Merry Christmas!!!

From our crazy home to yours!!!
Praying yours is filled with much peace, love and joy
straight from Jesus' heart to yours.

This is what happens...

when a mama is being trained into learning "forced flexibility"...

when a mama is learning to pick her battles, and this win just didn't really matter in her book...

when a mama is letting go of her controlling nature to have everything on the tree look juuuust right...

when a mama is letting go of her strong, perfectionistic, OCD nature...

when a mama is just sitting back to simply take in each moment of this Christmas season, not just race through it...

This tornado toddler is teaching this mama much.

There still aren't the every-single-moments of our home,

but the plethora of them are growing each day

as God changes this mama from inside out.

And as much as I hate to admit it sometimes...

it feels real good.

Can you believe our Immanuel came in this nature? A babe.

I'm so thankful for the new perspectives I am gleaning of Him as I watch this one grow.

And so thankful He came to dwell among us

so that we could each understand each other in our humanity better.

Praying that His humanity,

the fact that He became flesh and dwelt among us,

draws each us closer to Him to behold His glory

and draw near to His throne of grace this season.

"For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." -Heb. 4:15-16

and yes, i do believe Anna might just kill me someday, but it was SO worth the point to be made.

I Honor My Wife!

Today is the fourth anniversary of our marriage. In those four years we have not made life easy on ourselves.

We have spent:

-eleven months personally building a house

-ten months living with in-laws

-nine months pregnant (all months carried by Krystal)

-three months building a second home

We have had:

-four different zip codes

-three major job changes

-two cars break down in one day
-one difficult year at UVC

-two amazing years at SFC

-one car accident (not her fault)

-1461 days together

-ten and a half seasons of Survivor (seven on DVD)

...But in those four years we have grown deeper, closer and more in love. I love you Krystal.

Mother: You are the most amazing mother. You work tirelessly to see that our daughter is loved and cared for putting her needs above your own. You are patient and gentle. You see her needs and provide for them all. You discipline with proper restraint and see the need for grace always giving Anna the choice to obey. You are a wonderful example of motherhood.

Wife: You are my dearest friend. You make me better at every turn. There is not a sermon I've shared that has not run through your caring heart to help me weigh its merits and remove the drivel. You help me see where grace is needed and when a kind word is appropriate. I am a better man because you are in my life (Think of all the stupid stuff I use to say). There are a million tiny ways that make our friendship ours...a thousand connections no one else would understand, but you, you see where I am going and know what I am thinking. We are a fact.