Favorite time of the year!

For 6 years or so I have been messing around with clay. I started making simple figures with playdough and my mom bought me a block of clay to see what I could do with that. Thus the birth of one of my favorite hobbies!

For the last few years I have enjoyed making ornaments of gifts for friends and family! Last year I made a total of 15! I was a little crazy! This year I brought my numbers down a little!

I thought I would post some of the ones I have made this year! I have a few more to post but I am waiting until the recipients see them in person first! =)

This is for my nephew. My brother-in-law is a huge sports fan!

My attempt to write his initials like NFL logo...didn't turn out so well! I like how the rest of it turned out though!

This is for one of my closest friend! She picked up a violin 3 years ago and has yet to put it down. She has applied herself so well and when she plays it looks like it has been a life long pursuit.

I am SO bummed that it messed up in the baking. If you look close to her body the violin as a dent in it. It was where the bow had been set but during the baking her arm pulled it free and the set up before I could place it back. I want to figure out a way to keep this from happening but yet keep the the exterior looking good...I am still a work in process.

This is for my guy's sister. I do not nanny her because of her school schedule so I don't know the little things she likes but I wanted to do something for her! I love how it turned out! This is for my guy! He loves horses! Especially the stick horses. In particular there is a black one he LOVES! He carries this things EVERYWHERE, taking everything with him! =) His short little legs are my favorite part of him so I had to make sure I made the bear accordingly!

Merry Christmas! I pray each of you had a blessed celebration of the birth of our Lord!

2

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Eternal. Forever. On going. Never ending. Never ceasing. Never stopping. When the here fall away the Eternal Father will be there. From the baby in Bethlehem to the Eternal Father my God is was and will be. Forever my Father...The Father.

3

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Mighty God...my Mighty God. The only God.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Psalm 24:8


He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah Psalm 62:6-8

The baby that became a man who is my Wonderful Counselor is also Mighty God. The promise is clear in Psalms. If our dependence is on Him we will not be shaken.

Now, just 3 days before Christmas celebrate the Mighty God who was given to us. We will not be shaken if we trust in Him.

4

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

He was a baby that grew to be a man. That man lived and breathed among us and died to give us life with him forever. His name is Wonderful Counselor.


Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Through decisions, trials, hardships, questions, confusion, and the joys, rejoicing, and celebration the Wonderful Counselor is always there to guide you in the direction you need to go. God became a baby, grew to be a boy, then a man all so he can relate to me and the days I go through. He counsels because He knows. He knows because he's been there.

Just 4 days before Christmas, let's celebrate the Wonderful Counselor and the guidance He brings.

5

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

A son will be given...The lips that spoke the world into existence was learning to say "mama" and "dada." He was toddling around the house pulling up on things. He had growing pains and cut knees. He needed hugs from his mom. He loved seeing his dad walk through the door. He learned and grew.

"And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him...And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:40 and 52

My savior had to grow. He had to be a boy and grow to be a man. He had to learn. He had to be taught. The one who was there before the beginning of time had to wait until the time he was a man.

Just 5 days before Christmas let's celebrate the boy who became a man. Who grew and learned.

6

Isaiah 9:6
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

A child will be born to us...to US! The maker of the stars was now growing in the belly of a teen ager. He was tiny. He was fragile. He was dependant on Mary to feed him, dress him, clean him. He became a baby.

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

"Sing out with joy for the brave little boy who was God and made himself nothing. For he gave up his pride and he came here to die like a man"

My maker came through the birth canal. Coughed up amniotic fluid. Let out a cry as he used his lungs for the first time. As Mary wrapped him up He settled into his first night of existance in a smelly stable. Two tired parents. Some cows, a few sheep, some chickens and a goat.

Today, just 6 days before Christmas, celebrate the baby and his example of humbling himself. Praise him for the gift he gave.

Merry Christmas!

just some more...

A little more about me that is...=)


I love to view life through a camera lens. I am not a great photographer...I am not even a photographer, but I still love to take them and every now and then one comes out that makes me a little excited! =) Get my fingers on a "real" camera and I go nuts...but, for now the budget keeps me at a point and shoot! Which is good for me! I already make the computer guy crazy with the amount of pics on the computer anyway!



Every now and then I will post some more favorites. With my resume I have spent a LOT of time around kids! This time the theme is one of my favorites subjects...Kids! Enjoy!






I like her hair...=)

I love this one! He loves his treasures...whatever they may be!

Give it away...

One of my favorite things do at Christmas is Operation Christmas Child. Our family has been participating for 9 years or so. Every year as we go shopping for our little boys or girls we get so excited! We roam the aisles of the stores in search of the treasure we will pack up and send to someone, somewhere. We love it!

Part of the reason I love doing is because of why we do it. For me it has been a symbol of what the celebration of what Christmas should be...err, is. After all, wasn't it about this...

"Who being in very nature, God...making himself nothing...being made in human likeness..."





...so that it could ultimately be about this...


"he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!"


...and maybe, not about this...

I am so thankful to be able to have discovered the greatest gift ever...EVER given. These children do not...have not...will not. Not unless they are told. Yes, it is just a shoe box but, in giving that shoe box, Samaritain's Purse gives the love of Jesus! The giving of these shoe boxes is a symbol of His love poured out for us when He wrapped Himself in flesh and lived among us...the greatest gift. In showing these kids how to give they are teaching them about the best giver who humbled Himself to the point of death for all of us...including these kids....like her...

...and these girls...

...and her...

...and him...

...and them...

...and them...

...and them...

...and him...

...and her...

...and her...

...and them...

...and him...

...and him...

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas! May you find yourself this year, giving it away...


Oh! One quick question...does anyone know how to get the youtube videos to fit? Mine seem to get cut every time I post one...

The brave ones

I don't in any way condone MTV and the things that they promote. That is not my position for writing this post. With that said, my sister told me about this show that MTV had done called 16 and pregnant. I have not seen the other episodes but I was finally able to catch the last 20 minutes of one of the episodes. I did not know their story. I came in where they were giving birth to the daughter they had chosen to give up.

For a few heart wrenching moments there teenagers agonize over the decision they made for their child to have a better life. It is painful to watch, I can not even BEGIN to imagine the intensity to live it.

In this particular episode, Catelynn and Tyler are 17 at the oldest. They did not make the right choices and it resulted in pregnancy. They chose, in maturity that was huge, to give their child up for adoption. A couple adopted their baby girl.

As I watched it dawned on me how brave these mothers are. Your immediate reaction is for the children and the life they will have and if you know me these kids have my heart. But for this mother to hand her child to, in essence, strangers and trust them with this life that she has carried for nine months is HUGE! There are several people near and dear to my heart that if it not for these ladies, I would not have the pleasure of knowing.

My heart goes out to these women who are choosing life for their children.

Mark Shultz recently put out a song telling of this very thing. He too was given up for adoption and now looking back wants to thank his birth mother for the sacrifice she made. Make sure you turn off my playlist.





Again, if you know me, you know I don't get "emotional..." all that much. But, believe me when I say that I was crying like a baby as these teenagers handed their daughter to her parents.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

We celebrated this year with 25 people in our house! It is always crazy having that many but it brings with it lots to be thankful for!

My parents decided to fry the Turkey this year! Much to their pleasure it was tasty. It was not bad. =) Yes, I just admitted it! Reference next picture: I did not want to do it!

In it goes!

So sweet moment!

I love them!

The finished product...

Another war story, I am sure! Sweet memories being made, I am certain!

This is the closest we have come to having all of the cousins on my mom's side of the family in 6 years. We were still missing 1, but that's pretty good for over half of us being adults now!

Playtime with Bubby on the floor. The light was perfect and his cuteness begged for a photo shoot! =)

Look at those lashes!

S-W-E-E-T-N-E-S-S

He loves the basket! So funny!

Recreation of a picture taken 8 years ago...

I don't think it gets much better!

Maybe it can a little!