It's Christmastime in the city

This photo may be a bit misleading. It looks like we are cold and all bundled up. I am fairly certain that it was almost 60 degrees...That is Texas for you. It was rainy.

So, if you know me and have ever been around me for the holidays, I am a sucker for all things Christmas. I love the lights, the trees, the music, the movies the foods and all the friends that gather. This year, I was told, "You have to check out Highland Park Village, it is amazing." I am not sure what I thought it would look like...but holy cow, I was not ready for the trees to be covered like this.

and people, there are so many of them....easily more than 30, probably more like 50! It is so bright and beautiful to me...breathtaking. I wish this picture could do it justice, but just look how many lights are on that one tree and then imagine it down both sides of the street and then some.

Some of our favorite christmas music this year has been

Matt Wertz - Snow globe,

Seryn and Friends - Seryn and Friends Christmas,

Folk Angel - Comfort and Joy,

and we just found the new Hillsong - Born is the king.

If you like kids, Hillsong or Christmas...or pretty things, watch this. It is beautiful!

A different kind of gift.

As you know, I work for His Voice Global.

This year for Christmas, our project is providing each orphan in South Sudan with 2 new sets of clothing. The sets include a top, bottoms, and shoes.

Each set only cost $20!!!

That is it! We are trying to provide 205 kids with 2 sets each, so that is a big goal of 410 outfits.

Our friends Ben Cox and Tyler Dodds, put this video together for us.

If you want to make a difference with your giving just go HERE and donate now.

Make sure you write "Christmas Project" in the designation box.

Here is a pic of the first round of kiddos who have already received their clothes!

Also, we would love for you to follow us on twitter and like us on facebook. You can do that by

clicking here for Twitter and Clicking here for Facebook.

Thanks Friends!

Love you all!

White Rock Marathon Weekend

This weekend was a really great one for Andrew and I. It was White Rock Marathon weekend and for us that meant that we got to see lots of friends who we adore! Allyson Lean and Tim Fritson made the decision a few months ago to run the Dallas 1/2 and full marathon for two reasons. It is flat...and the weather is nice.

Well...it was flat.

It ended up being around 42-44 degrees on Sunday, which would have been nice, however...IT POURED DOWN RAIN!

The two ran and Kelley Rowe, Jenna Wiles, Melody Fritson and I tracked them and cheered loud. They killed it!

After the thawing had begun! Kelley, Allyson, and Jenna...Allyson's medal says 13.1!

Tim and Melody post race.

Mile 7! Pouring rain!

Allyson surprised us and jumped out of the crowd, so I don't have a pic of her face on mile 7.

Post race. Allyson may look like she is happier than Tim in this pic...but at this point her goosebumps were bigger than thought humanly possible and she was shaking a lot! haha!

This was right after crossing the finish line. This is where I brag on our friend a bit. He finished 26.2 miles in 2:54. Ridiculous. We are so proud of you!

And these are the finishers! Seriously, you two, We love you and are so proud of you!

WAY TO GO!

Is it Christmas time?

So, I have this personal dilemma. I am fairly certain that people make fun of me for it. So, here it is.

I HATE being cold. I get cold, my toes get cold, my bones get cold and I cannot get warm for hours. I get miserable! I just hate it. so much.

I LOVE snow.

The way I see it is that if its going to be cold, it better snow. Otherwise that freezing is pointless.

So we just moved to Dallas in April. Everyone asks, "Oh, so you made it through the ridiculously hot summer?"

To us it wasn't so bad. I ran outside almost every day all summer (sure, it was early in the am, but I never thought it was as bad as these Texans say it was).

Now that it is December, and it does get into the 30's at night, I am a little sad that I am not going to see much, if any, snow at our new home.

I got this video from my brother in Indiana two days ago. I was so jealous. But...I have to keep telling myself that this beauty comes with FRIGID weather.

We, on the other hand, drove around with this last week!

Christmas in 60's?

Sorry folks in the midwest who don't love snow, but I am praying for a good hard Christmas snow in KC and St. Louis!

Does anyone else deal with this silly dichotomy?

Advent

Growing up, we didn't celebrate "Advent". Not in the church traditional way. My grandma made an awesome Advent calendar for all the grandkids and we would get little gifts everyday...but when I started attending the Methodist church and they spoke about the Advent season (like I was supposed to know what that was) I was totally lost. Having been in the Methodist Church for 5 years now, I now know that it is really just the celebrating the Lord - day by day - leading up to Christmas.

Here in Texas, we are a part of a church that we LOVE! Highland Park United Methodist Church has been such a blessing to be a part of. One of the resources they have offered is this book. Songs of the Season. It is an Advent devotional written by members of our congregation. One of the devotions is even written by a student in the youth group, who leads worship with Andrew. It is so fun to take the time to read these and then discuss the questions together. If you have kids, there is even a family section with ideas on how to discuss certain things with your kids, or activities for you to do.

So if you are looking for something for the family to do together during this holiday/advent season, just download this pdf!

http://www.hpumc.org/files/AdventDevo2011.pdf

Flavor

This week there are two flavors I cant get enough of.

Grapefruit juice. Which is weird, because my mom and bro used to eat them all the time growing up...I would eat them too, with a ton of white sugar. Over the last year, I have decided that I love the sweet tart!

Apples. A good juicy fuji apple is hard to beat...and with Andrew's home-made peanut butter...there isn't a much better dessert! I used to also not enjoy an apple. I would only eat them if my mom sliced them and had a big bowl of them...Not so much anymore.

What flavors are you into these days?

good

This is something I have been thinking about for a while, but was struck so hard by it yesterday in church that I knew it would be the very thing to break by lack of blogging streak!

I use the word "good" in two very different ways.

First, there is the way I say it in reference to things like food and how I'm feeling. If someone says, How are you. "I feel good." When I say that, I don't really mean "the best". I mean, "fine". I mean, "good. not great, not bad."

But then there is the way I use it in reference to the Lord.

I am thoughtful and slow to speak the sweet words that "God is Good."

When I say "good" here, I mean. ULTIMATE GOOD. The only Good. The Definition of Good.

To some of you, I know I have even whispered it with conviction "He's Good".

When I use the word good in reference to the Savior of the world...I mean it.

It stirs a deep emotion in me to call God good.

He is Good.

Yesterday, in church, my new friend Krista was leading worship and she sang the song "You are Good" by Kari Jobe.

As we sang the words over and over again, "You are good, You are good" my heart swelled!

I couldn't help but to stand and lift my hands and weep at the Goodness of my Lord.

I hope you take a second and listen to this song. I hope it is LOUD TRUTH to you today! Believe it, God is Good.

God let me rest in your goodness. Let my life reflect your goodness.