Lately Lovely {Christmas Edition}

Dear friends,

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful and filled with Christ's love as mine was! 

Two days before, On Christmas Eve Eve, we all piled into our van and hit the road to see our extended family. I was planning to finish Libby's striped socks in the total of 7 hours of driving, there and back, but I was distracted and didn't remember half of the yarn needed, so she didn't get anything from me on Christmas morning. 

In stead of knitting, I listened to music and stared out of my window, dreaming, thinking, and processing everything that was on my mind for three and a half hours. I can let my mind wander for great lengths of time without being bored.

The night we arrived, we headed to a steakhouse for dinner to celebrate my Grandpa's retirement. He has been working for Ameren for 39 years and is finally retiring-- I'm so proud of him! Being such a hard worker, and a cattle farmer on the side, I know he won't get bored.

On Christmas Eve morning we had a big breakfast and opened presents. I got to see my adorable cousins, too!

Later on, we went on an outing with my Grandma and Aunt, then picked up the town's famous pizza for dinner. And we exchanged gifts and had a great time before we hit the road again.

On Christmas Eve, for once I curled my hair and we hurried to get ready before a fancy dinner and Christmas Eve Service. My favorite part of the service is when we sing "Silent Night" at the end and light candles, then raise them on the last verse. I was so enchanted by the sight of all the candles raised and the soft sound of everyone singing. 

When Christmas morning came, we went to church, then came home and opened presents. We all felt like we were very content this year and didn't really want much, so I loved everything I got (I'll tell you about it later).

Christmas afternoon held games, friends, and LOTS of laughter! So much that my stomach hurt.

Since then, I've been hit with something strange that makes me pick up my stuff, read more, be very productive, not eat junk, and go on frequent runs. Strange, but nice. :)

g

the beginning of my mama's cranberry sorbet

candy canes. <3

a self-portrait from Christmas Eve
(I don't really take many self-portraits because the make me feel vain. It's kind of weird, I know.)

when we visited my grandma (my dad's mom),  we went to a mennonite market with her and my aunt that had lots of bulk foods and candies... and I got this!! I've always wanted one of these lollipops, but it's really more because I want to look at it than eat it. :)

... and then I loved it so much that I drew it.

I titled it "eye candy"

a bad picture of something I found on my walk. It was peeking out of the weathered, lifeless grass, couldn't help but remind me of Peeta. How lovely is that in the end of December?


And now I'm going to make you a promise: I will post my sixteen before sixteen list BEFORE the end of the year! That is, unless the computers break down, or Jesus comes back. I would really be happy about the latter. Happy isn't a strong enough word. Ecstatic X infinity would be more like it. :)

Sending love and hugs,

Lindsey Nicole

a tid-bit of my past few days

Well, I am finally posting again! Sorry that I haven't been very consistent... I've had many things on my mind and a young shadow in need of constant attention at my side. Not to mention the fall retreat I had with my youth group. 

These fall retreats are always refreshing, but this year it was certainly the best yet. I got to spend quality time with my small group... which ended up being 17 strong, and therefore, not so small. I have the most amazing leader who loves God so much, and does an amazing job of loving us and teaching us about Him. In the main sessions, our speaker talked about the kingdom of God and sowing the Word. He taught us about trusting Him to do the work of changing peoples' hearts, and showed us that God is always working, even when we don't see the fruit. We may never see it, and sometimes when we share, some simply won't accept the gospel, but the Lord is the only one who understands how and why this is the case, and we need to trust Him that He knows best. 

Also, as a part of our small group discussion, my leader gave us this re-written encouragement version of Psalm 139. I love it so much and it almost made me cry. Cindi also posted this, but I guess I'll put it up too. (oh, and darling, I copied and pasted yours... I hope that's okay. :) I know this looks long, but please take the time to read it because it is truly beautiful!!

I made her. She's different, shes unique. 

With love I formed her in her mothers womb. 

I fashioned her with great joy.

I remember with great pleasure the days

I created her. 

To me, shes beautiful...I love her. 

I love to hear her laugh, and the silly things

she says and does. She is herself and no one else...

this is how I made her.

I made her pretty but not beautiful,

because I knew her heart and knew she would be vain.

I wanted her to search out her heart and learn that

it would be me in her that would be beautiful;

and it would be me in her that would draw friends to her.

I made her in such a way that she would need me.

I made her a little more lonesome than she would like to be,

only because i want her to turn to me in her loneliness.

I made her a little more dependent than she would like to be,

only because I want her to lean  and depend on me.

I know her heart. I know, if I had not made her like this

she would go her own chosen way, and forget about me...

her creator.

I haven given her many good and happy things, because

I love her. 

I have seen her broken heart, and the tears she has

cried all alone. I have been with her and have a broken heart too.

many times, she has stumbled and fallen alone,

 only because she would not take my hand.So many lessons

she has learned the hard way, because she would not

listen to my voice. So many times I have sat back,

and sadly watched her go merry way alone, only to

watch her return to my arms, sad and broken. 

And now she is mine again. I made her, and then, 

I brought her. I paid a high price for her,

because I love her.

I have had to reshape and remold her,

to renew her to what I had planned for her to be.

It has not been easy for her...or for me.

I want her to be conformed to my image.

This high goal I have set for her, because...

I love her. 

... And now for the photos! (These go from two weeks ago till yesterday.)

mmm....kiwi

h o n e y c r i s p . enough said. 

Chocolate. amazing deal + coupons + my mom = more chocolate for me!

pumpkinnns...

an adorable bow tie that i bought!

... and a gorgeous, purple, vintage, $18, fantastical dress... that i didn't buy. 

i. want. this. house... please??

my new silk scarf! Or "dealy" as one of my friends calls it

my bestie's boots

some... uh... uhmmm, well, they're cookies...? I decided that we need to post about all of our failures, or, we'll call them valuable mishaps, as well as our successes. I say "valuable mishap" because I generally learn from these mistakes. When I pulled these out of the oven, my mom and I pondered what on earth could have happened and I tried to think of the lesson I learned... and came up with this: always listen to your little sister in the kitchen. :)

leaf.

                                                                     .. another leaf ... 

   

... my personal  f a v o r i t e . My red nail, the colors of the leaf, and my chucks on the ground.

and. yet. another. leaf. This is from a Sycamore tree in the yard I was raking for my service project during our retreat. It was quite a fun experience!

sunset in the country.

Hope you enjoyed this little bit of my past couple of weeks! It's always good to balance out your overload of sugary candy with a little bit o' eye candy. :)

Love, hugs, psalms, and candles, 

-Lindsey Nicole