Shades of Gray

Call me a nut - you are probably right- but I am totally depressed right now. Why? I DON'T KNOW WHY!! Let's see, could it be a culmination of 3 1/2 months of spotty sleeping habits, S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder), post-partum depression? Maybe all of the above! Have I lost my faith? NO WAY. I am so glad that in the midst of seeing the world in "shades of gray" I have a Savior who walks with me "even in the valley..."
Are you not glad that we do not always have to represent ourselves before God with a bubble and a giggle? Right now I would be on His hit list if that were the case because the best I could muster would be a gasp and a gurgle. He cares "when your head is bowed low" and He knows the pain of relentless despair.
Faith is based on fact, not feeling for me right now. But, God is there. Hang in there and we will all have joy in the by and by!!!

A History Lesson in the Making

Well, we are in a new era as a nation and I have two things to say:
1) Lord, have mercy upon us
2) Lord, have mercy upon President Obama
We are called upon by God to pray for those who are in authority over us and scripture teaches us that how our leaders direct the affairs of the nation will affect how we are free to worship and to live. The overwhelming responsibility and burden which this man has taken today should cause us to intercede on his behalf more fervently than we have ever done. Not only for how he leads us, but for how he allows God to lead him. I am optimistic this day because I believe that God will speak to and move upon this man's heart and life in direct response to our prayers on his behalf. Be encouraged, as my friend, Brent Vernon said on Facebook this afternoon, "God still has the last word, Yes He does!"

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!!!!

Happy Days Are Yet to Come...

Yes! I am disappointed with the outcome of the elections, but NO! I am NOT discouraged. God is STILL God and the affairs of man are ordered by Him at all times. I look at this as an opportunity to catch up on my prayer life :-)
Also, there will be more pics of my little tykes in a few days. We are all feeling better. Timothy is gaining weight. I am losing weight AND sleep. Between those two things I am going to look like a black-eyed crone shortly! HAA!!
Enough rambling. LOL

I'M BACK

Hello everybody! The best laid plans of mice and men can be quickly sent awry when you have a baby on the way in the equation. I took myself to the doctor's appointment on Wednesday, October 8, 2008. My hubby had been out with a parishoner until three a.m. Sweet wife that I am, I decided to let him sleep in. THIS WAS OF COURSE THE DAY that I was placed in the hospital with pre-eclampsia! GREAT! Alan had to have his parents bring him up that night to pick up our van. Doctors, nurses, aides, housekeepers, etc.. kept asking every hour or so, Do you have a headache? NOPE. Until, Friday at noon, one rather roughshod nurse caught me making my own bed and told me to get my hinderparts back in the bed pronto. Then she asked the fateful question, Does your head hurt? I paused just for a second. She bellowed, DON'T YOU LIE TO ME!! I informed her that seeing as I was a pastor's wife and that God was watching me, I would not be participating in that falsehood. Yes, my head was hurting on the right side! In thirty seconds, I lie not, I was surrounded by a surgical team. They said, Call your husband and tell him to get here now! I said, Why the sudden rush? Response: You are on the verge of a stroke! OH YEE HAW! Alan arrived in thirty minutes and they were waiting with surgery scrubs for him to dress. Shortly thereafter, a spinal block was administered (did I mention it didn't work?) and the C-section started. I started yelling that I could feel everything and they gave me "hiccapoo joy juice" that sent me on such a wild hallucination that I was very glad that I am not a drug addict. I couldn't handle the excitement or the weirdness! I am told that I was telling everybody in sight that I loved them very much! Timothy Alan was born 18 1/2 inches long and 5 lbs 13 oz. Because he was so early, we were told that he might have to be on a respirator and stay in NICU. However, before he could even be transferred to the NICU team, he started crying very loudly and healthily! I cried from relief. He was alright!

Now, we are starting to recover. I did have a bit of a fright when my incision decided to split -- literally, about two inches down! It is going to be around three to four weeks before it is healed, but I am feeling great. We are so happy and I am already 30 lbs lighter!

As you can see, Timothy Alan had other ideas about being born on November 10th! Try OCTOBER 10th, 1:59pm!
Here are some shots done by my Pro-Photographer Sweetie-pie Hubby!

Not happy about the 1st Bath!

AWWW! AIN'T HE CUTE!

More of "THE BATH"

Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping....