Undies MAN!!!!

My husband is awesome. I asked Jess this morning if he had any great blog ideas and he said that I should blog about how awesome he is,.... so here it goes:

My husband is awesome.

Today is New Years Eve, and our 4th wedding anniversary. We are still snuggled up in bed (Jess is fanatically trying to finish his Harry Potter book before he has to start school again on Monday), the dog is sleeping on our feet, there is new snow on the ground, our electric blanket is toasty, and life is good.

Looking back at the last four years and everything that God has brought us through and blessed us with is pretty amazing. There have been some crazy fun times (climbing fourteeners, whitewater kayaking, friend's weddings, The lake, getting Libby as a puppy,....), and also some scary and challenging times (Amy's accident, terrible apartments, NCLEX and MCAT, unemployment, moving 5 times in 4 years....) but we don't have to look too closely at any example before we see God's hand at work.

I for one can't wait to see how He is going to work in the upcoming year. We are excited about 2011, it promises to have alot of great things in store. One huge blessing is that Jess got the Air force scholarship for med school, and he is eligible for a whopping signing bonus as well as the regular living stipend next year (on top of the fact that they pay 100% of his school tuition and expenses!). A month and a half ago we were literally running out of money and didn't know what we were going to do. Then I got a job, and now this,... God is SO faithful!

Another thing that we are excited about in 2011 is our New Years resolution (I know, I know,... who really ever follows those right?). We have decided to read the whole Bible this year. It's something that I've started before, but never stuck with it. I have dozens of excuses. This year will be different though. Jess and I and his mom, Muriel, are all doing it together on the same reading plan, so there will be accountability and encouragement along the way.

(I wish I had a video of my husband just now: charging out of bed in his boxers and a old floppy sweatshirt singing: "Undies Man!!!!" to go get me the computer charger,... what a guy, he really is awesome!)

Well, I suppose thats about it,... the Undies Man theme song was too distracting and I lost my train of thought. We did have some big plans for the day, but it's too chilly to be outside much so I think we're going to venture out to the bakery then the bookstore, and then home again to curl up on the couch for the day. Then tonight we're going to our friend's Hannah and Stephen's house for a rocking New Years Eve fiesta.

Happy New Years everyone!

Merry Christmas from the Andersons!!!

Christmas perspective

I plopped down in front of the computer this morning with my mug full of Ghirardelli chocolate coffee, and a slice of chocolate banana bread with peanut butter; and had full intentions of watching a short show and folding laundry…. Well, that idea was short-lived. Maybe later.  IT’S CHRISTMAS TIME!!!!!!  And I need to blog.

First, a quick update: the new job is going fine. VERY slow… partly because of the time of year no one has really had time to train me. It’s been pretty boring and a little frustrating, BUT: I know this is where God has me. That’s all I have to say about that.  Jess has one more test tomorrow and then has a couple of weeks off,… he can’t wait to spend his free time in the next few weeks rearranging the furniture and organizing closets.                 No, really.                           That’s what he’s excited to do.           I know,… pretty weird, but what can I say?.. I love the guy!

(Mmmmm,… this banana bread is Goo-ood, If I do say so myself!)

Okay, here’s what I really got on here to blog about: It’s Christmas! And we feel so blessed this year to be where we are at. School is going great for Jess, I finally have a job (income!), we have an AMAZING church, INCREDIBLE  friends, and (as always) our families are such blessings to us, the list goes on and on!!! So many incredible blessings that the Lord has poured out on us this year. I feel like: “MAN, we really have something to celebrate this year!”

And while these things are all wonderful, and they ARE reasons to celebrate I think that this is a warped way of looking at it. I catch myself feeling celebratory due to these specific blessings in my life. What if times were harder right now? What if I didn’t have a job? What is Jess was really struggling in school? What if we were still church hunting? What if we hadn’t made any good friends here? What if,……..?

Wouldn’t there still be just as much reason to celebrate this Christmas? Wouldn’t it be just as true that Christ humbled himself for our sakes; making himself like a child, in order to provide redemption to our scarlet souls? I often catch myself celebrating and finding joy in circumstances, rather than celebrating Jesus.

Jess and I did the advent reading in church last week, it was about joy. I want to give you all the same challenge we gave to our church (and are working on ourselves): Ask yourself what you are REALLY celebrating this season. Scrutinize your source of joy. Is it in the excitement of parties, gifts, stockings, yummy food, Christmas lights, being with family…..? While I AM excited about all of these things (and I’m sure that many of you are as well) I’m working on realizing that my TRUE source of joy this season and what I should really be celebrating is this:

Philippians 2:5-11:

 ...Christ Jesus:

 Who, being in very nature God, 

   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 

rather, he made himself nothing 

   by taking the very nature of a servant, 

   being made in human likeness. 

 And being found in appearance as a man, 

   he humbled himself 

   by becoming obedient to death— 

      even death on a cross!

  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 

 and gave him the name that is above every name, 

 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 

   in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, 

   to the glory of God the Father.

So, pretty much I could have just said: Jesus is the reason for the season. Cliché I know, but no less true!


Now I’m off to fold laundry. Love you all!