Jesse Tree

We have started 2 new traditions this year for Christmas...we are reading Jotham's Journey about a little boy's adventures right before the birth of Jesus. An excellent read (thank you, Kim P, for your suggestion).

And then we are reading a daily devotional & creating a little "ornament" for our Jesse Tree each day. The boys are enjoying this so much.

Here are the fruits of their labors so far...

And I forgot to show you a picture of my favorite spot in this house...there is a ledge in the living room with the vaulted ceiling that allows me to display my Christmas pictures. I love it!

Our New Home--Center, Texas

We're getting settled into our new home in Center, Texas...well, it's our rental home until we sell our house in Malakoff (please pray that it will sell SOON). Anyway, I thought I'd share some pictures of our new home.

Ethan was being particularly sweet and posing really cute!

Our living room

Our bedroom looking into the bathroom & into the hallway & laundry room

Our bedroom looking outside

Evan's bedroom (the boys are both sleeping in this room)


Ethan's Room/School Room

Kitchen/Dining Room/Office area looking from the Living Room

(We love the open floor plan...feels so spacious)

Another pose I couldn't resist...

Kitchen (notice the 2 posers...Eric pretending to cook & Evan looking cool)

That's it for now...more stories to come when I have more time to write.

Memory Verses #23 - #24

Well, we've made it another year memorizing 2 verses per month. I have missed having the Beth Moore Siesta Scripture Memory Team as my accountability, but I made it anyway. This semester, I have worked on Romans 12 with Evan. I'm so proud that he has memorized an entire chapter of the Bible as an 11-year-old! I didn't do that until I was in graduate school...that's when I memorized Psalm 139 with a Bible study group.

So here are the last 2 verses for the year...

Verse #23

Romans 12:19-21

Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written:

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This last verse has become one of my favorite prayers and blessings...

Verse #24

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.