reality

Here we are. The Onething Conference is here. The conference that I always loved to go to as a single or married person, who could change my plans at the last minute and be spontaneous. To hang out with friends and have a blast meeting up with other friends. I love past memories and the rush of 25,000+ people worshiping God together and the beat of the bass and drums in my chest. I love feeling like I'm there in the middle of it, experiencing it for myself, participating. It's quite a rush. I get so let down if I feel like I miss it. That was my reality then.
This is my reality now. I'm confined to my home. Now, I have a family. A husband who works full time (thanks baby!),a toddler, whose attention span is the size of a peanut and who loves to run away from me in crowds thinking were playing "hide and seek". And who finds herself needing to snack every hour. All those ideals in my head of past conferences are thrown out the window. All this leads me to top 10 reasons why its better to stay home from the annual Onething Conference:
1. Parking is free.
2. You can watch worship and teaching notes in your pj's and curl up in a blanket on your couch.
3. You can take notes on your labtop, verses trying to scribble somthing down with a screaming toddler wanting to walk up and down the aisles.
4. You don't have to wait in line for the bathroom while your toddler is crying hysterically, "doodoo!!doodoo!!!" loud enough to draw a crowd.
5. You can bring "food and drink" into each session with you. (thank God, because I'm pregnant!)
6.You can take an immediate nap in between sessions. (versus trying to drive your kid around so they can nap, or driving home for a nap then repaying for parking later on)
7. No one has to save you a seat.
8. Your toddler can play to their little hearts content with accesible toys, as you bawl your eyes out hearing a message you've already heard before.
9. No registration lines.
10. You can literally sit on your butt and not have to walk up and down 2 flights of stairs, across the street fighting traffic, or 2 miles length of a conference center later to your seat. With no foldup stroller, toddler in the crook of your arms, diaper bag, food bag and bulky coats and hats and scarves.

Whew! I feel better just talking about it. Thanks for letting me get that out. While people are getting their worlds and mindsets rocked, my mindset and my world is getting rocked by how limited I feel as a parent and how to enjoy these unenjoyable moments of motherhood, nomatter how confined I feel, or left out I feel. It's just not true. I am not left out. I am blessed beyond belief. I have a home and a beautiful family. I can enter in to what the Lord is saying through wonderful teachers. I can accept the invitation to love well and to go low. Even though I feel like a failure as a mother when I lose my temper and throw food on the floor in frustration to my toddler throwing food on the floor that I cooked for her, I am being enjoyed by God. He loves me in my beautiful mess. And teaching me what it means to lay down my life. My selfish nature resists it, but my heart is learning to let go and just be where I'm at.

Lets adore Him

What a surprise it was to wake up this morning to thick fluffy snowflakes rushing down from the sky! I felt as giddy as a little kid. Hot tea and cinnamon toast were on the menu for breakfast. May you be blessed as you reflect on the love of God and His great pursuit of humanity! From our family to yours.

Christmas is personal

A few days ago I was flipping through the book of Isaiah, and dang. I found myself remembering a mother challenging her kids to write down the prophesies of Jesus in the OT and then finding how He fulfilled them. I just began in Isaiah, because it is packed full of them. There are tons of endtime prophesies aswell but I had to leave those behind since they are yet to be fulfilled. (exciting and terrible)Let me tell you ... if you are having a blah, can't get past your own yuck, I suck kinda day, read through Isaiah or any OT book and search for Jesus. You will most definetly find Him woven through the pages screaming Here I am! For instance, my heart literally pounds out of my chest when I read, "Come near me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the begining. From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit have sent Me." (48:16) or "Listen oh coastlands, to Me and take heed, you people from afar. The Lord has called me from the womb. From the matrix of my mother He has made mention of my name. And He has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He has hidden me." (49:1) and others proclaiming "Behold, I myself will give you a sign, the virgin shall concieve and bear a son and call His name Immanuel."
Now how can you stay cranky (because I managed to before doing this) while reading these!? It's a sure way to feel the vehement desire that God has for you! His Zeal performed this. He had your name in mind when He purposed it since the begining of time. The Christmas season is personal. The Father gave us His Son as a gift and we will be given as a blameless bride as a gift to His Son. The Holy God came to be born in a dirty manger, and the same Holy God wants to be born and live in my dirty heart. May I be transformed in His image day by day! Come Lord Jesus come! We miss you and we love you. We want you to come back.

thin mint recipe

Today Eden and I will hand deliver our homemade goodies to our nearest neighbors. Thin mints are really easy to make and heres the recipe.
You'll need:
1 box or more, of ritz crackers
semi sweet chocolate squares
crushed candy canes
peppermint extract

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or microwave, we dont have one). Once melted add peppermint extract to taste. (a few drops) Dip the crackers in one by one and put aside on wax paper or foil. Before it dries sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Voila! Your done. You may want to chill them in the fridge, or garage. These are yummy...they go fast.

advent calendar

Tonight on a whim I whipped up an advent calendar. I used some white mini envelopes as a template to make some brown paper sack ones from my recycling bin. (only because I ran out of white, and honestly needed whatever was laying around the house) I added random buttons I found laying around. For each day, I may sneak in an andes mint or somthing sweet along with who Jesus is. For the entire month, I want to focus on the person Jesus and His characer. Then turning it into a mini devotional. For example, "Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Everlasting God, Saviour, Bridegroom, Judge, King of Kings..." Short but sweet. This mornings devo was so simple, but Eden loved it!
Me: Immanuel, why is God called God with us? We were separated from Him when man sinned and heaven was closed to man. God came as Jesus, as a baby who grew to be a man and since He was blameless He took on our sins and exchanged His life for ours. He opened heaven that was once closed, and put His Holy Spirit in us who believe, love and follow Jesus with all our hearts, minds and lives. God is now with us!
So simple! but the gospel 101.

market

I figured we can still have a farmers market even in the middle of winter, right? Instead of buying a huge stand, I used whatever I had laying around. Her felt fruit goes in one basket, her tea set in the other. The daily sale changes, for instance today apples are only 10 cents! Hooray! She can sort through her produce with these baskets given as a gift made in africa. It feels like a real market.

Christmas spirit

I got the fresh white pine garlands up on the doorposts and doorways, put up my pinecone flower wreath and pomander, and it is official. I love the smell of pine. So much. That's why I love real christmas trees because it's so nostalgic to remember those snowy nights and stare at the lights and drink in the fragrance. I am excited to make an acorn tree tommorow, and if it doesnt take long, I may make a few as gifts! It should end up looking like this. We shall see if thats realistic! There will be no christmas tree this year, but in its place is a pine candle which is delicious. What gifts are you making handmade this year?