Thinking Back and Looking Ahead

I have been harassed again by Lacey to update and have been feeling the pressure of an empty blog for sometime, so here I go. I apologize for my absence but a lot has kept me busy, also known as Christmas. A friendly blogger whose site I frequently visit talked of her efforts this time of year, "In a frantic last-ditch effort to tack a little Jesus on to the pagan parade of materialistic magic season." I think she hit the nail on the head. I told a friend, I looked up a few days after Christmas and realized I had basically run through the last month without stopping to really enjoy any of what was going on around me. 

 

This crazy season began with Black Tie White Christmas in Birmingham. It was great to spend time with friends and attend a party instead of host one, quite a change in my life. I love this group of friends and really enjoyed some one on one time with Lauren. It was quite a little throw down. I raced back to Auburn to start the Christmas madness. 

The Gogue's hosted six parties in eight days and in between we had an open house for two days, from there we sprinted right into graduation. My mom came down to Angel Tree shop with me and gave me a night of reprieve from work. It was truly the first time I shopped and two weeks before Christmas. I stuck around Auburn for a couple of days to attend a few more parties, as a guest, thank goodness!!! 

We celebrated Allie and Christopher's engagement and welcomed several of the Lupton crew into town for a night. I then started the journey home with a quick stop in Montgomery to witness the dedication of Kim and Jonathan's youngest. Anne Gait looked absolutely beautiful in her gown. It was such sweet time with friends and the last time I will probably see Hal and Jess before John Harris comes. 

I then finally made my arrival in Birmingham. The break was absolutely wonderful and much needed! I ate dinner and spent time with lots of different friends. I thoroughly enjoyed catching up on life and not through a phone. I love listening and seeing how the Lord is moving and working though my friends. I spent some time thanking the Lord for blessing me with such gracious friends and loving family. I stayed close to home for Christmas and enjoyed some good family time and continued to see friends before leaving on Tuesday for Park City, Utah! I love to ski and jumped on the opportunity to go with a great group of people for a little New Year's vacation. It was beautiful weather and even better company. I arrived home last night and am sorely depressed that my playing has now come to an end. Back to the real world. 

I will say that over the course of the past few weeks at home I have spent some time thinking about what I will leave behind in 2008 and what I will carry with me into 2009. 2008 held a roller coaster of emotions and many, many blessings but I have vowed to leave some of it where it belongs, in the past. The Lord offers new blessings with each morning and I feel the same way about a new year. Oh the places i'll go...

My Bible Study girls and I are walking through Philippians and Joshua. I can't wait to see what the Lord will teach us through the study of both of these texts. I will spend my first Spring in Auburn as an adult. I always LOVED spring as a student and I think it will bring a calm pace and easy life style; something a fall in Auburn does not offer. I am blessed to return to Auburn with both of my best friends. AM, Katherine, and I will have the rare opportunity of living in the same town as adults. I recognize this is unique and will most likely be the last time we will all live in one place. I can't even begin to imagine how great it will be to walk hand in hand together in the same town, no more phones! Several sweet friends will get married this summer and starting in January, my Montgomery parents will welcome their first child. These are the things I know but there are so many more unknowns; however, I know the Lord will not disappoint. He will continue to unveil the glorious path He has created for me. 

I have no New Year's revolutions... I never keep them anyway. I simply want to grow more intimately with my Lord and Savior. I want to live radically and love more deeply. 

"He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Happy New Years! Below is a Christmas pic Mom required one night before we bolted out the door our separate ways. Because it was never sent.... Here is to you and yours! 

Love, The Jackson's (Stony and Janet - Blake, Alley, and Trey)