My Little Angels...ho ho ho

Here you see the most wonderful man in the world: My sweet husband, Alan Christner.

"Mother Mary" a.k.a. Emily, reverently awed by the Christmas candlelight service at our church.

Emily was very proud of her first snowman of the year! I helped her build it, but my hands got so cold that we only managed a "midget man!!"

Here is my sweet "little boy blue" on his 3-month old birthday! He is really starting to notice things and perk up when he sees me, Daddy or Emily. What a smile, huh? OKAY already! I know I'm gone over the little fellow :-)

Zippidy-Doo-Dah

I love the fresh, innocent perspective of children. God is right there beside them and they talk to Him like they talk to you and me. The other day, Emily was warbling at the top of her lungs (more than slightly off-key) singing about everything from wet diapers to Jesus Christ the Lord. She bounced into the kitchen and said, "Did you hear my pretty song? I was singing to Jesus." I thought about how often I only come to Him after I have tried to "sing" on perfect pitch and only when I have something really brilliant to say! Lord help me to have that childlike faith that can simply come to You as I am: off-pitch, everyday subjects and all. How You love to have your children REALLY talk to you. Help me to be REAL in my relationship with You. Can I hear a loud "AMEN" out there, anybody?
Timothy is really growing and eating and eating and eating... for those moms who nursed you know what this means: no rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need none! Add to this the beginning of teething at only 3 months old and you can see why I refuse to change my profile picture. I would be completely unrecognizable - what with the wrinkles, straggly hair, dark, hollow eyes ... OK OK that is a little overkill, but I am feeling a bit goofy right now! HA HA Love to all and keep your heart in tune with Jesus. He's coming to get us soon and take us back for a day at His House. Just think, that day will never end and there will be no more sorrow, crying or tears. All that was a trouble to us on this earth will fade away in the glory of His Presence! Hallelujah and YIPPEE!!!!

Another year has flown away on the wings of the wind...

Hello everyone! Wow, where did the time get away to? Since my last post, I have been so busy I don't know whether I am coming or going. I am turning into a snapdragon: part of me has snapped and the other half is "draggin" HO HO Anyway, we had family in from the far-flung corners of the earth (USA) for Thanksgiving. Then, we immediately fell headlong into the holiday rush from which we are now beginning to recover. We had a Christmas banquet, Community caroling with hot chocolate and cookies at the parsonage afterward, and our annual Christmas Candlelight program. Add to that the celebration of Advent for four Sunday mornings in a row, and decorating, and baking, and mailing Christmas cards to people, and, and, and, ...... AAAAIIIIIGGGGHHHH!!

Isn't it amazing how one tiny scrap of humanity born in a smelly, stinky cave in the tiny town of Bethlehem has so impacted our world, that we wildly drive ourselves mad trying to celebrate His birth two thousand years later. This was not God with man, this WAS GOD IN MAN. A small manchild containing God Himself. OH WOW!! Alan and I were talking about it and he said, "Can you imagine how much he had to constrain Himself to even stay inside human flesh. The power of God, so grand and mighty, had to "rein" Himself in else the human body would have literally disintegrated in the face of such an overwhelming, pure, holy presence. O.K. this preacher's kid and preacher's wife is getting excited now! I guess I'll leave the expounding to my husband, but doesn't it fill you with wonder to think of this? We had a great Christmas day and Emily has been enjoying her new little treasures very much.

Timothy is growing very well and has decided to get "colicky" at night so we are learning to wean ourselves from sleep. Otherwise, the little fellow is as good as gold. We do enjoy holding the little guy. Well, enough rambling from the peanut gallery. I hope and pray that whoever reads this has the best year you have ever experienced and that the Christ child of Christmas is the reigning King in your heart and life today!!!! LOVE TO ALL!!!!

Hello from a weary, but happy woman

So, Hi Everybody!
Yeah, Yeah, I know you have not seen anything of me for a while. With the exception of my protruding belly, I haven't seen much of me lately either! HA!
Here is a rundown of the last 18 days of my life:
DAY 1: Get up at 4 am to take two young teens from our church to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Get home from moving them in at 12:30 am the next morning
DAY 2: Take teenagers clothes shopping for youth camp.
DAY 3: Make fliers, go calling to invite kids to VBS
DAY 4: CHURCH 2 times, go out to invite kids to VBS during the afternoon.
DAYS 5-9: VBS every evening; preparing snacks and stories during the day
DAY 10: Sunday School Picnic for entire church.
DAY 11: CHURCH DAY; try to Pack to leave for Youth Camp next morning!
DAYS 12-16:HEARTLAND BIBLE METHODIST YOUTH CAMP (I'm not 15 anymore, I realize on about Day 2 of this Youth Camp!!)
DAY 17: Unpack, go calling, clean church, clean up mess from discovering that while we were gone the breaker blew out on the outlet for our refrigerator!! WOOHOO!
DAY 18: CHURCH TWO TIMES
PHEW!! Anybody want to trade places with this waddling pastor's wife who is so tired I do not know straight up from sideways right now?
P.S. According to ultrasound pictures, our little tyke-to-be is a boy!! HOORAY! Little Junior is due in November and this is one time I will be glad to see falling leaves, feel chilly air, and face another winter. I am ready to get this phase over and cuddle my little guy in my arms. Hopefully, there will be some pictures in a few days, once I catch my breath.
Oh, and for those who really care to hear it, on my first day off in 18 days, I got hit with a kidney stone the size of Mt. Everest (at least it feels like it)! I'd rather go through labor anyday! But, yippee, I am home and happy to be still for a while. Love to all. Later.....

Spring has Sprung

Hello everyone! I just wanted to check in and let you know that I have not dropped off the face of the earth. Along with enjoying the FINALLY-arrived spring warmth and sunshine, I have been busy with two gardens. One is my veggie and flower garden outside, and the other is a new little life growing, inside. This has resulted in those glorious days of sleep, sleep, sleep and eat, eat, eat. Plus, YUK, YUK, YUK!!! Just kind of nauseated every once in a while. We are really excited about this new little venture headed our way. My due date is November 18. People ask, "What do you want it to be?" We reply, "We want a ........ HEALTHY!" More to follow, but I am hungry and will starve to death in the next five seconds if I don't go fill up quick! Alan and I are convinced this baby is a strapping boy who will one day play football the way I stay so hungry for red meat and potatoes! Ha! Catch you later. Love to all!

Happy Sunday Evening, Everybody

Have you ever felt it? It's Saturday night, 11:59 p.m. You pillow your head, but your brain is flying a thousand miles an hour. You wonder -- will my husband be alright, will everyone be as admiring of his message as I am, will everyone make it in to church tomorrow, will the new contacts we made today come?

Sunday morning: Palpitations, sweat, fluttering and flying around in general! Then you step into the quiet of the sanctuary and the presence of God meets you. Your worries fly away, your spirit calms, and no matter the problems, you know that God is in your midst! That was me today!

But, you know what my most favorite part of Sunday is? It is after I have met with God two times in a special way, after I have breathed prayers throughout the entire sermon for my husband, and I am home. I realize I have made it through another Sunday without too many tragedies or mishaps. God is good, all is well, I love my precious little flock whom I help my husband to minister to. Ah! Now that's a feeling that we all can appreciate! I have a new name for we minister's wives -- it's P.E.W. That stands for Preacher's Elastic Wife. We may be stretched to the limit in our ability, patience, yes, love, but we are always able to bounce back, fresh and revived after our time with the Lord! Hold on to your faith, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our General is in control and will never give us marching orders that are too hard to bear! Love to all!