Liz's Letters

Tonight at midnight, the year 2008 is gone and the new year begins. The world waits with anticipation. We wonder and hope. Some of us look back with gratitude at what the last year held for us, some with regret and maybe some Que Sera Sera for a year that might have been painful or difficult. New Years Resolutions will be made - and broken - by many. I am not included in that group as I gave up New Years Resolutions a long time ago when I realized they were more damaging to my personal growth than helpful. Regular and honest personal inventory is what I practice instead. I am a believer in change. My growth in my relationship with the God of the Universe and the One in charge of all change in my life is greatly important. Personal growth, spiritual growth, and a life of simplicity and joy are my goals...all year long. So, as I have spent time pondering the close of 2008, I have asked myself some questions. Questions like, "What have I done to honor God this year?" "How ...

These days are like being in a cocoon. I am with family and close friends. My cell phone has been off. I have checked email very irregularly. My days are filled with cooking, visiting, fragrances of candles and food. There is music in the air, laughter, humming, and fun. Today, I left this safe place, out into the world to buy more groceries. It was like another planet. Reality. Cars. Money. Strangers. I couldn't wait to get back to the warmth of home. Family. What is familiar. Safe. My mind wonders. Just a few more days, our son goes back to the east, with his girl friend. Work, school....life. I like my life, it is good. But this cocoon is so safe, so full of love. Gratefulness fills my heart for times like this when all I need is all I want.

The King has come! After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." Matthew 2:1 WORSHIP!

An excerpt from the Russell Christmas card story 2008... Russell family tradition is to have a family party on the day our tree is trimmed for holiday celebration. We select a night for the entire family to gather. Cookies are baked, eggnog is served, and Christmas songs fill the air. It is our official ushering in of this magical season. The tree ornaments are placed on a table so that we can select our special ornaments and hang them on the tree. Memories are mentioned, fun stories of how each ornament was adopted into our family are told year after year. In the past, I have deemed a few of the ornaments the "ugly ornaments". Previously, I hung them on the back of the tree, out of sight. Like the one below, I painted when I was in the 3rd or 4 th grade. My mom tells me that my dad tried and tried to talk me out of selecting the colors, but I insisted. The ornament was so ugly, I inherited when I left home, and it hangs on our tree, in all it's pitifulness , y...

Mary, did you know That your baby boy will one day walk on water? Did you know That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know That your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that youve delivered Will soon deliver you Mary, did you know That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Did you know That your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand? Did you know That your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when you kiss your little boy Youve kissed the face of god Mary, did you know? The blind will see The deaf will hear And the dead will live again The lame will leap The dumb will speak The praises of the lamb Mary, did you know That your baby boy is lord of all creation? Did you know That your baby boy will one day rules the nations? Did you know That your baby boy is heavens perfect lamb? This sleeping child youre holding Is the great I am

Amidst all the hustle and bustle, joy to the worlds, and Ho, Ho, Ho's, I am reminded that there are some people who find this time of year more difficult, more sad, and more painful than any other time. For myself, there is an amount of grief this Christmas season that is new to my repertoire of things to feel sad about. My father in law died just a month ago. He was very loved and respected by everyone in our family. I can hear his voice, and see his smile, and it makes me very sad to know that we will not be able to love on him this Christmas. And losing the friend that I loved more than any friend I have ever had has left a gaping, weeping hole in my heart. At this time of year, she and I shared much...music being one of the big things. We were best friends, she was my music minister, her family spent Christmas Eve with us, and we shopped...boy, did we shop. So many times, I just want to call her and tell her what song I just heard, what the band concert sounded like, and...

My family and I were members of Fellowship Church for two and a half years (officially, we still are) and loved being a part of that ministry. Last year, this video was played during the Christmas Service. I ran across it on a different blog, made a comment about how good it was and ran across it again tonight while looking for something else. Must be a God-thing, so I post it to share with you. Fellowship Church is an amazing place to worship and the gifts that God has put together in that place will blow your socks off. Enjoy and listen to the truth.

Ty Pennington, filming Fred and I on the set Camera crew and volunteers My husband and I had a fun afternoon on the set of Extreme Home Makeover. It is absolutely amazing what one camera crew, one cast, and several hundred local volunteers can do in 5 days! Two days ago, an old abandoned house was standing in the place where this project is being done. Monday night, a family dislocated by flood and financial hardship, will be sleeping in their brand new home after a lovely week in Hawaii! My husband and I wore guest passes around our necks -allowing us access to anywhere on the site. We watched the camera crew -film, the operations crew -oversee, the security crew -secure, along with all kinds of activity that I never would have imagined happening behind the scenes. The mood was very upbeat and it was organized like I have never seen before. The highlight of my day...not Ty, not the camera man, not the lunch I ate in the Crew Tent, but the kids. Kids...tons of them, walking down to t...

Every week, my pastor sends a note to all who are in his congregation. This is fairly common practice for some in the ministry, but my pastor sends the best letters! (I am biased, I know) Below is this week's note. I found it to be such a blessing and such an encourgment that I felt it might be fun to share with you! Pray for our spiritual leaders. I love to hear testimony of God's blessing upon the one's He calls into full time ministry. I am personally blessed to have this man as my pastor. Hallelujah!!!!! THE VILLAGE CHURCH December 2008 Issue #2 Good Morning, On Tuesday night this past week, I had the privilege of going to Bass Hall in Ft. Worth to see "Handel's Messiah." I have heard a lot about this oratorio but had never seen it personally. At the end of the second act they sang the "Hallelujah" chorus and the crowd stood to its feet. Afterwards, I had to search Wikipedia to figure out what was going on. Here's what it says:"Tradition...

Cold weather is not my favorite. It is cold in Texas today. (and yesterday) I wake this morning to the sound of Christmas song on my radio, my body snuggled into the warm flannel sheets and the man God has given me. I don't want to arise to the cold air, the wind. Remembering... there is joy in my life. I have friends, work, (Extreme Home Makeover) today My life is so blessed with children people to love people to help parties tonight My body leaves the warm nest in my bed, hesitant to be hit with the chill. I feel warm. My robe helps, but really... it is my heart. So much love. So much to be thankful for. So much to look forward to. It is another day! REJOICE! God warms my heart!

My husband told me several weeks ago that he had been contacted by Extreme Home Makeover. For a split second, I hoped it was for us (LOL). The home that is next to his office had been nominated and approved for a makeover. Today the demolition begins. Tomorrow my husband and myself will be on the set and I am so excited. I am not normally star struck...I don't even watch television (it is the truth, really!) but I have watched a total of three Extreme Home Makeover shows and if I DID watch T.V., I would watch this show. So, stay tuned. Pictures of myself with Ty Pennington himself coming soon! Here is the newsclip from the noon news today. Extreme Home Makeover

Christmas Shopping is almost finished. The tree is up and decorated, the halls are decked, the cookies baked. (the first batch anyway) This is fun stuff. Today, I did one of those little on-line quizzes that one receives in your email, a little Get-to-know you quiz, Christmas tid-bits. One of the questions was, "What is the biggest annoyance about this season?" Selfishness was my answer. At a time when we are to be worshiping the birth of our Savior and King, it is easy to get caught up in being selfish. Even when we try not to be selfish, we have to fight it. Even the good things like "spending time with family and friends" becomes our focus instead of celebrating the birth of God in the flesh. My desire has been to teach my children that it is not all about them. This is a challenge every year. Currently, I hope that my nearly 15 year old daughter's focus is out and not in. The radio station that I listen to does a thing called Christmas Wish every year....

I think I have mentioned before that I attend a Recovery Group, commonly called a 12 - step program, weekly. It is vitally important to my serenity and ability to live life without going crazy. I wouldn't change a thing about what I have experienced, my family of origin, or even the one's in my life who are still actively in addictive behaviors because of what I have learned as a result of their influence. What I do want to change is my heart, my reactions, and the way that I look at and live life...which sometimes is off, self-centered, and co-dependant. What I do wish I could change is the fact that I did not start working a 12 step recovery program when I first realized that some of my (crazy) behaviors and thought patterns were directly related to my experiences with alcoholism. A counselor and pastor at my church years and years ago (about 17 years) suggested that I do this and at that time, I didn't. Regret won't get me anywhere, but I wonder how different I woul...

Adam and Thien The View from Adam's apartment window and balcony. The Apartment They fed us lunch...yes...Cajun Craw fish - fresh, steamed Chillin' out after that big lunch The famous Chesapeake Blue Crab - can't get this in Texas! A fish market, rarity in Texas. Adam, hanging out in his room. Thien in the kitchen, preparing a Mango for lunch. Adam's workplace. Having fun at the Seafood buffet to die for. It's called Todai The whole family. We met Thien's sweet parents. Mai and Thuc Me and my son! Adam and Thien Fred, myself, and Adam So happy. These bears have a story. They came all the way from Vietnam. A great time and a great lunch at the Truong's. More... Being silly. Adam and I trying to see what's going on! Thien's first flight! As fate would have it, our best friend was in the area with his brother-in-law and we got to take Thien up in the Piper Cub. This is a family tradition! Okay, she passes the test! See the smile on her face? She loved i...

Tomorrow is the first day of December and today I am putting away all the Fall Decorations, carefully replacing pumpkins and turkeys with snowmen and Santa's. I brought out the Nativity a couple of weeks ago as we prepare for the season of celebrating the birth of Jesus. Bringing it out early helps me focus on the real reason that we celebrate with all this red, green, and glitter. As I thought about the passing of this season, and gave thought to writing a note - to you - and to myself, I realize that November was full of pain and full of joy. Sometimes the same week, the same day, and even the same moment brought feelings that did not go together in my mind but I could not separate them in my heart. Bob, my husband's father, and my father-in-law of almost 30 years, passed away after a difficult battle with cancer. Joy and pain. He was hurting and tired. He left and we were left hurting and tired. Being with family helped with the pain, the fullness that I felt being embraced ...