Ornery...

I got to see her today :)

light, lights, lights!

a good friend from the area took me and Amy to see the boardwalk Christmas lights in Virginia Beach.  It was so fun!  They even give you a Christmas CD to listen to as you drive through the lights on the boardwalk.  It was especially fun to see the crazy waves in the ocean... remnants from the Nor Easter we had that week.

tis the season!

Snow in Colonial Williamsburg!

What a lovely, lovely evening in Colonial Williamsburg!  When we got there it was verrrry chilly. We ate at the Cheese Shop and before we knew it, the flakes began to dance outside! Soooo magical!

very snowy

the marching drummers and piccolos, look at the snow!

in the candy shop

caramel apples :) mmm..

in good taste.

an irish blessing in the book store

a fun night.

Thank you Jesus for the snow!

*Celebrating Semester One*

Thanks to Brooke who took the time to make this! What a great way to celebrate all the God has done these past 16 weeks!

Glory in the Highest

Tonight our staff team celebrated Christmas with Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio, and Christy Nockels in Virginia Beach.  What a fun night! I laughed, cried, and worshiped.  Louie Giglio brought the word... never had I heard a better rendition of Luke 2, the Christmas Story.  He invited us into the first Christmas night in Bethlehem and taught how God came down into the nitty gritty of this broken world.  I loved how he illustrated the night of Jesus' birth and how the circumstances surrounding His birth were so far from perfect in the eyes of the world.  Mary and Joseph were probably looked down upon for supposedly conceiving this child out of wedlock, it was tax day, and this child would be born in unsanitary conditions in a cave on the side of a mountain.  Imagine that you were Mary at this time.  Consider for a minute what was running though her mind.  Consider the exhaustion after traveling to Bethlehem.  Consider the uncertainty and confusion and dealing with the stares of judgement from outsiders.  Consider Joseph and his role in it all. Phew!

John 1:14 tells us that "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." 

or in the Message Version "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood."

God decided to come down to earth.  He became flesh, human form, in the form of an infant.  I love how the message version says that He became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.  He came TO us. Humbled himself and moved into our neighborhood! In the midst of the brokenness, sinfulness, and self-gratifying ways of the world, HE MADE HIS DWELLING AMONG US.  I don't know what is a more beautiful love than that.

Amy, Matt, Brian, Brooke and me

me and the girls with Christy Nockels

always love a party.

Last night we had our Cru Christmas party for the ODU students here at mine and Amy's place.  It was really fun to decorate and entertain at our apartment.

The Blessing Tree

Everyone that came in was able to write a blessing and add it to our Christmas Tree.

It was a fun way to keep our hearts focused on Jesus during this busy Christmas season.

"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another." -John 1:16

Me and Laurin

Staff Team Love

The men.

o christmas tree...

I am loving our 7 foot christmas tree in our apartment! Gives the room a nice glow and it is quite festive!  ODU Cru christmas party at our apartment this Thursday!

Ornaments from my mom. M for Matt, A for Amy, and K for Kristin ;)