Pictures say it all...

Christmas Dreaming

I love Christmas.  I love the sparkly, magical, smell good season more than any other.  So, yay for December...it's almost here :)

This year we are starting a new tradition.  The Jesse Tree.  I will tell more about this later, and show some pictures...

I'm actually writing to declare that I have broken up with my MAC for awhile.  See, it crashed, AGAIN and is sitting in Birmingham waiting to be fixed.  Here's hoping it'll be fixed for good this time.  Evidently, our hardrive was bad...so.

Hope your Thanksgiving was full of giving thanks, and that your Christmas season is starting off jolly and bright,

More soon (after me and my MAC kiss and make up)...

Love.

Love

Today, I needed the reminder, maybe you do too?

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

One of my favorite songwriters, Ginny Owens, says it this way:

I could travel over oceans, cross the deserts, climb the mountains 
Just to share your story, bring you glory, and win souls for you. 
I could sing like an angel, songs so humble and so thankful 
Full of drama and emotion, so the world would know your truth. 
I could give away my money and my clothes and my food 
To restore those people who are poor, lost, and down-and-out. 
Oh, I could succeed at all these things, 
Find favor with peasants and kings, 
But if I do not love, I am nothing. 

I could live a flawless life, 
Never cheat or steal or lie, 
And always speak so kindly, smile warmly, and go about doing good. 
I could dedicate myself to do what everyone else wants me to- 
Listen to them, compliment them, say the things I should. 
I could show up every Sunday, lead the choir and Bible study 
And they all might come to know me as a leader and a friend. 
Oh, I could achieve success on earth, but success cannot define my worth 
And all these actions, all these words, will not matter in the end- 

Chorus: 
Songs will fade to silence, 
Stories, they will cease. 
The dust will settle, covering all my selfless deeds. 
So as I strive to serve you, 
Won't you make it clear to me, 
If I do not love, I am nothing. 

Bridge: 
If I cannot live my life loving my brother, 
Then how can I love the one who lived his life for me? 

Sent to earth from heaven, 
Humble servant, holy king, 
Come to share a story, get no glory, and save my searching soul, 
You knew that I'd deny you, crucify you, but nothing could stop you from 
Living for me, dying for me, so that I would know- 

Chorus: 
Songs will fade to silence, 
Stories will cease, 
The dust will settle covering these selfless deeds. 
But your life here has made it clear enough for me to see 
That if I do not love, I am nothing

Oh, thank you Lord Jesus for your unconditional, never ending, never giving up on me, love.  Where would I be without your love?

On another note, we've been taking some Christmas pictures!  I can't express how excited I am about the holidays.  Every time I walk into Wal-Mart and see the decorations and Christmasy products (like candy cane ice cream!) I get really, really happy.  So, we're livin' it up this year---making ornaments, decorating like crazy, and sucking up every drop of Christmas we can to make up for last year :)  Pictures to come...

Love.