Christmas stuff :)

So.. we've been busy, busy! Last week, we had something going on every single night! Finally Tuesday night we were able to keep up our Christmas tradition and go get an ornament from the mall. We have been doing this since a couple years after we started dating. We went into the mall and saw that cute little cart with all the ornaments on it. We got a funny looking couple of bears and had them put our names on em. I think they're just the cutest and I loved that we had started our own tradition. :)

At least once a month, the staff at our church tries to get together to just hang out and have fun. I had the honor of hosting the Christmas party which clearly excited me because I already had all my Christmas decor out, I love Christmas, and I LOVE hosting parties.


Since we had been so overwhelmed with other tasks, the only day I had time to bake and clean was the day of the event, which is really hard when you have a full time job! But i managed to make some amazing Cranberry Bliss Bars and Candy cane crinkle cookies. I will share recipes soon! Nathan made caffeinated coffee and our pastor had 3 cups before Nathan said something about it not being decaf.. Everyone was like "What?! We're going to be up all night!" haha :) Matt brought some really cool root beer drinks, and we had fun for a while just hanging out and talking. Oh and check out these adorable ornament place card holders that I scored!

We played a game where we all brought gifts and then we auctioned them off. The twist was you could only see the gifts as they were opened and could only bid on one item. Needless to say, I ended up biding on one of our gifts and winning.. I had to spend all my "cash" to get it but it was a super sweet game called bananagrams that Nathan really wanted so I won it for him...he's spoiled, I tell ya. Nathan ended up getting the last gift and it was this funny little french mistletoe that tells you to smooch and some other rather interesting things.

Our pastor and his wife, Rance and Kecia, also gave us all beautiful ornaments that say "Access Church" on them. I love it so much. It's beautiful and thoughtful and means so much to me. When we first came to Access to check it out.. we were overwhelmed by their love towards us. I feel as though Access is just one big family and I have been changed forever by their genuine heart for others.  

At the end of the night we were able to give a gift to them that our whole church had pitched in for (see, one big family.) Rose, our family pastor's wife, had been wanting to give them this gift for some time now. She had the idea and thought it would be something special that Kecia would especially love. It was a beautiful drawing of Jesus and their sweet baby girl who went to be with The Lord earlier this year. Such a special thing to be a part of letting her open that. 

And look how cute we all are :) I love the staff at Access!!

I love the Christmas season. I love the joy it brings to everyone whether big or small. The happiness and hope I see in people's lives during this time. But it also makes me sad because there is a hope even greater than anything Christmas offers. His name is Jesus. And I know how that sounds but I really mean it. Christmas is just a holiday. You can't find any lasting hope in it and it passes by without us even realizing it. Christ is faithful and true hope can only be found in him. The reason it makes me sad is because all those who don't know Him, who haven't experienced that hope, are missing out on the most amazing thing this world has to offer! 

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." -John 14:6

Btw.. If anyone would ever like to talk to me about the Lord or has anything they want me to pray for them about.. please, always feel free to email me! I would love to be praying for you!