"Yay!" News

Hey! I hope you are doing fantastically today :) Im down at the beach with my parents, enjoying one last day of hearing the ocean's rumble before heading home and getting ready for all the excitement the rest of this year holds! So, I thought that before things get too crazy, I would share some fun stuff in the works:

1. Have you heard about [Jimmy Valiant: Scions of Danger] yet? If not, heres a short link to go check out what this movie is about, and how you can help them. [Link HERE] Please support this film, even if you can only help by contributing a single dollar bill. These are great, godly men who are trying to glorify God and support and encourage us with this film- we could do the same by at least supporting them, right? So this link takes you to where they will tell you about the film and then ask for a monetary pledge. According to google, the definition of the word ' pledge' is 'to promise solemnly and formally.' Blogger really isn't that formal, but here is my pledge to help these guys out: I pledge to spend whatever money I would normally spend between now and December 21st going and getting drinks at Starbucks to instead donate to the Jimmy Valiant fund on December 22nd. *Whew* By the way, this isn't some tiny deal- Im almost convinced that the Starbucks hot apple spice runs through my veins instead of blood. Im always at Starbucks, either working on my computer, studying, or having "chill-out-time"/"talk-about-whatever-is-going-on-in-our-lives" with a girlfriend or two. So whats your pledge? Wanna join me in a cut-off from Starbucks? Or make your own deal: maybe a dollar a day and two dollars a day on the weekends? Let me know what you decide to do!

2. Have you ever read the blog "Stuff Christians Like" by Jon Acuff? If you have, you are probably chuckling or at least smiling right now. He is hilarious! And he's a pk [preacher's kid] like me, so that makes him amazingly cool. ;) He and his wife and kids just moved to Nashville so he could work for Dave Ramsey [random fact] . Anyways, you should check out his latest blog post, "The Soft x." Its not a funny post, so don't expect laughter and rainbows and ponies [which he normally includes, so no worries]. But its definitely worth reading and sharing with others.

3. This is probably a crazy thing for me to admit on a social page where whatever and all of what I say could come back and bite me like a bulldog, but I don't celebrate Christmas because of Christ's birth. Ohwow. I said it. Ok, Im sorry if I offended you just then, but don't stop reading and let me explain [because I really am a nice person, I think its just the freezing cold weather thats followed me to the beach that has made me more straightforward than normal]. Christmas, to me, has never been SPECIFICALLY about Christ's birth. Why? Well, several reasons, but here are the main ones: 1. In all probability, Christ was most likely born in April. Christmas is in December. ... 2. It was never SPECIFICALLY about Christ's birth when I was growing up. Yes, we read the manger story, but we also read about His life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection. It was all equal. No one story got higher points than another. 3. We celebrate Christ, and ALL about His entire life, death, resurrection, and EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. Especially on Sunday! Sunday is the the Holy Day in my book. Christmas, December 25th, is not a holy day. It is a holiday [yes, yes, I know that holiday used to mean holy day. but now it means vacation time]. It is on par with Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Valentine's Day, Labor Day, and birthdays. Its just a bit more fun because we get to give gifts to everyone and drink hot chocolate and eat peppermint all day. To our family, it is a traditional American holiday that we enjoy together. And please don't get all angry at me because "we don't make it about Christ" or "we are taking Christ out of Christmas" because we aren't. Christ is in EVERYTHING we do - every holiday we celebrate - every breath we take- He is in all of it! So believe me when I say, Christ is still in Christmas, just like He is in every day of our lives, so we should always celebrate that! Ok, Christmas speech being given...

I can't wait for Christmas!! Yay! I am super stoked to be wrapping presents, singing Christmas carols, decorating the house, and of course, taking lots and lots of pictures with my amazing new camera! So, I wanted to share with you a new song to listen to "get you in the mood":

Peppermint Winter by Owl City! You can get it on iTunes or Amazon... :) Yes, I really love Adam Young. Here is his version of In Christ Alone, by the way, in case you are interested [link to his blog post and song here].

4. I am, again, super stoked about this blog Oh Hello Friend: You are Loved . She is always sharing great tips and lovely pics! Im pretty excited about her "twelve days of cheer" and thinking about signing up.

Ok, I can't think of anything else super pressing to share with you right now- Im going to be pretty busy the next few weeks -Im starting a job as an "au pair" [basic translation: live-in-nanny] during the weekdays for the month of December, and I will be working as a once-a-week personal assistant and am still collecting for my cookbook [send in recipes please! :) ]. Oh, and though Ive put CP! on a pause for this month, Im still studying and trying to get a few tests in before I start back in January. I could really use some prayer in that, if you don't mind.

Alright, I hope you have a lovely week, and I'll try to post again shortly!

because He lives and reigns

me.