The Value of One

…as in my blog, not myself.

I’ve been debating this for a while, and am finally now doing it! So please point your browers here from now on…

www.alexandra-thevalueofone.blogspot.com

Thanks so much for reading with me for the past three years! I’m really excited about my “new” blog…see you there!

This is not a moaning and groaning Valentine’s post. I’m not hating it or renaming it Single’s Awareness Day or wishing that I had a man. I’m perfectly content and happy.

I also am not pretending that I do not want to be married someday. That I would not be happy if next Valentine’s day sees me with a special someone.

This Valentine’s day, all that seems trivial.

This Valentine’s day, I am just happy that we are all together. That we are all here together as a family. So much could have happened and by God’s grace, we are all here together as a family. And what does it matter what happens or what we do, as long as we’re together?

This Valentine’s day, I am reminded more than anything else of God’s eternal love. The knowledge that we are always held “in the palm of His hand” and that he he will always “raise us up on eagle’s wings“. That his grace and peace are always there when we need it. That He is always, always there for us.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:39-39

“It was strange, but as I stood there I felt his hand slip in mine as if he were standing beside me and comforting me…Tim was telling me, you see, in his own little way, that he’s happy. Truly happy now, and that we must cease to grieve for him and try to be happy, too.” 

“But however and whenever we part from one another, I am sure we shall none of us forget poor Tiny Tim…or this first parting that there was among us.”

- A Christmas Carol

I love you and miss you, little Tiny Tim. I know that you’re truly happy now. Love, your Sissy

My mom was having some cramping this past week, and then this morning about 2 or so she started leaking fluid. So they went to the emergency room and had a sonogram, and the baby apparently had died about three weeks ago. They’re inducing labor as soon as they move her to her room. Please, please pray for my mom, that there will be no complications or anything. Thank you all so much.

So this year our pastor offered this little schedule thingie where you can read the Bible in a year. It sounded like a good idea, so I decided to get one and use it.

I’ve started reading the Bible all the way through several times in my short, unevenful life and always managed to peter out in the middle of Leviticus. This schedule is set up really well, and Lord willing I will be able to get through it all this time.

I wanted to start this because I’ve been impressed lately with the importance of having a consistent daily Bible reading time. In the midst of busy schedules and mile-long to-do lists, it seems like Bible reading gets put on the back burner when it should in fact be the very first thing.

It’s not that I haven’t wanted to do it…but for me it’s all about establishing a habit. I look at the things in my life that I do practically without thinking. How did I get to where I don’t need to tie a string around my finger to remember to do them? Because I made a habit of them.

Now, I started the schedule rather late…so I’ve been doing quite a bit of catching up. Hopefully by next week I’ll be caught up where I should be. But praise the Lord, I have had a week of consistent, every day Bible reading. And it’s completely and totally amazing how the Lord has used it this week in showing me things in my life – through the scheduled Bible readings.

In Genesis alone, in a book that frankly I know like the back of my hand from not only numerous readings in the previous failed attempts to read through the Bible, but from school and teaching the stories over and over again (the advantage of having wee little siblings as well as ones in your age group – you learn everything twice – once yourself, and once teaching it to others. ), the Lord has shown me so many things.

I want to share them all eventually – how in Genesis 2, a chapter practically memorized from my marriage-at-eighteen-obsession days, the Lord showed me something completely new – the incredible importance the wife’s role is to the welfare and life purpose of her husband, or Genesis 22, on Abraham’s faith that God would provide, even though it seemed as if He would have to pull it out of thin air.

But this has been such a blessing all ready, and it’s amazing how in just a week, I am all ready getting to where I am anticipating the next day’s reading. This schedule has really been wonderful.

Now, with the Lord’s help, I’ve just got to stick through Leviticus….

So this past Friday Mom and Dad were out for dinner with some friends.
And we were left to hold down the fort.
So we decided to have a bit of a party.

We got pizza.
And yes, it was all gone by the time we were done.
It’s called three teen guys in the family.
Although I must add that they’re not the only ones responsible for mass pizza consumption.
It’s a very famous fact that Emma (8) once ate six pieces of pizza at the age of two.

The little kiddies with their pizza.
Pizza-from-the-store (as in Papa John’s or Pizza Hut or whatever) is a bit of a luxury here.
So this was exciting stuff, you know.

Even Ben was in on the fun.
He eats as much pizza as anyone else in the family.

We watched some Hogan’s Heroes on the new Christmas present from grandma.
And now I must take this opportunity to say what an awesome grandma I have.
Not just because she gives lovely presents. Just because.
But this present was really nice.

Coca-Cola and Papa John’s Garlic Sauce.
Which is pretty much amazing stuff.
The sauce, I mean.
I really want to find a recipe.

My plate.
Spinach alfredo pizza…I do so love.
Very, very much.

I love Hogan’s Heroes.
I especially love Colonel Klink.

Nick didn’t want to get his picture taken.
Spoil-sport.

Self-portraits are always hard to take.
And it’s a bit blurry. But it’s the best of the bunch we took.
So after we had pizza we played some little kiddie games.
Like Candyland. I haven’t played that in years.
Then the little ones went to bed and the older seven of us played Seven-Up.
Then the girls and I watched one of our Andre Rieu concert DVDs
And stayed up till two in the morning watching it,
Singing along to the songs in English and humming along to the ones that weren’t
And clapping and cheering at the end.
It really is amazing.
Sometimes I still can’t believe that I actually got to go to one of his concerts.
The Lord really is so, so, so good in giving us all those little things.

So it was a really good Friday night.

I hope you all had a very Happy New Year! It was a great one for me. The Lord really blessed this year. We had a lot of really, really tough times, but so, so many wonderful ones, too. And I can’t wait to see what this year brings!

And yes, I’ve been absent…been enjoying Christmas vacation waaay too much! A post with pics of the lovely things I got from my awesome family and friends is coming soon, but until then…

Here’s a New Year’s post, with a recap and what-I-want-to-happen-this-year!

Recap:

January
Learned some very valuable lessons about life
Was sick most of the month
Saw Cranford…and LOVED it!
Saw A Tale of Two Cities the Musical in Concert on PBS

February
Had a meeting in Tennessee…and were snowed in!
Got sick again.

March
My very first crush, Fess Parker (known for his role as Davy Crockett), died. That was sad.
My dear sisses-in-Christ Kate and Tori came to visit for a week! Amazing, wonderful visit. Love you gals!

April
I was sick again
Easter!

May
My 21st birthday!!! Went and had lobster tail with my dad. First time having lobster, you know. Loved it.

June
Met (as in cyber-met…not real-live met) my dear, dear bloggy friends Michaela and Anna! And have spent six happy months talking all things singing/singers, musicals in general, chocolate, Europe, and everything under the sun.
Began planning the Think of Me gown

July
Nick graduated
Got to spend a lovely week with my bestest sis Tori when they came down for Nick’s graduation
The Historical Costume Inspiration Festival was announced…and I began working on the TOM gown in earnest!

August
Spent the month working on the TOM gown.
Saw The Young Victoria and L.O.V.E.D it. Probably my favorite film of the year.
Went on vacation to Truman Lake and had a lovely, amazing, relaxing week.

September
Saw Wall-E and Up and fell in love. I want to marry Wall-E. If I were a robot.
Finished the TOM gown. Hallelujah.

October
The Think of Me gown won Best Reproduction!!!!!!

November
Went to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and had an amazing two weeks with the Ransom family…going to Dollywood…a lovely, lovely time!

December
Had a very relaxing Christmas with family!

Some things I’d love to happen in 2011:

Get closer to the Lord and my family.
Get really good at voice – and have nothing happen so I can have my spring recital!!! I am SOOOO looking forward to that!!!
Get more piano students
Get better at the things I do around the house
Start another gown.
Finish this awesomely amazing novel Tori and I are writing.
See my dear Kate and Tori again.
Meet Mich and Anna in person
And last but not least….I would. Absolutely. Love. To. Go. See. Tori. In. England. England is all ready one of my top three places-I-have-to-visit-before-I-die. How convenient that my closest friend lives there now…good excuse.

So…hope you all had a Happy New Year! And praying that 2011 brings more joys and blessings than you can hold! Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for sticking with me and filling my blogging life with so much fun!

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

 

And it was always said that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us. And so, as Tiny Tim observed, “God bless us, everyone!” 

Again the heart with rapture glows 

To greet the Holy night 

That gave the world its Christmas Rose, 

It’s King of Love and Light.
Let every voice acclaim His name,
The grateful chorus swell.
From Paradise to earth He came
That we with Him might dwell.

 

Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning.
Jesus, to Thee be all glory given!
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing.

  We spirits of Christmas do not live only one day of our year. We live the whole three hundred and sixty-five. So is it true of the Child born in Bethlehem. He does not live in men’s hearts only one day of the year but all the days of the year.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Son of God, love’s pure light.
Radiance beams from Thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Merry Christmas!