Special ornaments and ramblings...

I got this idea for a post from Mandy, because I just loved it! These pics are totally out of order because I have yet to figure out how to make them go in the order I want, but that's ok!! Over the past few years, Bryan and I have made it a point to buy special ornaments that symbolize our year together. We try to remember to get ornaments at places we've visited that year, etc. I wanted to post a few of my favorites!

This was Caleb's First Christmas ornament. So sweet.

This was from the first year we were married. Love it!

This was from the year I was pregnant with Caleb. Didn't know he was a boy yet!

We bought this one on our honeymoon at Sandals in Jamaica.

Our first ornament as a family. :)

Cooper's first ornament
Bentley's first ornament

Our family ornament from this year--with a house, since we just bought our first home!!!

Caleb's ornament for this year

Saved the best for last...this ornament is the first thing I ever gave Bryan. We started dating at Christmastime and talked a LOT about foreign missions during our first dates together. It is something that is very much on our hearts. I found this and thought it was perfect--our earth, with Christian symbols surrounding it.

We've had so much fun decorating this year. We have lights outside AND inside for the first time. We bought super cute matching stockings embroidered with our names. We've gone to Southern Lights, which Caleb enjoyed immensely, especially the petting zoo and the model trains. We went to the Christmas parade and tree lighting downtown. We had hoped to go to my friend's church's live nativity, but I came down with a 24 hr bug that Bryan then caught, so that didn't happen. :( Next year for sure! This time of year is so magical, and having a little one who is old enough to be excited about the lights is very fun this year.

We've gotten most of our Christmas shopping for Caleb done, but haven't even BEGUN shopping for each other yet...sigh, it WILL get done!! I'm really trying to focus on keeping the MAIN THING the MAIN THING this year....and that MAIN THING is Christ, not commercialism, overspending, or Santa. I have struggled this year because I can very easily become discontent with what we have when I watch TV commercials for items we don't have or go to the mall and see things I want...this is great for the advertisers of these products, but I don't like what it does to my heart. I have to literally turn off the TV and get away from the mall to refocus on that Baby in the manger. HE is the greatest gift of all. And so many people have so little...never has that been nearer and dearer to my heart than this year, with the focus our church has put on the poor being so heavy this year, and we are trying to do what we feel God would be most pleased with when it comes to the Christmas season. To be in a place where we have to have FAITH that God is going to take care of us is scary yet exciting. And He will, He always has...in good times and in bad. Francis Chan, in his book "Crazy Love," talks about how so many times we live so comfortably that our lives wouldn't look any different if we stopped believing in God tomorrow...and that's a tragedy!! And a challenge. God didn't step out of heaven and take the form of a man, only to die a gruesome death on a cross for us to sit back comfortably in our nice houses and with our fancy toys, going to warm a pew for an hour on Sunday and live the "American dream"...that is called lukewarm Christianity...and honestly, American Christianity. Chan goes as far as to say that lukewarm Christians will not be in heaven, based on the verse where Jesus says he will "spit the lukewarm out of His mouth"...doesn't sound very welcoming, does it?? If you read what Jesus said at all, you see that He calls His disciples to give up EVERYTHING...mother, father, homes, jobs, comfort, etc. to follow Him. And He goes and reaches out to the people no one else in society wants to touch. And the religious people of his day hated him, because he didn't do things 'their' way! I am praying for God to change my heart and change me into someone who follows Christ with that kind of "crazy" passion...and this is difficult because it is SO very easy to go about my life in a self-centered fashion, where I do nothing that requires a step of faith or any discomfort whatsoever. Lukewarmedness. God is moving in my heart, and Bryan's...and although things already haven't worked out in some areas like we had prayed, we know that God is concerned with our hearts...if they are seeking Him and His ways. We know He will bless our efforts and our desire to honor Him. We've got a long ways to go, but I see His hand already, and it is exciting.

Phew, sorry to ramble!! Lots on my mind here lately, lots going on in our church and our lives and we are so blessed to say we know God is with us all the way. He is our shield and rampart, our best friend, our King, our Savior. My heart is just bursting with love for Him this Christmas. :)