micro-blogging is cool.

Dear blog world,

I’m so sorry for neglecting you over the last few weeks.  I have no excuse other than I’ve been busy with work, post-Christmas festivities, and the new Law & Order SVU started back up.  I mean, The Bachelor.  No, I mean Parks & Recreation.  Actually it’s American Idol. 

I kid.  I might watch too much TV.  

I also had a brief affair with Blogger and have come back to Tumblr.  I’m sold on the simplicity.  I do think Blogger has done a great job of enhancing their layout though.  The newer version is a thousand times better than what it used to be.  Either way, I said no more micro-blogging, but I lied.  I love the micro-blog concept.  

Somewhere my husband is laughing at me while reading this on his iphone via Twitter.  Face it Dustin, micro-blogging is a hip word and you know it.

Alas, please enjoy some instagrams from the last two months and consider yourself caught up with the elcworld…  

Lindsay, she’s the best.  

Brady Tavern for NYE with friends.  Next pair of glasses will have glare protection.

My dearest Amy’s and their husbands.  And my husband.  Also, somewhere out there someone from Ardmore is wondering what their worship leader is doing with his middle finger…

OU v. KU basketball game.  It’s really fortunate that our respective schools are awesome at opposite sports.  Boomer Sooner, Rockchalk Jayhawk…or RCJH (people have been tweeting this and I finally figured out what it meant).

Happy weekend friends!

thoughts on Isaiah & Christmas

Two years ago I learned how to study the Bible.  

I mean, I really learned.  I had decided that I would teach myself how to be a student of the Bible rather than a student of devotionals, even though I felt that devotionals and guided studies (thanks Beth) had propelled me into a deeper understanding of Christ, I wanted to trust that the Word was inspiring enough that I didn’t need someone to tell me how to interpret it.

So I bought myself some colored pencils and a handy spiral notebook and sat my desk alone in my apartment with a small book about how to do inductive Bible study.  A year later, I finished the book of Acts.  I’m not sure it’s supposed to take an entire year, but the intensity of my study time waxed and waned while I wandered through that year deciding what I would do with my life.  Turns out, I decided to get married.

My experience with the book of Acts was so profound that it’s almost too difficult to articulate.  Sure, Acts is a history book so the interpretation part came easy, but I was getting it.  I was getting it without anyone telling me what to get.  I actually remember hurrying home so that I could study.  I’m not saying that to sound impressive, I’m saying that because no one is more surprised about my behavior than me.  

When I was finished with Acts, I felt sad the way you are when your favorite TV series comes to an end.  I messed around for a while not studying anything in particular, until I decided to tackle another book that had intrigued me since I finished the Breaking Free study by Beth Moore.  (If you haven’t done this study, do it.  That’s it.  Stop messing around and do it.)  Isaiah.  Yikes.  

Lately I’d have to be honest and say I’ve been in the midst of a waning period in Isaiah, but in the preparation for Christmas I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the significance and power behind what Isaiah was saying to the nation of Israel.  

"Then Isaiah said, ‘Hear now, you house of David!  Is it not enough to try the patience of men?  Will you try the patience of my God also?  Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:13

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.  The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD…" - Isaiah 11: 1-2

"In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious." - Isaiah 11: 10

I find myself wondering what they thought of Isaiah’s words, wondering if I would have gotten it if I’d been alive at that time.  Here is Isaiah spelling out for them that the Savior they’ve been waiting for is not coming on the tails of much pomp and circumstance, but coming as a baby to a virgin woman from the line of David.  Were they listening?

Later in my favorite passage of Isaiah, chapter 61, it talks about the aim of Christ’s mission on earth: restoration and the return of us to Him.  

"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…they will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." (61: 2; 4)  

I love the references to ruined cities and devastation.  I love that Christ promises to restore, rebuild, break-free, proclaim, release.  So many active verbs going on, it’s overwhelming.  I think what I’m trying to share is that so much of Isaiah is about what we celebrate when we sing songs like O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  We’re singing the anticipatory words of the nation of Israel as they waited for their Savior.  Their Savior who came as a baby, but reigns as the Rebuilder and Restorer.  Their Savior who will stop at nothing to bring His people back to Him, to get their attention, and claim the praise that is so deservedly His.

I’m praying that we’ll not just remember the story, but that we’ll live in the midst of it.  It’s happening right now.

O come, O come Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice!  Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Charlie Story: An Introduction

Meet Charlie.

The apple of my eye and the thorn in my side.

I was tricked into buying this dog by my husband.  No, I’m a liar and apparently a sucker.  

He was the most deceptively cute thing I’d ever seen.  Naturally he was the calm one of the liter.  The only one that wanted to cuddle instead of wrestle.  Oh, the irony.  The whole time we were there choosing our puppy, I imagine he was thinking “Man, this lady is eating this up.”  

Charlie has been the funniest addition to our little family.  We’ve come a long way from me slamming doors and crying to D about how he wouldn’t stop biting my curtains.  

This was a big week for Charlie.  He slept in our room on the floor for the first time ever.  He’s still on probation as far as I’m concerned, but I think he knows it.  He also demolished a bottle of lighter fluid and ingested an unknown quantity of it.  Please note, he is still alive and he also loves olive oil.  

It’s a good thing he’s the cutest dog in the world.  

Christmas cards & a photo session

Being married to a creative man is really nice.  It’s especially nice when I can exploit his abilities/resources to create something I really love for little to no effort.  Well, no effort on my part.  I guess it’s also really nice being married to a patient man.  

Exhibit A: Christmas Cards.  I decided I wanted to do Christmas cards this year just because.  I also had a vision for what I wanted to do, but no idea how to get it done without spending too much money on Christmas cards.  Christmas cards for a couple that got married a year and half ago (old news) and doesn’t have any children (no news).

One of our favorite things to do together is daydream about creative things.  Rearranging the living room.  House shopping when we are not in the market.  Drawing plans to build shelves in strange places.  Contemplating paint colors for rooms that don’t exist.  It’s what we do.  

I knew I could rope D into my Christmas card daydreaming so I asked him to bring home a camera from the studio.  This camera is so awesome and so out of our price range.  We got some old lights out of the attic and hung them on the back porch.  The inspiration for all of this came from a party we threw for our dear friend Rachel last October.  

So we set out to recreate the vibe.  Naturally the studio camera has way to many features for the non-professional such as myself, so we had to finagle a way for D to get everything set and then just step in.  How did we accomplish this you might ask?  Wife-Swap.  Otherwise known as having our neighbors and best friends help us out.  Libby played photographer.  Spencer played husband.  Worked like a charm.

Fake Husband:

Real Husband:

Isn’t he bearded and cute?

 

I spent the rest of the evening hovering over D as he worked his magic on the computer through Photoshop, Aperture, and the lovely Miller’s photography lab where he managed to get everything printed the way I wanted for around $30.  AND it was delivered to the house the very next day for free.  Well played, D.  Well played.  

Basically we just had fun being creative and goofy with our dear friends.  I’m so thankful they decided to buy the house right down the street.  

Here is a preview of D’s work.  

3GSstory

I just recently upgraded to the new iphone 4S.  It was a struggle for me because I resent the fact that my phone is always ready for upgrade when Apple decides to only release an update rather than a new product.  I might as well congratulate everyone that has an iphone 4 on the new iphone 5’s they’ll be receiving next year.  Wait, am I a brat?  

Alas, I didn’t really know if I wanted one because I thought my pitiful 3GS might hold out for another year, but apparently that’s not an option when you’re married to my husband.  Sarcasm aside, I’m very grateful that he did all the hard work of ordering, receiving, uploading, charging, etc.  I do laundry.  He manages technology.  It works for us.

I was sifting through some old iphone photos yesterday and thought what a funny commentary it must be on my life over the last year.  The photos we take with our phones say much more about us than we realize, I think.  Our sense of humor.  Our time.  Our interests.  Here are some highlights from mine:

The snow storm of February 2011.  It was a grand day of not having to go to work.  It was also a special time when all the mice from the field behind our house decided to burrow in the back yard.  He may have lost the battle, but D won the war.  Here he is showing off his first kill.  So proud.

 

I really posted this picture because it reminded me of how much I adored this chandelier.  I noticed it many months ago and now I’m wondering how I can meander my way back to the store to see if it’s still there…

My first solo ride in the car with Charlie.  He was so deceptively adorable.  How I managed this photo in traffic I’ll never know.  

God bless John and his disgusting mustache.  We showed up to Bible study on a random Wednesday evening and our beloved John had decided to shave his beard into a mustache just for laughs.  It was a weird day.  

Why did I take a picture of this, you might ask.  Honestly I think I was so excited that the Reese’s Christmas Trees were released in stores, I took a picture just so that I could text Amy Ann.  I don’t have to explain it to her.  

Flowers from D.  They came to my office on July 21st, 2010 exactly one month before we got married.  The card read “one month until the best day of my life.”  So completely true.

A shirt.  Boomer Sooner.

My Dad’s phone after he received a notification that my awesome grandmother was now on Facebook.  We’re so happy she’s embraced technology!

Well, I just had fun.  I don’t know if anyone else will care, but I thoroughly enjoyed reveling in my silly old photos.  Something that I think validates some my husband’s hard work on so many levels.  I would love to see others post something similar.  Amy Ann?

2 Years of Jack

Our nephew Jackson turned 2 years old last month.  

I can barely believe he’s been alive for 2 years.  This precious baby is turning into an ornery little boy who spent the entire day avoiding Auntie Em’s attempts to get a good picture.  You win, Jackson.  I truly have no good pictures of you from your very own kickin’ pizza party.    

My sister decided to order 347 red balloons for the party.  They looked great at my house, but they didn’t look great when I was sitting in her lap in the passenger seat of Mom’s car because there was literally only room for sand or water in the back seat.  It was a risky drive home, that’s all I’m trying to say.  

Nonna and Gaga bought Jackson so many presents you’d think he registered.  This may have also played a part in my brush-with-death ride home.  There wasn’t room in the trunk because it was filled with presents.  

Jackson loved his red car.  He spent most of the party ignoring all the other toys and the giant cardboard fort his Uncle D made for him because he was so enthralled with his new car.  He even tried to copy his mom and stuff all 412 ballons in the tiny red car.  The only difference is I didn’t have to fit in the car once all the ballons where in it.  

My favorite part of the day was the photo booth.  I got the idea from some great party blogs and I loved the result.  So many hysterical pictures of Jackson’s friends and family saying Happy Birthday!  

Happy birthday sweet boy!  We love you so!

Year One

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!

For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation

and draped me in a robe of righteousness.

I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit

or a bride with her jewels.

The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world.

Everyone will praise him!

His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring,

with plants springing up everywhere.

Isaiah 61 talks about a wedding day.  It paints a picture of a groom putting on a crisp suit, pacing about in anticipation of what is about to happen.  The bride is preparing herself, in so many ways, most of all outwardly.  She steps into a bright white gown, adding diamonds, flowers, perfume.  It says that they are overwhelmed with joy.  Not just experiencing joy, but overwhelmed with a new abundance of it.  

One year ago today, we lived this.  I recently recounted the story of standing in the bride’s room alone moments before I was to walk down the aisle.  There were speakers in the room so I could hear the voices of Ben & Noelle singing songs we had deliberately selected to commemorate the day, singing about God, His beauty and provision.  I stood there, eyes swelling with tears, overwhelmed with the joy Isaiah uses to describe a response to redemption, rescue, resurrection.

I knew that my life was about to change.  I knew that I was about to enter into covenant with the one my heart loved.  I knew that he accepted me not because of my flaws, but in spite of them.  I knew I didn’t deserve the joy and I certainly didn’t earn it.  I knew that it was going to mean sacrifice, but most of all I knew I wanted it oh so badly.  

There is a lot of earthly significance to this day, but there are treasure troves of spiritual significance.  When I think about the sacrifice that Christ made so that I could, in the most literal of senses, wear white, I am floored.  Just like I couldn’t be the bride without the groom, I couldn’t be who I am without Jesus.  He is everything to me.  The White in my dress and the Lifter of my head.  

Today I am so thankful to have married a man who gets it, too.  

One year later, I am still overwhelmed with joy.