Christmas Time

I am getting so excited but cannot believe that Christmas will be next week!
I still have some shopping to do. Next year I would rather people donate
goats, sheep, or school supplies in my name than have to run around to
find me a present that I don't really need.

Seriously, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the presents
do not make the day. I love being with family, eating great meals, and keeping Christ
the central focus and reason for all of this!

What I am excited for this Christmas:

1. being w/ both families (1 on Eve and 1 on the day)
2. seeing my sister after a whole year (but VERY sad that
I won't get to see Linds for Christmas :( )
3. meeting Roger, Jess's bf, for the first time
4. making my new Caramel Sticky Buns that will be a Belden tradition
5. sleeping under the Christmas tree w/ my husband on Christmas Eve

Drew and I get to drive to Perrysburg, OH where my parents are
for the night of the 23rd until early Christmas morning. Then all of
Christmas day we'll be with Drew's family.
Then the day after I have to work, I need prayer about that.

Merry Christmas one and all if I don't get back on here before!!!

picture just a little big?

I hope to change the size of our picture soon. Sorry if it's been an eye-sore and the nasty green! I was rushing out the door when I did that a long time ago and never changed it. Updates to come soon!

***Goals***

Lately, a godly woman has really taught me so much about making goals and setting them so I can achieve them. In past years, I have made goals such as:
- I want to climb Mt. Kilomijaro
- I want to travel to New York for a week
- I want to do 100 sit-ups every day rain or shine
- I want to run 5 miles every day

Okay, so some of these goals just aren't attainable for me in the next year, seriously, the climbing thing, what was I thinking? I want to make goals that help me live with God and people with intentionality and help me do things that are biblical that I would never do if I didn't have a goal in mind.

Goals for me are not to produce guilt trips when I can't achieve them, rather, they are to spur me to do more than I usually would. Here are a few for this year:
- run 4 X a week for 20 mins or more, intensely.
- this summer, paint my nightstands and dresser
- make a bday calendar so I can remember!
- take 20 mins to clean up each day.
- Memorize Scripture ( 1 vs each week)
- read 2-3 theological/Christian books this year.
- eat less Doritos by only having them 2 x a week

If you need more specifics & would love how to make attainable goals, I would love to help! I think you can still live spontaneously even when having these goals. The best part of this is it is challenging and pushes me to do things I would not normally do on my own.

A White..... Thanksgiving????

So, I'm sitting here all cozy with a ramekin full of baked apples, brown sugar, and oats. It is so wonderful! I love this time of the year but I can only handle the snow before Christmas, not after, which is when most of it falls unfortunately.

I grew up in Missouri and the first snowfall could be as early as Christmas or the week before, but I NEVER remember snow as early as the week before Thanksgiving, and LOTS of it. Now I live in Ohio, up by Lake Erie, and we have the fortune of getting all the lake-effect snow.

Drew and I visited my family near Toledo, OH for 3 days, the longest we have ever stayed with them since we've been married. We slept in every day, had a Thanksgiving meal, celebrated my dad's 50th Bday, watched my baby brother play basketball and played intense rounds of Scrabble with my mom.
It was really relaxing and my mom had the place all decked out for Christmas, the tree, the 50 snowmen, candles, and kitchen towels. It was shining in its full glory.

Today Drew and I put our tree up!

Christmas is coming!!!! but first Thanksgiving!!!!!!

The Best October

Kirra and Taylor came to our humble abode in Stow, Ohio for 3 days. It was amazing and Drew and I couldn't have been more encouraged. What I appreciate about Kirra so much is she is such a great question-asker. She always wants to know how I'm doing with the Lord, in my marriage, etc. Drew appreciates Taylor's challenging conversations. We were so edified these
past 3 days and I am so thankful to the Lord for them. Drew and I are secretly praying that they would move into our den in our
apartment. :)

Here is what we did while they were here:

- We gave them tours of the area we live in now.
- They treated us to Texas Roadhouse for Drew's birthday.
- Drove to Handel's, the best ice-cream I know, and ate our hearts out. I think the best part about that was the ice-cream lady just kept staring at us to order and would never shut the window.
- Talking until late into the night with our pj's
- had a birthday lunch for Drew with his family
- rode their very 1st ride in "Black Cat" our affectionate name for our '91 Toyota Camry.
- waking up late every morning with the Sutton's sleeping in the next room
- Bartholomeu
- hiked a Hampton Hills and took the 3.2 miles route; which took us forever, but was such an incredible time to be with Kirra and hear her heart.
- tried to eat lunch at a picnic table but the bees kept buzzing around us
- ate lunch in "Black Cat" where there still managed to have flies and bees.
- I think everyone drank about 2-3 gallons of coffee in the 3 days: morning, noon, and night
- attempted to watch a movie but everyone managed to fall asleep before it was half-way over
- eating dinner at our table and talking for 2 hours
- praying before they left and then running out the door, testing the speed and agility of "Black Cat" to get Kirra and Taylor to Megabus on time.

And every second of that I absolutely loved.
We love you guys so much, Kirra and Taylor. This weekend was priceless.

Martha, Martha, Martha!

I was convicted today of my busy nature.
I am trying to be a good wife, clean woman,
faithful friend, godly and pursuing of God,
devoted runner, involved daughter,
daughter-in-law, and sister.....
and I'm getting overwhelmed.

I forced myself to read Luke 10:38-42; where Martha
is doing and Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet.
How much of what I do during the night after I get
off work is in worship to God?
Most of the time I am resenting what I have to do
after working and using the entirety of my brain all day!

But, how am I able to serve God, encourage and love my
husband, and maintain relationships without
feeling all used up?

That is where the strength of the Lord is able to
win over my weaknesses everyday.
Is my identity in Christ......
OR
in the things I am to other people?

If my identity is found in Christ, then not being able to
sweep the floor a couple nights in a row, cannot or should not
really upset me. If my identity is found in Christ, it doesn't mean that
I want to be sloppy but it reminds me that I am
human and not capable of "doing it all." My foundation,
being, and everything is in Christ and that foundation will never crumble
or fade away.

Balance is so important, but sometimes, everything can't be balanced.
Sometimes, all there is is the MIGHTY strength of the Lord.
and I obviously have more time than I think because I am writing this
to a people I have no idea will read. :)

I love the Lord and need Thee every hour.
Why do I act like I don't most of the hours of the day?

Uncle Brian

My uncle Brian is a believer as of earlier this spring.
Today he is getting baptized with his 11 year old daughter watching, who is not a believer.
This is such an incredible blessing because since I became a believer about 15 yrs ago, my family and I have been praying for Brian's salvation. We were never able to be super close to him because he moved around and then we moved up north.

There were a couple times at Moody that I remember God commanding me to call him.
I would always be nervous because I knew that I was supposed to share Christ w/ Brian but thinking that he would never care to know more. So, I would call but get an uneasy or uncaring response. That was about 3 yrs ago.

Then this past spring, I received a text message from him, which I thought was odd because we don't really communicate very often. I called him the next day only for him to tell me that he has a personal relationship w/ Christ!! I couldn't believe it, which really shows my lack of faith in God, and about wept!

Since then, God has removed him to Kansas City where his daughter is. He is attending the church that my family went to when we were there. The same church that we would invite him to but he would rarely come! Crazy amazing!

He is getting baptized this morning with his daughter watching. Last night, one of the families who helped out in the youth group when I was in high school, had my uncle and cousin over for dinner. They have been getting to know each other since August or so, which is AWESOME!!

I can hardly believe what the Lord is doing but it is bringing nothing but praise and adoration for Him!!! Please continue to pray for my uncle and especially his daughter as she is so young and that she would follow Jesus.