a Savior has been born

This year one of my brothers had his first child. His name is Samuel, and he's the cutest little boy you've ever seen. Christmas night I helped bathe and change him into his little bear footie pj's. He is the first grandchild of my parents. Which automatically makes him the favorite. Anyways.... on to the reason for this post.


Every year before my family opens presents we read the Christmas story. It's a way my family keeps thing meaning real. This year was a little different, because we had a little baby in our midst.

As my eldest brother was reading the story, Samuel was blocking my view so I decided to look at him. I was thinking about Jesus being a baby. About the fact that he was fully God yet fully human.

Being a baby is humbling, which is why I think we don't remember it. He was fully God, yet he had to have somebody change his 1st Century diaper. Let me tell you it wasn't as easy as taking disposable Elmo off his tush. What person of royalty in our world would want to be treated like that? He could command everything and anything he wanted, yet he came to us as a helpless baby.

I hope this smacks you in the face.

I hope it makes you appreciate just all that he did for us.

We sing songs about little baby Jesus. But when do we grasp it? Did he have spit that somebody had to wipe off? Did he cry after he first woke up? He was dependent on Mary and Joseph for everything. They had to bathe him, feed him, change his nasty diapers and maybe his not so nasty ones.

Humbleness at it's max.

Do you think he remembered? Do you think he knew that he was the King of kings as they were cleaning his mess up? Maybe not. But it gives me something to think about it.

I don't like humbling myself. And I'm not even the King of Kings. But he's definitely taught me a lesson.

We truly serve an Amazing God.

thats all for now
-j

Careful what you pray for

Someday I know that Brian will be in a youth pastor position, and I will be... The youth pastor's wife.
Qualities of a youth pastors wife -according to moi:
-Hot (duh)
- knows how to handle teenagers
-can organize events really well
- thinks of things her brilliant YP husband didn't
-can decorate for a party
-rocks at making cookies

---- ok so there are a lot more CHARACTER qualities obviously, but I figured I'd just put those ones down, the others are pretty standard.

So I started praying that God would prepare my heart for full time ministry and the woman I would have to become to thrive (and survive) in that position.

God answers prayer.
God answers prayer not the way I want him to.
..... But isn't that God?

Since I've started praying this prayer, he's definitely brought somethings to my attention that need to be fixed before I leave the bubble of this campus. Thankfully I'm learning now and not later.

However, he's also put situations and people into my life that I know I will encounter in the future.

I spent the better part of the weekend giving the stink eye to God saying, okay this isn't exactly what I had in mind, but teach me anyway cuz you know what you're doing.

I know that I will have to deal with people that will criticize my every move, however pure their intentions might be, I know I will have to pick up the responsibility of others, I know I'll have to deal with kids I probably don't like. I know that Brian and I will be at church more hours then we wish for. And a whole lot of othere things.

But you know what, we are a team, all 3 of us are a team. (No I'm not talking about a baby in my stomach I'm talking about Jesus). And all 3 of us are going to get through everything. I have no regrets about where God has put me to lead, but I do know that I'll have to grow up in the mean time.

God is teaching my how to respond, with grace and maturity and not using my 21 year old mouth to respond in situations. Yep, a lot of times that means keeping my mouth shut. But hey, If I can learn this now, it means I wont screw up a job for brian... or myself.


thats what i'm learning,
thats all for now
-j

Our First... pt 1

Our First...
Toilet over flow.

Yep. It was an exciting night in the Colligan house. B and I had just gotten home from the childrens Christmas play and were about to relax and watch this weeks community when I noticed the toilet was no longer flushing (no this was not my fault, it was the both of us and panda express)... B went in tried to flush it one more time. Yep It was like a waterfall, only not nearly as pretty.

After some colorful expressions and B's quick thinking to turn off the water, there was some MAJOR clean up to be done.

So there is brian soaking up nasty water in some towels with his feet in plastic bags and gloves over his hands.
Next?
Bleach.
After we got all the water cleaned up with bleached EVERYTHING. It was my turn to put plastic bags and gloves on, we looked AWESOME let me tell you.

We bleached everything from the door to the shower, to the floors and the whole toilet. And those towels have been also sterilized.


Needless to say Panada really is express. And it's just another story to had to the list of what will be many more adventrues.

Thought I'd share, and yes I did ask B if I could post it.

One of our many firsts that we'll have
thats all for now
-j

Cookie Palooza

First, I must apologize for my lack of posting. However, next week is finals so it's been a busy time in the colligan house.

Last weekend my friends and I made over 80 cookies for the dorm students. It took a LONG time.

We only frosted about 40 of them. And then we packaged them. 2 for everybody in the dorms. It was a lot of work, but totally worth it when everybody was eating them at the dorm
christmas party

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Show all

That time of year again

I PROMISE this isn't about Christmas.

It's about that time of year.

FINALS

The last four(ish) weeks after thanksgiving blow. Totally blow. Everybody is tired, people are stressed and irritable. It's really just not a good deal. We all have so much to do and just want it to be done. I know for us, I've had a headache for the last week, and Brian isn't sleeping.

AWESOME!

I had somebody ask me today "why are you so un-enthusiastic lately?". I told them it was because I have end of semester-itst.

I walked away from the conversation and

SMACK

God hit me with a mac truck. I heard him say "Really? Finals are so horrible that they've stolen your joy?"
Me: "Uh.. uh.. uh.. yeah.. you dont understand I have this and this, and i just got done..."
"STOP, You need to be thankful you still have money to be in school, or that you're so close to graduate. Nevermind that I give you breath to breathe everyday and make sure your heart is working"

Anyways the conversation continued to go on like that for a while and he reminded me of Ephesians 1.

Ephesians 1 is broken into 2 parts
Verses 1-14 are all about the blessings that God has given us.
Verses 15-23 are all about the fact that we need to understand the potential that God has given us.

we receive these blessing with no contribution on our part. HE JUST GIVES THEM TO US.
-We are now his children
-He's blessed us with EVER spiritual blessing
-He's purchased us
-He's revealed to us the mystery of his Will
- The holy spirit has become the earnest of our inheritance, thats just the DOWN PAYMENT of the inheritance, not the actual full inheritance. WHAT!

Theres a lot more to this bible passage (and yes i have class notes in front of my face). I can't say that i'm 100% fixed. I'm still tired and probably a little cranky (God bless brian). But I have been given all of these things and should be totally Joyful about them. Despite the 10000000 things i have to do in the next two weeks. But God is good. and I shouldn't let school take my joy. .. Neither should you.

thats all for now
-j