Merry Christmas! (a few days early)

From our home to your home....Merry Christmas and a Blessed 2009!



Jesus, Born on this Day

Today a child is born on earth
Today the glory of God shines everywhere
For all of the world
Oh Jesus born on this day
He is our light and salvation
Oh Jesus born on this day
He is the King of all nations

Behold the lamb of God has come
Behold the Savior is born
Sing of His love to everyone
Oh Jesus born on this day
Heavenly child in a manger
Oh Jesus born on this day
He is our Lord and our Savior

Today our hearts rejoice in Him
Today the light of His birth
Fills us with hope and brings peace on earth
Oh Jesus born on this day
He is our light and salvation
Oh Jesus born on this day
He is the King of all nations

Today a child is born on earth
He is light, He is love, He is grace



May we remember and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas...the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior! Praise God for salvation, redemption and restoration in the form of a little baby boy! May we never forget!

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Just stuff

I got puked on by Owen in the grocery store yesterday. I wasn't exactly sure what to do. I ended up just putting my hands out and letting him throw up in my hands and then throwing the puke on the floor and rushing him to the bathroom. What is one supposed to do exactly, when they are thrown up on in the grocery store? Luckily, it wasn't a whole lot and we were near the restrooms so I came back and cleaned it up myself after changing Owen's entire outfit and washing my sweater out in the sink. (I smelled really wonderful, I'm sure) This is twice I've been puked on in the past month or so. The last time was while we were out to dinner at Mongolian Barbeque. I now feel like I am a true mom. I mean, baby spit up doesn't really count, right? This was real life vomit. I've been baptized into the real moms club!
Owen is doing better. I think he may have just caught a 24 hour flu bug. He slept last night from 5 PM- 9:30 PM, got up, went straight to the refrigerator, pointed to his yogurt and promptly ate the entire container. He went back to bed at 11:30 (after watching the Colts game with us) and slept until 8:30. This morning he seemed his normal self. I'm really hoping its over. A puking toddler really is so so sad.
I'm at the office answering phones and finishing up work until 4:30 today. Josh is picking me up and we are having an overnight Christmas date downtown! FUN FUN! (as long as we don't get a phone call from the grandparents that Owen is puking again) We are staying at a nice hotel, eating at PF Changs and seeing a movie! Neither of the movies that I really want to see are out yet (Marley and Me; Valkyrie) but I think we are seeing the Will Smith movie. Generally, I like Will Smith. I'm sure it will be enjoyable.
Tomorrow, our Christmas adventures begin. I'm hosting a Grandma Dixie Christmas and then then we have a break until Christmas eve...and the parade of homes begins. Mom and Dad (Barnard), (home on Christmas Day), Mom and Dad (Brown), Nanos Christmas, Meece Christmas...and somehow we still have to figure out a Barnard-Coffey Christmas. Yikes. Wouldn't it be fun if you could convince all of your family to meet together in one huge celebration? This is the fantasy world that I live in. It won't ever happen, but it sounds lovely. Cousins running around, yummy smells coming from the kitchen, games being played, happiness and love exuding from each and every peron. Aaaah. I watch too many movies! At any rate, I love Christmas and am excited about the times we spend with our family. Hoping that our kid(s) grow up appreciating both sides of each family for their differences but knowing that they are loved equally as much! :-)
We are anxiously awaiting the birth of our first niece (Owen--his first cousin)! Caleb and Heather are due to have their baby any day now (well, Heather more so than Caleb). I know I will stand in a long line to get to hold this baby, but I can't wait! (can we say baby fever? Because I have a BAD case of it!) I'm so excited to be Aunt Kim. Can't believe I had to wait until I was 27 to be an aunt...but I guess being the oldest ones in the family, thats the way it goes!
Its windy and rainy here today. Fifty degrees and it looks like a fall day instead of a winter one. Indiana is so weird. No wonder we are perpetually sick!
I'll be back to post more later about our baby niece and add some Christmas pictures...hope you are all well and getting ready to spend some time with friends and family. Its the best time of the year! :-)

"And Lord Haste the Day when my Faith Shall be Sight"!

Inspired by the Selah concert at College Park last night and their powerful performance of this song...I decided to write it out and post it on our blog. This has been my favorite hymn...even as a child. Probably because I've always had a problem with being conent. When I was a child, I wanted to be a teenager, when I was a teenager, I wanted to be a college student, when I was a college student I wanted to be married...you get the idea! Today the lyrics and message mean so much to me for a variety of reasons...but wow, the story of this hymn is pretty amazing. The author, Horatio Spafford wrote this hymn while sailing to be with his wife after his four daughters had drowned at sea. As they passed over the area where his daughters drowned he came up with the words to this song.

I don't think anyone can know how to deal with grief until they have been confronted with it; I also think that while Mr. Spafford had a wonderful reaction to grief in the form of this song, he and his wife most certainly had some very low moments. In my own life I can find myself dwelling on the hurts and losses that I and my loved ones have suffered, BUT I love that at the end of the day I know that my victory lives in Christ and in the way that he has saved me from this world of sin. Knowing that life is hard, painful and messy at its best, I want so badly to get to the end of my life enjoying what the Lord has brought me through...and saying that whatever losses I feel that I may have sustained..IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL! :-)

(There ya go...I never post stuff like this anymore, so this should hold me over for awhile!) :-)

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.