Christmas CD

If you are looking for new Christmas music or a fabulous gift for a friend or family member, LOOK NO FURTHER!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand I sound like a cheesy add.

But for real, Nathan Clark George's new Christmas Cd 'Still' is currently my favorite cd! My parent's got it at a church leadership meeting a few nights ago (Mr. George and his family recently moved here and have begun attending our church) and I have listened to the whole thing probably 30 times. I am not exaggerating. I took it to the home of the family I was babysitting for because I couldn't be parted from it for whole day. :)

(Isn't he just basically edible?! Sorry, I just couldn't resist inserting some cuteness into you day. I get to play with him all day tomorrow too! So excited.)

(We had fun)

Back to the CD: There are some original compositions, some traditional carols, and some very obscure carols which used to be more a part of the church repertoire. It is seriously lovely, and grounded in the Word. Breathtaking. You can hear some samples on his website. My personal favorite of the cd isn't actually on there, but I'll give you a lyric sample:

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; I would my true love did so chance

To see the legend of my play, to call my true love to my dance.
Then I was born of a virgin sure, of her I took on fleshly substance

Thus I was knit to man's nature to call my true love to my dance.

Chorus: Sing oh! my love, oh! my love, my love

This have I done for my true love.

In manger laid and wrapped was I so very poor this was my chance

betwixt and ox and sillly poor ass to call my true love to my dance

For thirty peices Judas me sold, his coventous far to advance:

Mark whom I kiss the same do hold! The same as he shall lead the dance

(note, the same like Judas--in sin, not Judas himself, I think thats what it means)

Chorus

Then on the cross hanged I was, where there a spear my side did glance

there issued forth both water and blood, the Judged me died to lead the dance.

Then down to hell I took my way, for my true love's deliverance

and rose again upon the third day, up to my true love and the dance.

Chorus

Then up to heaven I did ascend, where now I dwell in sure substance,

on the right hand of my Father, that man may come unto the feast and dance.

May come unto the feast and dance.

May come unto the feast and dance.

Sing oh! my love, oh! my love, my love, my love

This have I done for my true love.

Yeah, I kind of melted. Anyway, there you go!

Ps. See that tiny dot under the picture of 'Still'? Well, when I was uploading the pictures I accidently uploaded something wrong but I could NOT make it go away. I accidently delete pictures while writing a post, but I couldn't delete this one for the life of me. So I just made it very very tiny.

What I've been doing of late...

A very newsie post with losts of out of order pictures. Oh well, better than nothing:)

We actually got snow before Christmas this year! Usually we don't see much of any until January or February, but on Sunday when we came out of the Lessons and Carols service it was coming down and we got about 3 inches! So fun, two of my friends got snowed in (it was pretty icy) and the next day we made this work of art (after I got home from where I had been snowed in). At the time it was a good idea. In retrospect I feel like we are probably scaring neighborhood children.... I blame Calvin and Hobbes.

Julia being a little beauty in the snow. Sorry I can't figure out how to turn the picture!

About a month ago we produced Thorton Wilder's Our Town at school, I played Emily and it was SOOOO much fun.

A couple weeks ago my friend who works with the B*ntu people invited me over to eat lunch with one of the B*ntu families. It was incredible and I really loved getting to know this sweet family better. I met the girl in pink, F*, at two summers ago and I really really love her, so is so amazing. I've met 3 of her brothers, and it was so fun to meet her gorgeous little sister A* (in the red) and her mother and sister in law and precious little nephew! Ministry to the muslim community was never something I went looking for or saw myself being apart of. Just another example of how much bigger God's plans are than ours! My experiences with them have enriched my life so much and I can't wait to continue seeing the way God works on their behalf.

On Sunday night I went over to babysit a precious baby girl who I love so much and got snowed in! It was so fun! We made cookies and just had a generally festive time with the snow falling all around. I am so blessed by this family. Raechel has become my mentor and friend, she is so amazing and has (along with a couple other adorable mommies I know, including my own) sparked a love of motherhood in homemaking in me. If you all aren't already in relationship with women older than you in your church--- DO IT, because it is the biggest blessing ever.

Weeeeell, that is all I got for now. My friend Lizzie got home safely at 11:00 the other night and I got to be at the airport to see the team come in! So fun! She brought me back a scarf from Istanbul that I am basically in love with....

Merry Christmas to all, treasure your blessings this season!

Lizzie and I at B*ntu camp two years ago.

Sooo, I had good intentions of writing this post last week. Obviously, that didn't happen. :)

My dear friend Lizzie is about to head home from a mission trip to Iraq. Iraq.

Does that boggle any one else's mind? She has been in the heart of this Islamic country ministering to the Muslim community with an organization called Servant Group International at a classical Christian School there. I am amazed at her courage and compassion, this can't be an easy place to minister. She is such an inspiration and encouragment to me, as well as being that girl who gets your serious moods and your crazy moods. Good to have around.

Lizzie with some of the girls at B*ntu camp last summer. She is so good with them and I'm sure working with them helped prepare her for this trip.

So, if you think of it, please pray for Lizzie and the team as they fly home and that their work would forever change them and the people they met. Thanks! Have a blessed week!

I am loosing the art of simplicity. I am loosing the ability to hear.

I have been raised and trained to think critically from a Biblical worldview. Its been amazing and I loved every second of it until I sort of hit a wall. I started making connections I didn't want to make, I started answering my own questions before I stopped to ponder and pray. I started listening to my own brain rattle on inside my head instead of letting the Spirit of the Lord fill me.

I don't know where I fell off. I'm loosing my passion for missions, all I want to do these days is move out to a little farm somewhere and do nothing but read and sleep and eat and look out the window.

I'm feeling crazy and confused and bitter and broken and trapped.

Oh Lord, enable me to live and breathe the passage: "Be still and know that I am God."