Spent time with the family today. First, the Bundricks, then the church family, then my dad's family in Anderson, THEN back to Clemson with my immediate family. I tell you, family is a gift and not something to overlook.
I am thankful most of all for a Father who has accepted me into HIS family. Thankful for Jesus and His birth- and then death and resurrection which has given me the ability to truly be a part of HIS family. I'm an adopted child, an heir of the King.
The boys were so excited about their watches from Grandma Kline
Kathryn's first Christmas and she is EATING it up!
Two happy little boys!
I made calendars for everybody with family pictures throughout the year,
and Sarah was pretty excited that she made it on the front cover.
She has named herself "Miss Campbell Clan 2011"- but she doesn't realize that
in order for that to be a valid title it must be GIVEN to her. Oh sarah!
This makes me laugh because Daniel did NOT want to take this picture. When
children don't want to take pictures, just leave them alone. :) Their forced
smiles are so pitiful.... so funny!
Benton wanted to show Sarah is watch from Grandma Kline.
Kathryn opened her very own Cabbage Patch doll from Auntie Sarah.
Best gift!! We all had one growing up that my Grammie actually sewed for us
(so they weren't technically cabbage patch kid dolls), so this was a fun, nostalgic gift.
Kathryn LOVED her chair from Carrie and Dan, and her
doll from Sarah. She was one happy little baby girl!
Every year tradition takes us on an adventure... reindeer food. Since the Bundrick children were just little babies (which now they are all grown up! Crazy how time flies!), we have thrown reindeer food out at their house and ours so that the reindeer could re-fuel on their long journey.
Had to throw in a picture of dad's Christmas socks- he wore them to the Christmas Eve
service at church tonight. He is just one classy man. :)
I just love the house with the lights on at Christmas time.
Mom and Grandpa did such a great job designing this house, and I fortunately
still get to enjoy living here. :) We will see how long this lasts before
they kick me out. . ..
3-2-1... THROW! (and COVER your eyes!!)
Kathryn enjoyed eating the reindeer food- complete with uncooked oats, carrots and glitter.
(glitter so it will be easier for the reindeer to spot on their way around...)
The tradition lives on. Thankful for family- for the Bundricks (who are family, really), and for this incredible day worshiping Jesus.
Last year one of my friends stayed with us over Christmas break because she wasn't able to go home for Christmas. She wanted us to try out her family tradition of drawing on paper bags and then seeing what kind of goodies Santa would fill them with. So, this year we carried on the tradition and have all decided it's a tradition to keep.
All of our lovely pieces of artwork lined up for Santa...
and boy did he fill them, alright!
This was my bag. On it was a picture of Sarah and me climbing Mt. Everest. :)
(We have been watching documentaries on Everest all break.... we are geeks! :))
Kathryn even had a bag! She enjoyed opening all of the goodies!!
Thanks to Steph Richardson for teaching us her family secret. :)
Today Sarah and I spent a good chunk of the day galavanting around our favorite 10 mile stretch in all of the world (outside of Clemson). We headed back up the mountain with our dear friend, Abbie Fant. We stopped at Bull Sluice (tradition) just to see if there were kayakers braving the rapid, and then we headed to Brasstown Falls. I have only been to Brasstown one other time (the winter we hiked 54 waterfalls... the crazy, condensed, worship-filled hiking Christmas break:)), so it was fun to go back and bring Sarah to a new falls.
A few things I'm thankful for from today...
1. Sarah and Abbie- lifelong friends and sisters.
2. Waterfalls (and nature in general) and how they encourage my heart and point me to the faithfulness and beauty of their Creator.
3. My nifty new waterproof Bible that experienced its inaugural reading today... we even dunked it in the water to see how it worked! So cool. :)
4. We did not slip and die.
O yea, I'm cool! Just hanging out, flexing my muscles by Bull Sluice... :)
I can't tell you how many times we've come to this little rapid in hopes to find
kayakers. No such luck today- but the water was so high and it was beautiful!
Yea, Abbie!
Here's a shot from the base of Brasstown Falls. It's a set of three falls, and you can't see all
three in this picture, but you get the idea. Beautiful. This is a great place to meet with God!
Abby SOMEHOW got poop on her leg... not sure exactly how this was possible!
The middle falls... thanking the Lord for GRACE upon GRACE that keeps flowing and flowing
and flowing and flowing. . ..
Thankful for a fun/crazy/adventurous day complete with mud, music, and cartwheels on Bowman field... prayer, laughter, worship, more laughter, Chick-fil-A AND Starbucks! :)
Thankful for the reality of Christ. In high school Mr. Dean would daily encourage us to see His reality-- and it's amazing how when you stop and look for God's hand in the day to day it's impossible to miss.
Been so encouraged as I've been studying Hosea. I was encouraged by a sister to spend extra time in a book over the break and she chose Hosea. Been so blessed- and encouraged, and rebuked.
There are several things I've been learning.
1. I am not a theologian and I'm really thankful that I can ask my brothers-in-law a million off-the-wall questions regarding this allegorical opening to the book.
2. God loves me so much. Just as Israel was wayward and God wooed them (chapter 2- it's beautiful- please read it!), Christ is constantly wooing my heart and drawing me to Himself. Even days when I don't want to pursue God I know He is pursuing me.
Over the last few weeks I've been working through portions of Ps 119 and one portion I've come to love is verses 25-32. "My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statues! Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. I cling to your testimonies, O LORD; let me not be put to shame! I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart." (ps. I am terrible at memorizing Scripture, but I am telling you, it has really been strengthening my relationship with God. So needed- I need more.)
Tonight I was reading in the Valley of Vision and I came across a prayer that goes so clearly along with both the first few chapters in Hosea, and also the passage in Psalm 119. (It's so neat how the Lord starts working and pulling so many different passages/prayers/songs together to work in your life in a particular area. Talk about the reality of Christ. (And being thankful for reality is how I got started with this whole tangled thought process.))
The Awakened Sinner (Valley of Vision)
O my forgetful soul Awake from thy wandering dream; turn from chasing vanities, look inward, forward, upward, view thyself, reflect upon thyself, who and what thou art, why here, what thou must soon be. (Hosea: Israel was at this exact spot- chasing vanity, wandering from God. Psalm 119: My soul clings to the dust- my soul clings to vanity!) Thou art a creature of God, formed and furnished by him, lodged in a body like a shepherd in his tent; Dost thou not desire to know God's ways? (Psalm 119:29- put false ways from me and graciously teach me your law!) O God, Thou injured, neglected, provoked Benefactor when I think upon thy greatness and thy goodness (Ps 119:27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works) I am ashamed at my insensibility, I blush to lift up my face for I have foolishly erred. (Hello! ISRAEL!! Foolishly erred! And also, Ps 119: the whole idea is that my soul clings to dust but I need life in Christ, in God's Word) Shall I go on neglecting thee, when every one of thy rational creatures should love thee, and take every care to please thee? I confess that thou hast not bee in all my thoughts, that the knowledge of thyself as the end of my being has been strangely overlooked, that i have never seriously considered my heart-need. But although my mind is perplexed and divided, my nature perverse, yet my secret dispositions still desire thee. Let me not delay to come to thee; Break the fatal enchantment that binds my evil affections, and bring me to a happy mind that rests in thee, for thou hast made me and canst not forget me. (Hosea 2- Christ is wooing us DESPITE the fact that we are perplexed, divided, and our nature is perverse.) Let thy Spirit teach me the vital lessons of Christ, for I am slow to learn; And hear thou my broken cries. (Ps 119:29- Put false ways far from me and GRACIOUSLY teach me your law.)
Amen.
So, to end this very random string of thoughts, a song that came to me as I was studying through this is The Prodigal. I've attached for your encouragement... be blessed. (And I'm sorry that this is animated...)
Thankful for the reality of Christ displayed through the Word and the Spirits working of the Word in our hearts. Thankful for the book of Hosea and the picture of Christ wooing Israel though they had turned from Him. He is doing that constantly in my life. Thankful that though my soul clings to the dust (Ps 119), Christ can give me life according to the Word! Thankful that though I so often ignore God, run from His working in my life, seek satisfaction in people, objects, activities other than Him, he is waiting to accept me back like the Prodigal. Thankful.
Tonight Sarah and I spent three hours on the couch with Daniel, Benton, Kathryn and Dallas watching Thomas and other great Christmas cartoons.
It was a great night. Had other plans, but these trumped them. :) It's a tough life being an Auntie. Best job ever! Can't begin to express how blessed I feel to know these little kiddo's.
Thanks to Stephanie Jones I felt safe tonight as I ran at dusk. For my birthday she supplied me with a flashlight/tazer (muahahaha), and for Christmas she gave me a running belt and Brooks reflecting hat.
Let me tell you, I look like an airport running down the road. You can't miss me!
AND, I feel safer. :)
Thankful for running (so thankful), thankful for night gear, and thankful for Steph!!
Daniel was at the door ready to welcome Benton home!!! Benton and Daniel will both tell you they are BEST FRIENDS! (at least for the first two or three days they are reunited. After a while they start to act like brothers.... :))
Thankful to have Matt, Rach, Benton and Kathryn safely home for the holidays and for little Ellie's entrance into the world (which is coming up so soon!).
Tonight Sarah and I hosted a little Christmas party at the house and we had just the best time! We had lots of friends over and we decorated the garage and had a swing dance. For those of you who aren't exactly sure what that is, look it up. You must learn! It is the most fun, creative dance in all of the world (aside from the chicken dance). The only thing that would have made the night more fun is if we had the party in an old airplane hangar about 50 years ago and Frank Sinatra was there to sing in PERSON...
My power group girls (most of them) came early to help set up.... they are so sweet!
Getting the food alllll ready!
Sarah is so creative- thanks to Pinterest!
"Party this way!"
Love seeing these smiles!
My best friend right there! She's my side kick... literally! :)
What a fun night with so many great friends and some new friends "swingin' around the Christmas tree!" Thankful for tonight! And thankful for everybody who helped decorate, take down the decorations, bake yummy food, etc. . .. :)
