The Lord is my shepherd

What a perfect song to end our current home group study. I'm kinda on a Jeremy Riddle kick right now, so get ready for more of his work to visit our blog! Check out this song. It is a great cry out to the Lord when you are hurting and needing to thank Him for being your only TRUE satisfaction. Listen and Enjoy!


 

target practice

We got to spend a really fun day with Trey and Caroline this weekend. We met them at their family ranch in Moore, Texas and had fun shooting guns, cooking dinner and catching up. We haven't seen them since last July and that is just toooo long! Especially when I practically used to live with Caroline just a few short years ago. These two are extremely near and dear to us and if we lived closer we'd most certainly be together non-stop. Hope to see you guys again soon!

the huttons

checking out Grandpa Jakes 22

my turn

brent's turn

Caroline's turn!

going to check the targets

and finally Trey's turn!

Meet Oliver

Our dear neighbors Meghan and Victor (now actually living in Kentucky) just became the proud parents of Oliver Pierce. He was born at 32 weeks and will be in the hospital for several more weeks, but is doing fine and making great improvements. Our community has been praying for this sweet little baby for quite some time now and patiently await the day he and his parents get to visit us in Texas! His grandparents live here so we will certainly continue to watch him grown up. Check out Oliver HERE!

Full Attention

On December 29, we rode our bikes to the park and threw a blanket down by one of the springs that fills the Comal. With a notebook in hand we jotted down all of our goals for the new year. Brent obviously has a goal of finding a new job and I want to continue to develop into the teacher I dream of being and continue to strengthen my photography. We both want to have at least one joint outdoor activity a week whether it be biking, kayaking, running, walking/hiking, playing soccer/bball/football, etc. Brent wants to make a BBQ pit with my dad and I hope to grow an even greener thumb that can handle big juicy worms (UGH!). With the grace of God we'll be stay on track with our financial goals and be debt free (outside of mortgage) before the end of this year!! I've been tagging yummy recipes from Pinterest and want to make at least a couple new things per month. We want to make an accent wall (or two!) out of reclaimed barn wood and continue fixing up our precious little home. We are excited about all of this, yet it all seems pretty minor compared to the goal God placed on our hearts.

This year we wish to be at Full Attention. We feel a deep desire to grow in our walk with the Lord so that we can be His hands and feet. We are encouraged by our church community to mature and to bear fruit. Our church's mission statement is this: "We are a diverse community of ordinary people following Jesus learning, living, and delivering the good news of the Kingdom to our neighbors and the nations with extraordinary acts and words until everyone and everything is under the dignified and powerful rule of Jesus.

This morning we read John 15:1-8 "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation is intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

It is a new year and we desire to be pruned. We pray that the Lord continues to strip from us what is not good and deeply cleanse our hearts and souls. We pray to be more intimate with Him each and every day. Our desire this year is to have His goals at the forefront of our minds. God, what is your plan for our marriage? What is your goal for Brent? God, what is your goal for my classroom? How do you wish for us to serve our community? May we keep abiding in you and not be shaken by any other voice. May your words be louder, truer, and clearer. May we seek approval only from you and may we continue to be righteous in your name. We are listening Lord, help us to hold on.  I encourage all of you to listen to Jeremy Riddle's Full Attention. May this be all of our goal/new years resolution for 2012.

New Years Dip

So we decided to take a New Years dip in the comal. Brr, was it cold and worse when we got out. Remember though, you are talking to a wimp here. Yes, it was cold and even Brent said so. However, I know people do this in MUCH colder waters and temps. It was a pretty big deal though. I NEVER go down the tube chute because I always flip out and think I'm going to die. I not only jumped in super cold water, but we swam down the chute! Definitely needed air sooner than I got it, but I survived and had a blast! No telling what I'll try this year with this kind of start. Here we go!

what in the world are we doing??

freezing to death, that is what we are doing

after we went down the tube chute WITHOUT TUBES!

trying to warm up after the dip. Taking Bella and Isa on some rides while Andrea paddle boarded in the background

Holiday visitors

We were very happy to have Caleb and Hope come visit us one afternoon over the Christmas break. You wouldn't think it'd be so darn hard to see your own brother...but you know things go ;) We are all busy, I know! They came over and we took Champ on a really long walk all around town, down to the river and back. I had fun taking some pictures of those goofy kids and then Caleb got a couple of Hope and me. Such a pretty girl!

I didn't know this was a funny face shot

Happy New Year

Our friends Nate and Andrea threw a great New Years Eve party on Saturday night. We are super excited to start another year living in community with our great friends. We have been extremely blessed by all of these people and call them nothing but family! Here are just a few photos of our evening. Brent surprised me and made it just seconds after midnight to give me a big smooch! Happy New Year everyone! Hope to see you all in 2012!

sweet baby Jackson

fun hats

look who made it just in time!

got my kiss!

the crew

alyssa, molly and andera

Isn't this wall great? Nate did it! Feingolds and Paynes

all of the girls

Sweet Lindsey and silly girls in the background ;)

Happy New Year!