ForeverLOVEd

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9 We wrote down what we were thankful for...family, friends, nature, moments...and I placed each family member's leaf on our thankful tree for the year. A couple nights before I had decorated the tree with all the leaves we declared our thanks on over the past few years. I had grown to love this tradition we had started only a few years back. It's a beautiful thing, to recognize the good in your life. It's a beautiful thing, to be able to say thank you! I looked at each person's thanks written on leaves of orange and red. I saw the varying good they had to celebrate with each passing year. And even though the thanks we had to give was all unique, it was certain that, however small or big, each of us had something to be thank

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25 Everyone wants. For instance, right now I could name a list of things I want. In this moment, I want a back massage, a bowl of ice cream and a cozy blanket. Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I will probably want to go back to sleep. Then I'll want a cup of coffee. And throughout the day, I am sure there will be many more things I want. Those wants change from moment to moment. They are a result of my most basic needs. Then there are bigger things I want. These are things like my wants of friendship, love, and faith. These things, I want continually throughout my days and these things tend not to vary with the season or moment. These wants come out of my desire for heaven and out of my most complex needs. It is in our human nature to want. We were created to long for something that is

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 Our breath floated through the air as we headed to the car. A pile of signs saying "garage sale" and coffees in hand, we were on our way to lead customers to the destination of my driveway. Over the past year or so we have had maybe 10 similar sales in an effort to raise funds because we believe in the cause for which we are raising them. So it's no surprise that over time, and many early mornings, we've perfected our sign hanging strategy. We selected the lime green posters, wrote words in big letters, and after many tries and failures we attached string to the back of our posters to easily hang them from the poles which line the entrances to the neighborhood. We've mapped out which entrances receive the biggest flow of traffic and know exactly which light poles, stop signs, and trees to place each sign a

Through him we received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Romans 1:5-7 Last Thursday we celebrated my mom's birthday! Those of you who are date savvy might have put together that the date was November 1st. And some dedicated Catholics might even recognize that holy day. On the first of November every year, the Catholic Church celebrates the saints. And my mom, being that she was born on this day, reminds us every year that this is just because God thinks she's a saint. Now, let me tell you a few things about my mom. She's single handedly the most influential person in my life. She is beautiful, and goofy, and so kind. She's taught me every important lesson on life and my faith is so much a result of the faith t