For unto us a child is born...

Merry Christmas!!

May you and your loved ones experience the grace and love that God shared with us so long ago in the birth of His Son, Jesus.

Enjoy this season and may you have a wonderful 2008!!

What's Important?

The two greatest commandments are

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt 22:37)

and

Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt 22:39b)

Knowing that God is a relational God (read Genesis 1:26 and let me know if you see "me" or "us" in the verse) it would stand to reason that since we are created in His image that we are also relational people. All you have to do is look at the two greatest commandments above to be reaffirmed of this. Rick's brother Paul left a comment on one of his blog posts and said, "... what God wants from me is fellowship, not my 'good works'."

One of my favorite things is being with other people, laughing, goofing off and loving on them. I always said that if I could get a degree in socializing in college then I'd be golden! I CAN NOT wait for Christmas to get here. I know that some of you are panicking right now because I said that, but it's true! Christmas means that I get to see my mom and my brother, I get to spend time with them doing things we love, I get to see extended family - related by blood or by Christ - we get to eat together, exchange gifts, go to movies and just goof off! And I'm going to love every minute of it. The best part about all of it is that we'll be doing what God has called us to do... to love our neighbor as ourself.

Not every Christmas has been great, nor will every Christmas in the years to come be wonderful. The Christmas after my dad died was the worst so far. Although, even from that, I have fond memories. On Christmas eve each of us would get to open one gift. Well, in 1994 mom opened one, I opened one and Matt opened one. We all looked at each other and said, "Let's open one more!" Sure, why not? Then we looked at each other again and said, "Why not one more?" OK, great! Before we knew it, we had opened all the gifts!! It cracks me up to think of us sitting in our den floor with our gifts and wrapping paper everywhere and it not even being Christmas morning yet.

The point I'm getting at is that I need to learn to enjoy just BEING. God is the great I AM, not the great I WILL BE or the great I WAS. While He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is always in the present and pursuing a relationship with us RIGHT NOW. So, I need to put aside all that I'm doing and let Him catch me and love on me. It's my fault that I've been running away instead of towards Him, but I'm changing that. Right now. If I'm going to be running, it might as well be into His arms instead of away from Him. Without Him I get no where. With Him, I go where He wants me, which is right where I want to be anyway. I just pray that you'll do the same!

It's been a while...

I know, I know... It's been way too long since I've posted and I hate that. And I could give you plenty of (good) excuses but I'm going to spare you. Instead, I'm going to give you an update of the last month or so in pictures. Besides, that's what everyone wants anyway, right?

Nov 3 - Robert and Lindsay got married!!!

Mid-November - did pictures for some families at work

Nov 19-23 - spent Thanksgiving in DC

Nov 24 - watched Clemson beat USC with some Gamecock fans :)

And now it's December... we've had the cabin weekend and our Upward Christmas party but you will have to wait on those pictures. I'll get caught up soon!!