1st Christmas Together

our niece Kyla

My Favorite Christmas Song

Wanted to share my favorite Christmas song. I heard it a lot last year on the radio, but our station doesn't seem to play it up here (or maybe I just drive less).
"How Many Kings" by Downhere



How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn Savior
All that we have, whether costly or meek
Because we believe.
Gold for his honor, and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he will suffer
Do you believe?
Is this who we've waited for?

All for me.
All for you.

I could play around all night on this YouTube station
http://www.youtube.com/user/SPIRIT1053
Check it out if you need some new music

White Out

snow plow mountain

The snow in front of our apartments was as high as our waists from the wind

Our deck- 2 ft deep in snow

It's Blizzarding!

I've been looking forward to my first big snow living in Iowa and it has finally arrived! It began Sunday evening and picked up today accumulating around 4 inches. The weatherman is calling for 7 inches of new accumulation tonight!

Snow doesn't slow Iowans down like it does in Texas and even compared to Maryland. Life carries on, cars plow down the roads, people go to work as if nothing is the matter. Most schools went for a half day today even though the ground was covered in the a.m. with snow still falling. Jeremy wisely decided to stay in our warm apartment and spend the day studying in his office. Knowing it would be nearly impossible to talk him into building a snowman or sledding with me the day before a test, I was siked to have a day of babysitting on the calendar. I knew they would be up for the task!

Our day was spent sledding, making snow angels (mine was a lot bigger than I remember it), building Frosty, and plowing around in the enormous fluff. Exhaustion was a familiar feeling that set in once we were chilled to the bone and ready for a warm break inside... and hunger! Speaking of exhaustion and hunger, there's nothing I want more right now than a hot meal, warm shower, and my bed.

Early goodnight from the land of snow and corn,

Leanne

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I love the feeling of Christmas! This year feels especially peaceful, warm, and joyous because of the husband I get to share it with. It's an interesting experiment to combine our two separate sets of Christmas decorations and see which survive.

To start, Jeremy's parents handed down to us the perfect size tree for our little apartment. Just one glitch, the tree stand was lost somewhere between Jeremy's last apartment, his parents basement, and our garage. Not to worry, I have a "real tree" stand handed down to me three years ago from my parents. A stack of magazines, half a roll of duck tape, and 1 frustrated Jeremy later we have a slightly unstable tree that is going to have to hold up to the new year! Moving on.

Themed or memory tree? Jeremy is from a strictly themed, white light, gorgeous tree family, while I am from a colored light, memory ornament, not so matching tree family. Both beautiful in their own way. The ironic thing was that while we both wanted to stick to our family way of theme vs. memory, we each preferred the opposite type of lights that our families had. Jeremy bought a whole set of colored lights last year, but luckily I had some white on hand from Texas decorations. I do believe that we succeeded in this area with minimal tears shed to create "our tree", what the child of our two family trees would most likely look like. Ornaments with special value collected over the years that mostly have red in them, tied together with red balls, matching ribbons, and white lights. It somehow pulled itself together.

On the other hand, our front door looks as if it is having an identity crisis: the TCU wreath we made this year is above our Hawkeye doormat and to the right of it a very country looking snowman! I have to admit, part of me does wish that everything from the front door forward was tied together in one look, but I easily let that idea go. Some day our house will blend perfectly, but for now I am happy to leave it be. It's us right now: 2 becoming 1. Our first Christmas.

The Harvest

I have never been one to dream of life on a farm, but now I understand. Land far as the eye can see, new life all around, seeds spreading, rain falling, plants growing high, blue skies, sunshine, just the whistle of the wind, peace, quietness, harvest. Beautiful, isn't it? After housebound weeks of cold the sun came out this weekend and called our names. We went for many walks in 70 degree weather with new eyes to see around. Things are greatly appreciated when absent for a bit. On Saturday night before falling asleep, I whispered to Jeremy, "I'm thinking about corn fields." Only here, only in our apartment, one of many that have sprung up in our little town surrounded by fields.

I love that we've chosen to live here & I know that it was all in the books for a reason. I love our little church just five minutes down the street. When we pulled in this Sunday Jeremy commented, "Isn't it nice to actually be on time to church?" Yes, it is. We could have never pulled this off driving across town, although we would have driven further if this one hadn't felt like home.

I love the dirt road behind our apartments. 40 steps, turn the corner, trees hide the buildings, and you're suddenly in a simpler place. Tennis shoes are a must and I admit to Jeremy each time how geeky I feel in my ensemble, but step outside and no one cares. Why would they, it'd be ridiculous to dress any other way. To the right, a soybean field stretches as far as you can see, to the left trees and grass, no doubt filled with animals galore, and a little further along the way "our pond". We cross our fingers that the one little lady in her old Chevrolet doesn't speed by and stir up the dirt, but even that won't get us down. Sneak through the opening on the way back to walk around the townhouse community. Each building exactly alike, few changes in color, but filled with young, fresh families. New babies, small bicycles, their own place to call "home". We stop one more time by "our pond". Steps towards the door, the back of a row of duplexes face us. You can't help but see a baby in her high chair being spoon fed, a small toddler climbs atop the table, young children jump up and down on their mini trampoline savoring the last few minutes of light. Life is beautiful.

Everything is fresh to a pair of new eyes. The harvest, a reminder that God provides. Reading in Mark, parables I've heard many times stay close throughout the day. He taught them in parables so that, "they may look and look, yet not perceive; they may listen and listen, yet not understand." I've looked and listened, but never taken the time to search before shutting my eyes to the light. A choice is made against carelessness to look, listen, search, and apply.

So it is with the Parable of the Sower, one falling particularly on new ears to a girl surrounded by fields during harvest time. "Consider the sower who went out to sow. As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn't have deep soil. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn't have a root, it withered. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn't produce a crop. Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown."

He explained to his disciples, the seeds are the word. Some hear and receive it with joy, but having no roots it is short lived and disappears when tribulations come along (rocky ground). Others hear the word, but reject it due to worries, seduction of wealth, and other earthly desires (thorns). The harvest comes from those who listen, accept, and bear fruit producing a crop 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.

Hearing, listening, applying, time to bear fruit. How does this work in my own life? How can I share? Where can I speak up? Next paragraph, a lamp is not brought in to be put under a bed. "Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured and added to you. For the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." These are my contemplations; tailored to my location and just in time for the Thanksgiving season.

For now from the Land of Corn,

Leanne

Home Feels Especially Cozy in November

The Thanksgiving countdown begins! Around our house the cold weather is keeping us inside longing for hearty food, warm blankets, and some cozying up on the couch. Although Pharmacology is putting one of those things on hold till tomorrow.

This past weekend we spent in Des Moines with Jeremy's family and road up to Fort Dodge to see Chris run at states. For the meet, I dressed in 6 layers of clothing- 2 pairs of socks, long underwear, multiples sweatshirts, and a coat. Exactly how I would dress for snow days growing up in Maryland (with a few more pairs of my warmest socks). I told Jeremy that we could really use one of the snow hats my brother used to cut eye holes out of and pull over his head! That would have been a little scary though. In Fort Dodge, two hours north of Des Moines, it was windy and fiercely cold; the type of day that can cause a throat ache simply breathing in the air. Feel no sympathy for me in my six layers(really). Christopher and all the other runners on his team wore tiny track shorts to run their 5k! Somehow he managed to pull off a great time and passed several other runners at the finish.

The night before the meet was October 30th and in Des Moines this is known as "Beggar's Night". This traces back a ways to a suggestion made to steer Halloween away from the night of vandalism it had become. As suggested, begging began to take place the night before Halloween and kids were expected to perform a trick or tell a joke to get their treat. There are two trick-or-treaters left at the Brady house- Seth went as a ninja, Grace went as a cat, and Jeremy and I were left to hear lots of knock-knocks!

On Sunday we had supper with friends before hitting the road. We were sent home with enough cookies to last till Christmas and provisions for our home. What a blessing! Then this week has been a combination of babysitting, job interviews, job hunting, and of course Pharmacology. The interviews have gone well. It's funny to think that I've had two this week and three prior to that and yet I may still go through ten more before I actually hit the job God has for me. This time around I am being more careful to be thankful for the opportunity whether or not it is the job for me & to just keep on applying. The last interview I went in for I left really wanting the position & when the rejection letter came it was a big let down. That Sunday our pastor said something that really hit me- the way you react when things aren't going your way is an expression of how much your life is centered around yourself. Hmm... that seems like a life long struggle that I need to start on right away!

I was just reading Sally Clarkson's blog, I Take Joy, one that I stumbled upon a while back. I really like reading other people's blogs- it's one thing I've found to help me stay focused on living purposefully. This particular post was about fear and overcoming difficulties:

"As I study the stories of scripture, it was when people looked at their obstacles in life--the storms, the giants, the battles, that they became fearful and useless and defeated. But when they looked at God, instead of their fears, they became strong and conquered in their battles and storms and difficulties. Peter saw Jesus walking on water and started out toward him andfound himself walking on water! But when he turned his eyes to the waves, he became scared and began to fall."

There is so much more good stuff in this post alone & in the rest of her blog. You should check it out if you're in the reading mood.

Yours from the land of corn,
Leanne