Merry Christmas 2010

Ok. This blog is pretty much dead now. This is only my 2nd post in 5 months…but this time of year always brings about reflection and looking to the future … A lot can change in a short amount of time. Especially when kids are involved.

Since my last post, our car was deemed totaled and we received a check that allowed us to pay off ALL our debt, although we are now a 1-car family.

Second, our second daughter, Holly Grace, was born about a month early, spent two weeks in the NICU, and continues to *bless* us with some of the joys of parenting a preemie. (SARCASM!) Overall, she’s a beautiful and healthy baby … But she sure has some significant eating and sleeping issues! Please pray for her body to mature enough to at least get to “normal” baby wake-up issues!

At the same time, at work, I’ve seen a stadium go from concept drawings to seeing concrete flying in the air … Aiming for a September 2011 opening date! I’m glad to have ANY job in a career with 25% unemployment nationwide … And I am glad to see our office workload starting to increase as 2011 approaches.

Additionally, we’ve helped a local church, Valley Baptist Church experiment with a Sunday evening “lab” to focus on “loving like Jesus” as a lifestyle. Although it looks like the lab is going away in its current format, we saw several lives move from church attendees to thinking seriously about their spiritual impact in people’s lives throughout the week. 2011′s new format will aim at expanding this perspective to the rest of the church.

I have also had the opportunity to preach both at Valley and a couple other locations. I’m looking forward to more opportunities in the new year. This is going to be our second Holiday Season in a row that we do not travel to visit family. Emily’s mom is coming for a visit this week, but the entire family on either side hasn’t gotten together for any length of time in way too long. Unfortunately, we’re still feeling some effects of being unemployed for 9 months of 2009, and making less than we did before. We’re praying that 2011 allows us to buy a house and settle into our community even more. We really love living here in Towson.

Finally, it IS Christmas Eve, so I can’t help but reflect on God the Son taking on flesh as a newborn baby and dwelling among us lowly and corrupt humans for over 30 years … So that he might deliver to us the remedy for our corruption … The payment for our mess … The result being his death on a cruel cross, his burial, and his glorious resurrection that offers to us eternal life with God in heaven.

Last Sunday, I sat through Valley’s Christmas musical, holding Holly the entire time. As a dad holding my newborn child, hearing the songs about the baby Jesus, I got a little perspective check. How did God the Father feel, knowing what that bundle of joy (Jesus) was going to take on himself on behalf of all humanity? As a daddy, I just can’t grasp it. Such amazing love! How can it be?!?

Anyway … Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!