With Tireless Hope, Glad Tidings Part 1

Usually, I'm the person who is TEAM NO CHRISTMAS UNTIL AFTER THANKSGIVING.

This year, it wasn't even November 15th and I was cranking out decorations, playing Christmas music and stockpiling supplies for holiday goodies. Who is this person?!

After the past 11 months, my soul has definitely needed a reason to celebrate and share gifts with those in my life.

I have needed an outlet for creativity and for thoughtfulness.

I have needed some sparkle, some light.

Life can be awfully dark and cruel at times. But Christmas truly is a season of peace and light, if we let it be.

I discovered the artist Sleeping at Last a couple of months ago and the quiet hope threaded through many of the songs resonates deep within.

Their song "Snow" captured me immediately. Haunting, yet joyful. Thoughtful and a little melancholy. But overall: hopeful.

"Welcome December with tireless hope..."

Whether you're facing Christmas with less people around the table than the year before, or your burden seems to weigh a little heavier, or maybe you just need to be reminded of what's truly precious, this song is for you.

Let God breathe new life into your family this Christmas with new traditions, a fresh sense of His presence, and a reawakened awe at the greatest gift of all: Jesus.

Check out Glad Tidings Part 2 here!

*I hope you are enjoying my Glad Tidings series! These are some of my favorite songs and little nuggets I felt the Lord spoke to my heart this Christmas season. They are not meant in anyway to be deep theological discussions or exhaustive expositions of the lyrics. I do not own any rights to the music: lyrics or otherwise. The songs were found via YouTube.*

Florida Anniversary Weekend Getaway

We got to spend a few days on the glittering beaches of NW Florida and it was spectacular! Our condo was right on the beach; the living room window was full of ocean and the sound of the waves was awe inspiring.

If you can't tell I'm an Okie girl by that description, I don't know how else to convince you. We don't see much water around here and what we do see is dirt red. Sandy white beaches and sapphire water...a sight for sore eyes indeed!

First morning on the beach: quite chilly. Quite, quite chilly.

Yes, I had checked the weather before I packed. But it didn't help somehow...

Headin' to a weddin'!

Outside our condo

Brave birdie

He let me get so close!

Sunset in Seaside

Happy Anniversary to us!

Year 2

I started drafting a few posts like last year to share some of the lessons Kurtis and I have learned over our second year of marriage. There were some clever lines, a few cute pictures, but it wasn't gelling.

I've even read back through last year's posts and thought "Wow, I thought I was being so cute and original..." But really, it feels like I know nothing at times!

A lot of events have transpired this year (as I know they have for many families), even more so in the last couple of weeks. And while there were some incredibly painful moments, they have helped to crystallize who we are in the Lord and who we want to be as a couple.

Everybody, I would hope, has that moment. Not unsimilar to the moment when you make your faith your own, you have to OWN your marriage at some point.

2004 was the year I really made my walk with the Lord MY walk. I was a freshman in high school, and in that school year, my dad lost his job, my great-grandfather died and both my grandmas moved. That year indeed marked the end of a chapter in our family, but the beginning to so many others. I learned to sink my roots deep into God that year.

Via Google

So here I am 10 years later learning in a new way how to sink my roots even deeper into God, deeper into marriage with the most amazing man.

At a concert at church a couple of weeks ago, the lead singer made this comment in regards to his walk with the Lord, "I haven't arrived yet, but I've certainly left."

Amen to that.

Arrived? No. Further on the journey from where we started? Yes.

I could type up lots of words about random stories from this past year, but frankly, that's not what's on my heart and mind.

What I do want to say is that heading into year 3, I am more excited than ever to roll up my sleeves and dig into life with Kurtis W. Hanni. I am more than excited to focus on being, than doing.

And as our heart has been from the beginning of our relationship, to the song at our wedding, to today: may we daily choose to put Christ at the center of our lives.

Via Google

Love, 

The Hannis

Click here for more pics from our trip!