Merry Christmas (late)!
So of course, I wanted to post a “Merry Christmas” message BEFORE Christmas, but my in-laws don’t have wireless internet at their home and I was without access for a very long weekend. My husband tried to convince me I could live without it, and of course I did, but boy did I miss my computer and ready online access!
As I said, we spent Christmas in Memphis with my in-laws this year. Somehow, we got to talking one day about our annual trip to Opryland hotel in Nashville to take family Christmas pictures (they went with us last year). Opryland hotel at Christmas is BEAUTIFUL and that’s where Drew and I had our engagement photos taken, so it became family tradition to go back every year to take pictures for our Christmas card.
Anyway, my mother-in-law was recalling what a nightmare it was; spending 4-5 hours at the hotel, walking around, taking pictures, trying to get small children to cooperate… Yes, it is a nightmare and I don’t know why I put myself through it every year. This year was no different, except we didn’t have any family members with us to take the pictures. So we had to rely on kind strangers to help (which added to the anxiety of it all). So I thought it would be funny to post one of the outtakes from our 2009 adventure at Opryland.
Chris Brogan posted a challenge this weekend to post your Christmas pics/video online and then return to his blog and comment with a link. I think I got some pretty good video, so I’m going to post that in the next day or two. And If YOU post any fun pictures or video of your family’s Christmas, please leave a comment here with a link to your site. I’d love to see it!
MERRY (late) CHRISTMAS !!!
STU GRAY is Doin’ It Right in Nashville!
Nominated by Lisa Gray
I had the unique opportunity of having my husband work for me before we really knew each other. Working with my husband first has always given me a different perspective on who he is as a person. “Hard working, dedicated, someone who strives for excellence” came to mind when I thought about “Stu Gray” in the beginning and now he is so much more!
In the past couple of years, God has stretched him in many ways. From being a new dad 4 years ago to working with his own company full time 2 years ago, Stu has really grown into the man he is today.
He is a full time husband, full time dad, full time marriage enthusiast/writer and full time voice-over actor. Whew…makes me tired to think about everything he does!
His passion for what marriage is supposed to be is really a new thing in his life. He is not just passionate about our marriage and wanting the best for our family, but he is truly passionate about learning how to make a marriage everything it can be and then passing that knowledge on to others. He is constantly reading books, blogs, articles on marriage, communication and family to try to learn as much as he can about being a husband, a father and a leader in our community. Stu uses that information to write his blog – www.themarryblogger.com and to write articles for the Nashville Examiner.
On top of all that, Stu is my best friend, my biggest supporter…I feel like I can do anything with him at my side! He has encouraged me in my real estate career, my journey with God and in working towards starting a non-profit. I have never had anyone besides my parents who believed in me more then I believe in myself like Stu does. I count my blessings every day that God brought us together and that we have grown into the couple we are today!
When I look at the relationship that Stu has with our son Dean, I am amazed. In the past two years, Stu has gone from being the dad that only saw Dean in the morning, after work and on the weekends, to a full time dad! It is hard at times, but the payoff is incredible! I can see Stu’s influence in the way Dean learns, his creativity (which has to come from Stu!) and his desire to be the best! I am excited at the idea that Dean will have something so many boys don’t have growing up, a dad who loves God, loves his wife and loves his son more then the status of a job or a big income!
I am blessed to be Stu Gray’s wife and partner on this journey! Thank you for reading about My Incredible Husband!
If you know someone who is “Doin’ It Right” in Nashville, email the story and pictures to Kristin Gentry. Let’s celebrate the amazing things our family, friends and neighbors are doin’ in marriage, family or finance. “Doin’ It Right” in Nashville honors the ordinary doing the extraordinary.
What would be your dream vacation? (Week 10)
You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – C.S. Lewis
What would be your dream vacation? (Don’t worry about the cost or any logistics … remember, it’s a dream vacation!)
One of my children, Jacob, recently had a school project that required planning a vacation out of the country and he chose Madrid, Spain as his destination. For the project, he had to create a PowerPoint presentation that included how he would get there, where he would stay, the restaurants he would eat in, and the attractions that he would visit. As I was watching him practice his presentation on the night before he turned it in, I found myself wanting to go to Spain! Later that night I started looking at other places on the web that I would like to visit. With the help of Google Earth I visited the Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace and the Opera House in Sydney, Australia. I had a blast.
The reality is that most of the time I’m pretty practical about where I’d like to go or what I’d like to do. I rarely take the time to dream big. Not just about vacation locations, but about a lot of things in life. It’s easy to become very practical and responsible. But there’s a place for dreaming, especially in our marriages. Sometimes the dreaming can be just for fun (like today’s question). Sometimes the dreaming can help us prepare for the future (financial savings, house changes, serving opportunities, etc.). Sometimes the dreaming allows us to envision what our marriages can become and where we can grow together.
As we dream, we arouse hope. When hope is awakened, it provides the opportunity for us to trust, not merely in our dreams, but to trust that God’s plan for our lives and marriage is better than anything that we can ask, think or even dream. In Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible, he writes: “God can do anything you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (Ephesians 3:21, The Message).
So as you dream together this week, be reminded that God is at work to see His good purposes accomplished. Dream and allow hope to rise. As that happens, watch as God accomplishes His good and perfect plan in your life.
Jeff Helton
Marriage and Family Pastor
+ Fellowship Bible Church
+ 50 Fridays Challenge
Brad And J’s 1st Annual Christmas Stimulus 2009
If you haven’t already, you need to check out the Enemy of Debt and Budgets Are Sexy blogs and enter for your chance to win $150 from each ($300 total possible!). The rules are simple. Brad at Enemy of Debt asks you to tell him at least 2 financial goals for 2010 and J. from Budgets Are Sexy wants to know a few things you are thankful for this year. I entered both and wanted to share my answers with you!
Financial Goals for 2010
We are on Baby Step #2, so our goals are to pay off our credit card debt and our cars. If we sell our Durango and my husband gets a bonus check, we should be able to accomplish both by April. At that point, we’ll start on Baby Step #3 – finishing our emergency fund. The most important thing to me is to reach Baby Step #5 – saving for my girls’ college funds.
If I win the money, I will not put it toward Baby Step #2 (we’re blessed enough to be able to finish that ourselves). I will give it to a family of 8 (single mom with 7 kids) living in East Nashville who doesn’t even have enough pots and pans to cook in, much less other necessities. Why? Because this year there will be less under my tree and more for others. http://bit.ly/5OIVJ4
I am thankful for…
C.S. Lewis said, “We ought to give thanks for all fortune; if it is “good” because it is good, if “bad” because it works in us patience, humility, and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.”
This year, I am thankful for all the challenges God put before me in 2009. I was unemployed for 7 months but now have a great job. (More: http://bit.ly/4E7J0d)
My husband and I also launched our Total Money Makeover with great gazelle-intensity and are pretty sure we’ll have our credit card debt knocked out by April 2010 (a total of almost $29k in less than a year).
Finally, I am also thankful that this year, there will be less under our tree and more for a family of 8 in East Nashville who really needs it. (More: http://bit.ly/5OIVJ4)
Doin’ It Right
One of my favorite social media experts, Chris Brogan, writes weekly about folks who are “doin’ it right”. I’m going to borrow that idea and spin it in a slightly different direction. Every week, I want to feature a member of the Middle TN community who is “doin’ it right” in marriage, family or finance.
Do you know someone who is “doin’ it right”? Send me an email with the story and a photo.
This is about you, Nashville! Let’s celebrate the amazing things our family, friends and neighbors are doin’ in marriage, family or finance.
Less Under the Tree…
This year, our family has made the decision to have less under our tree so that we may help others enjoy a Christmas filled with joy and the peace that only God’s love can provide. He who has the most toys DOES NOT win.
Christmas isn’t about how many gifts are under the tree. It’s about family. And most importantly, it’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
This has been tough for my mom to grasp. Not in a bad way; she’s wonderfully generous. But in past years, opening gifts has been an all-day affair for our family. There are a ton of gifts, but we alsoreally take our time. So as we’ve discussed our revised Christmas plan, she’s been concerned about how we’ll spend the day. For me, this is a great opportunity for our family to create some new traditions that don’t revolve around presents.
This year, how are YOU going to celebrate the season?
Today is Me & Drew’s 4th Anniversary!
Drew,
Thanks for your love and support during this tough year, and for being a part of this new adventure
(My Doodle Bop &
My Hands Are Clean). Love you, baby!
What was your greatest excitement this past week? What was your greatest challenge? (Week 9)
Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. – Old Swedish Proverb
What was your greatest excitement this past week? What was your greatest challenge?
It’s amazing how quickly a week goes by! And it’s only going to go faster this time of the year with Thanksgiving coming and then Christmas. In the midst of busy and hectic seasons, it’s easy to be focused on managing the calendar. In doing so, if we’re not intentional, we will miss what’s going on with each other.
If you were to listen to the Helton family dinner table conversations, you would often hear Lora ask our children this question: So what was your high/low today? It’s a simple question that invites our kids to share the best of their day and the hardest part of their day. The answers are often quick and at times somewhat generic, but it provides a framework for deeper conversations at other times.
This week’s question is a “high/low” question. It gives an opportunity to make sure that we really are aware of what’s going on in each other’s life – even in the midst of crazy schedules! But knowing what’s going on in each other’s life isn’t enough. Let me encourage you to take it from knowing to caring.
There are many ways that we can show that we care. Sometimes it’s by acting on what we’ve heard. Sometimes just listening with compassion and empathy shows that we care. But all of the time, we can show our care by praying with each other. So often, it’s easy to pray for each other. But there’s something rich that happens when we pray with each other.
As you answer this week’s question, spend time together in prayer giving thanks for the excitements of this past week and asking God for direction and wisdom in the areas that are challenging.
Jeff Helton
Marriage and Family Pastor
+ Fellowship Bible Church
+ 50 Fridays Challenge
Marriage, Family & Finance Blogs
WOW! There are some fantastic blogs out there! Check out my blog roll for some pretty awesome resources on marriage, family and finance. I’d like to thank Stu at The Marry Blogger for his list of marriage blogs (see his Top 10 List) and Top Mommy Blogs! for another great list of family/mommy blogs.
My personal top 2 faves in each category are:
Marriage: The Marry Blogger and Engaged Marriage
Family: Extraordinary Mommy and Vanderbilt Wife
Finance: Enemy of Debt and Faithful Provisions
New Christmas Memories from Days Past
The other day I read Extraordinary Mommy’s blog post “Holiday Moments, Memories and Magic” and two things struck me. First, my similar desire to spend less and give more this Christmas and second, how much her Christmas memories remind me of my own.
Tonight, I found myself sharing one of my favorite Christmas memories from my childhood with my daughters and they didn’t even know it. When I was little, I had a FAVORITE Christmas tape (this was the early 80’s) called “Disney Presents A Family Christmas“. I had a little hand-held tape recorder (this was even before boom boxes!) that I would carry around with me and listen to it over and over again. My favorite song was the 12 Days of Christmas with all the different characters singing.
I’m really not a big fan of Christmas music. But almost 10 years ago, I set out to locate this album on CD. I couldn’t remember the name of the tape, so I found two really old Disney Christmas CDs on Amazon and bought both of them. I had no clue if either were the right one. Luckily, one of them was indeed the right CD!
Fast forward to this afternoon. Me and the girls returned home from the Franklin Christmas Parade and I was in the Christmas spirit! So I popped in my Disney Christmas CD and we danced and sang along with Mickey, Donald, Goofy and even Chip and Dale. And I remembered me as a little girl, doing the same. And I prayed that one day, when my daughters are enjoying a similar moment with their kids, they remember…
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