hello 2009!

I began packing up Christmas 2008 this morning and realized how much I cherish every ornament on our family tree and the moments and people that they represent. I wondered...what will my family look like next year? What does 2009 have in store for us? All I can do is step into the new year with hope and confidence that no matter what lies ahead, our family (and yours) will be blessed beyond belief.

things that make you go hmmm

A friend told me I should put this Christmas gift idea on my blog. I guess my blog has a reputation of being random, so this random idea fits.

I am not going to try to figure out why someone would want this. It's a Hug Me Pillow. You can check it out for yourself here.

I like snuggling, but this creeps me out!

fuel a soul

How often do you compliment people or give positive feedback? Probably not often enough. I know it is something I need to work on. Sometimes I have the thought but I don't always verbalize it. This is becoming more of a priority for me especially after yesterday as I witnessed the aftermath of two guy friends of mine who had received compliments that bolstered them to a higher level of feeling valued.

Guy #1 is a musician in our band and I overheard him say that when people positively compliment his music, it makes him feel good about what he is doing. As a result, his soul was fueled.

Guy #2 is one of the few MALE workers in Journeyland, our preschool ministry. Apparently a family had sent an email to church leadership, complimenting Guy#2 and his gift for working with children and the positive impact he has had on their child. He hesitated to repeat this story because he didn't want to come across as having a 'big head'. But it made him feel good about what he is doing. And guess what? It was fuel for his soul.

I wonder why people are so hesitant these days to give a compliment to others, even if it is second hand information. I believe one reason is because of their own insecurities. Or maybe they feel as though they are feeding an ego instead of fueling a soul. We are not responsible for what people do with the compliments we give them. We should give them away freely with the expectation that our words are helping build them up.

During this season of giving, why not give away the gift of kind words. I would like to present a challenge to us all: make an effort to give away three compliments every day this week. Be sincere. Be specific. Be intentional. See how many souls you can fuel.

teddy got baptized

This is Teddy. We affectionately refer to him as Teardown Teddy because he has helped tear down equipment on Sunday mornings for several years at TrueNorth Church. Teddy is an incredible testimony and important part of TNC. Teddy was baptized this morning.

Did I mention that Teddy gets around in a wheelchair because he has no legs?

It struck me this morning what a powerful testimony Teddy could be to all of us. A man with no legs, who lends his arms at church to the best of his ability, while people with arms AND legs walk in and out without lifting a finger. Teddy also invites his friends who are far from God to church. Teddy gets it. He loves Jesus. And he wanted everyone to know it today.

notable quotables...a new series

Allison: Mom, I'm bored.

Me: You could be studying for the SAT.

Allison: Mom, I'm twelve. I won't take it for four more years!

Me: Well it's never too early to get started!