It's December already?

Woah.  It's our 6 month anniversary today (which I wouldn't know save for the ticker on the bottom of this blog).  How did THAT happen?  Quickest six months of my life!  

We have a friend back in Flagstaff, named Christy, who doesn't keep track of the YEARS she has been married, but knows the exact number of months.  She celebrated her 300 month anniversary a few years back, so they must be nearing 325 now. 

My parents have been married 436 months.

Rusty's parents have been married 411 months. (picture of them to left)

I have a 90 year old patient who celebrated his 864 month anniversary.

That basically puts a lot of perspective and humility toward my SIX, doesn't it?!! 

Well, I love being Rusty's wife, and this is the most challenging and exciting thing I have ever done.  So, here's to many MANY more months together!

Advent Quote #6

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us

Titus 2:11; 3:4

The Word became flesh

God became man

Light entered darkness

All-sufficient became dependent

The Ever Present Help became the ever needy baby

King of kings humbled himself among his subjects

Creator came to the created

Infinite joined the finite

Wonderful came to not so wonderful

Counselor came to those in need of his counsel

Mighty God came to the extremely weak

Everlasting entered time

Father sent the Son to show the world God

Prince of Peace entered chaos

The God of humanity has come to rescue, to bring life-saving measures that we desperately need. He comes for the sorrowful, the resentful, the depressed, and the oppressed. He’s the God of the second chance, the third chance and the thirtieth.

Jesus, God with us, is the God of all comfort, healing, purpose, meaning and life. He’s not an option, He’s not an offer to be considered, He’s the Creator, the King, the ever present One, the all-sufficient One, the One who needs no introduction and deserves nothing less than an eternal ovation, He will be worshiped and praised. One day, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is God, that the Baby of Bethlehem, is in fact the Savior of the World, God with us, God come to be in us.

                        -Pastor Mark Smith-

Advent Quote #5

Charlie Brown: “Isn’t there ANYONE who knows what Christmas is all about?!?!

Linus: “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’ ” (Luke 2:8-14)

“You see, Charlie Brown—that’s what Christmas is all about.”

Sabino Canyon

These are pictures from Thanksgiving weekend.  A little overdue, but that's my life.  We took Rusty's parents on a hike in Sabino Canyon: an unexpectedly WINDY hike, but we all made it and had a good time I think:).  Rusty and I head out to Visalia, CA to spend Christmas with his FULL family next week, and then the 28(ish) of us all head to Disneyland for my birthday and New Years! 

Advent Quote #4

"The real reason for celebrating Christmas is that it happened once. And that one time changed the world."

                                                -William Freburger-

Advent Quote #3

"The supreme trick of Old Scratch is to have us so busy decorating, preparing food, practicing music and cleaning in preparation for the feast of Christmas that we actually miss the coming of Christ. Hurt feelings, anger, impatience, injured egos—the list of clouds that busyness creates to blind us to the birth can be long, but it is familiar to us all."

                                       -Edward Hays (A Pilgrim's Voyage)

Advent Quote # 2

“The authentically hopeful Christmas spirit has not looked away from the darkness, but straight into it. The true and victorious Christmas spirit does not look away from death, but directly at it. Otherwise, the message is cheap and false. Instead of pointing to someone else's sin, we confess our own. ‘In our sins we have been a long time’ [Isaiah 64]. Advent begins in the dark.”

– Fleming Rutledge

Advent Quote #1

"The incarnation of Christ shows man the greatness of his wretchedness through the greatness of the remedy required."

                         Blaise Pascal