8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
New Year's Eve is a lot of fun. A time to reflect on the blessings of the past year and look ahead to the coming year and think of all the opportunities ahead. I used to always enjoy having a bunch of friends over on New Year's Eve to play games and watch movies and so on. The last few years my New Year's Eves have gotten more low key, but that's fine. My mom and I the last few years have spent the night playing games, watching movies or our fav. TV shows on DVD, eating (of course!). It's nice to spend the evening with loved ones. 
"And since it is the greatest and sweetest consolation for us that, although our wretched human nature because of sin has been torn away and alienated from God, who is life itself (Eph. 4:8, Is 49:8 ff.), yet His physical body, which is of the same substance with us, is most intimately joined and united with the divine nature in the person of the Son of God because of the hypostatic union, that in this way the restitution and reparation of it [our human nature] becomes surer and more certain, and thus we in turn are made participants of the divine nature in Christ (2 Peter 1:4), and thus also receive fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. (1 John 1:3)...Paul in Col 2:9...states the foundation of all our comfort is the fact that the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily in Christ."
This restaurant is located in Tinley Park, IL. Though this place has salads and sandwiches, what really makes it spectacular is its breakfasts and drinks. They have more than just standard breakfast things. They have things like Mexican French toast and Cajun breakfast pizza and a whole variety of other things. There hasn't been anything I haven't liked from this place. There are also a variety of coffee drinks and variations on hot chocolate. The other day I had hot chocolate that was called chocolate covered strawberry. They also have a variety of juices. Awesome place! It was my friend Cassie who first introduced me to this place, and now it is one of my favs to eat at when I'm up north. 
The timpani is so cool. It has such a deep, powerful, rich sound and adds so much to music. I love hearing timpani played with hymns, especially a joyful Christmas or Easter hymn.
Handel was so incredibly talented. I love listening to the Messiah. It is so powerful. It is awesome how Handel created this music to go with Scripture. Often when I read certain sections of Scripture, I hear the Messiah, for instance when I read sections of Revelation, I hear the "Hallelujah" chorus. In addition to "Hallelujah" other parts of the Messiah I really like are "And the Glory of the Lord Shall be Revealed," "For Unto Us," and "Glory to God."
This is such a great arcade game. Yeah, it's a little stressful with those ghosts chasing you, and with the stick, sometimes it's hard to have perfect control, but it is a lot of fun. They have the joystick you can plug right into your TV with this game on it. So I've been playing it again.
Celebrating the birth of the Savior is awesome! Jesus was born in a lowly way, and later suffered and died for us. He lived as one of us, in the flesh. Christmas is about the birth of the Savior and the incredible love of God for all mankind though many try to obscure the real meaning of Christmas.
The Birth of Jesus Christ 
There's an excitement about Christmas Eve--right on the verge of Christmas, pondering Christ coming into the world. I love Candlelight service on Christmas Eve--hearing the message of Christ's birth, singing those familiar Christmas hymns, and finally singing "Silent Night" by candlelight. That is always so powerful to me. And also, it is fun to be with family on Christmas Eve--to enjoy a meal together and then open some presents.
What a wonderful restaurant in the metro east St. Louis area. Their chicken is excellent, and also their various pasta dishes and pizza. I've never gotten anything I haven't liked there. I also really enjoy their salad with blue cheese dressing. Delicious! 
I used to play hearts with friends when I was college age. Recently I got into playing it again with some friends up in the Chicago area. It's a trick taking game, and basically you don't want to end up with points. Any hearts you take are worth a point each and the Queen of Spades is worth 13 points. But if you can take all those points it's called shooting the moon, and everyone else gets 26 points. It's really a fun game. And one of my most recent times playing, I shot the moon 3 times. Awesome! 
This Christmas movie has grown and grown in popularity, and according to one recent article, is now considered more of the classic Christmas movie than It's a Wonderful Life. Nine year old Ralphie, who wants a BB gun for Christmas is the main character. I think people love this movie so much because they remember what it was like being a kid like Ralphie. Some funny parts in the movie involve the leg lamp, the pink bunny suit, a kid getting his tongue stuck on a freezing pole, and one of my favorite parts--the Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant with the employees there trying their best to sing Christmas carols. Funny movie.
This is an Australian wine I've gotten to like recently. Lexia is "a classic white Muscat with fragrant aromas of apricots, mangos and lilacs and sweet luscious flavors balanced by a crisp, refreshing finish. Give it a go on its own or with spicy Thai and Indian dishes or with light desserts like fruit tarts and almond cookies." In addition to its great taste, it is also an economical choice!
I like cats that aren't standoffish, cats that are affectionate and will come sit in your lap or play with you. The cat in the top picture is my dear friends Cassie and Berto's cat named Snickers. Snickers always comes to me when I'm at Cassie and Berto's house and jumps up on my lap and lies there for awhile.
I have really loved writing fiction since high school. I wrote several short stories then. And I started a lot of things I never finished. I took some writing classes in college and wrote a few things. Currently I am working on writing a novel. It is my dream to get it published. There's a long ways to go before there's even any possibility of that, but it is my dream, and I need to keep working at it. I like writing relationshippy kinds of stuff--stuff about friendship, family. And I love writing "wounded characters," people who have been hurt or experienced significant loss, and maybe feel they can't trust and have to put up walls. I like to write the story of how that character changes, usually as a result of someone caring for that person and helping them to break down those walls. And the novel I am writing now is ultimately about someone coming to faith in Christ. The main character is someone who prides herself on her strength, but stuff happens that eventually brings her to the realization that her own strength is not sufficient. 
Delicious sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar! I have loved these since I was a kid.
The Newsboys are a lot of fun. They have some great music, a lot of which is pretty upbeat. "I Surrender All" from the Love Liberty Disco album is more mellow. I really like it, and my favorite part is into the song a ways when they sing, "He doesn't love us cause of who we are; He only loves us cause of Who He is." It's really pretty the way they sing that part, and I usually crank it up and sing along with it. Hear some music here:
I think the first time I met Pastor Fred was when I was moving some stuff into my office at church. I think actually I was storing some things there till I got a place, and Pastor E. and my mom were helping haul some things. Pastor Fred had come up to church and ran into us and he said he was just in time to help and started carrying stuff in. I think I always remember that because as I've gotten to know him more in my years working at church, I've seen over and over again that that's just the kind of guy he is--glad to help, friendly etc. A few years ago, he got some chairs for my office and put them together which I appreciated so much--he knew it was something I had wanted and just went out and got them for me. His laid back, easy going personality is good for me to be around. Pastor Fred is a faithful shepherd to God's people, and a kind hearted person. Also, he has a great sense of humor!
I really dig this song musically. As far as the lyrics go...well, RHCP are interesting in that department. I don't always fully get or like their lyrics, but I will listen to certain songs over and over again because musically they're so good. I love in this song how the music keeps building throughout. The lyrics basically are about struggles with drug addiction. Something foreign to me, but it is interesting to get a glimpse into what that's like for someone. The lead singer of RHCP and others in the band have struggled with drugs. The video to this is very unique. "A cartoonish story line is juxtaposed upon the song; that of a young man's dream sequence. The band members appear dressed in black in unusual locations, with props intended to appear as surreal instruments. Throughout the video Anthony Kiedies with his short, platinum hair is seen in a castle tower. His stage persona is different and quite dark when compared to his more energetic performances in other videos. John Frusciante plays a rope down a long corridor as if a guitar, although reluctant wanting just to play his guitar normally. Flea is hanging on telephone wires and playing them as if they were a bass guitar, and Chad Smith is up on a tower with a rotating medieval clock that serves as his drum kit."
If the video isn't working properly, you can go here to listen to an audio clip:
I picked this up at Barnes and Nobles one day and started reading it, and it cracked me up. I decided to get it as a stocking stuffer for my mom, but have been reading through the whole thing. I was laughing out loud over some of it. It's funny to me because it's that everyday stuff people can relate to. Here are some of the author's annoying things:Having to make that face to people in the hallway at work that implies "Hey."
Restaurants with indistinct figures, like a rooster and a chicken, indicating which restrooms are for men and which are women.
Finding a rusty AA battery, old packets of mild Taco Bell sauce, and a picture of your aunt and uncle tossing a Frisbee, as you frantically search your glove compartment for your registration while the state trooper grows impatient.
When a woman calls out "Thanks a million!" and waves as her car pulls away, and you realize you just gave her totally wrong directions.
When your thigh rubs against a leather chair, emitting a loud, ripping noise, and every time you rub your leg against it again, in an attempt to make the same noise to prove it wasn't a fart, it sounds nothing like the initial noise.
When the driver pushes the unlock button, but you pull the handle at the same moment, and you remain locked out.
When you've accidentally broken something in someone's home, and the host doesn't try to comfort you by saying, "Oh, it was already broken" or "It does that all the time."
When the person you are waving hello to doesn't see you waving, but then catches you awkwardly retracting the wave.
Stumbling over something in front of strangers and immediately having to decide between two options: (a) ignore your misstep and try to walk nonchalantly onward; or (b) look over your shoulder while making a slightly exaggerated look of annoyance at the thing that cause you to stumble, as if to imply, "They really ought to fix that!"
When an audience claps to a song out of rhythm.
When the person you're eating with aggressively wipes his mouth causing you to wonder if he's hinting that you have a glob of something dangling from the corner of your mouth.
People who stop telling a story "because it's too disgusting to tell during dinner," leaving you to try to envision what was so disgusting about it as you continue eating.
Waking up with your arm numb and thinking, This time it's paralyzed.
High fives that don't quite come off right.
The white thread your vacuum won't pick up no matter how many times you run over it.
When movie characters make out after sleeping all night and not brushing their teeth.
When you have to cancel plans because you're sick, but you don't sound sick.
When the person holding the camera can't locate the right button, forcing you to stand with a fake grin frozen on your face.
People who say "Let's grab some din-din."
Bending to pick up the subscription cards that fell out of the magazine you're holding.
That the most intense laughter you have usually comes at the least appropriate time.
Not listening when someone tells you her name as you're being introduced, causing you to obsess about whether her name will be repeated, leaving you unable to follow the conversation.
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 
This was one of the first "for fun" books I read after I finished my Master's degree stuff. The novel is basically about a group of very different women who are assigned to a prayer group at a Christian women's retreat and then continue to meet. It is really cool that though they are so different they have a bond as sisters in Christ and really support each other with prayer and in other ways. They face various challenges and trials and learn a lot about grace and forgiveness. There are 7 books in this series, and I will be reading all of them as the story lines continue through each of the novels, and I can't wait to see what else will happen with these women. These books, while fun, also really made me think more about prayer. These women pray about everything, even when there are things that are difficult to pray about for whatever reason. It made me think about my prayer life, and how I want to be more regular in praying about things.
After a Qdoba opened in town, I started going there on a pretty regular basis. I especially love the Poblano Pesto Burrito and steak hard shell tacos. Good stuff!
This is such a great sitcom which was actually a spin off from a sketch on The Carol Burnett Show. Vicki Lawrence plays Thelma Harper or "Mama" who is outspoken and often cranky. One of my favorite episodes is "Mama Gets a Job" in Season 1. Mama gets a job at The Raytown Travel Agency, but between family interruptions and her tell it like it is attitude, she doesn't keep the job long--her facial expressions and the way she talks to people just cracks me up. This is such a funny show.
When I'm asked questions about what my favorite movie, song, book, etc. are, my first reaction usually is that it is too difficult to pick one favorite! However, I think would say The Hammer of God is my favorite book. It brings out the proper distinction between Law and Gospel in the format of a novel. The ways Law and Gospel get mingled in this book are ways Law and Gospel get mingled all the time today. People relying on their works, people self-righteous in what they're doing or despairing because they're not "good enough." But when God crushes with the hammer of Law and strips all that away and people rely on Jesus only and know they are saved only by faith in Him, well it's awesome. So many beautiful passages in this book that lay it all out. You can check some of the passages out in my Theology posts.
The Ewoks are characters that are featured prominently in Return of the Jedi. They inhabit the forest planet Endor where Han, Leia, and Luke come on their mission to destroy the shield generator of the Death Star. The Ewoks end up being heroes, fighting the Imperial troops and enabling Han, Leia, and the other Rebel forces to succeed. The Ewoks are so cute. I still have my Ewok action figures.
This is my favorite of the Star Wars movies. I mean, I like all of them, but this one ties everything together. You've got the final confrontation with Luke and Vader. Luke finds out he has a twin sister. Han and Leia's romance blossoms. And Return of the Jedi has the Ewoks. The Ewoks are so darn cute, and they save the day in this movie! I like the whole beginning sequence too with Luke coming to Jabba and rescuing his friends.
"How can you know what the Spirit says today?" asked the pastor from Ravelunda. His voice was like cold steel.
Great part of the Star Wars Saga--Luke finds out who is father is and learns more about the power of the dark side of the force, great banter (and romance) between Han and Leia, more battle between good and evil, and great wisdom from Yoda as he is training Luke, "Try not. Do or do not. There is no try."
I knew Sarah's dad from when he was serving at the same church as me. And I always appreciated his dry sense of humor. When I got to know Sarah more, I realized she had her dad's dry sense of humor. I enjoy her humor a lot. Sarah is a complex person, and it is always interesting to see different sides to her. It is really cool to see that soft side of her when she talks about how much she loves her daughter. And now she has a son too! 
I started watching Texas Hold'em tournaments on TV a few years ago, and then got into playing it with my friends Gene and Jean. It's so much more exciting than regular Poker! Waiting to see what all the community cards are, the rush of pushing All In! It's a fascinating game cause it's not just about playing the cards; it's about playing the players. It's reading people, bluffing sometimes. It's a lot of fun.
I loved the Star Wars movies from when I was a kid. In fact, at one sleepover when I was a kid, I was known as "the girl who likes Star Wars." This movie was pretty awesome for its time in terms of special effects, and the characters are interesting. One thing that really cracks me up now when I watch the movie is how whiny Luke Skywalker is, especially in the beginning of the movie. I enjoy watching this now from time to time because it really is an enjoyable movie and because it makes me think of my childhood. 
"But first the conversion must be properly completed through repentance and faith. And that is something God must do, and not you. It is evident that he has gotten you a considerable distance on the way. But you lack faith. You lack the right faith in Jesus only. And that is why you are unable to show others the way to faith."
"Buttery rich, vanilla scented, holiday sugar cookies." Such a wonderful aroma! And even when I'm not baking, my house can smell like I've been baking!
Okay, it's weird to admit enjoying a show about a serial killer. But after my friend Cassie and someone else told me about this show last year, and I started watching it, I found it really intriguing. I mean, Dexter obviously has this really dark side, but he still manages to be likable. As the show progressed, events in his childhood came out that explains a little why he is the way he is. And though he says he doesn't have feelings, it's obvious at times he really does care about people. And Dexter is a serial killer with a code--he kills serial killers who have killed innocent people or criminals that have slipped through the cracks of the justice system. Not that that makes it okay, but it is interesting. And the fact that Dexter works for the Miami police department as a blood spatter analyst adds suspense--will the people he works with figure out who he really is? It's a very different kind of show.
Deep Dish Pizza. Chicago is known for it, but interestingly, I didn't fully appreciate deep dish pizza till I left the Chicago area and realized it was hard to get good deep dish pizza farther south. So now when I go up to the Chicago area, this is usually one of the things I want. I go to Beggar's Pizza a lot, but of course Giordano's is awesome too. All that cheesy goodness and sauce. Delicious! My friend Jeannie likes this too and we usually get pepperoni, mushroom, onion, and garlic deep dish pizza.
This is such a cute movie! I loved Lilo and Stitch, and this picks up where that movie left off. Stitch is funny; Lilo is cute. And this movie has Hamsterviel who is such a funny villain (I mentioned him in a Characters post). A great Disney flick.
To Us a Child Is Born 
I am so glad people make movies like this! This is a beautiful portrayal of the birth of Christ, and what led up to it. I think the movie really captures the range of emotions of everyone involved, and what life was like for people in that day. And the scene with the birth of Jesus Christ--incredibly moving and helps the viewer to really ponder God in the flesh FOR US. Great movie!
