Baby's First Gift

So, Baby received his/her first gift on Friday. When I saw it was from Merry and the tiny holes in the box, I told David "It's a cat!" (Merry has a huge heart for animals and has been known to take in every cat she can find!)

We are thrilled that this is Baby's first toy (and that it is a stuffed Tigger--not a REAL cat!) Thanks Merry!

Fun Christmas Pics!

This is at the Walkway of Lights--this display is super special--not only because the reindeer is driving a ski boat, but because this is almost the spot where David asked me to be his wife!!!
David's grandmother would make Hoska every Christmas. Hoska is a Czechoslovakian bread with almonds, raisins and nutmeg. So, we found a recipe and tried it out. David did the kneading and the mixing! Very yummy!

Christmas and New Year's Updates

Well we had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. We saw lots of family and friends and had a great time. We saw David's family for a few days prior to Christmas and had a great Christmas breakfast at the Waffle House. Then we headed to see my folks and worked about 6 jigsaw puzzles with Meemaw. We had a classic holiday meal of chili and Mexican cornbread!

The biggest highlight by far was sharing a sonogram picture with our families! We asked "Does this look like anyone you know?"

We are about 9 weeks pregnant and are so thankful to the Lord for such a great gift! We had a Dr's appt. on Friday and saw the baby's little hands waving around. It is amazing and of course we are super excited! Praise God for His tremendous blessings!

Christmas is here!!!

Well, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Michael's house. We celebrated with David's parents, Grandma, Michael, Calvin and Mr. T. Mr. T and Calvin didn't exactly hit it off, but we managed! The weather was cold, and of course, there was lots of food and football. Sadly, I failed the ultimate wife test this year--no I didn't burn the turkey, or forget the cranberry or anything like that. I forgot the Aggie Jersey. David says to me "So, what I am going to wear on Friday?" My husband is forgiving though--love covers a multitude of sins, right?

Our Friday shopping consisted of 2 trips to Walmart and 3 trips to Lowes for some porjects the guys were working on. I was a little sad to not be at Kohl's at 4am--but I was also very glad to be sleeping at 4am! After Thanksgiving, Grandma Phyllis came to our house for several days. We played lots of Wahoo and had a great visit.

As you can see from the picture, the tree is decorated and we are ready for Christmas. We are looking forward to our Family Christmas party on Friday. If you don't do something like this at your house, you should think about it. It is not an extended family party--just David and me. We make snacks, play Christmas music, and sign our Christmas cards--we may even do white elephant gifts. So, give it a try with your husband (and kids--and pets)! Get out those Christmas PJs, CDs and Reindeer napkins and conquer one of those Christmas jobs--let me know how it goes!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

David and I have been talking some about the popular phrase "GIVE THANKS"--we see it everywhere and it seems people forget that we are to be thankful to God.

I read this today and thought it so appropriate for Thanksgiving. Like the Israelites, we are "of little account", yet the Lord has richly poured out numberless mercies upon us! May we remember as we "give thanks" that all of our blessings are from Him!

David's Song of Thanks

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Israel his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob, as an everlasting covenant to Israel,
saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,as your portion for an inheritance.”
When you were few in number, and of little account, and sojourners in it,
wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,
saying, “Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!”
Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.
Ascribe to the Lord, O clans of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name,and glory in your praise.
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!”
Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

~1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Sunday School

Sunday School has been so great lately! We have been studying Church History and have made it to the period of the Reformation. This week we covered Arminianism and the response to it, which we know today as the 5 points of Calvinism. Click on the 11/4 SS lesson here.


One quote for you on what a Christian's response should be to Divine Election: to "daily find greater cause to humble themselves before God, to adore the fathomless depth of His mercies, to cleanse themselves, and to give fervent love in return to Him who first so greatly loved them."


Also check out David's wonderful lesson on the Anabaptists. I knew nothing about the Anabaptists until this time, and as he points out, our theology is more similar to them than you may think!

Retreat

Here are some pics from our annual Dayspring Retreat. The weather was beautiful--warm enough to wear shorts during the day and cold enough for a fire at night! Some other highlights from the weekend: Canoeing--no we didn't get stuck or tump; Fellowshiping with new and old friends; Potluck Thanksgiving meal with Buzzy's BBQ--yes, Buzzy's burned, but they have another location and will reopen anyday now; Jackson singing Fire In My Bones & Ghostriders in the Sky; And David kept a great fire going in the outdoor fireplace for Singing hymns and making smores! Needless to say, we had a wonderful relaxing weekend!

We are enjoying some great weather here today! Much cooler and so I am ready for Christmas! Does anyone have any decorations out yet? I'm sure we won't wait much longer on ours--I am trying to hold out, but we will see. They must be up by Thanksgiving--that's my rule. That's how the Pilgrims did it, right?