Since the last time we chatted our church had a huge fall festival!! I baked three cakes for the cake walk!! The one pictured (if I can ever get it to upload) is a double decker white chocolate cake, the same recipe as our wedding cake!! I also made a cheesecake with a warm fudge filling and a chocolate sheath cake... I really don't know and have wondered my whole life whether it was sheath cake or sheet cake... people say it so fast I can never tell. I have no clue what a sheath is and since it's a long flat cake maybe sheet would work... but I still lean towards sheath... any light on this is appreciated!
This semester of school was probably the hardest semester of my entire life. I am not just saying that. I have evaluated the statement and found it to be truthful. I didn't think this second sinus surgery would be such a big deal but it really did throw a kink in my system. It took me so long to recover that I started thinking life with an intense sharp pain in my brain was normal and wondered if I would ever remember headache-less living. However, I am headache free now and so thankful! By the time I was better there were massive research papers to be written, Greek to be tested and translated and papers to be written for that too and then finals. I felt like I was in a whirlwind for three weeks straight. However, I felt certain that the correct response to all of this would not be to worry my head off and stress out myself and my husband. So I really tried to rely on the Lord every step of the way and I can testify that He is Faithful! When I would think there was no way to get something done I would just pray for the right attitude and priorities. I would pray that I would have the humility to ask for an extension if that was the answer or that I would work quickly but most of all that I would maintain a godly attitude. Drew can tell you a better perspective than I can but I can say that I made a huge improvement and that in each of those moments something spectacular happened. My boss gave me a day off unexpectedly, a class was cancelled, my back got pulled giving me plenty of couch study time etc etc. I just began to laugh at how awesome God is and was to me each time!
The best breath of fresh air we had during this time was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it's all the good stuff of Christmas (besides Christ of course) but no pressure or stress about presents. I am starting to hate presents. I hate trying so hard to get people things they like and then being disappointed, I hate disappointing people by not appreciating their gifts as well (I know I am sinful!). I hate seeing the materialism that has soaked through Christianity and the lameness that is Christmas in so many churches. So, to keep off my soap box it will suffice to say I love thanksgiving. However, since living in Kentucky we have not been able to go home for Thanksgiving. This year we were so blessed to be able to have around 13 wonderful friends over to our house and feast and enjoy the wonderful community God has provided for us in only one year! One year in Kentucky and we have a church family unlike any other. We get to serve in an awesome and CHRIST centered church and have challenging godly friends!! Bethan Rogers and I attempted our first turkey with raving success (we were so shocked we could not stop unintentionally bragging about the awesome turkey!) I also made homemade bread and dressing and we were not short of anything with all the goodies every one brought! We spent most of the day together laughing and catching up and didn't think a moment about school! We ended the day with our dear dear dear friends the Rogers by watching the first Christmas movie of the season, Elf. I firmly believe stupid comedy is much much funnier with Drew Lewis and Brandon Rogers in the room. Bethan and I are easily amused! We love these neighbors.
With school being out I had a few very high priorities. 1. Make a Christmas wreath for our door 2. Make Willy Wonka Peanut Butter Balls 3. Sleep. I can happily say that as of yesterday I had accomplished all three of my very lofty goals. I made a fun wreath for less that $10 and made two batches of Willy Wonka balls and slept in every morning! I think I could get used to being out of school if it was always like this!
In recent news we slept in a tent a couple of nights ago right in the middle of our living room! We have been talking about going camping for a year now and the right weekend just never seems to present itself... and now it's cold. So we decided to have a practice run at it and sleep in the living room. The next morning Drew lovingly asked me how I liked sleeping in a tent... I said... uncomfortable. I don't think either of us slept half of the night with all the tossing and turning... but it's still a fun memory! We even read in our sleeping bags with head lamps before we went to sleep!
I can't wait for Christmas and going home to Texas! Our church is preaching on gender roles and singing Christmas songs through out Advent and it is awesome! I am really praying through the "already/ no yet" (as our church phrases it) of Christ's coming and coming... if you get my drift... (he already came and is coming!). We really want this season to be all about Him and focusing on what his birth means for us today. I pray this would be a Christmas like no other for us where we adore Christ more and learn more about Him and draw closer to Him. I pray He will teach us and challenge us and grow us in this season.
