Doug and I had a lovely lunch date yesterday, courtesy of our church's radio station. I won a gift card in their Christmas Giveaway! 🙂
Thanks, WLVF!
Thoughtful Thursday
Our Pastor reminded us last night that even though Christmas is a time of year that is certainly beautiful, the birth of our Saviour was not a scene of beauty.
Jesus left unimaginable glory and splendor to enter a filthy, stinking stable filled with dirty animals and their refuse. He entered a world of sin and pain and suffering.
While we understand the need to celebrate the glory of Christ's coming, let's remember why He came: He was born to die a horrific death on the cross of Calvary, to shed His blood for the forgiveness of my sins.
The real beauty of the story is in His sacrifice and in the miracle that occurred on the third day following His crucifixion. He did not remain dead, decaying in another man's tomb.
He arose, triumphantly victorious over Hell, death and the grave!
The beauty of Christmas is that it led to the Cross.
Let's celebrate His birth by rejoicing in His death and resurrection, and the resulting salvation that is available to us.
Merry Christmas, because of His great love!
Alesha
The Concert
While I could blog about my Straight No Chaser concert experience, my cousin Joy did such a fabulous job over at Case Crossings that I thought I would just link to that.
I will add that the 2 songs that made the whole night totally worth it were "Carol of the Bells" and "O Holy Night". The first one was just incredibly awesome – hearing voices "ringing" throughout the entire song, while other voices sang the words was unbelievably beautiful.
"O Holy Night" was their 2nd encore (yes, we were a rowdy group in Tampa last night!), and they sang it sans microphones or earpieces right on the front edge of the stage.
Had I s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d out my hand and one of them reached out at the same time, we could've shaken hands – we were that close. So, imagine the sound of that last song, right in front of me.
That was pretty close to "absolutely perfect" for this music lover.
Now, go read Joy's post. You'll see my picture (ha!) and Isaac's caregiver's too. She is the one who introduced my brother to SNC, and she was his special guest last night. ;) I was happy to have her along, so as not be the "fifth" wheel. 😉
Enjoy!
Alesha
P.S. My other favorite song was "You're a Mean One, Mister Grinch". The basses in this group are phenominal!!!
P.P.S So…I guess I sorta blogged after all, didn't I????? hahahahaha…
Thankful on Tuesday
I'm thankful for the beautiful weather outside: temps are in the 60s and the sun is brilliantly shining. It is gorgeous! Day's like today are why people move to Florida. 🙂
I'm thankful for surprise gifts when Mama goes to JC Penney's with 3 coupons in her hand! She brought me home a cute new shirt.
I'm thankful for bananas. I love them for breakfast. 🙂
I'm thankful for husbands who help change the world's most awful diaper (!) – even after a long day of work!!!
I'm thankful for clean bedrooms. (I have been using the "stack" method of organizing for the past 3 weeks, and the piles were beginning to totter when I walked by!) I finally found the motivation and felt well enough to reduce all the piles and to re-organize my dresser drawers. I feel like a new woman!!! 😉
I'm thankful for Google Earth! I found my brother's house in Tennessee! :~D
I'm thankful for other brothers who take their sisters to really cool concerts. I am really excited! (and I'm trying to decide if I want to take my camera and record the evening's events for posterity, or if I want to go in empty handed and just e-n-j-o-y the evening.
What are YOU thankful for today?
Alesha
Managing My Mondays
We are headed into a busy week, aren't we?
This week's schedule for me holds some singing practice, a solo at church, a concert in Tampa, a date "lunch" with my hubby, a little more Christmas shopping, and of course, time with family and friends toward the end of the week.
I am feeling better, and looking forward to my week.
My poor cell phone is falling apart, and chose this week to become terminal.
It's only "mostly dead" (10 pts if you can name that movie reference – it's an easy one, I know!) and is still functioning, but just one wrong move on my part and it will be in 2 pieces and absolutely worthless.
The interesting thing is that our 2-year contract is over in 9 (NINE) days!!! Now, you tell me there's not a conspiracy there!!!
{sigh…}
So, we're doing the phone/calling plan comparison shopping during the next several days. Fun, fun, FUN!!!
By the way, here's the finished mother's bracelet. It turned out so gorgeous!
***
It was a real pleasure to be creating something so beautiful these past few weeks. I enjoyed it tremendously.
Isaac woke me up a little after 5 this morning, and I couldn't go back to sleep. So I got up and started addressing Christmas cards (no, I don't procrastinate! why would you even think such a thing???). Now it is time to start the day, and he has dozed off again.
Let's be vewy, vewy quiet…and maybe he'll sleep a while longer; I could work on my budget then. Yeah, well…I think maybe I'll do that later…right now, I feel a cup of cocoa calling my name.
Blessings on you and yours this week,
Alesha
Thoughtful Thursday
Today I am thinking about the following:
- I am so excited that my Christmas cactus is getting ready to bloom!
- AND I just remembered that we potted three different colors in the planter last summer, so it will be blooming red, hot pink and lavendar!
- How can my dog be so smart and act like such an idiot all on the same day?
- I wonder if my brother, Phillip, got safely home from work last night. EDIT: yes, he did! PTL!
- I won a gift certificate for Olive Garden from our radio station's Christmas giveaway contest last night! YAY!
- what kind of Christmas bonus can you give to the caregiver who gets down on the floor to vacuum the dog hair from underneath the bed???
- why is Isaac having so many seizures this week?
- I am so tickled that we got a box of new videos for Isaac last night – some fun Disney ones, some new Christmas ones and even a Bugs Bunny! 😉
- SO thankful to see God answering prayers in my friends' lives this week!
- what in the world am I going to buy for my brother and sister-in-law for Christmas???
- Looking forward to Doug's staff luncheon tomorrow!
- cannot wait for the Straight No Chaser concert next Tuesday! Squeeeeee…!!!
Well, my brain is pretty busy with even more stuff, but I think I will post this while I can. I had the whole post almost finished and my browser crashed! So, this is the recreated version. I know I forgot some of the first one…oh, well! If I don't think those thoughts again, they must not have been very important, right?
;o)
Managing My Mondays
Hmph!
Again!
These "managing" posts are supposed to be written on Monday, but again, here I sit on Tuesday, typing. Oh, well, some things are beyond our control, amen? Amen!
I have been quite sick since last week. So technically, I didn't do much "managing" at all yesterday. I was so grateful for our caregiver, who came in and cared for Isaac, took the dog out, washed the dishes and brought me hot soup in bed!!! She is the greatest!!!
I have been continuing my healthy approach to fighting off the germies, and even though I am still not 100%, I feel some better today.
***
I did miss singing in my choir's cantata on Sunday night. That made me really, really sad; but I was able to watch it online, and it was wonderful!
(It is available on our church's media page: Landmark Baptist Church Christmas Cantata. Our college's Christmas program is available there as well. It was awesome, too!)
***
We are having incredibly cold weather here this week.
Our thermometer read 24* this morning!
That is cRaZy cold for Florida!!! It's fun for a change, though! Now if we could just get a little snow before next Saturday, that would be perfect! LOL!
***
My baby brother is experiencing his first winter in Tennessee this year. He messaged me with pictures of snow yesterday. We are really going to miss him this Christmas, but I am so proud of him for striking out on his own and following his heart.
He is living out in the country, all by himself, which is something he has dreamed of for years. It may not be what he wants for the rest of his life, but he is wise to reach for his goal while he is single and unencumbered. I am excited to see what God is going to show him while He's got him on the backside of the desert…um, I mean forest! ;o)
***
Here's a pic of my little man, (well, and my big man, too!) all bundled up for his ride to therapy:
***
And a slightly blurry shot of some of our Christmas decor:
(Fortunately, for me, I like blurry Christmas light pictures.)
May God bless today, and may you stay warm!!!
😉
Obtaining Mercy 
