Happy New Year!

I hope you all are having a blessed Christmas season!

Though I have yet to update my blog with the latest happenings, know that I do have lots of pictures to share with you. [grin] I was able to take a very special first anniversary trip with my man, after which we flew home for two weeks to celebrate Christmas with family. What wonderful, special times! Dan and I are in Nebraska for only a few more days, so I'm trying to make the most of our time here and getting on the computer is very low priority. Which means you can look for oodles of pictures and updates in January! So stay tuned...

Loving you

is like counting the stars...

Just when I think I've discovered

all the reasons to thank God for you --

I realize I've just begun.

Happy anniversary, Dan!

Really?

Seriously?

Has a year flown by already?

Was it really only 365 days ago that we were running through the wedding ceremony, making sure everyone knew where to stand?

Was it really a whole year ago when the long countdown was finally over?!

--and here it was, the day before our wedding!

As I look back, I can't help but think of all our precious family and friends who blessed us in so many ways. They helped pull together so many details and truly supported us with their love, counsel, prayers, and excitement.

And yes -- we were excited, too!

After the rehearsal, the Beasley's had prepared a delightful supper and evening. What a precious time to sit around and reflect on what God had done to bring us to this very day!

Dan's Uncle Doug entertained us with a lively rendition of "Good Morning Life" that captured our excitement perfectly...

Good morning life!

Good morning sun how are your skies above?

It's great to be alive and in love!

Good morning life!

Good morning birds sing out your happy tunes --

Feels so good because I'll be seeing her soon!

Last night she said she loved me

What a pity to part

I slept with both eyes open waiting for today to start.

Good morning life!

Good morning world how are you happiness --

All at once I know what livin' can be.

Its' life, it's free, its someone waiting for me

Who'll someday be my wife!

Good morning life!

1 Corinthians 11:1

"...imitate Christ."

If people cannot see Jesus in you and me, in whom will they ever see Jesus?

-Mark Cahill

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me

All His wonderful passion and purity

Oh, Thou Spirit divine,

all my nature refine

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me!

-Albert Orsborn

It's a boy!

I have a little nephew!!

Edmund Nathanael Beasley

-- born December 9, 2010 --

Congratulations Caleb and Abby!

I'm looking forward to seeing the lil' man in a few weeks and getting to hold your precious bundle!

study...study...study...

My man has been putting in huge study days the last few weeks, and now has a three hour final tonight and another on Thursday evening. Would you join me in praying for him?

Blessed be His name

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

For wisdom and might are His.

He changes the times and the seasons;

He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those

who have understanding.

He reveals deep and secret things;

He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.

Daniel 2:20-22

When it comes to serving God, we must never focus our attention on the size of the task, for it will squash our vision and enthusiasm. We should always place our eyes on the size of our Lord. What He says will happen always takes place in His perfect timing.

-Brother Yun

Currently reading

There is one book that I am always reading through: God's Holy Word. My structure for devotions occasionally changes, and in January Dan and I committed to reading through the entire Bible together in our first year of marriage. What a blessing it has been!




I'm also currently enjoying several other books:

I just started The 5000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen. Though I've only read a few chapters, this book has already deepened my appreciation for what our Founding Fathers really did when they wrote our Constitution. I'm fascinated with history and am looking forward to growing in my understanding of the events that surrounded the birth of our nation.

I love reading miraculous accounts from the Bible about God's mighty acts on behalf of His people. I'm encouraged when I read about missionaries and heroes of faith who saw God's powerful hand at work as they pursued fulfilling the Great Commission. I also find it very exciting to find books that record stories of how God is working TODAY in such amazing ways across our world -- and For the Love of my Brothers is definitely one of those books. It is actually a continuation of the dramatic story of Brother Andrew's work among the suffering church. (His first book is God's Smuggler. If you haven't read either of them, I highly recommend that you do so).

At a slower pace, my husband and I are reading Conquer Your Fear, Share Your Faith together. We have been given so much and truly want to make the most of every opportunity the Lord sends our way. Desiring to always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us, we ordered a few tracts and are enjoying reading this book by Ray Comfort to better equip ourselves.

Also on my 'to read' list is Blog by Hugh Hewitt and Wrestling Prayer by Eric and Leslie Ludy.

What are you currently working through?

(I've gotten several of these books for next to nothing thanks to paperbackswap. If you are unfamiliar with how it works, I highly recommend that you check it out!)

2:17pm

Home from the grocery store!

I stopped at two local grocery stores and Rite Aid. The total came to $72.75, but after coupons I only spent $19.65!

I'm stocked up on meat so only needed milk, eggs, fresh fruit, and a few vegetables. All of the pasta, cleaning supplies, and candy were completely free after coupons. (My man will be excited about the candy...he has a sweet tooth that especially likes anything fruity and chewy!!) And just in case you counted the ten boxes of pasta, it is definitely more than the two of us can use -- so I'm excited about donating most of it to our church's food pantry!