Oh, Christmas tree!

Last night we put up our Christmas tree! I know it's a little early, but since our college schedules mean that we're not here consistently, we decided to put it up early so we can enjoy it for the maximum time possible. We had a really fun time and I think it looks fabulous!

We strung popcorn and cranberries (which took forever) and then bought some cheap ornaments from Wal-Mart. I think we're going to enter it into our apartment's tree decorating competition.

We also had a homemade cranberry-apple pie and spiced cider. Now it feels like Christmas in our little apartment and I can't wait!! It's also freezing here and we've had snow flurries several days lately. Here are a few pictures of our fun!!



Before the lights


After the lights!

Roomies!

A Heart for Adoption...

If you've known me for any extended amount of time, you have probably heard me talk about adoption. International adoption in particular. I LOVE the idea of adoption and think that it is such a cool representation of truly being the hands and feet of Christ and it's such a great illustration of what Christ did for us!

I think that all Christians have an obligation to care about orphans. Does this mean that every Christian has to adopt? No (but I do think everyone should consider! :-). But it does mean that everyone should care.

So, it made me really sad to read this article earlier this week. It's about how international adoption has dropped significantly last year. Please pray about this!

Despite the drop in adoptions, there are still really cool things going on in the adoption/orphan care world. Children's Hope Chest is an orphan care organization in Africa and Eastern Europe and Shaohannah's Hope is an organization founded by Steven and Mary Beth Chapman as an adoption resource and orphan care organization. They are both really awesome organizations!

AND it's Adoption Awareness month!

I know I will adopt one day, and it's really cool to think that my future child may already be alive, just living in Eastern Europe! And since I talk about adoption with my roommates almost every day, it has been weighing heavily on my mind lately. Let me know if you ever want to read some good adoption blogs...I have several that I follow regularly!

Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day. For me, that meant a day in class, just the same as every Tuesday. However, even as I was going through my everyday routine, I was very aware that there are men and women overseas who are fighting so that I can continue to enjoy my freedom. I am forever endebted and grateful for their service to our country.

When I was looking for some type of Veteran's Day story to post, I found this on Steven Curtis Chapman's website (in case you don't already know, I LOVE SCC, especially because he loves ADOPTION!!). It's a neat story and song that he wrote in honor of a soldier who lost part of his leg in Afghanistan. What an awesome tribute!

This video is also a really neat tribute (it includes images from the Passion of the Christ, so if you're bothered by that I wouldn't watch it).



Have a blessed day.

Just one more thing about the election...

I promise this isn't going to be a political blog, but since all I hear about is politics and the election, I have a few more thoughts to share.

The question that has come up repeatedly over the last few days (since Tuesday night, to be exact) is whether God ordains all rulers. I really am not sure about that, but here are some things I know/have researched/have discussed with others:

God definitely ordain some rulers, although I am not sure if it's all of them. Here's an interesting blog about that topic that says simply "God ordains worldly leaders, but not every leader is ordained of God." You'll have to read it and decide for yourself.

Romans 13:1-7 says:

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

So whether or not we think our new leader is "ordained by God" or is the "right choice," Christians are commanded to honor and respect him. I fully understand how hard this is and I have been struggling with that realization all week.

And lastly, we shouldn't be worrying about things. I found this article of 4 reasons not to worry. Regardless of what happens in our country, if we are Christians, we belong to Christ and we have hope in Him!

I'll just throw in a couple of extra verses that were in Fellowship Church's bulletin this past Sunday regarding the government/election: I Timothy 2:1-2, Matthew 22:21, and II Chronicles 7:14.

Please join be in praying for our future leaders and our country!

Really Strange Story...

I'm talking to my sister on Skype right now, but she needs to try out her RSS feed so I decided I needed a post for the day, so here's my random news story:

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/081105-ap-jogger-rabies.html

Have a great night and be careful jogging!

These are a few of my favorite things...

Organ transplants. My mom received a kidney transplant 4 years ago, and it is truly a miracle that changes lives. Become an organ donor here or just get more information! And this is an AWESOME story about an organ donor.

Adoption. I love the idea of adoption and I really have a heart for orphans all over the world! There are around 143 millions orphans presently living around the world. What would it look like if people started following Christ's call to care for the orphans and widows? AWAA is one of the major Christian adoption agencies in the US. Here's some thoughts on abortion/adoption.

Tennessee sports (especially football and basketball!).

The Dallas Cowboys.

Texas.

That's my random list for now... I have to study!

Being Informed

Since I think it's very important for ALL Americans to be politically informed, I wanted to post these videos here. One is of John McCain's concession speech. I think he showed an incredible amount of dignity and class. The second is of Barack Obama's victory speech. He too gave a rousing speech that made great efforts to unite our country.

Watching History be Made...

Yesterday our nation elected a new president. Number 44. Senator (soon-to-be President) Barack Obama made history last night when he became the first black man to ever be elected to that office. What do I think about it??? Well, that answer is quite complex. Am I happy that he won? Hmmm...I'll have to go with no comment on that one. Are there things to celebrate? Absolutely. Here are a few things I am happy about:

1. I am blessed to live in a country where every person has the right to vote (well, pretty much everyone, barring felons).

2. I am excited that our country has stepped passed the days of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s into a time where we can look pass race and elect a black man to serve as president (and how cool that we get to watch this history unfold!!). It is my prayer that my future children will look back and wonder why this election was such a big deal.

3. I am grateful that Senator McCain made a valiant attempt to unite our country after what has been a bitter and divisive campaign. In his words:

"I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here. Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history."

4. I am humbled that men and women have given their lives so that we, as Americans, can have the freedom to live in a nation where we can say what we agree with and disagree with, we can challenge our president (hopefully with great respect) to responsibly lead our nation, and we can live free from fear.

5. I am thankful that this loooong election is over.

I am so fortunate to live in a country that is free. A country where we can be free to celebrate our differences.

And I am so grateful to serve a God who is sovereign and who will alway be there and who will never change.

I will be praying hard for Senators Obama and Biden as we make our way toward January 20th.

I will be praying for our nation, that we lay aside our differences and unite ourselves behind the man who will be running our country in just a few short months.

It's all in the name...

So I'm trying my hand at this whole blogging thing. I'm a little intimidated by it, but we'll see how it goes...

First, why the name? Well, my dear sister read this quote to me a few days ago and I LOVED it! Here's the story of what it meant in the original context:

"In the Gospels, Jesus of Nazareth is often called a Rabbi – and his followers, his disciples. A disciple was someone who had chosen to be with his rabbi as much as possible in order to learn everything he could from him and not just during formal teaching times. A disciple was with his Rabbi all the time. This commitment of the disciple to stay in the presence of the rabbi he followed, was beautifully expressed in the blessing: "May you always be covered by the dust of your rabbi." That is: may you follow him so closely that the dust his feet kicks up covers your clothing and face!..."

What a cool picture of how Christians should be striving to live their lives! Such and awesome picture of discipleship, faithfulness, and devotion!

That is why I decided to name my blog "Covered in the Dust"...to serve as a reminder for what I should strive for daily.

Thanks for reading!