A look inside: 10 Years of Faithful Service

Saturday, December 20, 2008

10 Years of Faithful Service

It was early December of 1998 and my little 19 month old boy and I walked into Joanne's Fabric Store. I was 9 months pregnant with a little girl due to arrive any day. I saw these adorable snowmen stockings, two big ones and two little ones, and just had to buy them. I took these little snowmen home to our tiny duplex and hung them on the 1970's rock wall in our living room.As the years went by, I discovered a little thing called the Pottery Barn. :) Oh, how I would flip through the pages of those catalogs longing for such nice things to decorate my home with. Every Christmas season, I would admire the beautifully personalized velvet stockings, and try to figure out a way to fit them into our already strained December budget. But, no such luck, and I would hang those snowmen year after year. Well, this year, I got a big surprise, a wonderful thing called Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving). And guess what? On that one day only, these stockings which would normally have cost $142 ($25 each plus $17 shipping) only cost $50 total!!! That's right, $10 each plus free personalization and free shipping!!! I was ecstatic!

However, when the kids and I were unpacking the Christmas boxes, they couldn't believe we weren't going to hang the snowmen stockings.

"But mom, we love the snowmen stockings. We ALWAYS put those up every year."

They weren't too excited about my new, "nicer" stockings. I too felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of not hanging the snowmen up.

After all, they've been apart of our lives for 10 years now. Oh, the memories they've shared with us over the years. They hung on the mantel when a little two year old Daniel opened his first Thomas the Tank engine set, when Sarah shrieked with excitement at the sight of her new Princess scooter, when we celebrated Christmas with loved ones who are no longer with us. They were still hung on the mantel as we walked in the door on December 29th, 2004 with a new little baby girl in our arms. Yes, I miss the snowmen stockings too. Sometimes "nicer" isn't always better.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

As I type this, the snow continues to fall!

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

I John 4:9-11

8 comments:

Ona said...: I was going to get those myself and slacked. I'll try again next year!; December 20, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Michelle said...: Thanks for the insight on the stockings! Seriously! I love them, and I have hand-me-downs and I am ready to be a big-girl and have our own!; December 20, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Unknown said...: Those are such beautiful stockings! We got new pottery barn stockings too! Ours are actually from Pottery Barn Kids and I bought them in March on clearance, I think I paid about $35 total for all three of ours, with personalization too! They were actually my very first PB purchase!! Glad to see you are enjoying this wonderful time of year! Merry Christmas!; December 20, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Stefanie said...: Your living room looks divine. I love your stockings:). I got mine there too:) a couple years ago and this year Maisie cried because she doesn't like her yellow one - she wants a red one like Daphne's. First year for opinions about Christmas out of her...

Isn't it funny how we loved our less expensive decor as kids and never even dreamed that we would want a stocking other than the one our moms made us??? I have to remember perspective in this area...

Catching up on your blog was fun.; December 21, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Rachel said...: Your stockings are beautiful. They look perfect!
I am still a kid at heart, who loves the traditions! I even asked my mom for the stocking I had as a kid, but she didn't want to give it up. So, I got the pattern from her (she still had it from the 70's) and made stockings for my family. I may never grow up!!; December 22, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Janell said...: So funny Liz....I have been wanting to buy stockings from P.B but refuse to pay full price so I'am waiting for after Christmas. Cant wait. I hope you have a Merry Christmas. Miss you guys. Janell; December 22, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Angela said...: Your pictures are so pretty!
Have a Merry Christmas my sweet friend!; December 23, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Tiffany said...: I seriously drool over Pottery Barn. Some day...

By the way, your daughter Sarah looks SO much like you.; December 24, 2008 at 10:40 PM

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Words to Remember

"Christ's followers cannot expect better treatment in the world than their Master had. Let them not promise themselves more honor or pleasure in the world than Christ had. Let each live a life of labor and self-denial as his Master, and make himself a servant of all; let him stoop, and let him toil, and do all the good he can, and then he will be a complete disciple."
~Matthew Henry,
English Pastor 1662-1714

"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."
~Martin Luther King

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
~Jim Elliot

"I am a missionary, heart and soul. God Himself had an only Son, and He was a missionary and a physician. A poor, poor imitation I am, or wish to be, but in this service I hope to live. In it I wish to die. I still prefer poverty and missions service to riches and ease. This is my choice."
~David Livingstone

"I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same. "
~C.S. Lewis

"I want Thy plan, O God, for my life. May I be happy and contented whether in the homeland or on the foreign field; whether married or alone, in happiness or sorrow, health or sickness, prosperity or adversity - I want Thy plan, O God, for my life."
~Oswald J. Smith

songs with meaning

If you hear one of these songs playing while visiting my blog, here is why it is so special to me:

I Will Be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman: I would listen to this song as a young teenager and dream about finding a love like this song describes. Guess what? God gave more then I ever dreamed.

Any Song by Keith Green!!! I first heard Keith Green as a young child and knew all his songs by heart. As a teenager, I loved his music because he is so honest and authentic. I also read his autobiography when I was in my teens. He is one of my all-time heroes! I remember my friends laughing at me when they were in my car, wondering why I would be listening to songs from the 70's. Yes, the music is cheesy, but the lyrics are simply amazing!

How Could I Ask For More by Cindy Morgan: My senior year of high school I was on homecoming court with four other girls, who were all good friends of mine. We all picked this song to be played during our ceremony. I still love this song!

Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart: The song Jon and I danced to at our wedding. I smile every time I hear it.

I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me: This song was played at Brian Ditchen's memorial service. Brian was Jon's cousin who he grew up with, and who I went to school with, and he was a dear friend. He passed away in March of 2004 in a tragic plane accident, he was only 28. It shook the core of our faith. The only comfort came from knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, who Brian lived his life for: Jesus Christ. He was a dedicated believer, and we can't wait to see him again. Every time we would hear this song, it touched us deeply, it still does. Heaven has become very real to us.

The Scientist by Coldplay: My younger brother, Ben, sang and played this song on the piano at my brother Jeremy's memorial service. Jeremy passed away suddenly in September of 2004, he was only 31. Once again our faith was shaken (see next song)....

Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day: Whenever I hear this song I am reminded of my brother Jeremy...."To everyone who's lost someone they loved, long before it was their time, you feel like the days you had were not enough, when you said goodbye....cry out to Jesus" I am reminded to turn to God in the midst of my pain and loss, and it's OK to go to Him with my questions

We Will Dance by Steven Curtis Chapman: My current love song. It so beautifully describes mine and Jon's relationship.

I'm Not Cool by Scott Krippane: This is Daniel's song.Not in a mean way. He absolutely loves this song and sings along with it every time. The funny thing is, it describes him perfectly.

She's a Dancer by Phil Keaggy: This is Sarah's song! It so sweetly reminds me of Sarah...."she's a dancer, she loves to dance, she's a singer, she loves to sing, she's a lady, walkin' round in mama's shoes, standin' tall in mama's shoes" Sarah has also been caught singing into the bathroom mirror. And when she was younger she put on many "dance performances" for us in our living room.

Olivia by Phil Keaggy: Obviously Olivia's song! I've sang this song to her since she was a tiny newborn. She knows the words and sings along now. Whenever I put this song on, she stops what she's doing and gets a big smile on her face, and says "my song!"

Beautiful by Bethany Dillon: OK I'm 32 now. And sometimes when I look in the mirror, the depression creeps in. I don't look like I did ten years ago, I don't see a beautiful young woman looking back at me. And that can get you down sometimes. This song reminds me that true beauty is who I am in God's eyes. I could be perfect in every way on the outside and yet not be beautiful in the eyes of God, and when it's all said and done, my life would have been lived only for myself. I want to be beautiful in God's eyes, I want Him to look inside my heart and smile, and most importantly, be pleased.

Who Am I?, The Voice of Truth, and Praise You In The Storm by Casting Crowns: All three of these songs are very special to Jon. These are three of his all-time favorites. These songs brought him close to God when he was going through a hard time in his life.

I Am by Nicole Nordeman: The first time I heard this song was at a Women of Faith conference. She played it live on the piano. It was so beautiful and moved me so deeply. God is truly my "I Am", He has been my one firm anchor through every season of my life.