Amber meets, greets and embraces 29

As I lay here, confined to bed because of a migraine and nauseous every time I get up, I figured now would be a good time to update my blog since I've let time get away from me!


As of yesterday, I am now officially 29 years old. Or, if you will, 1 year from 30, 11 from 40 and just plainly making my mom old (according to her.) : )

Cake, candles and even a fake smile! Rats!

Yes, Hello Kitty. I will always be my mom's baby girl!

Yesterday was a wonderful birthday! My oldest niece Madison spent the night with me and we ventured over to Owensboro for a time of fellowship and worship with the Chrysalis community, and then I treated her to dinner at her favorite place TX Roadhouse and then even ice cream at Cold Stone. My birthday morning started off with her huge bright blue eyes inches from mine proudly singing "Happy Birthday To You" just after the sun peeked over the horizon. I fought desperately the urge to be upset at not being allowed to sleep in, but man! she so made it worth it!

Punkin bringin' in some joy and excitement for Auntie Am!

At my request, we had a family dinner at my mom's and then watched movies in our pj's. This included me (in case you wondered!), my mom, my brother, sister-in-law and both nieces. Jason and Amy unfortunately couldn't make it home. We had originally planned a game night, but we ran out of time. I love my family! Every time we get together, whether just a few of us, or all of us, it is always a good time!! I am very blessed -- and I really don't take this lightly! After losing my dad in 2000, the Lord has taught me to store up every moment with my family, to let them know just how much I love them and to praise the Lord for His favor in such a blessing. I know so many people who struggle with family relations or who don't have any family at all. And I'm not above taking them in as my own family too!

Bug excited for some cake! She is definitely a Douthit!

I am so incredibly thankful that the Lord has kept me around for 29 years. What an honor to know that He still has a plan for my life and He alone keeps this 'ole heart a thumpin'.

Bug "eye-ballin'" the yeast rolls

So, I must confess that before 2009 was ushered in, I didn't hold out many expectations for the coming year. I believe it was because of a conversation I had with a friend who - knowing all of the events in my life in 2008 dubbed that year for me "The Year of the Rear." I'll leave that expression to your own interpretation - but will let you know it was a bit of a rough year.

But, the Lord has poured out his Grace on me and showered me with such love in the first few weeks of this new year - that I can't help but swell up in praise to Him and with soaring expectations of hope in growing closer and closer to Him this year and experiencing even more with Christ!!

This year has already provided many adventures!! And I'm sure (knowing how I always seem to find an adventure or two) that there will be many more in this year to come!!!

Oh!! Praise Him!! The Lord of all!! The Lord that has turned my heart from despair to great hope!!

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 ^[a] ; 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;

Hopeful Post-Christmas Melancholy (Post from Desiring God blog)

I came across this while reading Piper's blog and felt compelled to share it on my blog as well. I pray it blesses you as it blessed me.

Hopeful Post-Christmas Melancholy

December 27, 2008 | By: Jon Bloom
Category: Commentary

(Reposted from last year)

Each year Christmas night finds members of my family feeling some melancholy. After weeks of anticipation, the Christmas celebrations have flashed by us and are suddenly gone. And we’re left standing, watching the Christmas taillights and music fade into the night.

But it’s possible that this moment of melancholy may be the best teaching moment of the whole season. Because as long as the beautiful gifts remain unopened around the tree and the events are still ahead of us, they can appear to be the hope we are waiting for. But when the tree is empty and events are past, we realize we are longing for a lasting hope.

So last night, as Pam and I tucked our kids into bed, we talked about a few things with them:

• Gifts and events can’t fill the soul. God gives us such things to enjoy. They are expressions of his generosity as well as ours, but gifts and celebrations themselves are not designed to satisfy. They're designed to point us to the Giver. Gifts are like sunbeams. We are not meant to love sunbeams but the Sun.
• Putting our hope in gifts will leave us empty. Many people live their lives looking for the right sunbeam to make them happy. But if we depend on anything in the world to satisfy our soul’s deepest desire, it will eventually leave us with that post-Christmas soul-ache. We will ask, “Is that all?” because we know deep down that’s not all there is. We are designed to treasure a Person, not his things.
• It is more blessed to give than receive. What kind of happiness this Christmas felt richer, getting the presents that you wanted or making someone else happy with something that you gave to them? Receiving is a blessing, but Jesus is right—giving is a greater blessing. A greedy soul lives in a small, lonely world. A generous soul lives in a wide world of love.

It’s just like God to let the glitter and flash of the celebrations (even in his honor) to pass and then to come to us in the quiet, even melancholic void they leave. Because often that’s when we are most likely to understand the hope he intends for us to have at Christmas.

I pray you have a wonderful New Year!