Happy Birthday, Micah

Today my youngest brother turns 20. It's really hard to believe he is already 20. I remember going to the hospital with my dad and two brothers to visit him and my mom, and now here he is turning 20. I have so enjoyed watching him grow into a man these last 20 years. I value his opinion, appreciate his friendship, and admire his walk with the Lord. He is a great brother and I am so thankful for him. He also makes us laugh, a ton. We like that about him, too.

Happy Birthday, Micah. We love you!

The Life of Peter

The Apostle Peter’s life has always fascinated me. Maybe it’s because I can relate to the whole “foot in the mouth” moment a little too much. The thing that strikes me most in Peter’s life is how broken he was in the moment following his denial. I can’t imagine the sorrow he felt after repeated denials. Wait. Yes, I can. Maybe I am drawn to Peter’s story because it is my story too. I have not seen the actual face of the Savior look over at me in the moments of my denial, but he was there. And I felt his presence.

I would imagine that Peter never got over that moment. It was a defining moment for him. It changed him. Maybe he knew what happened to Judas and knew that Judas’ remorse led to death. But Peter had another way. One of the most comforting passages to me is when Jesus says to Peter in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

The only difference between Judas and Peter is Jesus, and only Jesus. The only difference between any person who denies Christ and me is Jesus. God can take a brash, impulsive, cowardice man and turn his tongue and will for good. And he did.

I’m sure Peter never forgot that night around the fire. He was always mindful of his sin—but he was always mindful of his Savior, too. He knew it was Jesus keeping him that dark and sorrowful night, and he knew that Jesus was keeping him until the end. When Jesus makes a promise, he keeps it. This is reason to be thankful.

Christmas Specials on TV

Growing up we watched a lot of the Christmas specials that came on TV. I don't care how many times I have watched Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, I will still plop down on the couch and watch it (and quote it) whenever it is on. As my life has gotten busier I have found it really hard to know when certain specials are on TV this time of year. Thankfully TVGuide.com has done the work for me. The have put together a Christmas TV Guide that is so very helpful. And being the crazy scheduler that I am, I have printed this off, circled the ones I wanted to watch, and put it up on the refrigerator. I have also added it to my Favorites. Call me crazy, but I don't want to miss A Charlie Brown Christmas one more year. Now I don't have to!

First Christmas Craft

I am trying to learn to be crafty and so last year, right after we got engaged, I bought cheap stockings on sale in hopes that I could muster up enough craftiness to put our names on them this year. I know. It sounds like such a small task, but if you knew my lack of craftiness, you would be proud of any attempts at it. Let's just say I am no Martha Stewart.

Growing up our stockings had our names on them in glitter. My mom used glue and glitter to make our stockings unique and special. This was a tradition we decided to carry on into our family. So the minute we got home from our trip last week I got to work putting our name on our stockings. I was so excited to hang them and decorate our apartment that I couldn't wait until later this week. The above picture is my finished product. They are proudly hanging in our living room, just waiting for presents to go in them!

The State of the American Woman

In October Time Magazine came out with a cover story on The State of the American Woman. CBMW responded in the initial weeks following the story. You can watch the full response video here.

Today they put up a blog post I wrote about the stories of the woman profiled in the issue. My main point was that womanhood as God defines it is not a cultural construct that shifts with cultural expectations. It is defined by God and it is unchanging.

Here is an excerpt from the end:

The hope for the American woman is not better pay, more career opportunities, perceived equality, or even a well-kept home and family. It is in Jesus Christ alone and in his plan for his people. We don’t believe in womanhood because we just think men should be the “dominant” ones. We believe in womanhood because God said that is what we are. And that is what we must be and teach.

You can read the entire post here.

Preparing My Heart for Christmas

As I move into the Christmas season I decided to pick up my copy of Nancy Guthrie’s Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus. It is a book of Advent readings from various Christian pastors and theologians designed to prepare us for the birth of Christ. I read it last year and decided to make it a tradition. So I am starting year number two of reading the book. But this year I am reading one a day (or so) hoping that God will use this to quiet my heart as I prepare to celebrate the birth of my Savior. I leave you with a quote from the first chapter, an excerpt by George Whitfield called “Contemplating Christmas”:

Did Jesus come into the world to save us from death, and shall we spend no part of our time in conversing about our dear Jesus; shall we pay no regard to the birth of him who came to redeem us from the worst of slavery, from that of sin, and the devil; and shall this Jesus not only be born on our account, but likewise die in our stead, and yet shall we be unmindful of him? Shall we spend our time in those things which are offensive to him? Shall we not rather do all we can to promote his glory and act according to his command?

O be not so ungrateful to him who has been so kind to you! What could the Lord Jesus Christ have done for you more than he has? Then do no abuse his mercy, but let your time be spent thinking and talking of the love of Jesus, who was incarnate for us, who was born of a woman, and made under the law, to redeem us from the wrath to come.

-George Whitfield

Thanksgiving and New Traditions

My husband and I just got home from a trip to his hometown. We were there to celebrate Thanksgiving with his family, and celebrate our first Thanksgiving as a married couple. Growing up Thanksgiving was a pretty big deal in our house. My mom begins baking days before and gets up in the wee ours of the morning to start the turkey. We always get up just in time to groggily watch the Macy’s parade. And then we wait. Smelling the wonderful turkey and hoping that the timer would soon go off signaling dinner time.

My family loves traditions and no one really likes it when those traditions are changed even the slightest bit. This year, Daniel and I are embarking on a new journey—taking two families worth of traditions and making some our own. Becoming one is, in one way, melding traditions and making them your own—your family’s. And it is bittersweet in some ways. I wasn’t with my family this year. I was with my husband’s family. He won’t be with his family at Christmas. He will be with my family. And each instance is a reminder that things will never be the same again. Neither of us will ever go back to the way it once was. And that is a good thing.

Every Thanksgiving night my family watches Miracle on 34th Street (the old one). I can’t even remember how long we have been watching it. But Daniel and I didn’t do that this year. But we did continue a tradition of his side of the family. We went shopping on Black Friday (and bought Miracle on 34th Street for $9!) and we went to a movie that night (we saw Blind Side—great movie, another post coming on that). Each holiday in these first few years will provide new traditions and experiences for us that draw us closer to one another and make our family our own.

We had a great time with his side of the family. We played games, watched football, ate food, talked, looked at pictures, and enjoyed each other. It was a good time.

The picture above is of Daniel’s family. We had Thanksgiving dinner at the nursing home where Grandma is staying. In order to be accepted in the family, each new member must eat a dessert called Date Nut Loaf. And they have to like it. Somehow, I got in without ever eating it. So after dinner I had to try it and decide whether or not I liked it. My husband captured it on film as evidence. I think the video will speak for itself.