It’s funny how music influences you so deeply. And it’s funny how you sometimes feel more alive in a certain place, or doing a certain thing. But that’s just the beauty, mastery, and intricacy of our incomprehensible Creator. Listening to this song tonight, with everyone else in the house asleep in their beds, stirred up so much of this in me.
I’ve been thinking a lot this Advent season about Mary. Her words in Luke 1:46-55 play over and over in my head. This is what she said while she was staying with Elizabeth before she had given birth to Jesus. I’ve been thinking about what those months of anticipation and preparation must have been like for her. Scripture tells us that she stayed with Elizabeth for an entire trimester before returning home (3 months, Luke 1:56).
Finally, she is reaching the end of her pregnancy as she and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for the census. I have been thinking about what it may have really looked like for Mary and her betrothed that night. Not like the picture that is often painted for us this time of year.
Somehow, over the course of time, we have sanitized the picture of His birth. The traditional hymns of the season sing of a baby who doesn’t cry, and marry peace with silence. Is the reality of that night any less holy in the humanity of the moment? Do we have to make the scene seem calm and perfect because of the sacredness of the Incarnation? Absolutely not! In fact, that is the beauty of the whole thing! The Maker of heaven and earth becomes a baby to redeem His creation back to Himself. The perfect, holy God has entered our messy, untidy world — just as it is. The humanness of the moment here is sacred. Not something to be edited out of the story.
We are made in His image. The anticipation of pregnancy, the waiting, the wondering, the pain of labor, the sacrifice that comes with love, the expectation and joy of the moment while giving birth mingled with the exhaustion and the feelings of “this is too much for me!” All of this and more, I think most mothers can relate to. We’ve experienced it. And there aren’t words to describe it. But, God is very much alive and on display in those moments. He made them. And they can bring him honor in ways that other moments are inadequate to do. Isn’t it beautiful how sometimes the messiest moments can also be the most sacred? The ones where He meets us and speaks straight to our hearts.
I can imagine how exhausting and difficult the journey was for her. Mamas, think about traveling on the back of an animal 40 weeks pregnant! That alone was probably enough to induce her labor. The place was crowded with people. There was nowhere for them to stay. Finally they find shelter in a barn. Her labor growing ever more intense. Far from a glamorous scenario, it was absolutely comfortless. Dirty, smelly, harsh, cold, and the constant temptation to be very scared. She was with the man she would marry, yet they had not been intimate. And they were about to become VERY intimate! Sweating, screaming…finally, the Savior of the world has arrived. First cries, wrapped snug, and laid in a feeding trough – as clean as they could get it. There was nowhere else for Him to go. They made their home in the barn. Mary recovering; a new family formed. Perhaps surprised by the visiting shepherds who came as fast as they could, explaining what had been revealed to them in their fields.
And the Scripture says that Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
Oh, how full her heart must have been. A million emotions, a million questions, yet no record of a complaint. Instead, we get the impression of a thankful heart, knowing that she is in the middle of something way bigger than she could fathom.
I could learn a few things from her.
The glory of those hours is overwhelming. Oh, how perfectly he came, even though the night wasn’t pretty. It gives such incredible perspective to me. In the celebration of Christmas it is easy to become more engrossed in the celebrating than the celebrated. Oh, may it never be! Comfort, security, beautiful homes, and time with family are such wonderful gifts. But, He is what is needed. He is our salvation.
This makes me think of my own heart right now. I have a million emotions, and a million questions. But I am asking His Spirit to find me faithful. He has called me out and marked me with the message of His glory and I will proclaim it loud and clear wherever He leads. Maybe not where I would expect. Maybe not somewhere pretty, or clean, or nice smelling. But one where He has come.
He has come!
Praise you, O Lord! You have come and you have made your dwelling among us.
And you are coming.
Come, Lord, Jesus! Come and do not tarry. Find us faithful. Our lives are yours. I don’t need the answers to my million questions. I know you are here and that what you are doing is way bigger than what I can see. Your plan is perfect. My soul finds rest in you. My heart is full. These lessons pondered and treasured in my heart.
This is a revised version of a post published on December 7, 2011.
It’s that time of year again!! Time for filling your home with the smell of freshly baked confections to share (or not), and time for trying out some new recipes that just might turn into family traditions. So, I wanted to share two of my holiday recipes with you. The first is one that has been a favorite of ours for a long time, and the second is one that is brand new to me this year.
I originally found this recipe at Starbucks when William and I were first married. It is absolutely amazing, and the holidays just aren’t the same without it. I like to enjoy mine with a medium roast coffee. I try to make several batches each year so we can enjoy some, and for us to share as gifts with friends. There’s nothing quite like it. Try it out and I promise you won’t be disappointed!
3 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cocoa-Spice Sugar Crust
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves
1/4 cup decorating or sparkle sugar
Â
Preheat oven 375 F. Grease two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
Make the Chocolate Batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed, until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl several times.
Meanwhile in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to butter, beginning and ending with the flour and beating just until blended. Divide the batter between the two pans, shake the pans to even the tops and set aside.
Make the Cocoa-Spice Sugar Crust: In another small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, cocoa, ginger and cloves. Sprinkle the surfaces of both batters with the decorating sugar. Sprinkle with the cocoa sugar mixture, dividing evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Let cool completely, run a thin knife around the sides to release the breads and remove from pans.
What you’ll need: your favorite chocolate, roasted coffee beans, cocoa powder.
How it’s done:
1. Melt chocolate by breaking it into pieces and warming it slowly in a saucepan over a very low heat.
2. When the chocolate is melted, stir in the roasted coffee beans.
3. Keep mixing.
4. When they are coated with chocolate, lift them out with a spoon or fork and place them onto parchment paper.
5. Separate the beans from one another, then drop into cocoa powder and leave to harden.
6. Remove the beans with a knife and keep in a sealed container.
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I hope y’all will enjoy these and make them a part of your holiday tradition. They make great gifts too!! Happy baking!
Merry Christmas from the Easoms! It’s a little virtual Christmas card from our family to yours.
 This past week has been so much fun, filled with little Advent activities. We have gone to Starbucks for hot chocolate, looked at Christmas lights, colored Christmas pictures, watched Christmas movies, & eaten chocolate chip pancakes. I love this time of year, and I love getting to spend it with these sweet faces!
Ayden
Chelsea
Chelsea
Brooklyn
We hope that you and your family have a beautiful Christmas season celebrating the gift of Christ!
Man. Over the past couple of days I have had (what seems like) a million deep ponderings swirling around in my mind and heart. It’s hard to pin them all down. And maybe I don’t need to. At the end of the day, though, one thought remains vibrant and clear: I am so grateful.
For life,
for new beginnings,
for thunderstorms,
for sunrise,
for the crisp winter breeze,
for people,
for silence,
for laughter,
for sips of coffee,
for each breath.
For Him — all by Himself — He never leaves;Â never changes;Â always loves…Â always is exceedingly, abundantly more.
And His Word.
Psalm 103:1-5
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Job 26:7-14
7 “He stretches out the north over empty space
And hangs the earth on nothing.
8 “He wraps up the waters in His clouds,
And the cloud does not burst under them.
9 “He obscures the face of the full moon
And spreads His cloud over it.
10 “He has inscribed a circle on the surface of the waters
At the boundary of light and darkness.
11 “The pillars of heaven tremble
And are amazed at His rebuke.
12 “He quieted the sea with His power,
And by His understanding He shattered Rahab.
13 “By His breath the heavens are cleared;
His hand has pierced the fleeing serpent.
14 “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how faint a word we hear of Him!
But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”
Luke 1:46–55
46 “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.â€
I am overwhelmed that this great God would condescend to save one such as me.
I love that His Word speaks for itself, tearing down every man-made wall, penetrating the heart and soul, transcending all generations and all cultures, standing forever.
Ask Him to speak fresh today. Loud and clear. Â For when He does, you won’t be the same. And neither will your world.
I am so thankful for these days. This time when my children are small. I know all to well how fleeting these moments are. I want to drink them in. I don’t want to miss one single thing the Lord has for us in this season. Our Sunday, the first day of Advent for us, did not look as I anticipated. (I love when He does that. His plans are so much better anyway.) We woke up to a sick little Chelsea this morning. She was just still and snuggly. We spent the morning snuggled down in the living room together. I am so thankful that we can participate with our church live online for mornings like this one too.
As the day went on, Chelsea slowly regained her strength and began to act more like her normal, smiley self. While the girls napped, we put up and began to decorate our Christmas tree. Ayden had the absolute best time. He really is soaking in all of these Christmas preparations. It is magical to watch his joy, wonder, and anticipation. I pray that what sticks in his mind and heart is the excitement, joy, and wonder of Christ coming as a baby to redeem God’s people back to Himself — way more than the lights, the tree, the presents.
After baths, we piled up pillows on the floor next to the Christmas tree and began our Jesus Storybook BibleAdvent readings. Sweet times for my soul. After everyone was tucked into their beds, I had a quiet moment to myself to ponder all these things. I am grateful that He is making me ever aware of my incredible need for a Savior. Oh, how I need Him.
“Is not my word like fire, says the Lord!†(Jeremiah 23:29)
Gather ‘round that fire this Advent season. It is warm. It is sparkling with colors of grace. It is healing for a thousand hurts. It is light for dark nights. (from Good News of Great Joy, John Piper)
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NASB)
We, as believers, are about to embark on a season of Advent preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Our English word “Advent” comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” Advent is not a biblical mandate, but rather, a tradition of the Church’s history as an intentional preparation for the celebration of Christmas. Families, individuals, and churches all observe Advent in different ways. Traditionally, Advent is observed beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas through Christmas Eve. This year the dates are December 2-24. I thought that I would share how we are approaching Advent this season as a family with very young children (2 year old & twin 21 month old girls). I hope these ideas and resources will help you as you plan your own Advent, keeping Jesus at the absolute center of it all.
An incredible resource I plan to use as a sort of devotional with my husband is John Piper’s FREE eBook, Good News of Great Joy. It has devotional and Scripture readings for each day beginning on December 2.
Also, I am excited to celebrate Advent with the She Reads Truth community this season. Beginning December 2, you can follow along on the She Reads Truth website or with your YouVersion Bible app on you smart device. The plan will follow the progress of redemption throughout both Testaments.
For the kids, we have created a homemade Advent calendar with special activities scheduled for each day. Here are some of the activities we have planned. We may not get to all of them, and we may make impromptu changes along the way. I did not plan something for us to do every day of Advent. For the beginning of the month, we will shoot for every other day, but towards the last half of the month we will try to do one each day. Overall, we wanted to think of things that would be fun, easy, and special for our kids (remember that they are all under 3!), also keeping in mind our travelling schedule since we will be with family the last few days.
Pray for the Christmas season to be all about Jesus.
Get a special treat.
Color a Christmas picture to share.
Drive around and look at Christmas lights.
Sing Christmas carols (more like teach a few Christmas carols) in the living room.
Watch a classic Christmas movie while eating popcorn. (This will likely be A Charlie Brown Christmas – my fav!)
Special dinner date with the family. (We actually planned this one around extended family coming to town.)
Decorate Christmas cookies.
Bring Christmas cookies to the neighbors.
Make hot chocolate and stir with candy canes.
Retell the Christmas story with the nativity set.
Listen to a new Christmas album. (Planned for our travel day.)
Breakfast for dinner.
Read the Christmas story from the kids’ Bible.
Pray, thanking God for the greatest gift ever.
Make and decorate a “Happy Birthday” Jesus cake. (This one is a family tradition on my husband’s side of the family, and it’s something my mother-in-law does for the kids every year.)
We are also planning to use these Scriptures (one for each day) everyday with our children as we begin to teach them the wonderful story of redemption through Jesus. (These actually go from December 2-25.) I’m just leaving references, rather than quoting each verse for you so you can choose the translation to use with you family.
Okay, I have saved the best for last. This next one is my FAVORITE for the kids. If we don’t get to do anything else, this will be enough. My children have the Jesus Storybook Bible. (It is INCREDIBLE. Jesus is on every page, right from Creation. If you are a parent, you need this. If not, this is the perfect gift for any of the little ones in your life!!) There is a FREE printable reading plan for Advent using the Jesus Storybook Bible. We read this everyday with them anyway, so for Advent, we will read these selections during our normal Bible time.
I hope that you’ll take advantage of some of these resources as you are preparing your own heart for the celebration of Christmas and leading your family in Advent as well. Remember, that Jesus is the center. It’s fun and important to build family memories during the holidays, but passing along your faith and the story of redemption through Jesus is what leaves the eternal mark.
I think we ALL knew it was time for a design change around here about four years ago. (Ok, Â I’m exaggerating a little…but not much.) If you don’t know or can’t remember what the old site looked like, count yourself blessed. It was just a standard fill-in-the-blanks WordPress theme with a whole lot ‘o mess.
Several months ago, my (IT nerd) husband encouraged me that I could redesign my own site. Now, any of you familiar with what is involved in WordPress theme design knows that this was a laughable dream. But, he bought me a stack of books on HTML, CSS, PHP, and Photoshop and I got to reading. And this is what I came up with. (I say “I,” but you should know that William helped me a lot.) It is not perfect, and I will change it again someday, but it does do a much better job of communicating my personality and complementing my vision and voice for this slice of internet. I hope you enjoy it, and find it easier to read and navigate.
The Lord brought the words of Psalm 40:5 to me as I was beginning to form a vision for this site. This verse has been so true in each season of life I have lived. It says: “Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.” That’s what I want to attempt here – declare the wonders He has done. What’s He done in my life; through His word; in His people. It will not even scratch the surface of what He’s planned for us, nor the depth of His character. But for as long as He gives me words, that’s what I want to do with them. Hence, the tagline you’ll be seeing around here: recounting the wonders.
Please make yourself at home. You are most welcome here. Pour a cup of coffee and stay a while.
Well, it finally made it to me! Birchbox shipments were delayed due to Sandy and today, I got my November box! I had heard good things about this one so I was excited to get it. Here’s what was inside:
J.R. Watkins | Hand & Cuticle Salve: I actually used to have this product when I was a teenager. I remember not liking the texture of it then. Way too greasy. But it was fun to try it out again. It’s still the same as I remember, but I enjoy it much better now. As long as you remember to use it sparingly, it really is a great product. Perhaps as a teenager my hands were not as worn or quite so busy as they are now. This is a great moisturizer. I prefer to use it nightly before bed. I’m not sure this sample will spur me to buy another, but I will definitely enjoy using every last bit of what Birchbox sent me. The full-sized product is priced at $8.99. Not bad at all.
 ModelCo | SHINE Ultra Lip Gloss: I am pretty sure I received a full-size (or nearly full-size) product in my sample box. The tube of this lip gloss is neat because it has a mirror on one side, which makes it easy to put on wherever you are! The color is pretty and I like how it feels while you’re wearing it. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the scent. It has a fruity scent, which makes me flash back to my first ever lip gloss. Other than that (which is entirely subjective), this is a really good gloss. The product sells for &16. Not terrible, but if I was going to spend $16 on lip gloss, I’d stick with my Mary Kay.
Sumita | Color Contrast Eyeliner: Ok, I really loved this eyeliner. It is a soft wax formula that is effortless to apply and lasts all day. It is perfect for the delicate skin around your eye. The liner also contains glycerin to protect against irritation. The available colors are lime green and classic black. Of course, Birchbox sent me lime green. I did try on the eyeliner, and I did fall in love with it, but not the color! I’m going to have to get some black. The full-sized eyeliner is only $11. Well worth it.
 Curly Hair Solutions | Curl Keeper: I love the idea behind this one. Apparently so do a lot of other women because it is currently out of stock on Birchbox. So, what’s the worst thing about using a gel to style your curls? The crunchy, wet look that you’re left with and that awful sticky residue. Well, now there’s a product that will define your curls without leaving them stiff or frizzy. Full-size: $10. Can’t go wrong there.
Chuao Chocolatier | Assorted ChocoPod: This one is a Birchbox Lifestyle Extra added to the box for fun. This yummy chocolate comes in seven different exotic flavor combinations. The one in my box was Honeycomb, described this way on the package: “luscious amber honey, caramelized into crisp bits and enrobed in dark chocolate.” (…and only 50 calories…) This thing really was fantastic! I savored each bite! Now, some of the other flavors seem kind of “out there,” but if they are anything like this one, don’t be intimidated by the names or descriptions. $7.95 for the assortment. Not bad and a really great idea to add this to a gift for someone special. Once again, I must not be the only one who loves these because they too are currently out of stock on Birchbox.
So, there you have it. Overall, I was extremely pleased with this box. Everything in the box was very reasonably priced too.
If you are unfamiliar with Birchbox, you can check them out here. This is how the subscription works: Each month, you receive a box filled with samples of high-end beauty and lifestyle products. You can subscribe for a whole year, or just try it out month-to-month. The boxes are $10/month & it’s always a fun surprise to see what’s inside! Once you get your Birchbox in the mail, you can sign in online for a list of the products you received, more information, videos on how to use the products, as well as the option to purchase them with free shipping during that month. With each product in your box, you also have the option to submit feedback and receive 10 points. 100 points are worth $10 for future redemption in the Birchbox shop on any product they carry or promote. Pretty neat! (And, if you save up your points, you could get your favorite item free!) Also, for each friend you refer to Birchbox, you will be rewarded with 50 free points! For more information, or to subscribe click here.
We had gone out for an evening errand and a treat – just me and my Ayden. I had one of my favorite Christmas albums playing in the car. (Ok, I’ll tell you…it’s Point of Grace, Christmas Story. Don’t judge. It’s been a favorite since the year I got it.) The song was Santa Claus is Coming to Town. It’s super fun and up-beat, so he asked to listen to it again. Then, he wanted to hear it a third time.
The song had just begun and he says, “I don’t want to listen to Santa. I want to listen to Jesus.”
“Ok,” I said. So, I switched the CD back to the beginning -Â When Love Came Down.
“This one about Jesus?
“Yes, it’s about how love came down when Jesus was born.”
Then we spent the rest of the ride home answering his questions: Why was Jesus born? Why was I born? We answered those same two questions about four times because he kept asking them.
I tried to keep my answers simple and full of truth, praying for the right words. Those are the moments we live for as moms. It’s why God entrusts these little ones to us in the first place. That’s what being a mom is all about. It’s not about all the little things we tend to put first everyday. Lord, forgive me.
Helen Lee in The Missional Mom writes:
“So our goal as mothers is not to invest in family life as an end unto itself. That would be like my son pouring effort into his solitary part and isolating himself from the rest of the orchestra. Instead, we invest in our children to help them see the big picture, the greater purpose to which God is calling our sons and daughters. We strive to train our children with the purpose of preparing them to accept their own calling to be God’s missionaries in whatever way He intends. That is missional motherhood. It’s about helping your children recognize and play their God-composed songs and to understand how they are participating in the larger symphony He is conducting today.”
So, be intentional and ever-mindful as we approach this season of advent. Maybe you’re a parent or maybe not. We all have influence. We all know people who need Jesus. Let’s keep what really matters first.
In 1912, J.R. Miller wrote this about giving thanks:
“Christian thanksgiving is the life of Christ in the heart, transforming the disposition and the whole character. Thanksgiving must be wrought into the life as a habit—before it can become a fixed and permanent quality.
We must persist in being thankful. Thanksgiving has attained its rightful place in us, only when it is part of all our days and dominates all our experiences.
Every day of our years should be a thanksgiving day.
He who has learned the Thanksgiving lesson well has found the secret of a beautiful life.”
Easier said than done, right? It is all the work of His Spirit in us, not something we have to muster on our own. In the flesh, none of us would choose it.
I just finished up a Bible study series on the book of Job with some incredible women. (You can actually listen to all of the sessions here. You will be blessed, I promise.) I have studied the book of Job in depth before, but the Lord taught me so much more this time around. I love that about His Word. It is alive – always fresh, powerful, and relevant. Job’s account is hard. It teaches deep truth & nuances about the character of our God that we would not understand to the extent we do apart from suffering, and it also teaches us that the mysteries of God are an important aspect of our theology.
Job had more adversity than any of us will probably ever experience in our lifetime. Yet, after receiving all the reports of the devastation of all he owned and the death of his 10 precious children – in the same day – his response was this: “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (Job 1:20-22, NASB, emphasis mine).
It was after Job suffered all of that terrible loss that his body was plagued with sores from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. His wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9, NASB) But Job told her, “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” The verse ends, “In all this Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10, NASB).
The Lord promises that whatever suffering, difficulties, or hardships we face, to satisfy our soul with Himself. We have His Word on it. So even in the midst of tragedy, we can have thankful hearts. Perhaps not thankful for the tragedy, but for who our God is in it. Thanksgiving is a bold exercise of our faith when we face storms.
So, whether you are in a season of blessing or a season of struggle this time of year, I encourage you to be bold and thorough in your thanks to Him. Not just on November 22, but each and every day He gifts you with breath. He is so, so worthy. And our time here is so, so short.
