Backwards

How do you do this?

How in the world does a person remember back to this time last year? It feels like a lifetime ago. In some ways it was.

Oh, 2008. You were good, bad, boring, exciting, unexpected, challenging, exhausting and encouraging. You were the best yet, as I hope I can say about your contemporary 2009.

There is value in perspective, so with this thought in mind, here is a look back at the highlights in my little life.

Because it is not cliche at all to do these sort of list, and no one else has tackled these on their blogs. No. No one.

1. Best Book - Divine Mentor without a doubt changed my life. (Did I mention this list was not cliche?) No hyperbole here. Life changing. It is simple, nothing largely complex, but neither am I. Please give it a shot. Please read. And let me know what you think.

2. Best movie - I join the ranks of Wall-E fans. I was a skeptic at first, but to tell a story with little to no dialogue is genius. Pure genius.

3. Best experience - The Sunday round at The Masters will go down as one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was a Ephesians 3:20 moment like none other.

4. Most unexpected moment - Best summed up here.

5. Best Music find - Brooke Fraser, without a doubt

6. Most surprising - The fact this blog even exists is pretty darn surprising to me. And the fact that I twitter. I never thought myself much of a twitterer.

7. Most precious - Natalie had her first child, Margaret. Mandy and Jenni added to their families. As did the Baxters, Parkers and I'm sure others I am leaving out right now. Your children all feel so much like family! It is so hard to believe they were born in 2008. In some ways, it feels like they have always been a part of our little friend family.

8. Best Truth - This verse revolutionized me. For the sake of Your name. For the sake of Your name.

9. Best of the Best - No contest. Thank you, Jesus!

And with this, adieu 2008!

A Recap

I'm tired. Not from doing too much, but mainly from the lack of activity that has been the last few days. Last time I checked, it is December 26, the day after Christmas. I should be exhausted from cooking, gift-giving, eating and family time. How did I manage to NOT do much these days? Taking a peek into my suitcase, I realized I did not need half of the packed clothes seeing as I have stayed in my pajamas for most of the past two days. Needless to say, this Christmas will be marked as one of the most relaxing ever for me.

Here is a recap:

1. After I had been in town a couple of hours, my mom says to me, "There are Carolina Deli cookies in the cookie jar," to which I promptly spun around and hugged the cookie jar. Really. I hugged the jar. Then I hugged my mama for purchasing a jar full of the best cookies ever tasted. Seriously. Heaven in my mouth. And slightly addicted.

2. Typical Christmas fare in the Thompson house includes broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, ham, ambrosia, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, green beans, potato salad and other goodness. I am sick with gluttony.

3. A small Christmas tragedy occurred when Mama Dot left Mrs. Johnson's Red Velvet cake at her house. Mrs. Johnson is 87. She loves my grandparents and makes us a Red Velvet cake every Christmas. My dad starts talking about the cake in October. No cake for us this year, but with all the aforementioned food, I don't think we needed it--though my dad may have a completely different opinion.

4. My phone stayed on the night stand in the guest room for 3 straight days. If you have tried to call, I apologize, but I am beginning to think that Blackberry is a spawn of Satan. It's been nice to be disconnected from Facebook, Twitter and phone calls.

5. Movies are a Christmas tradition in our house. One or all of us typically get a few DVDs each each. This year, dad got a BluRay player and TONS of DVDs. So we spent Christmas day watching Wall-E, Dark Knight and A Christmas Story. I had every intention of seeing Benjamin Button, but that would have required me changing out of my pajamas and driving to the theater.

6. My grandfather is hilarious without knowing so. In his yearly "funeral speech," he reminded us he may not be here next year and he should be buried extra deep so that Mama Dot could be buried in the same plot--to save money, you know. He also told us we should not have cooked so much food and instead eaten sub sandwiches.

7. Before leaving town, I had the opportunity to pray over the proposed site for the NewSpring Columbia campus. It is astounding to think about what God has planned, the lives that will be changed and how He is furthering His Church. My heart can hardly take it!

Overall it was a Christmas of peace, a gift from Jesus that was sweeter than anything wrapped under the tree. And for that, I am thankful. As I am for you, sweet friends. May you know the peace of God today.

But we see Jesus....

Favorite thing today: Beth Moore is challenging everyone to memorize more scripture in 2009.

Simply Beautiful

Beautiful friends.

Incredible time.

Merry Christmas

A little gift.


All I Want for Christmas from NewSpring Media on Vimeo.

I love you all.

But we see Jesus

I obsess over Christmas cards.

If I send cards that say "Happy Holidays" will people think I've pulled out the Menorah and Star of David. Will "Peace on Earth" work or will my family and friends think I am making some obscure political statement? "Seasons Greetings"? Will a picture of Santa project an overcommercalized celebration? But go ahead and shoot me if the card looks like it walked right out of LifeWay.

I've eaten a plate of sugar cookies to cope with the pressure.

But more than the card itself, I stress over what to say. Simply signing my name seems so impersonal.

So I asked Jesus this year what He wanted to say through the bright, silvery envelope arriving in people's mailbox. And the following will be a preview as most of you who stop by this little corner of cyber-world will be getting a card from me. Now you can skip over the words and admire the non-LifeWay"ness" of the card itself. Kidding. Only kidding.

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus...

We see Jesus.

With all that is unseen and unknown in this life, Christmas is really about making the unattainable, real. The invisible made visible. The King of Glory known.

Not as a tiny baby, but crowed with glory and honor. Not the "Away in a Manger" child. He is crowned with glory and honor. His birth is really about His life. We celebrate Christmas because Jesus tasted death for everyone.

And He showed us the Father.

May our eyes be open this Christmas to Jesus. It is the very thing He came to do.

Merry Christmas.

Favorite thing today: I can't get enough of this song. Nor enough of this Christmas album...

This is happening

This is happening.

This is happening.

I have to tell myself over and over.

I am stunned.

And excited.

We have no idea how much God is going to rock this place.

Thank you, Jesus, for a front row seat for what's to come.

Jesus, please come....

Favorite thing today: I've had my eye on these ornaments for two years. And also on this set.

She said YES!

My fantastic roommate just got engaged!



Syd and Adam, you guys are a living testimony to the faithfulness of God. Oh, wow, what He can do with two lives leveraged for His glory! Yes, Jesus!

Thanks Lee! I robbed your twitpic.

Favorite thing today: This site is rocking my world right now. Powerful.