and plan for Him. When Satan offers Him food after he has been fasting for 40 days, He trusts that God will sustain him. When Satan takes him to the top of the temple and says throw yourself down for God will command angels concerning you, Jesus says not to put the Lord God to the test. In saying that, he refuses to bow to Satan's attempt to damage his pride and he trusts that God will sustain and defend him. He asserts that God isn't here to serve us, but we are here to serve God. When Satan offers Him a way to have the kingdoms of the world without having to sacrifice and die on a cross, he trusts God's sovereign plan. In all these temptations he didn't use his divine power to overcome them. He used just what I had available to defeat my temptation to worry and doubt: God's Word, Holy Spirit, and faith in God's character.

This past week, I found myself humbled and at the same time joyful at the way my Heavenly Father protects and cares for His children. Whether it was a encouraging prayer or word from a friend, a call from my mother-in-law, worship at church, or time spent with my mom and aunt, God was unbelievably gracious and faithful to me this week. In all honesty, there was only one time that I felt panicked.

As for Hal, he is still sleeping this morning. :) It may take him a few days to get over the 13 hour time difference. He was able to find decent food this trip. He navigated through all the different stops he had to make without difficulty. All of his flights were on time. God was gracious.

So...again, thanks for your prayers!

25 Years Later....

Of all the birthdays one celebrates in their lifetime, none is more celebrated than a child's first birthday. But my first birthday, my mom left me at home for a trip to visit her sister Kathy in Galveston. She took my brother, but left me behind. But this week after 26 years, I finally got to go to Galveston with my mom and my Aunt.

I love to tell this story and tease my mother. :) My mom and Aunt left today. We had a great time shopping, laughing, and talking. I hope we make in an annual event.

Company Coming

I am having a little trouble getting around this morning, but I better get it together soon. My mom and my aunt are on their way to the airport and will be here shortly. I am not sure what the plan is for today. We are going to go to Galveston one day and maybe drive to Port Arthur since my Aunt has lived there in the past. You can be sure that shopping will be involved in the weekend plans. :)

I talked to Hal a couple of hours ago. He was headed to bed to try to catch up on a little sleep. There is a 13 hour time difference, so it is always weird for him to be winding down as my day is starting. He will be spending the weekend in Hong Kong before flying to Shanghai on Sunday afternoon.

Have a great weekend!!

China

Friends and Family- Hal and I have a favor to ask you. He will be leaving for China tomorrow morning. He will be gone October 16th-25th. He will then be home for a week and leave again for England on November 4th. We have a couple of prayer requests if you wouldn't mind bringing these before the Father for us.

• Pray for travel safety for Hal. On the China trip he will be in a couple of different cities. Please pray for safety on each leg of the journey as well as wisdom on how to get to each place.
• Pray for good health for Hal. The last time he had this many trips back to back his body didn't respond well.
• Pray that he could be a light in a dark world and be able to share his faith while in China.
• Pray for a calm heart for me. Pray that I would trust the Lord with Hal's safety.
• Pray for travel safety for my mom and Aunt Kathy as they travel down here to see me Thursday-Monday

Thank you so much! We are so blessed to have your prayers.

MSU Goodies

Hal is in Starkville at State for a few days doing on campus interviews with college seniors for Cooper. He left this morning and comes back on Friday. He was happy to eat lunch at his favorite Starkville restaurant, Little Dooey's. He called me this afternoon from the bookstore....I am taking bets on how many MSU items he comes home with. You know how he loves his MSU paraphernalia. :)

I have been busy this week trying to get a few more of my 1 John lessons done. This morning I went to BSF and then had lunch with a friend. I am so thankful for the time I have to study and serve. I was initially worried about having too much time on my hands, but that hasn't been a problem!

Bloggiversary

Tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary of our blog! A friend of mine from here called it her Bloggiversary, so I am stealing it. :) Last October, Sarah L was here to visit me and she suggested I start blogging. I am so thankful she had this suggestion! It has been a huge blessing to me over the past year, and has even encouraged me to try to do a little freelance writing. It has also helped to keep me in contact with many of you. So, thanks Sarah, and I hope all of you enjoy it as well! The picture to the left was taken when Sarah came to visit this past August. It is on the 49th floor of the building Hal works at. She has been to see me twice since we moved and I am running out of exciting things to show her here in Houston, but who knows where we will be the next time she comes to visit. Have a great weekend!

A Face We Can Know

One of my favorite worship leaders, Charlie Hall, has a song called Sum of Beautiful. Below is the beginning of the song.

You are the God with a face we can know
In Christ you made all things beautiful
We see Your heart of Grace in all the world
You are the God with a face we can know

I was walking through our neighborhood listening to my IPod when this song came on. I have listened to this song countless times, but for some reason, it really stood out to me this time. I kept repeating the first line over and over in my head. We can actually know the face of God Almighty....WOW...let that sink in for a minute. God is a personal, relational God. He desires a relationship with us. A relationship where we know him intimately. Just as it takes time to get to know a new friend, it takes time spent in prayer, studying God's word and in worship of Him to know Him intimately. God's character is clearly outlined in His word. When we study the Bible we can learn about Him. We learn that He is omnipotent, immutable(unchanging), holy, righteous judge, and loving Father.

Home Again

Hal and I are back in Texas. Our flight got in around 5:00 last night, and we headed for some Tex Mex at our favorite local place. We woke up wide eyed at 6:30 this morning...it will take us a few days to get back on schedule. It was great to be in church this morning. I fought back tears all through worship. Although we had a great time last week, I could not help but feel that England is a spiritually dark place. You see and hear very little if anything about the Lord. If you see a church it is usually a tourist attraction because it was built hundreds of years ago! How often I take for granted what it feels like to be in a fellowship of believers!

Back in Rainy Lodon

We are back in London. After a comical episode of trying to find our hotel room, we finally made it to our room only to find that it hadn't been cleaned. We went back down to the lobby and they escorted us to a nice upgraded room! Looks like a good start to our afternoon. It is supposed to be rainy and chilly all day. We are going to head to Leicster Square to the TKTS booth to see if we can get discount theater tickets....and who knows what else. I do know that our first stop will be Pizza Hut. That's right, we are ready for some American food!!!! We head for the airport around 8:00 tomorrow. Our flight leaves here before noon and we should be back in Houston by 4:00 central. More pictures to come soon. Have a great day friends and family!!

Weary Travelers

We made it to London by 10:00 in the morning which was 4:00 am our time. We spent Sunday afternoon in London. We took several hours to walk around the Camden Lock market....what an interesting place! You could find a little bit of everything there. I have never been anywhere I can even compare it to. Then we took the tube back to the area where Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey are located. The picture to the left is near Westminster Abbey toward the end of the day. We were both worn out! We took a train out of Kings Cross station for Peterborough around 4:00 in the afternoon. We were in our hotel room by 5:30. Yesterday morning we caught up on sleep and Hal's class started yesterday afternoon. Yesterday evening I experienced my first drive on a British roadway. For those who think I drive like a nut, I have nothing on these people. I was in the back seat and I an not quite sure how I manged to keep from getting sick! The corners were sharp and fast! A few more pictures from London are below. Enjoy...or as they say here...Cheers!

Attack of the Texas Fire Ants

Yesterday I went for a walk/run in the morning. I am trying to be more disciplined in exercising each day. As I walked up the driveway I noticed that I my front flower bed could use some attention. So, I put on my garden gloves, turned up my IPod and started pulling weeds. About half way through the flower bed, I looked down to find my white running shoes covered in fire ants. I have had a couple of encounters with ants this summer so I knew that this could be trouble. In a clumsy ballerina like move, I danced around the yard on one leg while trying to untie my shoe and get my sock off as quickly as possible. I manged to get both the sock and the shoe off, but not before two of those little red devils stung my ankle. By the time Hal and I headed downtown for an Astro's game last night, the swelling had already begun. My left ankle now looks about three times the size of my right ankle! Quit attractive, let me tell you. So I am headed to the doctor this afternoon to see if they can help. Hal and I leave for England on Saturday and prefer not to have an ankle the size of Texas! (sorry for the bad Texas joke) So, why am I telling you this? Mainly for my college friends....it seems I have a habit of insects biting me. They will remember Velma 1 and Velma 2. Insect bites that caused us a few laughs. Anyway....have a great day and stay away from fire ants!

Go Hogs....and other things

I am pretty sure my neighbors think something crazy went on in our house tonight. I spent the last 5 minutes of the Arkansas game yelling at the TV. I just knew they were going to pull out a win.....I don't normally get that fired up while watching a game on TV. I guess I have been in the house by myself to long today. :) Hal is enjoying his annual football weekend with the guys in Tuscaloosa. I pick him up in the morning. Then we are off to church and then to Sam's to prepare for the cookout we are hosting tomorrow night.

Hal is co-leading a 10th grade guys small group and the kick off is tomorrow. They will be studying the 1 John Bible Study I have been working on. I am anxious to see how God uses the study in the lives of students. I know that I have been challenged immensely as I have worked through the scripture. The apostle John is so black and white in the way he writes. He doesn't leave any wiggle room for making excuses about sin. He repeatedly points out that if you are a true believer and follower of Christ you will seek to put away sin and strive to live a holy life. Not that we won't always struggle with sin. Because we have a sin nature, we will always have that battle, but Christians can't use the battle as an excuse to keep on sinning. When we acknowledge our need for a Savior, confess our sins, and repent, the Holy Spirit enters our life and we have a helper in the battle against sin. I am tired of making excuses. I pray that God will continue to convict me of sin and that by His grace I may transformed into His likeness.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect[a] the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

Storm Scare

There are a lot of differences between living in Northwest Arkansas and living in Houston, but the threat of tropical storms and hurricanes may be the biggest. It is a fear of mine that a storm will hit when Hal is out of town. Usually we will have plenty of notice if a storm is headed this way, so there is no real reason for my fear. Yesterday was a little different.

I had watched the news as I got ready for BSF and they said there was a depression in the Gulf and it would more than likely impact the Houston area with heavy rain. But the storm intensified during the day and as I got to church last night, there concern about strong winds and rain. They dismissed church at 7:45 and asked everyone to be careful getting home. As we looked outside...it didn't look that threatening! My friend Kim's husband is also traveling this week. We began to debate if we needed to have a sleepover. She came over after church...as we watched the weather we realized the storm was going further east and we were in the clear. She headed home....I headed to bed. Crisis averted. Thanks for your calls and emails to check on me. :)

What Fall Means to Me

Most of you who know me well, know that I love football. And most of you know that the reason I love football is because it has been a huge part of my life. My mother tells the story that I went to my first football game at 4 months old. Unlike some girls, I can name all the positions on the field and can tell you what the penalty is going to be before the official announces it. Why do I know these things? Because I grew up as a coach’s daughter, a title I have always worn with pride.

Although it wasn’t always glamorous and pretty, I loved growing up the way I did. We didn’t always take a big summer family vacation, because my dad was always getting a football field ready for the fall. I can remember many trips to turn off or turn on the sprinklers on the field. I can remember helping him use diesel to mark the lines on the field in the heat of August or playing around on the field as he mowed the grass. I can remember the fall Friday nights. I can still feel the chill in the air and hear the band songs playing. Those things still signal to me that it is football season. Even though I remember all of these things, the thing I will always remember the most is my dad. He poured almost 30 years of his life into students: first as a football coach and then as a principal and athletic director. This past year, one of the players he had coached passed away. When my parents went to the visitation, the mother of the player told my dad how much he had always meant to her son. I have seen that in the eyes of these men over and over when they see my dad around town. Although I have never heard him say it quite this plainly, I know he never coached to see how many ball games he could win. He wanted to help young men. That is why I have always worn my title as a coach’s daughter with pride.

Hawaiian Sunday

Aloha! No...unfortunately Hal and I didn't just get back from Hawaii, but we did have Hawaiian Sunday at church today! :) Today was the kick off for the student ministry at church. We are really enjoying working with the students. I am having a blast writing the study on 1 John and Hal is looking forward to co-leading a 10th grade guys small group. We are also excited about getting plugged in with a group of friends including Nate and Kim and Stuart and Terra. Kim is with me on the left. There are more pictures of Hawaiian Sunday at the bottom of the page! Enjoy!

A New Task

I was a little worried if I would get bored once I finished up my time with the bank, but was I ever wrong! It seems like I have gone non-stop since the first of August. I have been doing things around the house, babysitting, helping out friends, and writing. Perhaps the most exciting and surprising project is writing. I am writing the curriculum for our youth group this fall on the book of 1 John. God has been so gracious in providing me this opportunity. I am learning so much as I am putting it together. I am also working on a few other writing projects...we will see how they turn out.

Weekend Update

Hal and I really enjoyed having Sarah L here last week. We were able to show her a little more of Houston than she saw when she was here last October. It was also really great for her to meet my friend Kim. We spent an afternoon hanging out at the pool. Yes, I applied sunscreen, but I got burned anyway! The rest of our time was spent browsing a few of my favorite stores, eating sushi, watching Jane Austen movies, and talking.

Two days to go!

My last week of work for the bank is here. I will finish up on Tuesday. The past three months have flown by! It is hard to believe it is coming to a close. I am grateful for God's perfect timing this week. I finish up on Tuesday and Sarah L flies in Wednesday morning! It will be great to spend time with her free of my Blackberry and laptop. We have a few things planned including trying to catch a theater that has the early release of Becoming Jane. The movie is loosely based on Jane Austen's early years. I am sure Hal is extremely excited that Sarah will be here to go with me!

*The picture to the left is of my hibiscus on the front porch. :)

Home at Last!

Hal and I are both back in Houston for a few weeks. We spent the week of the 4th of July near Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Hal's parents and his brother and his family. We shopped, rode go-karts, played mini golf, went to Dollywood, walked around Gatlinburg, and much more! I won the Ramsey mini golf tournament. :) We also got totally hooked on Guitar Hero on the XBox 360. I think we spent a good portion of our vacation playing it....we even went and bought an adapter when we couldn't get it to work in our hotel room! It was a great week with family!

Last week I was off to Fayetteville for my last week in the bank and Hal was in Milwaukee. I will be finishing up my time with the bank on July 31st. I am looking forward to less hectic days! I have been compiling a "Things to do when I am done with the bank" list. The first item of business will be hanging out with Sarah L when she comes to visit on August 1st.

Gulf Shores and More

I know I keep repeating myself....but the last few weeks have been crazy! I spent June 9-15 in Gulf Shores. Then mom and dad were here in Houston June 21-27.

Gulf Shores was so much fun!! It is so nice to have friends that you can not see very often, but when you are with them, you feel like you just saw them yesterday! Our daily routine was quite grueling: sleep late, go to the beach, eat lunch, nap, go to the pool, eat dinner, and talk until bedtime! I hope that we make this a yearly trip even if more babies come. :)

We had a great time with mom and dad here in Houston. We extended our patio while they were here and spent time shopping and touring around Houston.

Hal and I leave on Saturday morning for a week in Tennessee with his family. We are both ready for things to slow down......but are very grateful for the time with family and friends!

Birthday

Seems kind of weird to say I am 26! It feels like 21 was just yesterday. I had such a wonderful birthday yesterday. Thank you so much to all my friends and family who called, emailed, or sent a card. Several of the girls at the bank sent me this beautiful bouquet. Our friends Bill and Mary from here in Houston invited us over after church on Sunday for a birthday lunch. They even had an ice cream cake for me! Yesterday my friend Sarah Donaldson took me to lunch. Last night Hal took me to a fondue restaurant....which was so much fun! It took us over two hours to eat dinner.(a record for us. We are usually done with our meal in 30 minutes or less!) We had the most fabulous chocolate carmel fondue. I would go back just for that! He also surprised me on Saturday with a trip to Tiffany's....I walked out with a beautiful bracelet. (Krissi- don't be mad. I will share it with you.)

I can remember in High School praying for God to bless me with friends. By far the most difficult part of this last year for us has been missing our friendships from Northwest Arkansas. Yesterday as I talked or heard from many of you, I remembered the prayer I prayed so many years ago. I remembered how God had answered that prayer over and over again. I have been truly blessed with wonderful friendships. From my friendship with my mom that started 26 years ago, or my wonderful husband who amazes me each day, or friends that have seen me through different stages in my life, or friends that have come my way in the last few years, each one of you is so very important to me.

The e-Card Hal sent me yesterday helps me describe how I feel. The card was adapted from a chapter in a Max Lucado book. It a little girl standing with her arms wide open and looking upward. Lucado says to picture a giant dump truck full of love and you are standing right behind it. God lifts the bed until it starts to slide. It comes down until you are hidden...buried....covered in His love. I am so thankful that with His children, God is so free with His love. There are many aspects to the love He covers me with. From the mercy He showed me on the cross and shows me each day to the friendships He has given me with you. Each are part of that covering of love! "He...loads me with love and mercy." Psalm 103:4 NCV

Back in Texas

After a long week of work in Fayetteville, I am back at home and Hal is somewhere in the air over South Arkansas on his way home from Milwaukee. I am headed to the airport to pick him up shortly. We are looking for to a relaxing weekend and being at home next week. Have a great weekend!

Change

Change...that can be a hard word to take sometimes. Last Tuesday, God dropped a big dose of change in my lap when I found out that I will only be working for the bank through the end of July.
I have really enjoyed my time with the bank, and I had hoped to continue doing it through the end of the year, but God desired change. I will not pretend that my immediate attitude was 100% rosy about this change. I was angry and hurt. I said and felt some things I shouldn't have. I took this very personal, but God began to do something in me. He began to heal the hurt and change my perspective. Through Hal, my parents, others who offered encouragement, and most importantly His Word I began to have a peace about the situation. I said earlier that God brought the change in my life....not anyone at the bank. If I say I believe in a sovereign God that means I believe in a God who controls all things. It is easy to blame a situation on someone, but God didn't and doesn't want me to play the blame game. He wants me to trust Him. Ephesians 5:17 says, "Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is." Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." I stood at a crossroads. I could accept the Lord's will or I could complain about it. I chose to accept the plan God had and to anticipate what is to come. I think I will stand at that crossroad numerous times over the next few weeks and months, but I will continue to pray for God to renew my mind and give me a God honoring attitude and mind. Philippians 1:27 says, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ." My prayer is that I hold God's name and the Gospel of Christ high and not myself or my rights. That my actions and speech will be God honoring in this situation and in all situations.

New York

Hal and I spent our first anniversary in New York city. We were so glad to be away from our laptops and blackberries for 6 days! We headed to the Bronx for a Yankees game on Wednesday night. Thursday night we ate at Bobby Flay's restaurant Mesa Grill. Friday we found a restaurant, Max Brenner's, that specializes in chocolate! The rest of the time we spent walking around the city, navigating the subways, and of course SHOPPING!

This past year has gone by so fast! It seems like just a few weeks ago that we were headed to Houston after the wedding and honeymoon. We have had an amazing first year. God has been so gracious to us in so many ways. He has been particularly gracious when it comes to my job situation and allowing me to work from home. Working from home allows me to hop on a plane with Hal and be with him wherever he is(this week we are in Atlanta.) His travel schedule has been 100% crazy over the past year and our first year of marriage would have been tough if I wasn't able to go with him. God has also been gracious by allowing us to be in Houston. Some of you may be surprised that I am saying that, but it has been a blessing start out on our own. We have had to depend on each other fully since we are both 8 hours from home. Although getting settled in a new place has been and still is difficult, we know that it was and is God's best for us as we continue to go closer to each other and closer to the Lord. As we face the next year of marriage, we ask that you continue to pray the verse we used at our wedding for us. "Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying This is the way walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Easter Cookies

My mother-in-law, Nan, gave me this recipe. She received it from a friend in Laurel. This recipe came from a very old rural Baptist Church in Jones Co. and they use this every Easter with the children. Enjoy!

Easter Story Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter

1 c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 c sugar
1 zip lock bag
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Place pecans in zip lock bag and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 10:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into a mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 c sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat the egg whites and other ingredients on high speed until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoonsful onto a waxed paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matt.27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven. Close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20-22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt.28:1-9.

Amazing Grace

Last night I went with a friend to see the movie Amazing Grace. Although I am not sure how historically accurate the film is...it tells a great story of two redeemed sinners. The movie is based William Wilberforce an Englishman in the House of Commons and his quest to have the English slave trade abolished. As the title suggests, John Newton's song Amazing Grace is an important part of the story. Newton was a childhood pastor of Wilberforce and encourages his life of faith and his quest to abolish slavery as an adult. Newton had been the captain of a slave boat and was saved while on the boat. He left the slave trade shortly there after and become a priest. His redemption and reflection on his previous life led him to write the words of Amazing Grace.

I would love to give you every detail of this movie, but I won't ruin it for you! Hal and I have trouble finding movies that we want or care to see and this is one I would recommend. The gospel is presented in this movie....although not as strongly as I would have liked. :) However, it did allow me to have a conversation with my friend about what Amazing Grace really is. If you haven't seen it already I encourage you to see it. It was good for me to be reminded of God's grace and to remember what He saved me from. Although I wasn't a slave trader who had participated in the death and slavery of many...I too am Chief of Sinners apart from the grace of God. It was also good for me to see someone who passionately pursued to abolish something that he saw in contrary to God's character. I think sometimes I give up to easily....or I don't care enough to do something about it when God's name and character are defiled or called into question.

So go see Amazing Grace this weekend!

Chicago

After three weeks of being on the road, Hal is glad to be home this week and next. Last week I was in Milwaukee with him. We enjoyed a cold,snowy week in Milwaukee! Hal laughed at me when we drove into a parking lot and I was in amazement by the huge mounds of snow they had made to clear the lot. I mean....we get snow in NWA....but not like that! On Friday of last week, we headed for Chicago where we quickly learned why it was the windy city! Even though it was cold and snowy we had a great time walking around the city. We had great Chicago deep dish pizza, saw the Magnificent Mile, ate a Ghirardelli chocolate sundae, and did just a little shopping. We headed home on Saturday afternoon....and were glad to be back in 80 degree Houston weather.

Valentine's Day with the Shredder

With a title like that you are probably thinking that I spent my Valentine's Day shredding old pictures or letters. My college friends are more than likely recalling the awful days of a college relationship I had and laughing! Actually I was just shredding a pile of junk mail that I had let build up. :) Hal spent Valentine's Day with guys he works with at a Mexican restaurant in Highland, Illinois outside St. Louis. I know what you are thinking..."that stinks," but we actually celebrated Valentine's Day on Saturday night. We had a great dinner at Ruth's Chris where I will now join our friend Micah Hale's love for their fabulous sweet potatoes. Even though I tend to agree with Hal when he says that Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday, I do think it is a great time to tell those you around you that you care about them. I hope that you all had a great Valentine's Day and you know that we care about you and more importantly God is mad about you! Happy Valentine's Day!

January

I am not sure where January went...it was gone before I knew it! The last half of the month was crazy! Our DNow weekend was great. I had 10th grade girls and Hal had 9th grade boys. We had an awesome weekend of worship and fellowship. We both enjoyed getting to lead the students through Romans 3 and Romans 12. I think I had forgotten what it was like to be that age! Their conversations made me smile, and at the same time I wanted them desperately to grasp the message of Romans 3 and 12. I wanted them to see how dirty we are before God..how sinful and nasty we can be, and how we are unable on our own to have a right relationship with God. And then I wanted them to see so clearly that God has made a way through Jesus. That through Jesus' sacrifice, we can be declared not guilty and be justified before a Holy God. We talked about how we are justified when we stop trying to justify ourselves and depend 100% on the finished work of Jesus Christ. Then we got to look at how to present ourselves to God in Romans 12. We looked at what it meant to be a living sacrifice for God...and how we could do that in our everyday lives. We looked at ways that we have been conformed to this world...and then focused on transforming our minds!

The Monday morning after DNow we were both at the airport by 6. Hal was off to Atlanta, and I was off to Fayetteville. It was a crazy work trip. I got to see snow, but we had to cancel Krissi's shower. :( Then it was time to come home...and it was February!

When You Get What You Ask For

Hal and I have been talking almost since we moved here about where we wanted to get involved in our church. We know that we need an area of service...and also that it would be a great way to meet people. With Hal's schedule, we really have to weigh different opportunities. Last week we got a phone call asking us to help with Disciple Now weekend with our youth at church. They asked us to be small group leaders for the weekend. Finally....an opportunity we had been waiting for! It wasn't a weekly commitment that would cause Hal to miss often and it was with the students which we had volunteered to help. But, just as I called Hal to tell him....fear rushed in. I would be separated from him, with new people, with students I didn't know, and the list went on. I could think of several reasons why this wasn't what we needed to do. As Hal and I talked about it over dinner, God through Hal, reminded me this was exactly what He wanted us to do! What a perfect opportunity to serve as well as to spend a weekend with other believers. How easy it is when He puts an opportunity in your lap to come up with 100 reasons why you can't do it, and then turn around and ask Him for something else. How easy it is to be disobedient and then expect Him to provide something better. So January 26-28 we will be participating in DNow. The theme for the weekend is "Clean" taken from Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me."