Christmas & Birthday Recap

So I am now officially 26 years old! Eeek! That number puts on the pressure. My mom says it is because it is one year closer to 30. I think she is right. I feel the pressure to START my life....does that make sense? I am 26 with a marriage in a rebuilding stage, no house, no children, a new career, little savings, and a car that was a gift. I feel extremely blessed to be this age and have no debt but in that same sense I feel like I cheated the system. Don't most people my age have school debt or car debt or house debt? My friends and acquaitances are starting families and I am just trying my best to rebuild mine. At times I feel slighted because this place is NOT where I thought I would be. However THIS place is the best place I have been in so far. My life is focused on God and on being the best example of Christ that I can be. Of course I want the house and the children and the 'dream' but in real life those things don't come without strings or sacrifices so if I have to spend a year or so refocusing my life on what is important then I can wait. Our God is so amazing and it baffles me to know that on the day that I said 'I do', my God knew the struggles I was going to face and the challenges and the broken heart that was headed my way. Thankfully God doesn't reveal things before their time because I don't know if I would have stood up in front of that church at 22 years old and said forever to the last 3 and half years that have just passed. God is good and although these times have been tough and some days I wasn't able to even fake a smile, He has brought me through it. I heard a pastor say once that when God allows a turbulent time in one of His children's lives that He can choose one of two paths for you. The first is to deliver you from that trouble and to use that time to bring Him glory through your healing. The second is that God may not bring healing to that time but He may use your suffering to bring glory to Him in a way that doesn' seem possible. This option makes me think of Kay Yow. She suffered for almost 2 decades with breast cancer and although in the end, God did not choose to heal her, He used that situation and that trouble to touch so many lives through that woman. It's amazing when you think about it.

Okay, I think I got off track. This was supposed to be about my birthday and Christmas. My birthday was great. Josh took me to PF Changs for dinner. It was yummy and we had a good time. The next night my Bible Fellowship class (all ladies) went back to PF Changs to celebrate my birthday and another lady's birthday. We had a blast. My family also came up on saturday to spend the day with me. It was good to not have to drive to see them and for them to come see me. All in all, a great birthday!

Christmas was great too. It was different year being in mom and dad's new house and just being by myself. Thankfully I didn't have much time alone to sit and dwell on being alone on Christmas. I felt loved and I got lots of great stuff. Here are some pictures:

Both grandfathers and piles of presents

Cute Jenna!

New Coat and scarf!

Best cutting board ever

Christmas morning- No jokes about the robe. It's comfy and I love it.

Pops

Looking in the stockings

Zoe playing with her new toy.

Old fashioned shoe box gift

Jenna with Sasha on Christmas Day

I don't have pictures from my birthday or I would post them. I am praying for good things this year and so far so good. Zoe is bored by me being at the computer for so long so I am signing off. Good night!

I'll leave you with another one of favorite songs currently. It is from Hillsong Church and someone made a video for it on youtube. Here is the link. Turn up the volume, get on your knees and WORSHIP!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc