greasy hair

I've got bags to unpack, greasy hair that needs to be washed (tomorrow, before work, I SWEAR), and dinner dishes that need doing. After a long weekend in the winter wonderland of Glenwood, Washington these are the LAST things I want to do. I want to sit on my couch and stare at the lights on my Christmas tree as I remember snuggling with my sisters and laughing with family over silly things that only families laugh at. I want to sip a cup of hot cocoa, curl up under a blanket, stay up too late and have it be okay because I'm still on vacation.

Real life starts tomorrow. But this long weekend of Christmas, of slowing down and remembering what this life is all about, has me thinking about how to do life a little differently. I'm thinking about finding making time for things that make my heart glow and my feet seem to hover a few inches off the ground.

First step: dishes in the sink.

Second step: make hot cocoa.

Third step: pjs and knitting.

emmanuel, God with us

What I'd love to do is find some time to create some beautiful picture and overlay the text of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" over the top of it. But I don't have that kind of time. So instead, here's my heart today.

It is Christmas Eve, and this past week I have been overwhelmed by how loudly the stores I pass have proclaimed THEIR Christmas story.

But their Christmas story is not THE Christmas story. The Christmas story is about an unwed teenage mother and the man who would become her husband, shoved into a cave because everywhere else was full, giving birth to her Son. It is about the God of the universe coming down, somehow cramming all of Himself into the tiny body of a newborn so He could save us, so He could reconcile us to Him, so we could be with Him. It is about the now and not yet reality of Emmanuel, God with us. He is HERE. NOW. And He is coming again.

Rejoice!

REJOICE!

Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel.

fabulous friday video goodness—a little pop a little not

Okay. I sort of love this song. ALOT. If it's on when I'm in the car [on those rare occasions I'm actually driving] you will find me singing it. LOUDLY.



And this? This is my city.

fabulous friday video goodness—firework

Katy Perry.

Firework.

This song, if you can believe it, reminds me that God's got all this mess that feels like my life right now figured out.

On my own I am broken and wretched and sinful.

With Him I have purpose, I shine, I am who He created me to be, unhindered by the weight of the world, free to live and love unburdened.

With Him I shine.

All from a pop song by a former PK with a catchy hook.

thankful on a thursday—i'm back?

It's been a while. And there are reasons. And I've got an unpublished post or two that discusses those reasons. But instead of waiting until they're ready (translation: until I feel comfortable posting them on the interwebz) I'm just going to tell you that this Thursday I am very thankful. I'm also going to tell you that I have missed these weekly pauses where I reflect and am thankful.

1. Lizzy and Ashby are here and spending the night with me tonight.
2. The joy and beauty that seems to explode whenever Ashby smiles, laughs, babbles, basically whenever she does anything.
3. The rain that's pouring down outside and the way it reminds me of the way He washes me clean.
4. There is beauty in the broken mess of life.
5. The broken messiness of life is even more beautiful and wonderful when we invite others into our own broken mess.
   **Excuse me while I go repeat that to myself while looking in a mirror.**
6. I am His beloved and He is mine.
7. Twitter's direct message feature and the conversations that take place behind the scenes.
8. Going to my first, but not last, NFL game and seeing the Seahawks WIN!
9. Tattoo Friday.
10. When He looks at me, I am holy and blameless before Him because of the incomprehensible sacrifice of my Savior. I do not understand it, but I cannot deny that I have done NOTHING to deserve this gift, and I cannot deny my gratitude at the enormity of this gift.