And now for a post...

Ok, I apologize - I am extremely past my due date (for blogging that is). December was a whirlwind but a fantastic one. We had much needed fellowship time with family and friends. Caught up with close friends that we've been too busy to see lately, that was such a refresher. Hung out at friends' and families' houses, hosted lots of get-togethers, had out of town guests (minus one we were really looking forward to ... Carrie we really missed seeing you!!!), SLEPT IN, and much much more. Here's a quick synopsis...

Christmas:
Our Christmas was everything but boring. We had a full Sunday with Christmas Eve morning, evening and night services, over half of which I had the privilege of singing in. We ate at my Papa's (mom's dad) on Christmas Eve in between all of the services. Christmas morning ... wow, what a great comparison to last year! (Our first Christmas 2005, we had Christmas services on Christmas morning ... quite a tiring day.) This year, we were able to sleep in and then open gifts at home with each other. We weren't going to do gifts this year, but after my grandmother slipped us some extra money for me cleaning her house we decided to offer gifts to each other. We had a blast discovering what the other had been hiding all this time :) (Artie gave me great stuff!!!). Then we went to my mom's to have Christmas brunch, to dad's (after a nap) for Christmas dinner then to our house for my sibling 'Secret Santa' exchange (that's another post for another time). We had a wondeful full day. My sister Maggie and her husband Jeremy (Zoe stayed with my mom) spent the night Christmas night. We had fabulous morning on the 26th just hanging out, catching up, eating a big breakfast and FINALLY showing them my Africa photos. A wonderful Christmas!

The much needed break:
After Christmas, Artie and I took the week between New Year's and Christmas off of work. What an amazing week! We just rested! We did only a couple of things around the house (items for future posts) but mostly just slept, relaxed and hung out with each other ~ some much needed time. It felt like we were on a second honeymoon ... phones off, pj's (on), take out - it was wonderful! I find myself very refreshed after a week like that. Ready to conquer the world!

Reflections:
The start of a New Year always brings reflection, doesn't it? Reflections of the past, how things are now, and most importantly the future! I sang a song in church on New Year's Eve Sunday called, "Just Showed Up For My Own Life" and it rang a message that speaks of a new year. When you take the time to settle down, out of worry, and simply take in everything (love, peace, friends, family, the saving life of Jesus - offered for free, truth, hope), you come to find out that life is quite BRIGHT. One of my favorite lines in the whole song is "The glory of God, is man fully alive."
Fully alive - a very interesting description of life. One that's not just alive going through the motions, nothing special, just living for tomorrow. You can be alive, but not fully. The "fully" part comes in spiritually. To know the Giver of Life and live the life that He not only gives you, but destined for you to live. Now that's exciting! (And humbling too) Sure, I have goals for 2007 - like updating our home, growing closer to my husband, starting a family, expanding and growing my talents, make new hobbies, teaching someone else what I know. But as for my prayer for 2007 ... may I be fully alive, everyday ~ whatever God wants that to look like. Living for what counts, making investments for eternity, and spending myself like there's no tomorrow. Sounds crazy? But for me, in Christ, that is the only way to 'fully' live.

I wish you the very best and I'm happy to have readers like you out there. I hope my life (imperfect, frail, yet hopefully courageous) can inspire, encourage and invite you to live in the fullness of life ... Jesus Christ. Much love to you all, and as always - please feel free to drop a comment, I love hearing from you.

PS:
As for you visual people, I've been trying to upload photos, I'm still working on it...

An Early Christmas Gift

Well, this year has been a little different than last year. I'm exhausted! Between all the Christmas shopping, shipping, Christmas cards, decorations, wrapping, baking, cleaning, parties, rehearsals, weddings ... came a very needed word. Thank you, Lord, for friends! My best friend of five years, Robyn, and I had a quick cell phone chat on my way to the grocery story at 8PM on Monday night (yes, right now I'm having to grocery shop at 8 o'clock at night!). She and I passed a few words to catch up and filled each other in on what's weighing on our hearts lately. And mine was EXHAUSTION! Not in a complaining way or an unhappy way because I am so excited this time of year to speak to hearts that are softer than normal but ... just a lot to do and not enough time to do it all. (A quick rabbit trail - our Women's Ministry Christmas Dinner was Monday the 11th and our gracious speaker spoke a lot about feeling inadequate and how that is the perfect, fertile soil for God to be at work ... I'm there! Thanks for the encouragement and challenging word of faith, Terrie!) Anyway, after hearing my heart and sensing my need - Robyn said "two words, Lela, Psalm 16". She had found encouragment of why we do what we do and what/Who our portion really is in this life and offerend it to me. Verse 5 reads, " The LORD is the portion of my inheritance" and verse 11, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." After reading and meditating and changing the focus of my heart - my thoughts turned to the praise of verse two, "You are my Lord, I have no good besides You." My heart was so lifted1 To remember WHY we all that we do and unto WHOM we do it. With Him as my focus and purpose - I can do anything! Thank you, Robyn, for your precious heart to lift me up and encourage me to focus on what is important ... after all - HE (that is Jesus) is my portion and I'm going to celebrate that this Christmas!

PS - Robyn is the one on the far right in the picture.

Thanksgiving

Okay, I am WAY over due for a blog entry! Yikes!
To update Thanksgiving ... it really couldn't have gone better. I am very thankful for the guests that we had, such a wonderful group of people: Jean (Artie's mom), Don (Artie's stepdad), Dixie (Artie's great aunt), Mamah (my grandmother), Chrissy (a college student), Tom & Pam Sander (from church, and neighbors), and Artie & Me.

Being our first hosted Thanksgiving, Artie and I decided to carry on a tradition we learned from some very dear friends. After fellowship over food, Artie read a Psalm of Thanksgiving and then started us off as we went around the table to say what we are thankful for. There were tears, laughter and countless "I'm thankful for..."

This year, I had so many big things to be thankful for. Thanksgiving weekend marks my spiritual birhtday, making Thanksgiving a very special holiday for me. This year is SEVEN years of walking with Christ in the newness of life! Can't even believe it ... I wouldn't trade one day of it for another 1,000 away from Him. Also - my relationship with my husband has grown in depth, love and fellowship. The gift of our home! The opportunity to go to Africa on my first mission trip and all the wealth of experience that goes along with it.
I think the provision of God sums it all up. I am incredibly indebted to the Lord for all that He has given me. I am forever grateful, but especially thankful this Thanksgiving.

Just a Thought...

So I went to Starbucks and got my tasty “grande iced green tea with two classic sweet pumps” and watched them put all the ingredients into an interesting tool, put a lid on it and shake it all up. Then they poured it into my cup and called out “Green Tea for Lela” and set it down with a big smile. As I drove away from a Starbucks date with an amazing young lady I started thinking (and we gotta watch out when I start thinking). “I just feel shaken up, Lela, all this change” she had said. And I thought, “But you don’t want all the syrup sitting in the bottom of the cup … Yuck!” See, sometimes life gives us crossroads – a place this young lady found herself. Every ounce of expectation was being shaken up. Change! Change of mind! But somehow that is how God refines us, by shaking us up to the point of utter dependence. Dependence on Him.

It’s like this whole Thanksgiving thing … the preparation for a HUGE task of cooking a vast meal (and to make everything hot at the same time!?). You have to have a strategic plan. Hour by hour, side dish by side dish, baste by baste. So what makes us think we will simply stumble upon our life’s calling and not have to struggle the thing through? To be a life of purpose there’s a plan involved … there’s cost. A treasure!

Who ever thought this walk with Christ would be so incredibly adventurous?

Turkey 101

I come from a long line of good ol' southern cooks. It's quite an exquisite trait to receive. I LOVE cooking. It's relaxing and fun for me. I love trying new recipes. I'm always making something new each week. (Not to mention, I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas! - So I'm always baking something ... like the other night, I was craving butterscotch so I made a huge tray of blondies, Mmmmm!) Artie laughs at my whims to get up during a TV show and start cooking something - but that's what I do for recreation - and he enjoys the outcome.

Well, to top off my hobbie - Artie's mom called us after the summer and said that they would come to us this year!!! (We typically go up to Virginia) So, Thanksgiving is going to be at Artie and I's new house! I am so excited!!! Since I love cooking and everything else around cooking: shopping, picking a menu, setting the table, etc. - this is no chore for me ... I'm thrilled to death! I am so old fashioned it's silly! My family tells me that I was named right - I was named after my Great-Grandmother Lela Lancaster who had a farm and a large family (and not only that, she's the one woman of my family heritage - that I know of - that is remembered also for her faith in God). What a blessing! I believe it's one of my gifts from the Lord.

So - in preperation, I went to a cooking class. I have never roasted a turkey before and am so excited about my first attempt. We didn't have a roasting pan - but a friend had an extra and gave us one (thank you!). I got an email about a free cooking class (which they NEVER have free cooking classes) from Williams-Sonoma. I made a reservation and invited my mom along, so she could whisper tips in my ear (she's one of those cooks I'm referring to). We had a blast! We watched, took notes, asked questions and (best of all) got a tasting! We ate turkey, dressing, cranberry sause, and pumpkin butter. What a delighful, different way to go have some free fun! We didn't spend a dime and had a great time!

Thank you Lord, for all the small blessings you give.

It’s a Boy…Brennan Anthony

For those that haven’t heard, our friends from church, John & Brandi, had their first child, a little boy … Brennan Anthony is his name. He is so sweet! He had the perfect little face! He was born a couple of weeks ago, on October 19th. A few of us friends went over to meet the new arrival. Poor Brandi, towards the end of her pregnancy, she just looked like she was going to pop. Whether this little guy knows it or not, he has lots of friends at church. In a hospital room full of people, he was just as relaxed as his mommy. Brandi looked incredible! Welcome sweet little one!


And now, for the rest of the 8 couples from church that got married within a year of each other – we know… the pressures on. Starting families is becoming quite contagious.

Bucs vs. Bengals ; Babylon vs. ‘Us’

Continuing in the McCall Family catch-up (I don’t know why I have gotten so bad at posting updates other than our busy schedule).

A couple of weeks ago, Artie and I had a surprise invite to attend a Bucs game with some friends: James and Tracy. One of James’ friends had won a raffle for tickets and won 10, first row, in the end zone tickets. Some one baled on them and we got invited (one of the perks of not having children …we can go anywhere on a whim). So – off we dashed after church to change and meet up with them. We had so much fun, and the other couples were also a lot of fun. Any time we get to spend with James and Tracy is so enjoyed … just a really awesome couple of friends!

Here are some photos…


On a more serious note, I did some pretty serious thinking while at the game. See, I’m doing Beth Moore’s latest Bible study, “Daniel: Lives of Integrity, Words of Prophecy.” Where she compares Daniel’s pagan Babylon to our culture today (not necessarily our nation, but our culture). This Bible study has brought a heightened awareness in me to the culture around me, and also kept the eternal perspective most important. As I sat there observing, I was just reminded at how much we need a Savior from the things our culture worships. Don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of fun and laughed and cheered. But, I’m thankful that everywhere I go … I am reminded of the meaning of life, Jesus Christ.