See that handsome man in the post below, holding a sweet baby? Well, today is his birthday. I won't tell the number, out of respect, cuz I didn't ask him if I could, but...his number is 26 higher than mine!!
He is the best dad in all the world. A perfect example of faith, love, generosity, gentleness, etc. etc.
Happy Birthday, Dad! I hope this is the best year yet! You are the foundation of our family and we love you to the heavens...and back.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Christmas memory making
Grandpa and Wyatt having a serious chat..
The four boy first cousins who measure over four feet tall. (Laytin was playing somewhere)
Watching a movie like old times..Jamie and Cody
Having a green tinsel fight instead of cleaning up!Laytin and Uncle Danny
The best part...the boxes!!
Well..it is a new excercise program Jamie is inventing!
The best part...the boxes!!
Well..it is a new excercise program Jamie is inventing! (Jess, checking out her Christmas presents.The hat was one of her favorites!)
Wyatt
Tyleigh
Mom and Dad on Christmas eve with all of their grandchildren except Toni and Brandon. Also not pictured are the three great grandchildren.
Wyatt
Tyleigh
Mom and Dad on Christmas eve with all of their grandchildren except Toni and Brandon. Also not pictured are the three great grandchildren.We had a wonderful Christmas together. Brandon, Toni and Wyatt arrived the day after Christmas. We were able to have lunch ALL together on that day before Jamie, Ashton and Tyleigh left. I guess we all realize our traditions have to change as the kids grow up, but the time together is just so special!!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Merry Christmas!
With all that is going on in the world this year, I love hearing "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays". Our world is hurting and the only thing that will heal hearts is Jesus. Like Cody said, this morning, Christ-mas. Mas as in the spanish word for more. I liked that!!
I love the messages of Christmas. Of course, I believe that message is a daily message, but I'm glad it is brought to the attention of the whole world at one time of the year. Oh sure, there is lots of commercialism, but I can look past that. It is what we make it!
In studying Luke 1 for our Bible study this morning, my heart was touched by a few messages. Here is one of them...The angel, Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would be giving birth to Jesus. He said "You have found favor with the Lord" and "Do not be afraid". She was a young, unknown person from an obscure village. Her faith made her say, "Okay, I'm your servant", even though she had no way of knowing who exactly Jesus was and how his life would go. But the world needed a savior, including Mary, and she was used by God to get him here.
One thing I'll interject here..Gabriel was the messenger. In a way, so was Mary because she delivered the Savior. We've all had angels in our lives who bring us messages. We love them for their importance to our lives. Our growth, our revelations, our increased faith. BUT..do we love the messenger more than the message? I hope it is the message I love more then the messenger.
Okay..back to the story. So, I was thinking that each of us are like Mary. God sends a messenger to our hearts and says he wants Jesus to live in our heart. We accept that and we are filled with a growing Jesus in our hearts. We have no idea what following the Lord may mean, but the same words of comfort stretch across the generations.."Do not be afraid". God doesn't choose to love us or need us because of our strength or what we can do for Him. What he needs from us is the opposite: our submission. When I was younger, I was confused by so many of the mysteries of the Bible, of God, of all of it. The Bible was a big confusing book that intimidated me. The concept of God, the scriptures and all of it intimidated me. I couldn't get my brain around it. I had to understand the very simple truths before I could begin to let them grow into a bigger understanding. I have much to learn and understand, but God is faithful to give me just what I need to know for the time being. Mary didn't give birth the day she learned she was going to. It was a growing process.
Jesus is many things to me, depending on the analogy out of the Bible. One I love is that He is my shepard. In Hebrews 4 it says that Jesus, the good shepard will never leave us. I have reflected on that quite a bit in tough times. He has been true to that. When I've felt very alone, He has been there. When no one else was there, no one to turn to, I found the Lord in prayer, and He was faithful to me. I love the thought that the shepard won't sleep if one sheep is missing. I'm glad He cares about where I am and about my safety.
Finally, we hear about "Peace on Earth". Tonight, at the Christmas program, my heart was touched by the message that peace on earth is having peace in your heart. It came right back to way Cody said this morning...Mas Christ. So, Merry Christmas! May you find peace in YOUR heart this season and may Christmas be a daily celebration of the greatest gift ever.
I love the messages of Christmas. Of course, I believe that message is a daily message, but I'm glad it is brought to the attention of the whole world at one time of the year. Oh sure, there is lots of commercialism, but I can look past that. It is what we make it!
In studying Luke 1 for our Bible study this morning, my heart was touched by a few messages. Here is one of them...The angel, Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would be giving birth to Jesus. He said "You have found favor with the Lord" and "Do not be afraid". She was a young, unknown person from an obscure village. Her faith made her say, "Okay, I'm your servant", even though she had no way of knowing who exactly Jesus was and how his life would go. But the world needed a savior, including Mary, and she was used by God to get him here.
One thing I'll interject here..Gabriel was the messenger. In a way, so was Mary because she delivered the Savior. We've all had angels in our lives who bring us messages. We love them for their importance to our lives. Our growth, our revelations, our increased faith. BUT..do we love the messenger more than the message? I hope it is the message I love more then the messenger.
Okay..back to the story. So, I was thinking that each of us are like Mary. God sends a messenger to our hearts and says he wants Jesus to live in our heart. We accept that and we are filled with a growing Jesus in our hearts. We have no idea what following the Lord may mean, but the same words of comfort stretch across the generations.."Do not be afraid". God doesn't choose to love us or need us because of our strength or what we can do for Him. What he needs from us is the opposite: our submission. When I was younger, I was confused by so many of the mysteries of the Bible, of God, of all of it. The Bible was a big confusing book that intimidated me. The concept of God, the scriptures and all of it intimidated me. I couldn't get my brain around it. I had to understand the very simple truths before I could begin to let them grow into a bigger understanding. I have much to learn and understand, but God is faithful to give me just what I need to know for the time being. Mary didn't give birth the day she learned she was going to. It was a growing process.
Jesus is many things to me, depending on the analogy out of the Bible. One I love is that He is my shepard. In Hebrews 4 it says that Jesus, the good shepard will never leave us. I have reflected on that quite a bit in tough times. He has been true to that. When I've felt very alone, He has been there. When no one else was there, no one to turn to, I found the Lord in prayer, and He was faithful to me. I love the thought that the shepard won't sleep if one sheep is missing. I'm glad He cares about where I am and about my safety.
Finally, we hear about "Peace on Earth". Tonight, at the Christmas program, my heart was touched by the message that peace on earth is having peace in your heart. It came right back to way Cody said this morning...Mas Christ. So, Merry Christmas! May you find peace in YOUR heart this season and may Christmas be a daily celebration of the greatest gift ever.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Enchanted Eagle Park?
Last night, we attended the Eagle Nest Community Potluck, an annual event that we were invited to this year. The 3rd through 6th grade students at school were asked to name the new park that is going to be built in Eagle Nest. Jessie won 1st place with her entry. Here, she is reading her paragraph on why she thinks that is a good name. The council will vote on the names soon. It was surprise to her (we knew ahead)! She won $100 as well as more honors if her name is actually chosen.
Who gets the blame?
My sister, Lori, often has blamed me for her girls ornriness, misbehavior and other traits of their personalities. WELL..in packing things up, I found these pictures. Looks to me like SHE gets the blame for some of my kids misbehavior!!!
Jessie laying on the island..a few years back!
I specifically remember this night at home. Lori was in college, I in high school. We were being goofy(Mostly her. I was just a bystander, as I remember it :). She was drinking out of the coffee pot..I have a picture to prove it..and our parents were already in bed. Yeah, I get the blame for being the ornry one...if only I carried a camera more often, I could have proven that my sisters were really the ones to blame! (That's why I take a camera with me most days, now!)
Jessie laying on the island..a few years back!
I specifically remember this night at home. Lori was in college, I in high school. We were being goofy(Mostly her. I was just a bystander, as I remember it :). She was drinking out of the coffee pot..I have a picture to prove it..and our parents were already in bed. Yeah, I get the blame for being the ornry one...if only I carried a camera more often, I could have proven that my sisters were really the ones to blame! (That's why I take a camera with me most days, now!)Thursday, December 18, 2008
It's Christmas time!
(The cooks...Jess and Lizzy)
The cookie making has begun, marking the definite closeness of Christmas! The sour cream cookie recipe is one we've used just about all of my life!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Longhorns vs. Eagles
Jessie and Janna (Jess says me'n'janna...sounds like MEAN Janna..so I say Jessie and Janna!)
Cody doing the jump ballEagles lost both games, they looked good and had fun. Isnt' that what it is all about??
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