and i've been noticing one of the most beautiful and creative gifts from God...nature. i don't know what's going on here in texas, but the leaves on the trees are something that you expect from the new england area. it's been such a treat to see these amazing colors in my own home town! i wish i would've taken pics sooner as the leaves are falling now, but i managed to take a few quick shots today in my neighborhood :) i just had to share the beauty...
the drive into our neighborhhood...the smaller trees have never looked like this before!
when have you ever seen crepe myrtles look like this??
oh, i WISH i would've photographed this tree before most of the leaves fell! this photo doesn't even capture the golden yellow beauty! thankfully, it's my neighbor's tree so i've been able to admire it daily :)
again, i have never seen this tree (my other neighbor) w/ these colors!
take notice of all these lovely gifts my friends! God has His own way of decorating this season ;)
and i just have to share this...i'm really not a fan of the trans siberian orchestra. in fact it kinda gives me the heebie jeebies! the hubs and i were catching up on "the office", and i now will now giggle every time i here this song!...
quite different from my last post, i know...you just never know w/ this dandy lady ;)
and it was a fantastic Sunday! our little fam went back to church :) yeeeeeah, so, i have a prob w/ leaving my little miss sophia w/ childcare...mainly b/c she has a prob w/ it! we drop her off and there are tears, loud crying, and sobbing words of "mama". i can't deal. the last attempt we were told she cried the entire time :/ seriously?? so, after hearing in-laws leaving her w/ church childcare w/ no prob, i thought maybe we were good OR maybe it was b/c it was someone else leaving her and not mommy and daddy. yup, that's what it was. she cried, and we walked away. i haaaaaaate it. but we walked into the sanctuary and the awesome praise and worship team brought me to the place i needed to be :) i maybe only thought of sophia once or twice ;) i have missed worship. it's such a beautiful thing to sing about my Lord and Savior w/ my man standing next to me. it's nearly impossible for me to make it through singing w/o getting a little teary-eyed. funny thing is my mom is the same way and i never understood it. but it makes complete sense to me now. it's kinda like singing happy birthday to my girls...watching them in the glow of the candles, noticing how much they've grown, and thinking about the celebration of it all...the love! it's the love. i love Him. He is holy, and i am His and the emotion of that can be a little much to hold back. and then throw in Christmas songs and fugghetabout it...
there's something about reading the lyrics that help me appreciate these songs even more.
o holy night (one of my faves)
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend!
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease. Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
i love, love, love josh groban's rendition of this song!
i hope you enjoyed reading that as much as i did...a powerful message of wonderful news :) and other good news, sophia eventually stopped crying and stayed in the nursery through the whole service...yea!
