the gift receiving response

There's nothing quite like looking at your child's face as they open a gift and marvel at the wonder of Christmas. They can't wait to rip the box open (unfortunately they usually have about fifty twisty tie things in the back that you have to undo) and begin to experience the newness of whatever this new gift may be.

There are also those gifts you receive that do not quite elicit the same level of excitement. You know what I mean. The paper comes off and immediately your mind is racing to try to come up with a response that at least borders on appropriate. Here are ten things you hope you never hear after someone opens the gift you brought them.


1. I can't wait to wear this..........in the basement

2. If this ever catches fire, I'm gonna be sooooo mad

3. what is it? Oh of course. You know, I really don't deserve this

4. boy did I pick a bad year to donate all my gifts to charity

5. why do you hate me?

6. Christmas is about giving, does anyone else want this?

7. Wow, it cuts hair and it vacuums? I can't wait to try it

8. This will go so nice with that light up sweater you got me last year

9. It's perfect! What day is our trash pick up again honey?

10. get out of my house, now.

Hopefully your Christmas gift experience brought nothing but rainbow smiles and Unicorn tears.

Christmas 2010

Another Christmas season has come and gone. I can't believe how fast my kids are growing up=( There is nothing quite like being surrounded by friends and family and reflecting on all the goodness of God. Here are a few pics for you Jim and Amy, we missed you sooooooo much!!!!!=) (and my sister Laurie too=)

back on my soapbox

Jersey shore makes me sad. I just watched a trailer on msn.com that gave a sneak peak of their new season. I've never seen the show and I'm sure you can argue that it's harmless "adolescents" showing the base side of humanity while showcasing the epitome of a wasted life and don't take it too seriously, but I disagree.

What bothers me even more than the shows content, is how they have been embraced by our culture. About to embark on their third season, the cast has gone from no name partiers known for fake tans and drunkenness, to now the "situation" is on the cover of mens fitness and has Brad Pitt's publicist, J-woww was offered almost a half million dollars to pose for playboy, and Snooki has her own book, appears on talk shows and was the #1 halloween costume among 12-14 year olds.

Two things stand out to me amidst the moral decay of our nation particularly among our youth.

1. The message is given to young people that drinking, partying, fighting, and hooking up whenever with whomever are paramount among activities teenagers should pursue. Every young person should have the book "do hard things" as mandatory reading in my opinion. In it they will learn that the concept of your teenage years being spent frolicking in the fields of fornication (you like my alliteration) is something that never existed before the fifties. The idea that you can just mess around until you graduate college and then flip on the "wisdom" switch and begin acting responsibly is not only dangerous, but unrealistic and impossible. You reap what you sow, period.

2. Our culture values status much more than significance. As I stated, I have nothing against the cast personally, but why are they famous? They have done nothing with their lives and contributed nothing to society and yet they are idolized and adored!!!
Isn't that crazy? I promise that if you ask 100 teenagers who snooki is, 99 of them (at least) would know, now ask these same teens who Winston Churchill was or what Mother Theresa accomplished, and I assure you the percentage would plummet. Our culture is obsessed with reality tv stars and musicians with no real talent, but 15 minutes of fame. Whether we open our eyes to it or not, this mentality is shaping the future in many ways.

My prayer is that this generation would begin to realize the potential they have in Christ. That God is the one who determines your worth, not a television program. God has an amazing ability to use the seemingly insignificant in the world eyes, to accomplish the greatest things in His kingdom. While the rest of the world may be enamored by the fleeting pleasures of sin, let their be a generation with the vision of Moses.

Hebrew 11:24-26 "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward"

May 2011 be a year of looking ahead to HIS reward!!!!!!!

setting up for Christmas

Ever have one of those years where you just seem to be behind. Well, this isn't like the year where I went to walgreens at 3am christmas eve and got my parents the clapper and my sister a sobakanawa pillow (sorry about that family, I was young and didn't know Jesus) but setting up for christmas did seem to get away from us a little this year. Probably because we were planning our trip to Mexico for so long and the old tree took a back seat to 80 degree weather and sunbathing=)

Anyways, the tree is up now and for the first time ever, the Zondervan home is decked out with the Clark W Griswold Christmas light set!!! Unbeknownst to us, while we were in mexico, some of our great friends actually took the time to stand out in the freezing cold and decorate the outside of our house for us!!! Don't get jealous that you don't have friends like that, we just happened to be blessed and highly favored=)

It was so crazy we were driving back from our trip and it was like 3am and i'm exhausted. We're coming up our street and notice what looks like our house but it's decked out in lights!! I ask Kendra "is that OUR house?" She squints and says "NO!" =) Upon closer inspection I tell her it indeed is our house and we were welcomed home with the new lights that our girls absolutely love!!!

Thanks Batchos, you guys are great and Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Christmas program

I can't believe I let the thanksgiving program go by and I didn't even post any pics!! I figured I better get a few up of the Christmas show Addy was in. Not only was she an angel, but the highlight for her was being able to dress up as a horse in the manger scene!!!
Of Course Addy could sing all the songs at the top of her lungs in the car or at home, but clammed right up with stage fright when it was time to perform=) Still Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. B did a great job and it's so sad how fast your little babies grow up=(

meh-he-co

Kendra and I just got back from a week long excursion in the riviera maya. We celebrated our ten year with an amazing all inclusive hotel and nothing but sun and sand for a week. Many thanks to Val and Mike Flick for watching our girls and it was so amazing to just unplug from the matrix and relax with kendra.

The name of the resort was the Valentin Imperial Maya and it was incredible. Highly recommend it=) Here are a few pics from our stay.

what should I do?

sometimes we let our relationship with God transform into doing, instead of being. Obviously as a follower of Jesus there are things we should do, and things we shouldn't do, but is that what it's all about? It can become almost contractional, here's what I do now that I'm a christian and here's what God does now that He's "my" God.

I am convinced that so many believers live their life out of a performance mentality. When they are doing "good", (reading their bible, praying, controlling their temper, staying pure etc) then God is pleased and you can expect God's blessing and favor on your life. When you're in a "down" season, (lack of devotion, loss of temper, etc) than somehow God has to be convinced thru more diligence and harder work that you are "worthy" of his blessing and favor.

I'm not implying that how we think and act is not important, and the bible is clear that a tree is known by it's fruit. How you live as a follower of Jesus will reflect his impact on your life. I'm simply saying that you can never "do" enough anything to obtain favor from God. His love and salvation is a gift that you could never earn or repay if you had a million light years to do it. Stop concentrating on what you should or shouldn't do, and put your eyes on Him. Be with him, Love him, Let His incredible love for you become a reality.

That's why I love this song. Take a minute to let the lyrics really sink in. The first part of the song asks the question "what can I do for you?" in response to all God has done for me. Sing a song? Dance a dance? What can I do for a king this beautiful?

The last half shifts to God speaking to us about what is His greatest desire.

"you, don't have to do a thing. Just simply be with me, and let those things go. They can wait another minute, wait, this moment is too sweet. Would you please stay here with me, and love on me a little longer, cause I'm in love with you."

Let that sink into your heart and spirit, the unreasonable love of the Father, longing to just be with His Children"

Blessings!!