This is the best Quartet I have heard in a long while...actually the best ever! If you need a few minutes of encouragement during this busy season, take a look at these handsome boys!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Live Nativity...An Awesome Opportunity
Tonight Jason, Jacob, and I went to Lake Lanier Islands to participate in the annual Live Nativity that our church hosts. It was such a fun time and a great way to connect with people both in our community and from other cities and states.
Jacob was very excited because this was the first year that he was able to be a part of the drama team. He was given the role of a shepherd, which he fulfilled in a very sweet way, as you can see in the pictures. As we talked about it, we thought that Jacob's part in it made the scene even more realistic,since in Bible times boys Jacob's age probably did go with their fathers into the fields to shepherd the sheep. We know that David was a young shepherd boy, so it seemed even more authentic to me. (Of course I am a proud mother, so I am bound to have this opinion!)
I served in the hospitality tent, giving out free hot chocolate and visiting with those who came in to get warm. It is always great fun to get together with others and fellowship & serve. We were steady, but not overwhelmed and we had alot of fun meeting all of the different types of people that came along. I think the highlight of the evening for me came when a group of about 25 young men from a local drug & alcohol treatment home came in and chatted with us for about 15-20 minutes. I was so encouraged to hear how God is changing them and freeing them from the vicious cycle of addiction. Many of them shared freely about their struggles and the troubled homes they grew up in. A few of them mentioned that their fathers were also in treatment for the same issues. Obviously not every one of them will stay drug & alcohol free, but there is hope that many of them will and it was a blessing to see them making these changes now while they still have the opportunity to live long lives for Christ.
Once again, we set out to be a blessing to others and walked away instead extremely blessed ourselves and thanking God for the great things He does in the hearts and lives of His people! We are looking forward to our next opportunity to reach the people around us!
Things to Treasure this Season
Christmas is nearly upon us! It does not seem that it should already be December, but the calendar does not lie - no matter how much I wish it would!
Every year as the cold begins to settle in, I find myself wishing I were in the South Pacific somewhere watching a beautiful sunrise rather than this dreary, rainy time of year here in Georgia! However, I'm NOT there, so I have made up my mind that I will make the best of this season regardless. It's not that I don't like Christmas or even cold weather, it's just that having 5 little boys cooped up in the house more than usual generally does not have great results! We are so conditioned to being outside a good part of each day that winter is always an adjustment for me and the boys.
Each year, I really do try to look for the good in each season and something to enjoy while it lasts. So, I am reminding myself today that there are special things to do during this time of year. I thought others might benefit from a friendly reminder as well:
*Candles burning and making the house smell delicious.
*More time to cuddle up and read a good book together as a family.
*We can sleep later and still get everything done because we are not being drawn outdoors as much.
*Cookies baking and the warmth of hot chocolate and rich coffee...yummy!
*Celebrations with family & friends.
*A great time to watch a good movie...we rarely watch t.v. in our house, but on some cold, dreary days an inspiring movie is great!
*Time for handicrafts and projects - again, not being outdoors as much gives us a little more time to do something we have been putting off.
I am sure there are many other things that families do in the winter to pass the time in a memorable way, and if you have other ideas, I would love to hear them. But for now, that is just a few of the things that I try to take advantage of and use to bring joy and blessing into our home during the cold winter months.
Every year as the cold begins to settle in, I find myself wishing I were in the South Pacific somewhere watching a beautiful sunrise rather than this dreary, rainy time of year here in Georgia! However, I'm NOT there, so I have made up my mind that I will make the best of this season regardless. It's not that I don't like Christmas or even cold weather, it's just that having 5 little boys cooped up in the house more than usual generally does not have great results! We are so conditioned to being outside a good part of each day that winter is always an adjustment for me and the boys.
Each year, I really do try to look for the good in each season and something to enjoy while it lasts. So, I am reminding myself today that there are special things to do during this time of year. I thought others might benefit from a friendly reminder as well:
*Candles burning and making the house smell delicious.
*More time to cuddle up and read a good book together as a family.
*We can sleep later and still get everything done because we are not being drawn outdoors as much.
*Cookies baking and the warmth of hot chocolate and rich coffee...yummy!
*Celebrations with family & friends.
*A great time to watch a good movie...we rarely watch t.v. in our house, but on some cold, dreary days an inspiring movie is great!
*Time for handicrafts and projects - again, not being outdoors as much gives us a little more time to do something we have been putting off.
I am sure there are many other things that families do in the winter to pass the time in a memorable way, and if you have other ideas, I would love to hear them. But for now, that is just a few of the things that I try to take advantage of and use to bring joy and blessing into our home during the cold winter months.
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