Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas time is here

Christmastime is one of my (Kristen's) favorite time of year. I love nothing more than to cuddle up by the fire (haha now that we have one!) and watch a good movie or read the Christmas story. We spent Christmas with my family this year and had a blast. Then, we celebrated with the Windles on Sunday. It is wonderful having families that love us and that love God even more. Here are some fun pictures from our wonderfully amazing Christmas break :)







our front door!






our tree








the mantle






obviously, the much needed Steelers ornament









and an Eagles one too, so Aaron didn't feel left out and/or take mine down... haha







our incredibly adorable puppy Marley






Marley being a good sport :)







Windle kids

Anderson cousins

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

It's a wonderful life...

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Every year it seems like amidst all the gift buying-christmas partying-house decorating-christmas baking-movie watching bustle we forget the true reason for celebrating Christmas. This year Aaron and I really tried to focus on and remember what the birth of Christ means to us as children of God and what a tremendous sacrifice He made on our behalf. Our church, Providence, worked through something called "God in the Straw." It was an amazing study on Christ's birth and its' significance. Here is an excerpt:

"For many, Christmas is just a beautiful dream. It’s a world in which everyday reality goes a bit blurred. It’s nostalgic, cozy, and comforting. But real Christmas isn’t like that at all. It misses the point completely if all you see are decorated trees, carolers, and shiny presents. Christmas is not a reminder that the world really is a nice old place after all. It’s a reminder that the world is a shockingly bad old place where wickedness flourishes unchecked, where children are murdered, were civilized countries make a lot of money by selling weapons to uncivilized ones so they can blow each other apart. Christmas is God lighting a candle: and you don’t light a candle in a room that is already filled with sunlight. You light a candle in a room that’s so murky that the candle, when lit, reveals just how bad things really are. The Light shines in the darkness, as St John says, and the light did not overcome it."


While we love all that Christmas means to us through traditions and family, even more so, we love that it is symbolic of when Christ came to this world to free us. We pray that this year you would recognize along with us the need for Christians to be light in the dark places and to continue on the work of Christ.