A quick reminder...

If you get a chance, please continue to pray for my friend Julie Cossar Jones and her family (Ben and Becca) What a long 4 months it has been and they are doing good, but a little extra prayer never hurt, right? Thanks for being willing to pray for those you may not even know, for God hears them all!

Santa came to visit Becca a little early this year!!

www.caringbridge.org/visit/juliecossarjones

Alpine Christmas Village...

for the girls...We went last year and had such a good time that we decided to head back. Trinity Baptist Church hosts it and does such a good job with all of it!We met The Parks and The Quinn's and had a fun filled Sunday afternoon!

Christmas came early...

Thanks to MiMi and Grandfather...Last week when MiMi was here for Brenly's program, she wanted to go look for "big" playgrounds for Brenly and Avery's Christmas (and Birthday) present! It was FREEZING cold, but we managed to look around and find what she wanted! Her (Brenly's) main request is that she have a rock wall and Avery REALLY loves to swing! MiMi made her purchase and we were told that they wouldn't be able to deliver it until next Thursday (Dec. 18th) so Brenly was all depressed because she wanted it immediately, but she was very good and tried to be as patient as a 4 1/2 yr. old can be! Ray called me at work last Thursday and said that they were going to deliver it on Friday morning (keep in mind, MiMi just purchased it on Wed. and they built it that fast!) We, of course didn't get home until after dark, so we waited to let her find it on Saturday morning after Ray got home from work! I have never seen such excitement in all of my life! MiMi and Grandfather, we can't thank you enough for such a HUGE Christmas (and Birthday!) present. It is one that we will be able to treasure for many years to come! WE LOVE YOU!!











P.S. You MUST know that it was SOOOOOO cold out there on Saturday...and very windy...but never fear, Brenly and I were out there eating a picnic on her new "playground"!

First Preschool Christmas Program...

and she did so good! Last Tuesday night we got the opportunity to go see Brenly "perform" in her first Christmas program...They sang 4 songs and they were so cute...of course, I would say that seeing as how she is mine! They signed the words to Happy Birthday to Jesus, they sang Away in a Manger, J-E-S-U-S (to the tune of BINGO..."God loved the world and sent His son and Jesus was His name-o") and one more song which I was not familiar with...She did good and her facial expressions cracked me up! He are a few pictures from the night! Oh, and MiMi drove in from Nashville to see her baby perform! We were glad to see her!

Where does she get that RED HAIR?

Its a question that I get on a daily basis...perhaps even hourly...And honestly, I haven't really known the right answer...We have heard that MiMi's mother was red-headed, and we ALL know that she looks JUST LIKE HER DADDY! So I have always said that she gets all of her traits from her daddy! Well this weekend, I was getting all of our Christmas stuff out, and found this long lost box full of good stuff, One of which was a picture of Ray when he was a year and a half old! AND OH MY GOODNESS! He and Avery are identical. I had to get these pictures posted (the quality isn't great, they are pictures of pictures:) So if you have ever wondered where Avery's get her looks...take a look at these!





and believe me...she normally has that same "sassy" look that Ray has on his face, it just wasn't captured in this picture!

Amazing Grace and Nightly Prayers...

Last night I decided to pull out the camera and take some videos of Bren and Avery (they both are growing up so fast and I felt like I need to take more videos of them!) so I got a few videos of the girls singing and saying prayers...so sweet!

PeePee on the Potty...

that's right, you read it correctly (not that any of you care about our bathroom habits, however this is a very noteworthy time in Avery's little life!) Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, Avery was running around the house naked...yes, you read it correctly (not that any of you care about Avery's little naked behind runnin around-although it is PRECIOUS!) and I was busy in the kitchen trying to get things ready for Thanksgiving! She came up to me and grabbed my hand and said, "PeePee Mommy...Potty" So we dart to the bathroom and she sits on her little potty...We wait for a few minutes and then we "HEAR" it...She peepeed on the potty...YAY! Brenly and I were so excited, you would have thought Avery had just won the lottery...We started screaming and hollerin, jumpin up and down...singing a little "PeePee on the POTTY" jingle! Believe me, it was a SIGHT to behold...good thing I only got pictures of that precious baby and her proud accomplishment!



She has since peepeed on the potty 3 more times...very inconsistent, but any small step helps us get closer to NO MORE DIAPERS!!!

christmas pictures...

I know...its not even thanksgiving...and I have already taken my kids to get their Christmas Pictures made...however you have to proactive about these things, because if you wait to long...you will never get an appointment! So yesterday we made our way to Collierville to get pictures made at Portrait Innovations...and much to my surprise, both of my girls did SO good! They didn't cry (which is usually what Avery likes to do!) and they listened and did whatever was asked of them! And as a result, their pictures turned out really good! Just wanted to give you a few to preview! And don't be shocked if a few of you don't get some of these as a Christmas present! :)

Brenly's version of Away in a Manger...

...It was hilarious...Last night on our LONG drive home...I was on the phone with Kristy and we were discussing how we are being bombarded by Christmas and we haven't even given thanks...(A very big pet peeve of both of ours!) She was heading to a Christmas Tea in the middle of November and I had to listen to WRVR the River..ALL day long at work and it just so happens that they started playing their non-stop Christmas music yesterday...UUGGHHH!!! As we are discussing the fact that we are irritated that we can't even get to Thanksgiving yet, My child busts out in Away in a Manger (They have been practicing Christmas music at school for her Christmas program!) and continues to sing and all of a sudden the words are quite making much sense..SO I ask her to sing it again and this is HER version of the first line...

Away in a Manger
November Australia (but it sounded more like Astraya)
but the tune was completely correct!

Kristy and I both started cracking up...I had to quickly tell her that the words we

No crib for a bed

and it was as if a light had gone off and she responded OOOOOOHHHHHH! Now I get it!

So every time after I corrected her, she would start with November and quickly remember those weren't the correct words...

My children crack me up daily! Thank you God for such funny kids!

Summary...Synopsis..

I don't know what you call it...It was just good! For the past several weeks my church has been learning the differences between Islam, Judaism and Christianity and it has been a very informative series...This past Sunday, Dr. Ken Easley, a seminary professor at Union University came to give us a brief overview of the entire Bible...It was very good to hear it in such a concise manner...one that was easily understood...I really enjoyed it and can't wait to get my hands on the extended version of his message. I took some notes on Sunday and just wanted to share them for anyone who cares...It was a very interesting look at the Bible as a whole!

From Promises to Reality:
How Christianity Fulfills the Ancient Plan God Promised

"He has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature...(2 Peter 1:4 ESV)

Prologue: The Need For Redemption
(Genesis 1-11)
*Creation
*The Fall-we were incapable of following God's plan
*The Flood
*Confused Speech (Babel)
Humanity is a race of rebels against God
These four things happened to the entire nation

1. God builds His Nation: Israel, the people of His promises (they were the "chosen" people)
(Genesis 12- 1 Kings 11; 2000-931 BC)
*Call of Abraham
Covenant Promising Worldwide Blessing (Genesis 12)
*Exodus (Redemption from Egypt) great picture in the Old Testament of Salvation
*Law (from Moses) and Land (from Joshua) were established
Temporary Covenant of the Law (Exodus 20)-- 10 Commandments
*Kingship (through David) and Temple (through Solomon) were established
Covenant Promising Eternal Son of David (2 Samuel 7--God promised that a son of David would always be ruling)

2. God educates His Nations: Israel, the People of Disappointment
(1 Kings- 2 Kings 25, Isaiah and Wisdom Books; 931-586 BC)
* Nation Divided into two Rival Kingdoms
*Northern Kingdom (Israel) Conquered (by Assyrians led by Jonah...learned that idolatry doesn't pay)
*Southern Kingdom (Judah) Conquered the Temple Destroyed (by Babylonians and Nebikenezzar)
God was very patient with his people and they FINALLY got the lesson

3. God Keeps a faithful remnant: Israel the People of Anxious Hope
(Ezra- Esther; many prophets 586-6 BC)
* Return from 70 year Captivity
*Law and Land reestablished
*Second Temple Built (Still no king)
*Four- Metal Image: The Wait Predicted (Daniel 2)
---Head of Gold; Babylon (modern Irag)
---Chest of Silver; Persia (modern Iran)
---Belly of Bronze; Greece
---Legs of Iron; Rome
(symbolized the coming of our Lord)
New Covenant Promising Forgiveness and Transformed Life (Jeremiah 31)
---where we would be changed from the inside out!

4. God Fulfills Redemption; Messiah Begins the Kingdom
(Matt., Mark, Luke, John; 6 BC- AD 30
*Incarnation and virgin birth of Jesus
*Life of Jesus
---12 years of childhood; 6 BC- AD 6
---20 years of obscurity; AD 6-26
---3 years of ministry; AD 26-30
(this is the Climax of the story...all of these years point to his death and resurrection
*Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Exaltation of Jesus
---Fulfills Covenant Promising Worldwide Blessing
---Fulfills Covenant Promising Eternal Son of David
---Fulfills Covenant Forgiveness and Life Transformation
---Fulfills (Ends) Covenant of the Law

5. God Spreads the Kingdom Reality; Church, the people of the Living Promises
(Acts and the Epistles; AD30- ?....Don't know exactly how long this "chapter" will last)
*Beginning of the Church in Jerusalem
---New Age of the Spirit
*Expansion of the Church
---Jew and Gentile as One Body of Christ
*Church History
---Temple and Israelite Nation is now OBSOLETE
---Shadows Gone in the Light of Christ's coming

6. God Finalizes All His Promises
(Book of Revelation); AD???
*Satanic Wrath against God's People...Satan has always been against God's people
*God's Wrath against Satan and All Evil
---The beast of the sea (Anti-Christ)
---The beast from the land (Anti-Spirit)
---The dragon (Anti-Father)
(Satan attempt to "mock" the Trinity)
ALL are destroyed in the coming of Christ
---the last plagues and the final exodus
*The Coming of Christ in Glory and Resurrection
*Martyrs Rewarded and Final Judgement (Rev. 20)

Epilogue: New Heaven and New Earth (Rev. 21-22)


I am sure that these notes aren't near as exciting as Dr. Easley preaching it on Sunday...but it all made perfect sense and I am so glad that I was able to hear His perspective...

Feel free to stop by
www.highpointmemphis.com
and listen to Dr. Easley for yourself...His sermon should be up by now!
OR you can go to Amazon.com and order the fuller version of the same message called...
"The Illustrated Guide to Biblical History" by Dr. Ken Easley

He also mentioned 2 other books that he has written that might be helpful
"The Hollman Quicksource Guide"
"The commentary on Revelation"

Hope that you got as much out of this as I did!
God Bless!