It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

For full disclosure, I must mention that as I type this blog I am sitting in our office at home, sipping on some deliciously warm Ethiopian coffee my hubs graciously made for us this morning, and listening to James Taylor's Christmas CD. It's perfect. On top of that, I was organizing some photos from the past year and came across this one: Jon and I in front of our "Palm Christmas Tree" this past Christmas. Our very first Christmas together. I love this picture. I love Christmas.

And most of you probably think I am crazy because it is far from Christmas time around here: we are in one of the hottest months of the year and far from any chill in the air, nevertheless, snow. But I am ALWAYS in the Christmas spirit. I LOVE that time of year. But not because of all the gift giving, although that is fun, it is far from my love language. I am a quality time/encouraging words kind of girl. And that is why I love Christmas. People stay in and hang out by the fireplace together a little longer, have chats about life and love and everything in between, play board games more, listen to great music, eat good food, sip on extra cups of coffee, cider or hot chocolate. It's the best. People soak in the moments together a little better during the Christmas season, I believe. And I absolutely love it. Which gets me thinking about our family of two. And what I desire for us to be as a family. I want our home to be filled yearly, like it tends to be at Christmas time: filled with a warm welcome; a good smelling candle always burning; always space at our dinner table for a guest; less technology turned on and more time in conversation with one another or company; the closet always full of board games; a slower paced environment that encourages us to not miss the simple things; and a desire to reach out in service to those in need around us.

God has a purpose in why He brought Jon and I together. We have already seen so many reasons of why He put us in each others lives. But I am finding if we are not intentional, we will slide into cruise control of what "married" life is and "family" life is according to the world, and miss out on what God's intentions and plans are for us. We desire more than this world. We want to be a family focused on what God has for us. To build His kingdom, not our own. His ways are good and pure and true. We want that. And on this hot July morning if some Christmas music and hot coffee can help remind me of what we want to be about...then... "Let It Snow!" ; )

All our love!
The Wrens