I learned how to take heart bokeh pics…:)
so I tried stars as well…it’s fun 
I love bokeh so much!!
Forrest preached about the things we say this morning. It was very convicting. As Lacey put it, “It stepped on every toe I have!” (which is a good thing, you know). He started out with talking about how powerful our words are. We hear the saying “talk is cheap,” and “actions speak louder than words,” and in a way, those things are true but only because we’ve cheapened words so much. Basically, it’s okay to say ANYTHING. Well, maybe not for Christians…we’re known to watch our words a little better, but if you hang out with non-Christian people for any amount of time, you’ll start noticing that words really can be cheap. But even as a Christian, thinking about the things I say, is so convicting! I use so many idle words…not to mention speaking ill of people. Venting about things. Responding quickly and without thought in ways that are so far from godly. There’s so much power in what we say…regardless of how cheap it sounds. All of it means something.
Lacey’s bridal shower was magical.
Papa and I made Christopher a bookshelf for Christmas.
Seeing a large portion of his books in it, makes me happy
These are the gifts he gave me. My camera and lenses will forever be safe…the
COMPLETE Calvin and Hobbs comic books (I love it soooo much!!), some of those
delicious oreo cookies and my favorite children’s book as a kid..:)
old record player
our new carpet!
enchiladas for Gerry’s birthday party…they were quite good, if I do say so myself.
Carmie and how she loves her husband
The cake she made him…
my one outdoor pic of the month. (I hide inside now most of the time:P)
coffee with friends
The Bible is a lot stronger against using words badly than I thought it was. 2 verses in Titus really stand out; “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. -Titus 3:10-11 And, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” -Matthew 12:36. I remember how that one used to strike fear into my heart as a kid… There’s so much said against gossip and talebearing..whispering bad things about people…I think God hates it all.
But if there’s so much power for evil in our words, it follows that there is even more power for GOOD! There are lots of verses about encouraging one another…about being builders instead of someone who tears people down. 1 Thessalonians is full of them, I think. 5:14 is a good one: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards them all.” And, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” -Colossians 4:6
I feel pretty convicted and inspired about where I work and the opportunity there. To be a light to my patients, but also to my coworkers. It’s a challenge I know God will give me grace with. It’s so easy to complain; to find fault with the system and the way things are done, to wax sarcastic and even to talk bad about some of the people I work with. I feel like God has spoken so clearly to me today and I want to change…to do better; to always speak encouragement and never to speak badly of anyone.
Meeting John and Bethy to exchange Christmas gifts and hang out for most of a day…it was wonderful!
being goofy together
this couple
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!
