Beethoven Has Nothing On My Girl!

Cecily had her first piano recital last night.  She did an awesome job and we are so proud of her accomplishments in this area.  It is so funny, because for years now Mike has asked her off and on about taking piano lessons.  We have even had several of the pianist at churches we have served to offer to give her lessons, but she has never been interested.  "Too much practice required" she always said.

We never pushed it too hard, because if it wasn't something she enjoyed it would surely end up being something she hated if we pushed it on her.  When she started an Arts Academy for middle school this year she was placed in keyboard as one of her electives over something else she had chosen.  She was willing to give it a try and wouldn't you know it, she has ended up loving it!!  Her dad is tickled over it I think!

Here are some pictures I took of her before leaving the house for the recital:

Now presenting the accomplished piano rendition of "Here Comes Santa Clause" and "The First Noel" by Cecily Noel McIlwain (be sure and turn off my music player in the sidebar of the blog in order to enjoy the video): 

Nope!  Beethoven ain't got nothing on my girl!

Doing less and enjoying more,

Jennifer a.k.a. "Proud Momma"

Unplanned Christmas

If you are not reading the blog at Desiring God, then you should be.  It is truly a blessing and gospel centered in every post!  The posts this month have especially been a blessing to me and yesterday's post by Jon Bloom, one of the blog's contributors, "Joseph: Unplanned Detours" was no exception!


This year has held many unplanned things for our family; the joyful surprise of a new family member, JennaBeth and many not so joyful things.  However, as I reflect back on our 2009, I can trace the hand of God in everything!  As difficult as this year has been, I don't think I would change one thing about it.  God has been faithful and He continues to guide us.  It has been a grace-filled adventure learning more about what it means to truly trust in Him!


Here are a few lines from the end of the Desiring God post:

"The Holy Family's first few years were not tranquil. They were filled with grueling travel during the hardest part of pregnancy, a birth in worse than a barn, no steady income, an assassination attempt, two dessert crossings on foot with an infant, living in a foreign country, waiting on God for guidance and provisions just in the nick of time. It was difficult, expensive, time-consuming, career-delaying and full of uncertainty.

And it was God's will.

The unplanned, inefficient detours of our lives are planned by God. They are common for disciples, and they commonly don't make sense in the moment. But God's ways are not our ways because our lives are about him, not about us. He is orchestrating far more than we know in every unexpected event and delay.

So when you find yourself suddenly moving in a direction you had not planned, take heart, hold tight, and trust God's navigation." 
*Turn the player off in my sidebar to hear the video.

I pray you will be encouraged this Christmas and blessed beyond measure not in material things, but in the Grace and Peace of the Lord!

Doing less and enjoying more,
Jennifer

How Grace Became Amazing

I am so proud of the group of people in that picture!!!  Especially proud am I of the gentleman in the middle of the group on the front row!  That's my sweet husband, Mike, and the choir at Northside.

They presented this year's Christmas program last night, "How Grace Became Amazing:  From a Blue Christmas to a True Christmas".  The gentleman on the far right in the green shirt, Steve, wrote the drama to go along with the songs Mike had selected for the program.  I absolutely believe that no better "program" could have been purchased already put together than what was presented last night at our church!

It took lots of talented people to present this awesome message.  This is Matt, our spotlight guy.  He's the Matt that I spoke about in my "Snowflake" post.

From left to right, Jim, Birchel, and Jordan, were the sound, lighting, and projector guys.

Krystal did an amazing job along with some other ladies and a few of our youth including Cecily (our daughter) on the flats for the program.  They worked some long hours finishing these up.  There were a total of four flats.

Here is Cecily along with Andrea who designed the shirts the choir wore.  The front as you can see on Cecily's is an iPod with Psalm 95:1 "Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation."

Left to right are Steve (He wrote the drama), Shawn (played Jesus) and Mike.  There were scenes that involved Jesus and Nicodemis and Jesus with the woman at the well.  Maybe those aren't things you would consider parts of a Christmas program, but that is the beauty of this particular presentation.  Not only was the birth of Jesus our Savior presented, but the reason He came was emphasized.

Hal, our Senior Pastor, spoke from Matthew 1:21 yesterday morning.

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name

Jesus,

because He will save His people from their sins."

That is why Jesus took on flesh and came as a baby in a manger!  He came to save His people from their sins.  He came to save me from my sins and you from your sins!  That is what Christmas is all about, God being made flesh and dwelling among us!

What love the Father has for us!

Enjoy this small part of the program!  It features two of our youth Kiera and Cecily, my sweet girl!! 
*Before watching the video you will need to cut the music on the player in my sidebar off.

 

Doing less and enjoying more,

Jennifer 

 

Lunch with the Doves

I just got back from sharing a Christmas lunch with a special group of ladies who call themselves the "Doves".  

The one gentleman in the front is our deacon, Herb Tanner.  His wife Ellen is the lady in the red top in the left side of the picture.

The Doves are the Senior Adult ladies I teach in Sunday School.  If you ever want to teach a group of ladies who read their lesson and are prepared, then these ladies are that group.  Many of these ladies have various health problems and physical issues, but they are faithful to be in Sunday School each Sunday.  

We sadly lost one of our Doves this week.  Ms Ruth went home to be with Jesus on Wednesday and her Memorial Service is tomorrow.  If you've happened upon this today, will you voice a prayer for the Aalderink family?

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints."  Ps 116:15

Doing less and enjoying more,

Jennifer

Computer Give-Away

Would you like an awesome opportunity to get a new computer for Christmas?  Well, I know someone who is giving away an HP Touchsmart computer!!!
Kelly over at her review blog is hosting this give away.  So, click on her name and get on over there for an opportunity to win this computer!

Doing less and enjoying more,
Jennifer

Youth Christmas Party

Cecily was really excited about her first Youth Christmas party this past Saturday!  I don't know what makes a "youth" Christmas party any different from a "regular" Christmas party, but...oh yes I do!  I remember being her age and wanting so badly to be a "youth"!  Oh, to be a "youth" again...NOT!

It was a really fun party and it was great that the youth let us old folks hang out with them for a little while.  I know they may not think that is the coolest thing, but I think we have a great group of youth and well, I like hanging out with them!  Makes me feel, well, not so old!

We had a really great meal of pork loin, green beans, broccoli and cheese casserole, rice with black beans and a few deserts.  It had been so long since I'd had rice crispy treats and they were so good!!

The kids played their version of the Gong Show and exchanged white elephant gifts, which were so funny!

(Jordan with his Hanna Montana poster.  His wrapping paper was glued instead of taped!)

(Cecily ended up with a roll of toilet paper!  They got to exchange - kinda like dirty Santa - so she came home with a remote control Barbie of Swan Lake toy!)

(Kiera ended up with Cecily's diaper full of Tootsie Rolls she had wrapped and brought.)

Bentley had a very good time himself!  He loves hanging out with the "big" boys and they are really sweet to play with him.

 

JennaBeth got to hang out with Mr. David and she loved him walking her around and holding her!

David is one of our elders and his wife Dawn is our Senior Pastor's secretary.  They have four children. I asked David if he still knew how to get a little one to go to sleep...

and apparently he does!

The kids spent the rest of the time hanging out on the back deck and drinking hot chocolate...

 

Even though it feels surreal to be a parent of a youth...it was a fun evening!

Doing less and enjoying more,

Jennifer

Decking The Halls

I love Christmas decorations!  I am excited every year to get the tree put up and all the other Christmas things put out around our home.  I don't have extremely fancy decorations, but the ones I have are things I have collected over 17 years of marriage and each decoration holds a special meaning.

This is our main tree which is in the front room of our house.  It is a 7 1/2 foot artificial tree.  We got it on sale at Ole Time Pottery our first Christmas in Florida.  I love clear lights!  The tree has two strands on it and next year I think I'm going to put a third strand on the tree.  I just don't think you can have too many lights!

Our tree is covered with mostly homemade ornaments...

like this one.  The ladies ministry at our previous church in MS had an ornament exchange each year.  You brought 12 homemade ornaments (all alike) and you left with 12 different ornaments at the end of the evening.  We were at this church for four years, so my tree is full of beautiful homemade ornaments.  The greatest thing about this is they all tell a story.  So, our tree is full of stories and I love it!  

The "M" ornament in the picture above was the one I made the last year we were at the church.  I just took wooden m's from Wal-Mart and spray painted them gold and hot glued a frosted cranberry and ribbon for hanging.  

Cecily is one of many "angels" on our tree.  She made this ornament in Kindergarten.  The body of the angel is a tracing of her foot and the wings are a tracing of her hands.

Here is Mr. Smore Angel...

And isn't Rudolph cute...even though he has an antler missing!

This next ornament is very special.  In January of 2006 a member of our church, a 53 year old woman, died unexpectedly of a heart attack.  She had just had a grand baby born in September of 2005 and another daughter getting married in April of 2006.  Her death really shocked our little church.  Her name was Trevette.  Trevette loved scarves!  At our ornament exchange in December of that year, her daughter Templete had taken her mother's scarves and wrapped them around clear glass ornaments and gave each one present a "Trevette" ornament...

I am honored to have it hanging on my tree along with other ornaments Ms Trevette had made for the ornament exchange in previous years.

I also have all three kids "baby's first" ornaments...

Cecily's

 

Bentley's

JennaBeth's

All the kids have trees in their rooms...

 

 

 

I have Santas on a shelf in the front room with the main Christmas tree...

 

We also have a porcelain nativity set that is 17 years old and has survived 5 moves!  A couple gave it to me and Mike our first Christmas as a married couple.  I think I've only had to glue the donkey's ear back on once!

A former pianist at our present church made this ceramic winter church piece for Mike one year for Christmas.  We enjoy it in our living room.

I have a Snowman theme in the kitchen...

 

I enjoyed getting to purchase a fifth Christmas stocking this year!  And instead of being hung by the chimney with care, they are hung almost from the ceiling with care!  Why you ask...

because this little sweetheart of an active and mobile 9 month old could pull up and reach them where I normally hang them!  I would rather have them hanging in an odd place than have her pull the heavy stocking hanger down on herself.  So...

Mike (Santa), Me (Ms Snowwoman!), Bentley (the moose), JennaBeth (Rudolph) and Cecily (the panda bear).

Thank you so much for stopping by our home today!  Our family prays you have a blessed Christmas this year!

 

Don't forget to take a chocolate mint candy cane on your way out!!

Doing less and enjoying more,

Jennifer