We’re going to Dallas next week for Christmas and then we have this event for Chad’s company that we’re attending. It’s a four-day thing, and we need clothes for semi-formal and formal events. So these are my dresses.
Formal:
Semi-formal
I know I could switch them around and do either for either event. The shoes are hard to see in the photos–I’m going to wear a sheerer pantyhose thing, but they have those fun rhinestones on them. My hair will be better too.
I had a powerful experience on Sunday while listening to the sermon. I try to avoid powerful experiences during sermons, but this one completely blindsided me. Our speaker was talking about peace and what peace really means. He showed a slide of this painting:
which is a Rembrandt painting depicting the storm on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus was sleeping and his disciples were freaking out. Our speaker said, "Sometimes when God promises peace and promises to save us, that doesn’t mean he takes away the storm. Sometimes it means that he is in the water with us, holding us up above the water, and he won’t let us drown."
And I had this sensory-memory-vision thing just hit me like a ton of bricks. I was five-years-old, at the beach with my family, and my dad wanted me to experience the ocean that he found so thrilling and fun. Being five, I was scared and I didn’t want to go. So he picked me up and carried me in. I remember hiding my face in his neck, crying and shouting that I did not want to do this. He just kept telling me, "Ally, I’ve got you, I’m not going to let you go. Look up, this is fun!" He kept laughing at me in a good-natured way, and I remember how his voice felt and sounded through his chest. Then I let go a bit and looked around. He didn’t let me fall, and it was fun.
And that is where I am right now. God is holding me in the water, laughing at me and encouraging me. He’s not going to let me go, He’s not there to trick me into learning how to swim by dropping me in. He is my father, and he wants me to trust him. I know this is kind of smarmy, but that image of my tiny blonde, sunburnt self being held by my really tall, big, blonde, sunburnt Dad is really sticking with me this week.
We are feeling the crunch of Chad’s not having a steady income since September, and we need a miracle. Could you all please pray, pray, pray that God would provide for our needs, because at this point, we really don’t know where else it’s going to come from. I know that he is our loving Father, that he is going to hold us up and keep us from harm. It’s just a bit nerve-wracking to wait and wait and hope and wait some more. So please pray for us, for peace and provision. For more faith in God. For lightness of spirit and for hope. Thanks–we love you!
Such a great movie. If Billy and Julie hadn’t been here watching it with us, I would have cried a whole lot more than I did. But it left me with that happy glow that so many old movies leave me with. I was brushing my teeth tonight, humming "Auld Lang Syne" and it struck me suddenly that George Bailey isn’t the richest man in town. I am. Which is pretty ironic when you consider that our finances have never been so bleak and that Christmas is going to be pretty lean. But none of that matters. It’s just money, it’s just stuff. I am rich, fabulously rich, the richest girl in town. I have so much–friends and family, moments of incandescent joy, books to read, poems to digest, music to listen to, kitties to snuggle, a great God to glorify. And Christmas is going to be as fat and jolly and real as it ever has been. Good night!
"The Gift" by William Carlos Williams
As the wise men of old brought gifts
guided by a star
to the humble birthplace
of the god of love,
the devils
as an old print shows
retreated in confusion.
What could a baby know
of gold ornaments
or frankincense and myrrh,
of priestly robes
and devout genuflections?
But the imagination
knows all stories
before they are told
and knows the truth of this one
past all defection
The rich gifts
so unsuitable for a child
though devoutly proffered,
stood for all that love can bring.
The men were old
how could they know
of a mother’s needs
or a child’s
appetite?
But as they kneeled
the child was fed.
They saw it
and
gave praise!
A miracle
had taken place,
hard gold to love,
a mother’s milk!
before
their wondering eyes.
The ass brayed
the cattled lowed,
It was their nature.
All men by their nature give praise.
It is all
they can do.
The very devils
by their flight give praise.
What is death,
beside this?
Nothing. The wise men
came with gifts
and bowed down
to worship
this perfection.
I apologize to Mr.Williams for my spacing issues–this program won’t let me space the lines the way they ought to be written.
Broke down and went to see the new Pride & Prejudice with Faith yesterday. And all I did was beam and giggle and heave great sighs and leave completely satisfied. I totally recommend this production, even for die-hard fans of the book and the A&E production. This one has something deep and passionate and earthy. Go see it.
I got to spend the morning with two of my favorite ladies, Karen and Melanie. We had such wonderful food and satisfying fellowship. And vice versa:
And then tonight, we went up to church to help paint the youth room:
And then, the boys decided to break dance and pretend to be action heroes:
And as a BONUS, because I LOVE my tree so much, a different view:
Salvation to all that will is nigh,
That All, that always is All every where,
Which cannot sinne, yet all sinnes must beare,
Which cannot die, yet cannot chuse but die,
Loe, faithfull Virgin, yeelds himselfe to lye
In prison, in thy wombe; and though he there
Can take no sinne, nor thou give, yet he’will weare
Taken from thence, flesh, which deaths force may trie.
Ere by the spheares time was created, thou
Wast in his minde, who is thy Sonne, and brother,
Whom thou conceiv’st, conceived; yea thou are now
Thy Makers maker, and thy Fathers mother,
Thou’hast light in darke; and shutst in little roome,
Immensity cloysterd in thy deare wombe.
(#2 in La Corona)
And it’s only 11:00! I don’t feel good, I can’t get myself to do anything, I keep feeling these really powerful anxious, panicy waves washing over me, and I don’t know what to do about it.
I guess I just need all of you to pray for me today.
UPDATE:
Thanks for praying for me! My day improved dramatically after I posted this and after I talked to a dear friend on the phone. I knew I needed to talk to someone, but wasn’t sure whom to call. So I prayed that just the right person would call me, and not ten minutes later, Karen called to ask if she could borrow my copy of Pride & Prejudice. So today was one of those re-affirming my faith in God and prayer kind of days. Thank you!
1. Seven things to do before I die
Be completely debt free
Climb a famous mountain, like Kilimanjaro
Mission work in Africa
Pastor a church
Run a marathon or half-marathon
Be a father
Cut a piano album and a praise album
2. Seven things I cannot do:
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose
Lose (did I mention I struggle with losing?)
3. Seven things that attract me to my wife
Her smile just kills me
Things inappropriate to post
Her startling intellect
Her deep loyalty to Christ
Her incredible love for me
Her AMAZING cooking
Her funness, including the Happy Food Dance
Seven things I say most often:
Hey man
What’s up, bro?
or something like that
Hey babe (but only to Ally!)
God really is who he says he is
I don’t deserve it (God’s grace)
Decent
Seven books/series I love
Sword of Shannara
Knowing God
Heritage of Shannara
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals
Druid of Shannara
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
Heart of Darkness
Seven movies I’d watch over and over again
Emperor’s New Groove
Bourne Identity
So I Married an Axe-Murderer
Rocky III/Rocky IV
Message in a Bottle (just kidding, WORST MOVIE EVER!!!)
The Wrong Trousers
Hunt for Red October ("Careful, Ryan. Not too many things in here react well to bullets.")
Today, Chad has caught up with me. Yes, he is finally thirty! If you have a moment, drop him a line or give him a call.
