Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime!

     MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

     I have had a most wonderful Christmastime this year! I have been able to hang out with friends and family and do some fun holiday things! I actually decorated my apartment before Thanksgiving, just because it was so late this year. I think it turned out nice.

Smile, Effie!

Little reindeer!

One of the first things I did was go to the local Christmas parade with some church friends. Silly me didn't take any pictures, probably because it was sooooo cold outside that night!! Like, I could not feel my feet cold. Also, I had NO CLUE that the Clydesdale horses were such a big deal. But apparently they are. I was so close, I could reach out and touch them. But, they would have trampled me they were so huge! Here is a picture (from budweiser.com).

Such beautiful, magnificent horses!

Then, one weekend, my parents came to visit. We had the annual Christmas gathering at my aunt's house, about an hour from where I live. It was fun as always to hang out with the family. I especially love playing with my sweet, little 3 year old cousin. Little children make my heart smile! 

Effie loves her grandparents and they love her too! Even though they try to claim they aren't a dog's grandparents!!!

With my cousin Michael!

My sweet little friend! She was showing me her breath in the cold air!

The sweetest Mama in the world!

With 2 of my other cousins! Taller than me by the way.

Little doll.

With my Daddy

The very next day, I went to see the singing Christmas tree at Bellevue with my Sunday School group. It was fun! My friend Merrill gets credit for this picture. Once again, I failed lol. I wish I had taken a picture of the part where there were puppets filling it up singing! I did puppets at my church when I was a teenager.

So pretty!

On the way to the singing Christmas tree, one of the guys in our group had the idea to get dressed up one night and go out to eat. I was game! What girl doesn't love to dress up and go out on the town?! Plus, I got to wear that "red" dress I've been wanting to get!

Merrill and I :)

With Amy

Nice looking bunch ;)

On Friday, some of my college friends were going to come into town for a mini reunion. However, two of them were unable to make it. Meghan and I still got together for a mini mini reunion and we were able to facetime with our friend Lauren who lives too far away to come. We went to dinner at a new fun place in town, had coffee at Starbucks, and then went to a movie.

Both rocking our new hair!

That brings us up to Christmas with the family! Here are the pictures from this week!

She hates it, but it is so funny!

Me and the little Effie Claus!

Daddy trying to teach Effie to beg! haha

They came prepared for a picture for once, so I took it! Such a great looking couple! :)

Half the fun of presents is playing with the box, right??

Yay, sibling pic!

Effie loves my brother so so much.

Well, that's all! It has been so busy, but fun this year! I am thankful to be able to spend time with all the people I love!! I am mostly thankful for JESUS! He is the reason we have this season! He is truly everything to me.

Candace's Psalm

     Several months ago, I wrote somewhat of a poem. The other day, I found it in my journal. As I reread it, I thought, "This isn't finished!" So in that moment, I penned the latter half. I never thought of a title before. I simple called it Untitled. Now, I think Candace's Psalm fits it well. That is what it is. A psalm---a prayer, a cry, and praise to God. A psalm straight from my heart.

Candace's Psalm:

Hopes so high

Starting to be fulfilled.

Completely unbelievable

Oh, such a thrill!

Suddenly, dreams shattered

Hurt so deep

Doesn't make sense

What's the purpose in this?

All I can gather, 

All I can find,

Is that You, Oh Lord, 

Have a mysterious mind.

Your ways are perfect, 

Though they don't make sense.

All I can do is cling 

To Your hands.

You are drawing me closer,

You are doing a work!

I love You,I trust You, 

But not nearly enough!

So have Your way in my hopes,

Have Your way in my dreams,

Have Your way in my sorrows,

Have Your way in my pains.

I give them to You,

You alone know what to do!

Please make something beautiful

Out of this mess.

For so long I've held on to

Your promises.

Now I trust You enough

To give it all up.

I know You have a plan

And purpose in this.

Though I can't see it, 

You know what it is!

I don't know how,

And I don't know when.

But I will live passionately

Until then!

This story is Yours,

It has been from the start.

I can't wait to see

The ending You have planned!

Do as You will,

Do as You want.

In the meantime, please stay

Near to my heart! 

What Does the Fox Say??

     The fox says "Ding ding ding da ding ding ding!!!" LOL. That song is hilarious to me. And today I'm feeling "foxy" in my new hair color! After much swaying back and forth, I finally did it. I went red! Reddish brown actually. Hmmm, I guess that is called auburn. Well, whatever you call it, it is different! Sometimes a girl needs a change. To live life on the edge, if you will. It will take a while for me to get used to it, but I like it! :)

So, yeah, the fox references were inspired by this cute critter sweater! :)

Gobble Gobble

     Alas, Thanksgiving has now come and gone...I had a mostly relaxing week at my parents' house. I was sick with an awful cold most of the week. Blah. That didn't stop me from learning to roast a Thanksgiving turkey! I woke up on Thursday at promptly 5 am to get the bird in the oven. My wonderful teacher, Mama, also got up to guide me through the process. It didn't catch on fire or burn, so all in all, I would say it was a success!

GPS

     Recently, I went to visit my pal Meghan in Memphis. We decided to have a shopping day. It was a lot of fun! On the way there, I punched her address into my Navigation App on my phone. It is just like a GPS and tells me which way to go. It guided me across several highways and interstates, through heavy traffic and road work. On the way home, I entered in my address. I figured it would be easy enough to get back. I quickly figure out that it was taking me a different way than I came. I thought, "Well, I guess I will get on the interstate somewhere else." Nope. It was dark. I did not know where I was. I was a little uncomfortable with the situation. As I sat at a red light, I remember thinking, "If only I could see the big picture and where I'm going to come out at, I would feel more comfortable." As SOON as I thought it, a light bulb went off in my head. I ultimately knew that I would get to my destination because my GPS would guide me there. In the same way, I believe God was showing me that I need to trust Him like I trust my GPS. When it is dark and I don't know where I am going. When I think I know the way, but He takes me a different way. I have to trust Jesus! I have to believe that He has a purpose for my life. That He has a purpose in things that I completely do not understand. That He works all things for my good and His glory. I eventually arrived on the highway that brought me home. I don't know why it took me an alternate route. I'm certainly not where I thought I would be at this stage of my life, but God has a plan! He knows where I'm going. I just need to trust Him. That seems to be the theme of what He's been trying to teach me for a couple of years now. Will I ever get it??
     I heard this quote from Corrie Ten Boom in church today: "When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer." I thought that was an awesome picture.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6