Luke's First Birthday Party
Monday, January 31, 2005
These Obstacles are My Life
Saturday was Luke's first birthday party! What an incredible day it was! He fulfilled every parent's dream of what a first birthday should be-- right down to the full face plant into his cake!
We had invited family only and tried to plan it at the most convenient time-- but that turned out to be a more complicated proposition than I had originally thought.... It is hard to make everyone happy and not hurt anyone's feelings in the process I soon learned!!! (creamed corn! as Brandon would say) But-- the way Scott and I have chosen to look at it-- the people who were meant to be there, were there, and it was the best day!
Luke officially doesn't turn one until Thursday. I spent many LATE nights last week working on a DVD compilation of his first year. It was such a wonderful thing to review six video tapes worth of his life and to literally watch him develop right in front of my eyes. As hard as I have tried, most of those early days are simply a blur, and I am even more thankful now that I videoed and took SO many photos. The final DVD was just incredible! It got a standing ovation from everyone after the last credits rolled! I had also made copies of it for everyone to take home with them. It was a good thing!
So, Luke had a ball! He loved all the balloons and all the attention! He especially loved eating his ENTIRE little birthday cake with his face!!! He got icing all over him, but it was worth it!
Well-- another milestone in life-- another red date circled on the calendar has come and gone... I have often thought how odd it is that we tend to live from "big date" to "big date"-- such is life I guess. I remember thinking the same sort of thing as Scott and I pulled out of the church parking lot in his little red truck on our wedding day, with family and friends all waving good bye: "How strange that this day I have waited for ALL my life is now over!" And now-- "How strange that this precious little one that I have waited for all my life is now ONE!!!" My goal would be to live each day as if it were the big red date circled on the calendar-- the whole "carpe diem" strategy, I suppose. That way when those "big, circled-in-red dates" do roll around, they are just icing on the cake which makes every day life a little sweeter for the moment, but at their close, still don't take away from the specialness of our daily journey.
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or debt to be paid, then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." Alfred D. Souza
"Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing information." Kurt Vonnegut.
Life does happen too fast-- at least life as we know it here! Jesus even told us, "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Today at the Y as we were leaving class, I overheard a woman wishing our instructor "happy birthday". She smiled and thanked her and told her that she was glad to be turning 36. The woman replied, "Well, as my grandmother always said-- it's better than the alternative!" I had heard that said many times before, but I had never heard the reply that the instructor gave in response-- she said, "Well, I guess it depends on where you are going." She is so right! We cling desperately to the wonderful moments we experience here, and perhaps we should, but we should never lose sight of the fact that we are still on this side of real life--- real life with the Father. I guess if we did a better job a keeping that in mind, we would live like each day were our last-- loving and laughing more, and trying to be Jesus to all those we come into contact with each day.
Thanks for a wonderful birthday party, Lord! You are so faithful and have blessed us in SO many ways!
We had invited family only and tried to plan it at the most convenient time-- but that turned out to be a more complicated proposition than I had originally thought.... It is hard to make everyone happy and not hurt anyone's feelings in the process I soon learned!!! (creamed corn! as Brandon would say) But-- the way Scott and I have chosen to look at it-- the people who were meant to be there, were there, and it was the best day!
Luke officially doesn't turn one until Thursday. I spent many LATE nights last week working on a DVD compilation of his first year. It was such a wonderful thing to review six video tapes worth of his life and to literally watch him develop right in front of my eyes. As hard as I have tried, most of those early days are simply a blur, and I am even more thankful now that I videoed and took SO many photos. The final DVD was just incredible! It got a standing ovation from everyone after the last credits rolled! I had also made copies of it for everyone to take home with them. It was a good thing!
So, Luke had a ball! He loved all the balloons and all the attention! He especially loved eating his ENTIRE little birthday cake with his face!!! He got icing all over him, but it was worth it!
Well-- another milestone in life-- another red date circled on the calendar has come and gone... I have often thought how odd it is that we tend to live from "big date" to "big date"-- such is life I guess. I remember thinking the same sort of thing as Scott and I pulled out of the church parking lot in his little red truck on our wedding day, with family and friends all waving good bye: "How strange that this day I have waited for ALL my life is now over!" And now-- "How strange that this precious little one that I have waited for all my life is now ONE!!!" My goal would be to live each day as if it were the big red date circled on the calendar-- the whole "carpe diem" strategy, I suppose. That way when those "big, circled-in-red dates" do roll around, they are just icing on the cake which makes every day life a little sweeter for the moment, but at their close, still don't take away from the specialness of our daily journey.
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or debt to be paid, then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." Alfred D. Souza
"Life happens too fast for you ever to think about it. If you could just persuade people of this, but they insist on amassing information." Kurt Vonnegut.
Life does happen too fast-- at least life as we know it here! Jesus even told us, "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Today at the Y as we were leaving class, I overheard a woman wishing our instructor "happy birthday". She smiled and thanked her and told her that she was glad to be turning 36. The woman replied, "Well, as my grandmother always said-- it's better than the alternative!" I had heard that said many times before, but I had never heard the reply that the instructor gave in response-- she said, "Well, I guess it depends on where you are going." She is so right! We cling desperately to the wonderful moments we experience here, and perhaps we should, but we should never lose sight of the fact that we are still on this side of real life--- real life with the Father. I guess if we did a better job a keeping that in mind, we would live like each day were our last-- loving and laughing more, and trying to be Jesus to all those we come into contact with each day.
Thanks for a wonderful birthday party, Lord! You are so faithful and have blessed us in SO many ways!
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Birthday Reflections
Yesterday was my 34th birthday-- the day came and went without much fanfare, which is probably not a bad thing! Actually, last weekend in Fresno they had a cake for me and a couple of others who shared birthdays close to mine-- it was very nice. Also this week, three dear friends took me out for lunch at our usual hang out spot. They had also gotten me thoughtful gifts-- which they shouldn't have. I guess I am the one guilty of letting the day pass unremarkably-- I have just been so busy trying to get Luke's 1st party to come together-- which ironically, he won't remember! :)
Fresno was just a wonderful trip. This was the third year that ZOE has done a conference there. I didn't get to go last year because of Luke's impending birth. It was so nice to return. We stayed with the same host couple that we were with the first year. They are so precious, and it was so comfortable being with them again. The entire College Church is so gracious. They have embraced us and loved on us like no others-- and have fed us-- I know I gained 5 pounds! The worship times were great. It is a great feeling to have such confidence in the people that you are singing with that you don't even have to think about anything else but letting go in worship. Plus, I did exceptionally well, I must say, being away from Luke for the first time, too. I didn't worry about him once-- probably because I was so busy having fun and fellowshipping in Fresno, but also because I knew he was with Scott and well taken care of and loved just as if I were there anyway. It was good for them to have a "guys weekend".... ZOE is headed to Abilene at the end of February for a longer trip, so I hope he (and I) does as good next time.
I have almost finished the DVD compilation of Luke's first year! I even surprised myself-- it is good! So, even though my house is a complete wreck from all the remodeling, etc. I think I can get everything finished and pull off a great party. The counters are in, the tile is up (grouted today), the new foyer light is hung.... The small improvements have really made a big difference.
So-- I am another year older.... and wiser?! It is odd to think that this is my first birthday as mother. I have been so blessed. Jesus was supposedly 33 when he was crucified-- my 33rd year was so charmed and full of love.... What an odd contrast to ponder upon.... I just pray that I will find ways to carry out His work in my day-to-day stay-at-home existence, and that I will set a good example for Luke to follow. Lord continue to help me!
Fresno was just a wonderful trip. This was the third year that ZOE has done a conference there. I didn't get to go last year because of Luke's impending birth. It was so nice to return. We stayed with the same host couple that we were with the first year. They are so precious, and it was so comfortable being with them again. The entire College Church is so gracious. They have embraced us and loved on us like no others-- and have fed us-- I know I gained 5 pounds! The worship times were great. It is a great feeling to have such confidence in the people that you are singing with that you don't even have to think about anything else but letting go in worship. Plus, I did exceptionally well, I must say, being away from Luke for the first time, too. I didn't worry about him once-- probably because I was so busy having fun and fellowshipping in Fresno, but also because I knew he was with Scott and well taken care of and loved just as if I were there anyway. It was good for them to have a "guys weekend".... ZOE is headed to Abilene at the end of February for a longer trip, so I hope he (and I) does as good next time.
I have almost finished the DVD compilation of Luke's first year! I even surprised myself-- it is good! So, even though my house is a complete wreck from all the remodeling, etc. I think I can get everything finished and pull off a great party. The counters are in, the tile is up (grouted today), the new foyer light is hung.... The small improvements have really made a big difference.
So-- I am another year older.... and wiser?! It is odd to think that this is my first birthday as mother. I have been so blessed. Jesus was supposedly 33 when he was crucified-- my 33rd year was so charmed and full of love.... What an odd contrast to ponder upon.... I just pray that I will find ways to carry out His work in my day-to-day stay-at-home existence, and that I will set a good example for Luke to follow. Lord continue to help me!
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
An Empowered Life
Here's take two on what I think I wrote earlier today! :)
We have been trying to get our kitchen remodeled this month-- new countertops, tile backsplash, etc. They put the granite in Monday and hopefully the tile guy will have most of his work done Saturday. I cant' believe that we pulled off this transformation in such a short time-- basically three weeks! It's nice having friends in the contracting/builder world. Scott has wanted to upgrade the kitchen for so long. It will be nice.
On top of the frenzied chaos of picking out granite and tile and faucets and sinks--- I have also been trying to put together Luke's first birthday party! I got the invitations sent out last week and was very happy with how they turned out. We decided to just invite family this year. He won't know the difference anyway! My biggest and loftiest goal might prove to be my undoing! I am trying to take all the video footage and digital photos we have taken over the past 12 months and make a DVD to show at the party. In my head I want it to be this exquisitely put together pseudo-documentary on Luke's first year of life. Something that will bring tears to the eye, but also make us smile to think what a miracle he truly is. Scott got me the most high-tech computer that Dell makes-- and then some-- he had it built and he knows so much about computers-- I don't know much about all that spec stuff, and I got some awesome Sony editing software. I spent the last couple of night staying up late watching hours and hours of footage on the screen, sitting in awe, watching digital proof of just how fast time goes by.
It is surreal to stop and try to visualize future time-- like I wonder what I will be like when Luke is 18 and graduating from college?! What will he look like? What kind of man will he have become-- or still yet will make out of himself?! It just can't be done! Hindsight is more than "20/20" it is a genuine gift, yet we rarely stop to think of it that way. Hindsight allows us, if we stop long enough to notice, a glimpse into all things that have helped to shape us into who were are at this very minute. I am a different person after bringing Luke into the world, yes-- but I am also forever changed because I saw him laugh for the first time, and crawl, and scream "Da Da" and say "sock" every morning when I hold one up to put on his foot. (his pronunciation is more like gawk, but I know what he is saying!) I have always been sentimental about the past-- wanting to keep souvenirs of remembrance and the like-- but, I think as I am getting older, I am starting to see the past in a more complex and meaningful way. It is hard to put into words actually, but I just pray that realizing how precious time itself is, I will treasure the moments that God has given me.
I confess that I have felt "busy" lately in many aspects of life-- and it doesn't necessarily mean "busy" as in I have an overload of things to accomplish-- which I do feel-- but it is a deeper "busy"-- maybe more of an anxiety like something is happening and if I don't hurry up or open my eyes or position myself in just the right place, I might miss it. It is that restless feeling I have talked about before-- which really annoys me, because I have NO reason at all to feel restless or anxious. I admit-- I lead a pretty cushy life. To 99.9% of the world, fretting about whether or not your laundry is folded and put away is a luxurious worry. Maybe because my "worries" and "issues" are so seemingly small in comparison to SO many other things, that I feel badly about worrying at all-- maybe worry is a strong word-- badly about wanting to address the things in my life I want changed or done more efficiently.... But it all still seems foolish.... Especially when you hear news like we got on Sunday about the youth at the Highland Church in Abilene. We were so relieved that Mike and Diane's son Chris was going to be ok... but how about the parents of the little boy who died? How about the woman who was driving when the wreck occurred? How about the kids who saw the wreck happen? How about the church? How are the members supposed to deal with this? Or-- how about the tsunami victims? I could go on and on. Anyway-- I am working on trying to remind myself to stop being anxious and to be thankful. Thankful that I have a sweet, precious one year old to plan a party for-- DVD or no DVD!
It has been awhile since I have written anything of substance on the blog. I guess the "busy" junk has clouded out some of my deeper spiritual thought. I am still plowing through Waking the Dead by John Eldredge. It has really gotten to me-- I am hoping that we are going to start up a study of the book on Friday nights beginning in February with some other couples. They are good friends who also have a strong desire to be involved in the same kind of thought/study process. I have actually been pondering many things spiritual, but by the time I finally make it to the keyboard, the thoughts have gone... So, I don't guess those count.
I do want to share my new theme verse for the year-- 1 Corinthians 4:20. I can honestly say that I had never noticed it before in my life-- but a few weeks ago it jumped out at me:
So-- I am not sure that I have covered everything that I discussed in the "lost entry"-- but, perhaps this late night rambling is an even better offering....
I am headed out to Fresno this weekend for a ZOE conference. I am so looking forward to it. It is the first time that we have all sung together since our conference here in October. It was nice to sit around and sing together at our rehearsal run through last Sunday. It is hard to explain how easy it is for us to sing together-- it just all fits-- perfectly. We know the eccentricities of each other so well that we can anticipate where we are going--- It is our nine-year-plus history which has made us family that explains most of it. But, I also think that we all realize and have seen lived out in each other lives-- our feeble attempts to seek God. Yes, we lead worship together from coast to coast, but we all know that each of us has a genuine desire to know the Lord and to live for Him-- and we struggle and fail and also have victories along the way-- just like everyone else. LOVE those guys! It is still so crazy to think that God has used us to touch the lives of so many! Only He knows why! I pray that this weekend will be a time of renewal, sharing, and anything else the Lord wants to do!
This will be the longest I have EVER been away from Luke! I stopped nursing him last Saturday, so he really is a big boy now. Just in the past few days I have seen a subtle change in him-- He is getting more and more daring about testing his boundaries. When he reaches out to touch something he knows he isn't supposed to touch, he will continue to do so, all the while looking up at you with eyes that say, "I know I am not supposed to do this, but what will you do if I do it again anyway?" I am getting tired of smacking the hand and bottom and saying, "Mommy says 'no'" every five minutes. It just gets worse-- I know, I know! I have to admit that I kinda like the spunk I see in him when he looks a tad mischievous! I will live to regret that statement, I'm sure!
We have been trying to get our kitchen remodeled this month-- new countertops, tile backsplash, etc. They put the granite in Monday and hopefully the tile guy will have most of his work done Saturday. I cant' believe that we pulled off this transformation in such a short time-- basically three weeks! It's nice having friends in the contracting/builder world. Scott has wanted to upgrade the kitchen for so long. It will be nice.
On top of the frenzied chaos of picking out granite and tile and faucets and sinks--- I have also been trying to put together Luke's first birthday party! I got the invitations sent out last week and was very happy with how they turned out. We decided to just invite family this year. He won't know the difference anyway! My biggest and loftiest goal might prove to be my undoing! I am trying to take all the video footage and digital photos we have taken over the past 12 months and make a DVD to show at the party. In my head I want it to be this exquisitely put together pseudo-documentary on Luke's first year of life. Something that will bring tears to the eye, but also make us smile to think what a miracle he truly is. Scott got me the most high-tech computer that Dell makes-- and then some-- he had it built and he knows so much about computers-- I don't know much about all that spec stuff, and I got some awesome Sony editing software. I spent the last couple of night staying up late watching hours and hours of footage on the screen, sitting in awe, watching digital proof of just how fast time goes by.
It is surreal to stop and try to visualize future time-- like I wonder what I will be like when Luke is 18 and graduating from college?! What will he look like? What kind of man will he have become-- or still yet will make out of himself?! It just can't be done! Hindsight is more than "20/20" it is a genuine gift, yet we rarely stop to think of it that way. Hindsight allows us, if we stop long enough to notice, a glimpse into all things that have helped to shape us into who were are at this very minute. I am a different person after bringing Luke into the world, yes-- but I am also forever changed because I saw him laugh for the first time, and crawl, and scream "Da Da" and say "sock" every morning when I hold one up to put on his foot. (his pronunciation is more like gawk, but I know what he is saying!) I have always been sentimental about the past-- wanting to keep souvenirs of remembrance and the like-- but, I think as I am getting older, I am starting to see the past in a more complex and meaningful way. It is hard to put into words actually, but I just pray that realizing how precious time itself is, I will treasure the moments that God has given me.
I confess that I have felt "busy" lately in many aspects of life-- and it doesn't necessarily mean "busy" as in I have an overload of things to accomplish-- which I do feel-- but it is a deeper "busy"-- maybe more of an anxiety like something is happening and if I don't hurry up or open my eyes or position myself in just the right place, I might miss it. It is that restless feeling I have talked about before-- which really annoys me, because I have NO reason at all to feel restless or anxious. I admit-- I lead a pretty cushy life. To 99.9% of the world, fretting about whether or not your laundry is folded and put away is a luxurious worry. Maybe because my "worries" and "issues" are so seemingly small in comparison to SO many other things, that I feel badly about worrying at all-- maybe worry is a strong word-- badly about wanting to address the things in my life I want changed or done more efficiently.... But it all still seems foolish.... Especially when you hear news like we got on Sunday about the youth at the Highland Church in Abilene. We were so relieved that Mike and Diane's son Chris was going to be ok... but how about the parents of the little boy who died? How about the woman who was driving when the wreck occurred? How about the kids who saw the wreck happen? How about the church? How are the members supposed to deal with this? Or-- how about the tsunami victims? I could go on and on. Anyway-- I am working on trying to remind myself to stop being anxious and to be thankful. Thankful that I have a sweet, precious one year old to plan a party for-- DVD or no DVD!
It has been awhile since I have written anything of substance on the blog. I guess the "busy" junk has clouded out some of my deeper spiritual thought. I am still plowing through Waking the Dead by John Eldredge. It has really gotten to me-- I am hoping that we are going to start up a study of the book on Friday nights beginning in February with some other couples. They are good friends who also have a strong desire to be involved in the same kind of thought/study process. I have actually been pondering many things spiritual, but by the time I finally make it to the keyboard, the thoughts have gone... So, I don't guess those count.
I do want to share my new theme verse for the year-- 1 Corinthians 4:20. I can honestly say that I had never noticed it before in my life-- but a few weeks ago it jumped out at me:
- For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. NAS
- God's Way is not a matter of mere talk; it's an empowered life. The Message
So-- I am not sure that I have covered everything that I discussed in the "lost entry"-- but, perhaps this late night rambling is an even better offering....
I am headed out to Fresno this weekend for a ZOE conference. I am so looking forward to it. It is the first time that we have all sung together since our conference here in October. It was nice to sit around and sing together at our rehearsal run through last Sunday. It is hard to explain how easy it is for us to sing together-- it just all fits-- perfectly. We know the eccentricities of each other so well that we can anticipate where we are going--- It is our nine-year-plus history which has made us family that explains most of it. But, I also think that we all realize and have seen lived out in each other lives-- our feeble attempts to seek God. Yes, we lead worship together from coast to coast, but we all know that each of us has a genuine desire to know the Lord and to live for Him-- and we struggle and fail and also have victories along the way-- just like everyone else. LOVE those guys! It is still so crazy to think that God has used us to touch the lives of so many! Only He knows why! I pray that this weekend will be a time of renewal, sharing, and anything else the Lord wants to do!
This will be the longest I have EVER been away from Luke! I stopped nursing him last Saturday, so he really is a big boy now. Just in the past few days I have seen a subtle change in him-- He is getting more and more daring about testing his boundaries. When he reaches out to touch something he knows he isn't supposed to touch, he will continue to do so, all the while looking up at you with eyes that say, "I know I am not supposed to do this, but what will you do if I do it again anyway?" I am getting tired of smacking the hand and bottom and saying, "Mommy says 'no'" every five minutes. It just gets worse-- I know, I know! I have to admit that I kinda like the spunk I see in him when he looks a tad mischievous! I will live to regret that statement, I'm sure!
An Empowered Life
Well-- I think Satan is trying to get to me for the last post I wrote! I just spent 45 minutes writing the most thoughtful, insightful, prolific post on how my life was going, and when I hit "publish post" an error page came up, and I lost every last bit of it!
Or-- Is the Lord trying to teach me patience?!
I'll do my best to recapture what I can remember! Well-- now Luke is waking up from his nap!
It's just not meant to be today! I will try again tomorrow!
Or-- Is the Lord trying to teach me patience?!
I'll do my best to recapture what I can remember! Well-- now Luke is waking up from his nap!
It's just not meant to be today! I will try again tomorrow!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
2005 has arrived!
Another year has come and gone! It seems like yesterday that Scott and I were anxiously awaiting Luke's arrival and trying to imagine what our 2004 would be like with a little one! It is such a cliche, but so true-- time does fly. It is hard to believe that our first year with Luke has almost come to an end. We have learned so much and have experienced so much through him.
We had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. Luke was just old enough to be fun, although I am sure he really didn't know what was going on. I have always adored the entire holiday season.... I start getting excited when the air first turns cold and Halloween rolls around. Then it is hayrides, bonfires, and cookouts! Next is Thanksgiving which is always such a good time with family and friends-- so nice to take time to purposefully dedicate an entire day to being thankful for all our blessings. Then Christmas is right around the corner! Another great time to celebrate God's most important and precious gift to us! What a wonderful holiday to give presents to those we love. Everyone just seems to be in the holiday spirit all over town. Perfect strangers seem to have kind words to say to each other. Then New Year's! A time to reflect on all the terrific things that have happened and to look forward to the new year ahead. It is also a time to ponder the things we want to change or do differently the next time around. January is a big birthday month for my family-- First my little sister and Scott's cousin celebrate on the ninth, then on the 12th, my mom and Scott share a birthday. My brother-in-law's is on the 24th. Mine is at the end of the month on the 26th. Then February-- where will be celebrating Luke's first birthday on the third! Then Valentine's Day-- Then Easter and Spring Break! Then it is summer again and Mother's Day!!! There is just one great reason after another to be happy this time of year!!!
Scott didn't really come from a family who was as holiday-crazy as I am. It has taken some time, but I have finally won him over to seeing how important it is to make these celebrations a part of our family traditions. I think he loves them as much as I do now, although he still laughs at all my Christmas decorations and says that my four Christmas trees are a little much!! I just love to get caught up in all of it-- It has been especially fun to start to see it all through Luke's eyes, and I am sure that as he grows, it will just keep getting more and more fun!
We were blessed to spend time with most all of the people we love. We had Christmas parties and brunches and family dinners and gatherings.... It was so nice. I couldn't imagine a better way to spend Christmas and New Year's.
So, another year has arrived. I am not sure at all what I should resolve to improve upon in 2005-- there are so many things I could stand to do better! I know I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God-- taking it from a mere acquaintance-based status to a genuinely intimate bond.... I heard a great analogy Sunday that clicked with me and seemed to sum up my feelings. John York, our preacher, used Rubel as an example for this terrific analogy-- He kidded Rubel about being such a die-hard Yankees fan. He said he bet he knew all the inside facts and tidbits about the team and players, that he knew their past record and what certain players liked and didn't like, etc. He stated that Rubel knew just about as much as he possibly could about the Yankees.... BUT, he asked Rubel if he personally knew any of the team players or coaches. Rubel said, "Derek Jeter has yet to visit my house for breakfast, lunch, or dinner." John went on to explain that that is how most of relate to God. We are often "God fans" who know a great deal about Him, but when it comes right down to it, we don't know Him on a personal level. That is where I feel I am right now. I pray that in 2005 I can move beyond that.
We will be heading to Fresno in a few weeks for ZOE's west coast conference. That is such a fun trip. The people there are SO amazing to us and have such a heart for the Lord. I didn't get to go last year because of being 8 months pregnant, so I am looking forward to visiting with all of them this year and having my spiritual cup filled to overflowing! It is so fun to travel with the ZOE gang! It will be my first time away from Luke though, so it will also be an adjustment, though I know he will do just fine without me-- not sure about how I will do!! :)
I also have Luke's first birthday party to prepare for! I will try to get the invitations in the mail this week! It is crazy to think that our little guy is almost a year old! He is so big and smart! His hair has started to lay down now, too, so he doesn't look like a baby any more! :( I had such a great moment in church Sunday with him-- I was holding him and we were standing up singing "My God Reigns" and people were clapping and all of the sudden, Luke started clapping his hands, too! It was so great to see him joining in-- just so precious. I also hope that this year I will be able to teach Luke about God and to start him on the path to his own relationship with Him. What an awesome responsibility! I am sure he will teach me more than I can imagine about what it means to be as a little child before the Father.
We had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends. Luke was just old enough to be fun, although I am sure he really didn't know what was going on. I have always adored the entire holiday season.... I start getting excited when the air first turns cold and Halloween rolls around. Then it is hayrides, bonfires, and cookouts! Next is Thanksgiving which is always such a good time with family and friends-- so nice to take time to purposefully dedicate an entire day to being thankful for all our blessings. Then Christmas is right around the corner! Another great time to celebrate God's most important and precious gift to us! What a wonderful holiday to give presents to those we love. Everyone just seems to be in the holiday spirit all over town. Perfect strangers seem to have kind words to say to each other. Then New Year's! A time to reflect on all the terrific things that have happened and to look forward to the new year ahead. It is also a time to ponder the things we want to change or do differently the next time around. January is a big birthday month for my family-- First my little sister and Scott's cousin celebrate on the ninth, then on the 12th, my mom and Scott share a birthday. My brother-in-law's is on the 24th. Mine is at the end of the month on the 26th. Then February-- where will be celebrating Luke's first birthday on the third! Then Valentine's Day-- Then Easter and Spring Break! Then it is summer again and Mother's Day!!! There is just one great reason after another to be happy this time of year!!!
Scott didn't really come from a family who was as holiday-crazy as I am. It has taken some time, but I have finally won him over to seeing how important it is to make these celebrations a part of our family traditions. I think he loves them as much as I do now, although he still laughs at all my Christmas decorations and says that my four Christmas trees are a little much!! I just love to get caught up in all of it-- It has been especially fun to start to see it all through Luke's eyes, and I am sure that as he grows, it will just keep getting more and more fun!
We were blessed to spend time with most all of the people we love. We had Christmas parties and brunches and family dinners and gatherings.... It was so nice. I couldn't imagine a better way to spend Christmas and New Year's.
So, another year has arrived. I am not sure at all what I should resolve to improve upon in 2005-- there are so many things I could stand to do better! I know I need to spend more time working on my relationship with God-- taking it from a mere acquaintance-based status to a genuinely intimate bond.... I heard a great analogy Sunday that clicked with me and seemed to sum up my feelings. John York, our preacher, used Rubel as an example for this terrific analogy-- He kidded Rubel about being such a die-hard Yankees fan. He said he bet he knew all the inside facts and tidbits about the team and players, that he knew their past record and what certain players liked and didn't like, etc. He stated that Rubel knew just about as much as he possibly could about the Yankees.... BUT, he asked Rubel if he personally knew any of the team players or coaches. Rubel said, "Derek Jeter has yet to visit my house for breakfast, lunch, or dinner." John went on to explain that that is how most of relate to God. We are often "God fans" who know a great deal about Him, but when it comes right down to it, we don't know Him on a personal level. That is where I feel I am right now. I pray that in 2005 I can move beyond that.
We will be heading to Fresno in a few weeks for ZOE's west coast conference. That is such a fun trip. The people there are SO amazing to us and have such a heart for the Lord. I didn't get to go last year because of being 8 months pregnant, so I am looking forward to visiting with all of them this year and having my spiritual cup filled to overflowing! It is so fun to travel with the ZOE gang! It will be my first time away from Luke though, so it will also be an adjustment, though I know he will do just fine without me-- not sure about how I will do!! :)
I also have Luke's first birthday party to prepare for! I will try to get the invitations in the mail this week! It is crazy to think that our little guy is almost a year old! He is so big and smart! His hair has started to lay down now, too, so he doesn't look like a baby any more! :( I had such a great moment in church Sunday with him-- I was holding him and we were standing up singing "My God Reigns" and people were clapping and all of the sudden, Luke started clapping his hands, too! It was so great to see him joining in-- just so precious. I also hope that this year I will be able to teach Luke about God and to start him on the path to his own relationship with Him. What an awesome responsibility! I am sure he will teach me more than I can imagine about what it means to be as a little child before the Father.
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