Poof.
Just like that, 2008 is gone. Amazing. Last time I checked, I was very pregnant in scorching hot SC weather. Where did the rest of the year go?
I want 2009 to be better than 2008 for many reasons. I can count so many blessings, and believe me, I do, but on the other hand I can count many reasons for sorrow and shame. I would not want this to be the year that someone would use to judge my life! Thank God, though, that His grace covers the stains. I lay them down where they belong, and I get up and follow the only One who is worthy.
I have a whole pageful of resolutions for my journal, and I pray that by God’s grace He will help me to be a godly woman who undergirds them daily with prayer. More than anything I want to be a woman echoing Matthew 22:37. I want to love my God with all my heart, soul, and mind and love my neighbor as myself.
Good-bye, 2008. Another year to live, love, worship, dance, kiss, laugh, dream, teach, hope, serve… Another step closer to eternity…
Children are the gift…
… that keep on giving. Now that my children are getting older with each Christmas, I am really comprehending the depth of that statement. I just wanted to sit and unwrap the scene of my children opening their gifts all day on Thursday!
You know I’ve mentioned before that we have had some struggles with Lydia as we have walked with her this year, and we have trusted that God is strong and doing what is best in her life. We have been so blessed to watch incredibly encouraging fruit grow in her during the last few months. We praise God for this and take very seriously the connection between prayer and growth.
On Christmas Day I witnessed her genuine joy and gratitude, and it made me cry. She was really thankful for every gift she received. I know how much she appreciated a special surprise gift from Grandmama, and in many ways I feel that she truly deserved this reward. She has worked so hard to help me since Shepherd was born, and she has been growing in obedience, working hard in school and her other commitments. Sometimes I stand back and watch her and become overwhelmed at the grace of God in her life. Then there are the times that I wish so badly I could lavish blessings on her but feel so strapped for time, energy, or in some cases strapped for cash. This “divided factor” (as I think of it) is the worst part of being a mom to many small children. In many ways I regret feeling that she has been shoved to the side, and she just keeps smiling and singing. With every new challenge I see so much love, kindness, and maturity, promises and encouragement.
Anyway, I am so blessed to be her mother. I have probably watched this video clip 100 times since Thursday because it brings so much joy to my heart. She had been lamenting a few broken pieces on her small (cheap) Nutcracker for weeks, and she had absolutely no idea she was getting this. We were thrilled to see her excitement and emotion. I hope you enjoy it!
PS – I think this may be the blog debut for my brother-in-law Harold. Say hello to Harold, everyone, and make him feel welcome! Oh! And Maggie, you, too! Wooof! Haha!
Merry Christmas!
To you and yours this Christmas we wish joy, peace, faith, and love by the grace of God through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ!
Spoonflower
I was really excited the other day when Eric threw a package on to the kitchen table for me to see. Wow! I just ordered this, and the shipping was super quick! It was my first fabric order from spoonflower! I was really, really happy to open the package and see the little fat quarter that was inside waiting!
I am very impressed with Spoonflower so far. I agree with Natalie that, yes, it costs a pretty penny, but I am hoping that the fees may decrease slightly perhaps when it comes out of Beta. Even if they don’t, I think it is worth the price for me to be able to design my own fabric and get it shipped right to my house. I am a nobody when it comes to design, so this is really exciting!
I hope to print more fabric in the next few weeks with some designs I have swirling around in my head. I want to make some crafts and also sew up some stuff to sell in the shop. For now I have a fat quarter of fat dots – my first design. This is really fun being in the 21st century! We have so much at our fingertips! Anyway, if you haven’t checked out Spoonflower yet, go take a look and have fun!
Meg Ryan?
(Yes, that is exactly what she is holding. If you think that’s tacky, then may I remind you that my “blog logo” contains a toilet paper roll?) The only thing that makes me sad about my children is that I don’t seem to have enough time to enjoy their constant entertainment. Meredith is HILARIOUS. If you have more than one child, you probably know what I mean when I say she is our goofy one! Oh my. She is so funny. If you have only seen her in photos, you would be shocked to hear her voice, which would cause you to find yourself speaking with Barney Fife. You wouldn’t expect that in a blonde, petite, two-year old little girl I guess. She kind of acts like Barney Fife, come to think of it. Anyway, she is so funny.
Of course she reminds me of herself, but for the longest time I would think that she had a peculiar resemblance to someone I had seen in a movie. I was browsing the other day (trying to find a diversion from the overloaded chaos of urgent tasks before me), and since I couldn’t put my finger on one of them, I just pasted all of them into a collage. Ellen, Madonna, Cindy Lou Who… What do you think?
Oh. And she definitely has the “cute little waddle” just like Meg Ryan. Hilarious!
Whose Dollar?
Hooray for my friend Natalie! She just finished her first book, which she wrote and designed. The book is entitled “Whose Dollar?” and is simply delightful! I encourage you to check it out and read more about how this children’s book was created on Natalie’s blog. You can order a printed copy from Blurb or download the pdf version as well on her blog.
I love Natalie because she is a thinking Christian. She has such a heart for God and desires to know Him fully with her heart and mind. She also takes very seriously her calling to be a mother to three girls (two are twins), and for that reason I am really proud of her accomplishment. I am sure there will be books to come in the future, and this one is wonderful. It is educational grammatically and spiritually!
Read about “Whose Dollar?”
Visit the Blurb book page
Paperback on Lulu
(image © Natalie Jost)
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