29 December 2006

One More Thing

Natasha may or may not be joining me on this blog. We're a good united team, so if you see her around here anytime soon, don't be surprised. Also, don't be surprised if the property value of this blog jumps by at least 1,000%!

A Home

We have a home. At least till August anyway. We met with the Jaspersons, hoping all the way that they were the answer to our prayers. As usual, it turns out that none of this was about us. We showed up at their home, only to discover that we were the answer to their prayers. She had been praying for months, believing that the Lord would somehow work out a way for her to spend the next year with her husband out west. Their house hadn't sold, they took it off the market, and they assumed that they would have to spend a second year apart. Until us. We thought we had found some generous people who were the answer to our housing need. They certainly were that. However, after the visit and a brief Holy Ghost party, we realized that God told us not to buy a house right now because He was working in a marriage. Two people who love each other and love Christ really needed to be together in the next year for the sake of their marriage and God's Kingdom. We were just the right sort of people to come in until August, after which their daughter will take over the house. They needed transient people who had nowhere to go but who would have nowhere they needed to be for almost a year. Here we are!

Lord, thank you for being so much bigger than us! Thanks for loving, caring, and blessing Your children, even though none of us merits it. We are weak people caught up in our own concerns, struggling between Your control and ours. Nevertheless, You have moved mightily! You powerfully brought the Jaspersons together, caused them to anoint their house for ministry, and granted them the patience and faith to believe that You really would bring their desires to pass. You graciously prevented us from taking steps too soon, not for us, but for our brother and sister. Ultimately, it's not even about them. We look to You for this miracle to continue. We celebrate You, whose love is so masterfully full that these details aren't even worth figuring out. You're a blessing, and we honor Your name forever! May You continue to mark out the path for the Jaspersons and for us as we all seek to know You more.

25 December 2006

My Favorite Time

This has been an incredible Christmas so far, and I anticipate more great things to come. Melissa called to let us know that my new favorite nephew has arrived! He is yet to be named (sound familiar?), but his first name will be John. Unfortunately, he's going by his middle name to avoid John confusion with other Johns in the Emmerson family. At this point I'm just happy that Johnny and Melissa keep birthing children according to my schedule. Destiny was born on my birthday; John was born on my favorite holiday (actually, Christmas Eve, but close enough).

The whole family was here at Dad's for Christmas today. I have beaucoup pictures, but I can't post them from here. (Thumbs down on leaving the sync and charging cables at home.)

Christmas is green this year. Ahh, the bliss! When so many people are seeing the White Death, I am reminded of life with grass, shrubs, and some trees that still have green foliage.

Finally, I'm blessed by Natasha. She has my heart right in the palm of her hand. And she's taking care of it. She cherishes my heart and loves me tenderly, boldly, shamelessly, and welcomingly. Her smile fans a spark inside me that causes me to look forward to the next 72 years (minimum) of our marriage. Our anniversary last week was more fun than we've had in awhile. It's good to be married to someone who is loving, imaginative, and less selfish than me. I LOVE HER!!!!

Okay, really finally, I miss the Lord. He's with me, and I know it. I'm just longing for Him right now. I'm so grateful to be head-over-heels for a Lord who never leaves me, who always teaches me, who is the one who gives both my existence and its meaning. Praise Him forever!

Merry Christmas, for the few of you who will look at this today!

18 December 2006

Packed Up

FYI, our things are in a U-Haul (more on this in a later post). We're trucking out as soon as possible tomorrow morning. We're celebrating our anniversary Tuesday. Then we're flying to see my fam. Then we're going back to our new home. We have no address or phone number, but we'll try to keep updated as much as possible. "See" you all online!