happy christmas!

well, christmas is in three days! i can't believe that it's already christmas. this also marks my four month mark of being here as a youth pastor. super exciting, right?

i love the christmas season and the joy it brings. i think this is the first christmas i've actually thought about the meaning of advent, and what it means that this baby was born in a manger in bethlehem. i've done a lot of reflecting on mary, and what it must have been like for her at this time. i mean, to just say, "'i am the lord's servant,' mary answered. 'may it be to me as you have said'" (luke 1:38). she's pretty hardcore. to just SAY that--that takes courage. and she was a teenager. wow. i hope to someday have the courage to say that.

i have many favorite christmas songs. but they are pretty non-standard. i'm going to share them with you! also, they are in no particular order, just what i think of.

1. breath of heaven-amy grant. ok, so your typical christian song. but seriously? i sang this song in church for years and years, never really paying close attention to the words--however, they are pretty cool--and to think that as a young kid i was singing those words and praying that prayer--AWESOME. "breath of heaven, hold me together, be forever with me, breath of heaven"

2. i celebrate the day-relient k-i love the words in this song. it's just great talking about the real meaning of christmas and how jesus changes our lives "and the first time that you opened your eyes, did you realize that you would be my savior? and the first breath that left your lips, did you know that it would change this world forever?"

3. a new york christmas-rob thomas great song that talks about how much we need peace in the world. "i'm sending you a merry ny christmas. and a prayer for peace on earth within our time. and the sidewalk angels echo hallelujah. and we understand them now more than ever..."

4. merry christmas, happy holidays-n*sync-a classic for all of us that grew up with n'sync. great music video as well. "it's a wonderful feeling, feel the love in the room from the floor to the ceiling-it's that time of year-christmastime is here!"

5. christmas song-dave matthews band-talks about jesus' entire life. "love love love-love is all around"

6. what christmas means to me-hanson-i love hanson's christmas album, snowed in. "see your smiling face, like i've never seen before"

7. merry christmas, baby-hanson-ok, i'm a loser. but i love this song too. "all these pretty presents for my baby and for me"

8. believe-josh groban really beautiful....touches the heart. "believe in what your heart is saying, hear the melody that's playing. there's no time to wait-there's so much to celebrate"

9. better days-goo goo dolls at first listen, you might not think this is a christmas song, but it is. and i love it "so take these words, and sing out loud-because everyone's forgiven now...and tonight's the night the world begins again."

10. do you hear what i hear-kristin chenoweth i love this song. and her voice. and her bubbly personality "a star, a star, dancing in the night with a tail as big as a kite..."

and that's a wrap :)

happy christmas, everyone!

"music is the vehicle for expression, for hope. it's not a possession. you can't own it. it is believing in a world that does not exist yet. it is seeing things, as they are not. it is not illogical; it is a dream, but it will come to pass. in the mean time, welcome to the rest of your life. welcome to everything that doesn't make sense tonight. welcome back to the things that will tear your core. welcome to the fallout"-Jon Foreman

ya'll,

my parents keep asking me what i want for christmas.

and i have no idea!

i'm taking suggestions.

thanks.

list.

why hello there.

things to update you on (i like lists...)

1. it's tuesday, but it's the last day i'm working this week. i'm going to see my friend laura tomorrow in CT. she's from AL. but her grandma lives there. HOORAY!

2. 4/9 of our teams competed in plymouth, mass 2 weeks ago. we won 5 silver medals, and all the teams skated wonderfully :) so proud. there are pics on my facebook.

3. i'm so thankful for all my friends and family. they are amazing and keep me going.

4. i cooked a TURKEY on sunday. i had one mom who helped me out. but it was my responsibility. :) really exciting. it was delicious.

5. i cooked this turkey for a family thanksgiving potluck at my church for all the youth and their families. 35 people showed up. it was delicious and we had lots of leftover food.

6. i brought the leftover food to a food pantry yesterday and they were so grateful. i felt so good :)

7. as americans, we have so much to be thankful for this thanksgiving. although, we should be thankful all the time.

8. i really love diet coke.

i can't think of much else at the moment.

with that, have a wonderful thanksgiving.

quickly

i'm alive.

i know it's been a while, but i've been busy!

i have to share this story:

the little old treasurer that works at my church came into my office like he usually does just to say hello, or "good afternoon". he said, i must pass something along. he proceeded to tell me about all the compliments i have been receiving, and how at the staff parish meeting the pastor even made it a point to say what an outstanding job i am doing. that about made my YEAR!

i've been having lots of discouragement, but i now feel so much better.

hooray.

so busy! i'll write a real update soon.

peace.

i like this.

Even though our faith may be 2,000 years old, our thinking is not. True progress is a balance between preserving the essence of a certain way of life and changing things that are not essential. Christianity was born a revolutionary faith, and we have preserved that ... Paradoxically, we have succeeded in not changing the faith that is itself dedicated to change.

- His All Holiness Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Christian World

this could be a soapbox post.

hi everyone.

hope this finds you well.

i'm sick of seeing political statuses on facebook, just so you know. especially people who say

"GOP, GOP, GOP! What a night!!!" or

"Good bye hope and change, hello reason, integrity, and fiscal responsibility". Sorry. just annoys me.

however, the other side annoys me as well:

"is down... bad election night for liberals and Dems: 2 Dem govs fell and gay marriage was rejected in Maine... However, for the first time in over 100 years in northern NY a Dem is elected to Congress and Washington State is protecting Domestic Partnerships"

"i don't care. i will not live in nj with chris christie as my governor. just won't do it."

"really nj? you have got to be kidding me right now."

interesting, right?

i hate it. i hate it more than i hate joel olsteen. ok, well maybe not, but you get the point.

quite frankly, i didn't like either candidate. but that doesn't mean i'm going to go post on FB all about how i'm pissed off about it. really? it's over. done. we need to hope and pray that the people in charge will do their job and do it well, right?

that actually was not what i was going to post about. i'll come back later and post the other one.

the end.