The Graduate.

Christina Burke Jordan - teacher, highly qualified, that is...

My sister has joined the ranks of college graduates.  She has toiled, and strived, and stressed, and celebrated.   We are so proud of her.  She has displayed endurance and excellent coping skills - working two jobs, being a mother, a wife, and going to school full time to fulfill her dream. 

She has done it.  

By the grace of God, she has done it.

During these last few months of school, my sister has also had to cope with being diagnosed with cancer.  She was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, and has had to face her worst fears of the "what ifs".   Then she had a seizure.  Then she went to have an MRI of her brain that her insurance wouldn't pre-authorize in time for her surgery, so it can't be done until after.  Tomorrow is her surgery. 

To our Lord, we ask, what next?

Tomorrow, we will know somewhat of the extent of her cancer.  However, we will have to wait 7-10 long days before we know definitively.  

Chrissy told me yesterday that she is not scared anymore, she is not nervous. She knows she will be healed.  We talked about the power of positive thinking, not that we can think ourselves to be healed, but that our minds are linked to our bodies, and that God tells us not to worry or be anxious. God is in control.  He delivers us FROM the situation, THROUGH the situation, or BY the situation unto Him.  

So, no matter the outcome, we are trusting the Lord.  

I am so proud of Chrissy, and respect and love her to the deepest parts of my being. 

I am so thankful to God for giving me a sister.  And we will walk through this fiery trial together, and then on to the rest of our lives....she a teacher, a mother, a wife...me a PA, a wife, and hopefully one day a mother :)

James 1:2-4 

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." 

The problem is not the weapon...it's the heart.

Evil has been present from the beginning of time - his name is Satan....and sin entered the world through his clever deception of Eve.

Satan is very clever.  He is cleverly distracting us from the real issue here.  What happened in Connecticut is a horrendous tragedy.  I can not even imagine that being my child, killed senselessly at the hands of another.  It reminds me of Abel, killed at the hand of Cain, his own brother.  It reminds me of Jacob's sons plotting to kill their own brother, Joseph.  From the fall of man in the garden of Eden, there has been war, and death, and murder.  Man has always sought his own way, desiring to do what pleases himself, seeking what only belongs to God.  We will never find satisfaction this side of Heaven.

We live in a fallen world, full of sin.  The problem here is not the weapon used to kill a man, or a child.  The problem is the heart of man - full of sin, in need of a Savior.

If someone wants to hurt someone else - they can and will use what ever they desire.  Take one type of gun out of his hand, he'll grab another.  Take that one, he'll grab something else.  However, if the heart of a man is turned toward the Lord, he will be changed forever.  Satan would have us focus on the weapon, not the heart.

The more our country pushes God out of everything, the more tragedy our country will see.  Satan has cleverly distracted the hearts of men since Adam and Eve.  He is the prince of darkness. He plots to kill, destroy, and devour.  However, there is the Prince of Light who has overcome this world, and He brings hope, and peace.

Let's not forget what the real issue is at hand. Pray for the hearts of men to be turned toward Jesus.

John 8:12

"Jesus spoke to them saying, "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."'

Luke 17:33 

"Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it."

Our first Christmas Tree.

(So, let me just start by saying that all of the below pictures are out of place...you see the final product before you see the making.  I still haven't figured out how to master this blog.  Any suggestions are coveted :)

The Christmas season is upon us!  

Matt and I decided that we would put up our first tree after Thanksgiving.  We certainly wanted to give Thanksgiving its due, and celebrate it without looking ahead. We avoided Christmas music like the plague, and we bought no presents...until Black Friday that is!

But it is here.  Now all I want to do is listen to Christmas music, prepare my heart for the celebration of my Lord's birth, and spend time with family.

Oh yeah - 

Pumpkin spice latte...yes, please.

Cinnamon scented pine cones adorning my mantle with garland...double yes, please.

And so we spent the day today buying ornaments and decor for our first tree and Christmas as a married couple.  I can't believe how fast time flies, and that by the end of December, we will have already been married 5 months.  WOW! Oh it has been such a blessing. Thank you, Lord!

Matt was a wonderful helper.  He actually wanted to put lights up on the outside of the house as well...but, eh.  I've never been one to really enjoy decorating for Christmas - I LOVE the decorations, but I'm lazy.  I usually let others put up and take down decor (don't judge me)...so this year, putting up our very own tree AND decorating it was enough :)

And it is lovely.

I also put garland on our mantle with those cinnamon spiced pine cones that smell delicious every time you walk by, hung stockings for us on the mantle, and have a sweet Christmas black bear and nutcracker on the fireplace ledge.  

I think I've done well. :)

Merry early Christmas!

 (this new baby confused Dot...not only does it look human, it sings plays music and moves...she didn't know what to do..ha!)

Our first Christmas tree!!  

Matt is 32!

“There was a star danced, and under that was I born.”
- William Shakespeare

Matt had his 32nd birthday on November 20th - just a few days before Thanksgiving.  

We were thrilled to have his parents come in to town to help us celebrate. 

We went to dinner at Bottega (one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Birmingham); we hiked at Oak Mountain State Park; we vegged at the house eating cheese and crackers, and watching football; we saw Lincoln (the movie, that is).  

It was a wonderful weekend of family fun and I'm so glad to get to know Mom and Dad Moton a little better.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Matthew!

I couldn't ask for better in-laws.  These are just precious people - always a joy :)

Sometimes, Change Is Good..

Welcome to my new blog.  

I am glad you made the trip over to my new home, and I hope that you are somewhat entertained by my story. 

Enjoy!