Saturday service & Brickman concert

The guest speaker at church tonight gave me new insight about being the one (the only leper to return to thank Jesus). Oh how I am like the nine, he pointed out that they were probably grateful but yet didn't go back and say so. His point, borrowed from Andy Stanly I think, is "Un-expressed gratitude actually communicates ingratitude." Before the sermon, he challenged us to think of five people we are grateful for, with the stipulation that only one could be a family member. Here are mine (be thinking about yours): 1. Libby, my precious daughter who models wonder, excitement and playfulness for me. 2. Kathryn, my BSF leader who has just gone the extra mile for me and really helped me feel comfortable in group again. She has no idea. 3. Amy M., for taking the baton from me when I passed along my "housekeeper," she is still continuing to witness to this precious child of God who is traveling on the wide, wrong road. 4. Karen K., who inspires me with her wonderful insights on adoption through her blog. now here is where I got stuck, I could think of a million people (maybe not actually 1,000,000 but ya know...) I saw I only had females, so I was trying to think a male, other than a family member since that would be breaking the rules so, here we go 5. Jesus Christ, and no, I am not kissing up. I would be lost, more so than I am now, if I did not have a relationship with Him. And while I have not spent as much time with him over the Christmas break as I wanted, He is faithful and waiting whenever I come to Him. During worship we sang one of my favorite songs (or combination of old hymn with new lyrics), OH praise the one who paid my debt and raises life up from the dead, it's Jesus, Jesus paid it all all to Him I owe sin had left a crimson stain He washed it white as snow.

If we have another child, or adopt, a daughter, I would love to name her Scarlett Snow. I'm not sure I have carte blanche (is there an e on this?) on this child's name as I did with Libby but what a reflection of our human state of grace. We are as filthy rags but God sees us wrapped in the light of his Son!

Do you have your five? Please share if you feel led.

Libby stayed with us in the service this time, choosing not to go with the three year olds tonight. Afterwards, we dropped her of at Granddaddy and Nana Kim's so that Bobby and I could have a date night. They bought me tickets to the Jim Brickman holiday concert. I am a huge fan, first seeing him in NYC, then with Bobby while we were dating at Cicny and Louisville, and then I took Lynn and Leah the Christmas before our wedding.

We grabbed a quick bite at Raising Cane's on campus, our first time. Zo, our cashier, was great and recommended meals for both of us that were great. Reminds me of Zaxby's (have ya'll been to the one in Nicholasville?) We had a great time talking about "dreams" but also planning our date nights for the next three months. Looking forward to more fun nights like this. Concert was great as usual, he and Anne have such a repore (how do I spell this? I now it is not right but it's late), I think from going to high school together. I was introduced to some new songs and we purchased a new Christmas CD. I know I only have a little while more to listen to it this year but it will be great to pull it out next year.

I have enjoyed these nightly reflections. We'll see if I can keep it up when the school year starts back. May you have peaceful rest, akml