New Year

So as part of a New Year's resolution I am trying to memorize some scripture. I am starting with Micha 6:8--“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

I picked this verse for a few reasons-- 1) it was readily available as the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com 2) it really spoke to me

God has showed me what is good. I have come into 2009 so thankful for all His blessings and just wanting to be faithful and of service. So I love that this verse spells out what is required of me: "To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with [my] God." Today the sermon was all about mercy and how that is what Jesus is all about, not "the law." I tend to like the law, but I do always fall short of keeping it. But I sure notice when others don't and that is not loving mercy. If I myself act justly and love mercy instead of acting righteous and loving justice, I'll be a much better person.

The best part of this verse is about walking with God. That takes time and effort. That means I need to spend time with Him in His word. I need to be delibrate about that. More so this year than last. I hope that this verse will stay with me and help me prioritize.

Happy New Year

Pagaents

As Christmas draws near I am trying to keep myself focused on Jesus, his birth, why he came, and what he accomplished. I am trying to keep focused on that instead of my "to do" list to get ready for all the festivities which really are secondary compared to Him.

I just finished teaching an adult Sunday school class at church that compared and contrasted the two nativity stories in the gospels and we just wrapped up that with watching The Nativity Story movie, which if you haven't seen it-- please do. It is so good. While watching it last night I am always moved how the movie portrays Joseph as such a generous, wonderful, and righteous man. In pageants and this season, sometimes Joseph gets overlooked. But God chose him too, to be Jesus' earthly father. Anyways . . .

The kids are in a pageant on Sunday at church. When I told the kids about it Patrick kept insisting that he was going to be Jesus-- wrong! Originally Alyssa requested a speaking role, which meant she was to be one of the Magi, I thought that was pretty cool. However, as soon as I told her assignment she burst into tears because she only wants to be an angel. So, after convincing the pastor to rearrange things, that left Patrick with the Magi role, which he is more than excited to do! However, then he got upset because at preschool they also did a pageant in which he was a cow, and he kept saying, "No! I am supposed to be a KING!" Luckily, he was an enthusiastic cow, full of mooing.

And now Alyssa thinks her angel role is a speaking one and she keeps telling me her lines, "Be not afraid, you are going to have a baby and you will name him Jesus." While I am thrilled she knows the story, in reality, she has no lines, she is part of the angel chorus!

So-- I am left trying to humble these children. I am trying to impress that each role is amazing and special because each role is a witness to Jesus' birth, he is the real star of the show (which obviously Patrick gets, since he wants that role!) Jesus came down to earth, and he came all the way down, to be born in a stable and be vulnerable to many dangers. God in flesh.

I am praying my kids will get that it is not about the part they play and how "prestigious" it is, but that the real honor is always knowing and seeking Jesus and giving Him what we've got, even if it's just a really enthusiastic "moo".

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12

Grandma's 90th Birthday

My Grandma turned 90 right before Thanksgiving. Here is a video of pictures I put together as a tribute--enjoy!

Love,

Steph

Give Thanks!

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his ;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Neglecting the Blog

I feel so negligent. It seems like eons ago I last blogged. Since that last blog we brought home a new puppy, Sadie . . . so that has ate up any extra time I have really. She is a cute dog. She is a sheltie like our other dog Lucky. The two dogs won't leave each other alone, it's quite a love fest around here!

Halloween was a disappointment for Alyssa. A half hour before trick-or-treating began she got sick with the stomach bug and had to stay home. It was too bad, we had a whole ensemble of Peter Pan characters too-- Patrick was Peter Pan, Alyssa was supposed to be Wendy, their cousins Matthew and Emily went as Captain Hook and Tinker Bell. My mom even whipped up that Wendy costume with her oh so talented sewing skills!!

Brett and I had a little getaway last weekend. We went to my friend, Lisa's wedding in Mystic, CT. They had a beautiful ceremony with a very nautical theme. She is marine biologist, so it was very fitting. I was impressed at all the details-- tables that were the names of bodies of water they had been to. They even put a picture of themselves at that body of water on the table. They had sea shanty singers and I read from "The Rime of The Ancient Mariner" which I was so honored to do.

Since the wedding was in CT was stayed at my mom's cousin's house which was great to spend time with them, hear about their grandkids and catch up and talk about old times. We also went up to see my dad's family. We visited my Grammy, Pop, aunt, uncle and cousin. I got to wish my Grammy a belated 88th birthday. She is declining more than I expected. She has Alzheimer's so I don't know why I didn't think it would get worse, it certainly won't get better. However, I was a bit surprised as to how much she has declined since summer. As Alyssa told me to do, I gave her hugs and kisses. But boy-- this disease stinks!

We had lunch with my Pop, my family, and his buddies from the home (they also have spouses in with my Gram). It was a good lunch-- Aunt Patty recommended we go to a place that serves pierogi, which in my mind, can never be a bad choice.

As holidays approach things are getting more hectic, but I am desperately trying to remember the true meaning of these holidays this season instead of getting swept up in all the other junk.

I just heard someone get up---and I haven't showered yet so I better run . . .

Gram's 90th birthday

This past Sunday was Brett's Gram's 90th birthday. I put together this video of snapshots of her life. It was very fun to do and I think she and the rest of the family enjoyed looking back over the years. It is amazing to think of the change she has seen these past 90 years. Now, I am on to work on the same sort of thing for my Grandma's 90th in November.

Family Friday-- When the family tree braches get tangled

My Pop (my dad's dad) told me this story that at first you think, yeah, that's right . . . and then you realize it doesn't make sense at all. Here it is-- in his words, "My mother's mother married my father's father." Reread if you need to.

So that's the abridged version. Here is what actually happened. My Pop's Grammy, his mother's mother was Rose Setta. She married Angelo Francioli in Italy, they had a daughter, Giuseppina (Josephine)--that is my Pop's mother. So, Angelo died while still in Italy and Rose moves with her sister Claudina and her little girl "Pina" to the US. While in America she married Narareno Natalini and had a bunch of kids and she also married Louis Martinell. Louis is my Pop's father's father. They had a daughter Elizabeth.

Louis had previously been married to Laura and they had John and possibly a James Martinell. John married Josephine, or affectionately known as "Pina." They had ten children, one being my Pop. So, his parents, while not related at all, ended up being step-siblings to each other as adults.

That is one of my favorites.

Steph