"yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist."
1 Cor 8:6

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas.
I still remember being a little girl and all the excitement that came with Christmas. Eagerly counting down the days until Christmas Eve. Packing the car with presents and food as we went to Uncle Joe's that night. The whole family would eat spaghetti (except for me, just salad and bread. Spaghetti? Gross.) and we'd eat lots of sweets and drink that stuff that is basically melted Red Hots. I remember the big tree with all the presents, making s'mores in the fireplace, going outside to throw carrots on the roof for Rudolph (not knowing that they usually just fell off on the other side). We would dig under the tree for the presents with OUR names and stack them in a big pile in front of us, waiting for Uncle Joe to say "okay, you can open your presents.....now! Driving around and looking at Christmas lights.

Man, those were the days.

It's not quite the same anymore. No more big tree, no more pile of presents for me (that has moved on to the little ones...darn), no more throwing carrots on the roof or smores or looking at lights or Red Hot drinks. Ever since those days ended I always find myself a little sad around Christmas Eve, I guess just remembering how it used to be when I was a kid. It's a good thing that those things I miss are not what Christmas is all about. But if you wanna know what Christmas is all about, ask me, Linus from Peanuts, Steve Swofford from FBC Rockwall, or check out Luke 2 or John 3:16. That is what it's all about- praise Father that sovereign grace and mercy never fade like presents or falling carrots.

Moving.
One week from this Saturday, John and I (and some lovely friends and family :) ) begin moving our stuff into our new home! Well, apartment, but our home! We went Sunday and signed the million page long lease, got some measurements for curtains and such, and just got more excited. I have begun the dreaded packing process. So far I have figured out (in my room at least) what is staying here and what is going, but haven't started packing a thing yet. That's okay. The Lord has been so faithful to provide for things (furniture, bedding, kitchen gadgets, 1 towel, haha) for us to start our life together. I am so grateful to Him and to the great friends and family through whom He used to provide. This is very, very exciting, and I just have to stop and thank the Lord over and over again for His provision. Oh, and I cannot forget to praise Him for the greatness that is Craigslist. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Jesus.

Wedding.
If we are moving in a week from Saturday, that means we are getting married 2 weeks from Saturday. 2 1/2 weeks! Holy moly. That is craziness. I am starting to do last minute wedding stuff with the sister and matron of honor- gluing ribbons onto things, counting stuff, planning, drawing pictures, last minute shopping. Man- this is really going down! So crazy. I haven't really gotten a chance to sit down and think about the actual ceremony itself since we've been in the planning/buying stage, but I guess sometime over the next week we will have to plan the ceremony/reception and get to really realize that we are getting married. So wild. Thank you Father. We go to get our marriage license tomorrow :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Moving time, Wedding time, time for changes basically. Thank you Father for remaining constant.

I talked to a mother who said she didn't want her daughter to go overseas to a country with a high Muslim population.

I said okay, I understand your concern.

What I really wanted to say is "Ma'am, do you know what the fastest growing Religion in the United States is?"

Islam.

Maybe you shouldn't let your daughter walk out the front door.

Top Line for Bottom Line.

Last Thursday myself, Kent, and AC were at Ouachita University for Refuge. We went to do some recruiting for iGO, and AC was the speaker at this weekly bible study that they do. After Aaron spoke, we were singing in worship to the Lord, and the band started playing Crowder's newest most popular song, "How He Loves." (Originally written and recorded by John Mark McMillan, you should check his out, too) At some point during this song, this kind of realization hit me that I have never really thought about before. I am surely not the first person to think about this, it's probably actually kind of embarrassing that I've never realized this before.

Since my introduction to the world of iGO in the summer of 2005, our core value of "Bottom Line" has totally changed my perspective of God, the Word, my life and calling....everything. It has given me a new lens through which to see the world and my Father. Bottom Line is the Scriptural truth that although God is concerned about blessing and caring for His children, He is ultimately concerned about His glory- about his Name being declared to every people, tribe, and tongue.

For some reason while singing "How He Loves," I realized that even Top Line is Bottom Line.....that God loves us, provides for us, saves us, because He is concerned for His name and glory. His desire is for worshippers around the world to love and serve Him...to share His glory. He pursues and loves and blesses us and HIS name is glorified because of that- bringing more people into the Kingdom. In 1 Chronicles 16:35, Asaph and his brothers are singing and they say "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise." We see this all throughout the Pentateuch as well, God has made up his mind that He will destroy the Israelites...that He will wipe them out and start over with Moses. So many times Moses basically tells God "Please don't do this, for your namesake save us, and other nations will glorify you because of this salvation." God saves us and loves us because His name receives glory because of it, and more people proclaim His name because of this grace and His good gifts.

This doesn't in anyway take away from the fact that He genuinely loves us, and wants to be in relationship with us. I can't wrap my brain around it, but somehow, I believe, God loves us and saves us for His glory alone, but that doesn't lessen the authenticity of His love for us. I guess I have always compartmentalized these two things- I thought that Top Line and Bottom Line were two separate things. It's so silly that I am just now thinking this way, but it's so clear. If God is really concerned about His glory, bottom line (which I believe He is), then it would just make sense that even the top line stuff (Him blessing us, pursuing us, saving us, bestowing His grace upon us) is about His glory and His name as well.

"Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!" Psalm 79:9

My name is Sleepy.

It is cold, I am sleepy, and I am at work. Right about now I would appreciate a fuzzy blanky and a big comfy bed.

I plan on taking a nap when I leave here.

The art of napping is something that has almost completely left my life since the entrance of John Rogers. My prime nap day is Sunday, and since I now spend Sundays with John, naps occur less and less often. It is totally worth it, the whole spending time with John thing, but I miss naps.

Today, I will remember the art of napping, and I am looking very forward to this.