Happy New Year!

It's a new tradition in our family to make a movie at the end of each year. This was our second year and I think we've improved a lot! It helps to have an app, too :)

Happy New Year! Enjoy our family movie!

God With Us

Jesus. The Lord Saves.

Immanuel. God With Us.

This Christmas has been so great. Not because Dan bought me a new car or my kids wore matching red and green jammies all month but because my children are starting to comprehend what it means that God came down.

God left his cozy amazing perfect home to enter into a cruel world. He was embarrassed, bruised, spit on, cursed at and finally, he was mocked while dying on a cross in front of his mother and friends. No on one on Earth (or in any other religious story) has done such a thing like this, and He did it because He loves. How incredible!!!

This year, we've all been marveling in the truth of God's love for us, sinners who run away and make excuses and pretend all too much that we don't need any help. We've been moved, we've been convicted and we've prayed in thanksgiving. It's been a beautiful season!!

Today, on Christmas eve, we went to Mount Baker to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. We soaked up the sun and went sledding on fresh powdery snow with dear friends. It was a great way to celebrate love, the very thing that saves.

Merry Christmas!!! I pray you open your heart to the love offered to you through the birth, death and resurrection of Christ!!!

Tis The Season

The season for staying in jammies all day and watching cars through the window before school.

It's the season for dressing up as Santa...

...or Jesus.

He was inspired by our recent visit to Bethlehem. 

Despite this picture, Dan wasn't the only one having fun!

Honestly, it was pretty cool to go back in time and walk through a dimly lit Bethlehem in the cold, imagining ourselves to be Mary and Joseph. Before heading to Bethlehem, we cut down a Christmas tree.

 

We attended our first Christmas parade. 

 It's the season for making paper snowflakes for hours on end.

You get pretty good after practicing alllll day.

It's the season for Elvis Christmas records. And Mariah Carey, and She & Him, and Charlie Brown and, you know, all the classics.

Tis the season for sparkle and wonder and beauty.

We put lights on the tree for the first time this year and we're all enjoying the extra glow.