As 2012 begins...

This past year has brought me so much JOY and very little sorrow. I thank the Lord for His blessings, His mercy, and His love. I still struggle much in one area of my life and I will pray again for victory over this problem in 2012. It could be that the Lord will just continue to use it as a "thorn" so that I may be completely humbled and dependent on Him. That I won't think more of myself than I ought. I know He can take it away at any time and also He can discipline me with it. We shall see. Nevertheless, I'll just pray for His will and my obedience.

I love this passage from a book by Sarah Young. The book is Jesus Calling. It is written as if it's Jesus speaking to us:
"As this year draws to a close, receive My Peace. This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness. My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I create you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with My very Being, permeated through and through with Peace. Thank Me for My peaceful Presence, regardless of your feelings. Whisper My Name in loving tenderness. My Peace, which lives continually in your spirit, will gradually work its way through your entire being."

Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

Highlights and Memories from 2011:

Atlanta was snowed under for a week in January

Maddie turned 2

I went on a trip with my office peeps to Jekyll

A Beautiful Sunrise in Jekyll

We took Maddie for outings...so much fun!

I love spoiling that girl!

Biggest day of the year for us...our son married lovely Rachel

Landon at the wedding

Beautiful daughter-in-law

Madison was a perfect flower girl!

Stephen waiting on his bride

I think her expression says it all!

Rachel and Erin...sisters now.

Maddie with her "princess"

End of a wonderful day!

Wonderful family trip to Siesta Key

The sunsets are always memorable

Our family loves sunset time on the beach with music

Christmas Community Celebration at our church

Erin was Mary

The boss

 Just some favorites:

Landon at 1 year old

Beautiful

Sweet Maddie

I am so blessed!    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

As 2011 Ends...

A beautiful reminder


He Still Comes by Max Lucado

The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed. The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be.

We forgot our compulsion with winning, wooing, and warring. We put away our ladders and ledgers, we hung up our stopwatches and weapons. We stepped off our race tracks and roller coasters and looked outward toward the star of Bethlehem.

We reminded ourselves that Jesus came as a babe, born in a manger. I’d like to suggest that we remind ourselves He still comes.

He comes to those as small as Mary’s baby and as poor as a carpenter’s boy. He comes to those as young as a Nazarene teenager and as forgotten as an unnoticed kid in an obscure village. He comes to those as busy as the oldest son of a large family, to those as stressed as the leader of restless disciples, to those as tired as one with no pillow for his head.

He comes and gives us the gift of Himself.  

Sunsets steal our breath. Caribbean blue stills our hearts. Newborn babies stir our tears. Lifelong love bejewels our lives.

But take all these away—strip away the sunsets, oceans, cooing babies, and tender hearts—and leave us in the Sahara, and we still have reason to dance in the sand.  Why? Because God is with us. He still comes. He still speaks.

Christmas Celebrations!

Okay, I can breathe now and write up a post. Just finished our Community Christmas Celebration weekend at Roswell Street and what a wonderful time we had!! Great crowds...total of about 2200 folks attended, 14 decisions for Christ, 82 churches represented that came to hear us sing, lots of fun, gorgeous music, beautiful ballet dancers, a bagpiper playing Amazing Grace halfway through the program (one of my favorite moments), and, of course, the Hallelujah Chorus por fin! All this occurred after a very busy week of decorating the church and getting everything ready. We have two 15-foot trees in the worship center plus wreaths, garland, banners, etc. We had completed almost everything when there was a calamity! Wednesday afternoon one of the trees broke...the base, that is. Had to rescue the poor man who was trying to hold it up, take off the decorations, take the tree apart, get the stand to a welder, get it back the next day, tree back together, re-decorate. Whew.

There were 250 people involved in our program. These were banner carriers, choir (111), orchestra (43), children's choirs (70), wise men, shepherds, Baby Jesus and Mary, angels, and on and on. We had a blast! Here are some pics!

Decorating the tree that later broke.  All turned out okay though!

We joke that my boss has good life insurance...he is fearless!

Amazing Grace

We had 16 beautiful banners

Adorable!

Our Christmas Celebration!

Hallelujah Chorus with Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus

Dancer during "Sing Gloria!"

My daughter was Mary again this year with a "borrowed" Baby Jesus...so sweet!

"A Baby Changes Everything"

My boss who puts it all together...our minister of music. Excellence!

 PART II of Christmas Celebrations!

SECRETARIES' PARTY! My favorite party of the year is the secretaries' party. All of us assistants/secretaries get together and bring the most wonderful food. Lots of spinach dip, mexican dip, chips, cheesy stuff, various appetizers, desserts like homemade truffles, cupcakes, cookies, flavored coffees, hot chocolate and on and on. We have fun eating and relaxing and exchange our Secret Santa gifts. Then it's the "white elephant" gift exchange! This can be hilarious! This year I found the perfect gift in a basement closet at the church. It was a terrible painting of Mary, Jesus and John the Baptist. Jesus and John were naked babies. Needless to say, it got passed around a bit. We even put magnets over strategic locations. HA! There were other gifts such as salad flavor dental floss, broken clock, ugly tablecloth, terrible mugs, musical tie, 3D glasses. I ended up with a book called "How Not to Look Old". I do need that...I plan to read a bit a day to figure out some tips on maintaining my youth. Here are some pics:

Our friend Cheryl....she first thought this gift was a garter! She was a bit embarrassed.

Carmen gets the exquisite piece of art!

Magnets strategically placed.

I love these ladies!

Angie's beautiful pink and green Christmas tree! She's a wonderful hostess.