Monday, December 7, 2009
Day 7: Earning Your Wings
"Perhaps one of the best modern and easy-to-understand examples of angelic behavior can be found in the Hollywood classic, It's a Wonderful Life. Though not a financial success when originally released in 1947, over time this Jimmy Stewart film has become a most beloved treasure of the Christmas season. The world's adoration for this movie is in large part because of its theme that each of us has the power to change the world. The movie shows that by just being here and taking part in our day-to-day lives, we make the world a very different place than it would have been if we had never been born."
"In It's a Wonderful Life, the angelic figure is somewhat of a misfit. On the surface he seems nothing like the graceful, wise, and beautiful creatures described in Scripture. Yet perhaps director Frank Capra portrayed Clarence this way to give us a clear look at the sotry's real angelic role model."
"When a bumbling Clarence reviews George's life, showing him how different the world would have been without him, we discover that George is a man who reached out to help the least of those in his world. George's faith and sacrifices blessed others. Even though he didn't recognize it, that was why his life was so wonderful. In a real sense, George reflected the tru meaning of Matthew 25:40: "Whatever you did for the least of these... you did for me.""
"Discover the real joy in serving others. Volunteer with your family to spend a few hours at a soup kitchen or at a clothing or food drive... Show your appreciation to those who provide a service to you and others all year long. Everyone needs to feel appreciated. Take a snack to a group of workers. Many stores are so crowded during the holidays that employees barely have time for a break. Your thoughtfulness in providing a batch of holiday treats spreads the joy of the season."
"As Christmas draws near; begin now to become the messenger who trumpets this season to everyone around you. You can be that special person who brings the spirit of the holidays to life. You can live out Matthew 25:40. Not only will your holidays become brighter, but you may decide to continue this positive attitude in the New Year. Those who have known the true joy of giving find that they too have been blessed with a wonderful life. And isn't that really what we all want for Christmas and beyond?"
The tip for today is to take the time to focus on one section of Scripture during this busy season. Collins suggests to keep a bible out and open to Matthew 25:34-40 as a reminder of the important mission we have, during the holday season and throughout the entire year.
Merry Christmas!!
Day 6: Trimming the Tree
"Long ago evergreens were held in awe by Viking warriors. These powerful men knew winters that were long and harsh, in which many living things did not survive. During these bleak days, almost all plant life ceased to exist, and many animals starved to death. Stranded outdoors, a man could freeze to death. Yet in these horrid conditions, the evergreen not only survived; it thrived. Its vitality was so great, it seemed nothing could harm it. Beacause of that unique strength, the tree was seen as a source of mystery and power. Vikings prayed to their gods that they could be as strong and resilient as the fir tree."
"When early Christian missionaries began explaining faith to these feared arriors, they used the evergreen as an example of God's undying love. They told the Vikings that even in their bleakest and darkest days, Christ would be with them. Their faith, like the evergreen, would survive every test. By putting this Christian lesson into a visible context, the missionaries helped thousands understand the love of God and the sacrifice of his Son."
"Even if you don't feel like embracing the evergreen as the early Christians did, the Christmas tree is still much more than just a decoration. Think of it as a tie to the past. Each year, millions of us retrieve old decorations that have been carefully stored in boxes. Often, using these ornaments generates vivid memories of past Christmases. Thus, like few other things, the tree brings to life the love and wonder of former holiday seasons. Sudeenly loved ones who have passed away are with youa gain. You feel their spirit and remember their warmth and love. In this way, the Christmas tree reunites us with our own family tree."
"The tree is the gathering place in your home, the first thing that catches the eye, so let it truly reflect your family and your faith. Make this facet of your Christmas as bright as the star atop the tree, and you will bask in the glow of a season filled with faith and love."
Collins' tip for today is to find boxes of animal crackers with the string handle and hang them on the tree!
I don't have a tree set up at my house, but Bryan and I will be spending Christmas with my Aunt and Uncle and cousin in Boston. Last year, they had an amazing 12 foot Christmas tree in their living room and I am pretty sure they got one just as big for this year. It was truly majestic.

Day 5: Escaping the Inner Scrooge
"Our mood is deeply affected by our environment, and at times we don't have the power to control what's going on around us. But we do have control over how we respond to a situation. If we embrace the joy of the Christmas season, we defeat the Scrooge mood."
"A change of attitude can do wonders. This isn't a time to rush; it's a time to savor. Enjoy the time you are forced to wait in line, (or in traffic). Take a deep breath. Look around and study the faces of those around you. Focus on people who are relishing every moment of the season. Be like Christ. Reach out to those in need. Take time to offer a word of encouragement. And smile. Smile at those who seem to be at their wit's end."
The tip for today is to spend some time walking, which gives us an opportunity to move slower than we normally do and look around deliberately and see the things we miss speeding by in a car.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Day 4: Singing a Carol of Hope
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Day 3: Making Christmas Mighty
God rest ye merry, gentlemen
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas Day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy.
In looking at the meaning of words and how they differed in the Middle Ages than they do now, you can see that the meaning behind this carol is easily lost. The English meaning for the word rest meant also make and keep. “The composer’s charge was for listeners to let God make a change in their hearts and minds about the good news found in Christ’s birth and life.” In Old English, merry could mean happy, but it was also often used in the place of the word mighty. When you look at it that way the name of the carol becomes, “God keep you mighty, gentlemen”. Pretty cool huh?
We can chose to make our Christmas mighty. We are called to invest our gifts from God. The best way to invest the joy we experience from God is by letting others see joy in our actions. "The light that is created by the joy of the season.... is found in the knowledge of not just Christ's birth, but also his life." The best way to share this is through our attitude. Smile, whish people a “Merry (or mighty) Christmas!” “If we live this Christmas season recognizing the power of the message of Christ, it will show in every facet of our lives. When you fully embrace the mighty message of the season, the light you set aglow with your joy will become a blazing beacon to others.”
The tip for today is to light a candle or oil lamp each day as a reminder of our potential to be a light in a dark world. I just got a brand new cinnamon bark candle from Method home at Target. I’m gonna light it tonight!
Mighty Christmas to all!
Thanksgiving!
The dessert table:
vegan apple pie courtesy of Whole Foods
delish Holiday Bundt Cake courtesy of Natalie over at Oven Love
turtle pumpkin pie courtesy of my sister and kraft foods
My lovely kitchen after the cooking!
On Saturday, I had my final dress fitting so that my mom, aunt, and sister could see my dress (and learn the bustle). Since my mom had her dress and my sister's was at the shop we were able to all try on our dresses together. It all looks so good! Sorry, no pics will be posted so if you wanna see, email me :) After the fitting, we headed to Philadelphia and enjoyed lunch at Continental Midtown- one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. Bryan and I snapped this pic in Love Park. My aunt and sister had to fly out that afternoon (boo). Then the rest of us went home and watched the Gators beat up on the Seminoles!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day 2: Shopping off the List
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
For this tip of the day he encourages us to pick a person off an Angel Tree at the mall, or buy a gift for Toys for Tots, or for our church to adopt a family for the season.
Tonight I am headed to the mall and the Angel Tree!
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Day 1: Rediscovering Advent
"Let’s take a look at why the meaning of Advent has been lost for so many. Before 1940 the retail holiday season was relatively short. Many people didn’t even think about Christmas
until around December 20. A great deal of the shopping and almost all the decorating were done on Christmas Eve. What transformed this time-honored week of Christmas into a full six-week holiday experience was World War II. With millions of Americans fighting the war in foreign lands that lay beyond two oceans, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked folks to shop and mail their gifts early. To ensure that loved ones overseas received their packages by Christmas, these parcels were to be given to mailmen no later than the first week in December. Thus, in 1942 the Christmas rush began before Thanksgiving. Four years later, after the war ended, the mold was cast. Christmas had grown into more than a month of sales, songs, and entertainment."
He says to consider three things about the season of Advent:
1.) Reflect on what it means for God to come to earth in human form as a baby. Remember what it means for God to love us so much that he placed himself in a body like ours.
2.) Consider how accepting Jesus as Savior changed your very existence. Think about the power and influence of Jesus' life in yours.
3.) Know that Jesus is coming back. "That’s why it’s important to consider what Jesus would think if he spent some time with you during this holiday season. Would he see your excitement
in the way you greet others? As he observes you preparing for the special day, would he recognize your faith in the way you reach out to others? Would he see you living out his commandants to reach out to the least of these?"
Over the next 25 days, I will use the part devotional/part practical tip words of this book to enhance the spiritual aspects of Christmas in my life and hopefully in the lives of those around me.
Tip for the day: "The gospel of Luke has twenty-four chapters. Read one chapter a day during December, using this book as a biblical Advent calendar that puts your focus on the birth, life, and promise of Christ."
Blessings,
Mary
These are a few of my favorite things
I just wanted to post about some of my favorite things for this holiday season! (Click on the pics for the link)

(currently the only Christmas decoration up in my house)
Friday, November 20, 2009
South Carolina visit
Sunday, November 15, 2009
A day off from work!

Everyone loves a spa weekend
Wedding Planning update!

While I am still trying to catch up with all of the updates of my travel stuff, I thought I would throw in an update of wedding planning stuff because there has been a lot going on. First off, I updated our inspiration board because our ideas for things have certainly evolved since we began. I think we definitely have a more focused look now.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Dayton Trip
On Saturday, Bryan and I had our AFIT family over to the house for the football game. Bryan worked really hard cooking up some delish food for everyone. He made ham and bean soup and this amazing low country boil with shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. I made the cornbread :)
Our amazing friend Natalie owns Tickled Pink Cupcakery and made these awesome cupcakes for our little rivalry. Our friends Russ and Julie are big Georgia fans, so we had a great time!!

Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Death Bridge...

Bryan's visit

Sunday, October 4, 2009
Happy Birthday to my Grandlittle!
Last week i also took a new class at Lithe called "Cowgirl". The best part about this class is that we used a hula hoop! I don't know about the rest of you, but it has been quite a few years since I have tested my hula hooping skills, but no joke, it is just like riding a bike. It's got to be like muscle memory or something because I was having flashbacks of elementary school roller skating parties where there were also hula hooping competitions (which I believe I was the champion of) :) The class was an amazing full body workout and and I will definitely be taking that class again.
The only thing that really got me was in the last set of hula hooping the instructor asked us to try hooping in the opposite direction. I am not sure if you have ever tried this before, but I swear, the way direction you start your hula has got to have something to do with being right-handed or left-handed. I could not for the life of me keep the hoop up if i sent it to the left. My brain stopped working, it was really discouraging, so I stopped :)
Things coming up this week:
Lithing
Schoolwork
Trying out a new recipe
Second dress fitting :)
Bryan coming to visit for the long weekend!
Off to practice my counter-clockwise hula hoop!
Maryel
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Planning Update
Goin' back home to the west coast

Tennis, Baseball, and Football, oh my!

On Saturday we went to the Apple store and got Bryan a MacBook Pro!! Now we just wait for his cell phone contract to expire so we can get him an iPhone! After the Apple store we headed to the Philadelphia Gator Club to watch the Gators beat up on Charleston Southern. It was quite enjoyable. We Gators take our college football very seriously.
On Sunday, after church, we had our first pre-marital counseling session with the rector at my church here in NJ. Since we won't be able to get to Florida more than once between now and the wedding, we are able to meet with my church up here instead.
Monday, we went to Six Flags, but we both got sick on our third ride... so we went home early from that.
We had planned to get some wedding stuff done but we were exhausted from all of the sports... next visit for sure.
More to come!
Maryel
Friday, September 11, 2009
Random Acts of Homemaking

I seem to practice homemaking in manic spurts. I'll pick a recipe, prepare it, and then while whatever's cooking is cooking, I do laundry, clean the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room- whatever else needs to be done. My back usually ends up killing me by the time everything is finished, but I feel accomplished! I am just trying now to learn and cultivate the skills i'll need for later ;)
More to come!
Maryel
Monday, August 31, 2009
Bridesmaid dress picked!

Seriously this time... I finally found it. This is just a picture of the sample, the ones we order will be tea-length. Searching for the bridesmaid dress was by far the most difficult decision I have had to make. There are soooo many options I just couldn't decide. I had an aha moment at a bridal store last week and decided on this dress. And... it fits in with the idea i had in my head at the beginning of this whole adventure :)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Best. Breakfast. Ever.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Quick update
I wrote my 6 page Leadership Development Portfolio (the paper I have to write at the end of each seminar) and my 14 page Applied Organizational Analysis and uploaded them to my school website on Saturday. I started writing at 0700 and was done just in time to get in the car and drive to DC at 4pm. I was exhausted!!
Saturday night was the Frustrations final show. My Alpha Chi little sister, Kristen, is a rock star and has been singing in a band for two and half years. It was a fantastic show. Sunday, she, my grandlittle Alex and I enjoyed a wonderful brunch outside and then a little bridesmaid dress shopping. Kristen and I also enjoyed a Chopt salad and a couple of epsiodes of Mad Men before I drove back to NJ.
Wedding planning was put on hold while I finished up my school work. But now I have two weeks off before I start my next and final seminar, so hopefully I will accomplish a lot before then.
More to come!
Maryel
The Story
Bryan and I were at my annual family reunion at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs, Virginia. It is a conference and retreat center for the Epsicopal Diocese of Virginia and my family has been visiting for over 15 years. There is a gorgeous outdoor chapel at the top of the hill that is made of stone.
On Saturday, my Aunt Monty, Uncle Gene, and sister Maddie walked with Bryan and me to the chapel to take some pictures. We spent about 10 minutes being goofy taking silly pictures and then we sat down at the altar. All of sudden, Bryan took out his bible and turned to Ephesians. He read from Chapter 5:25-29
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church"
I could tell this was the moment when he took out the bible because his hands were shaking. I turned towards him and tried to stay in the moment so that I wouldn't ever forget it. While he was reading I could hear Aunt Monty crying and each of the three of them snapping away (they each had a camera). As he turned the page I could see that he had the ring tied to the ribbon that marked the page. When he finished reading, he asked me to marry him and everybody started crying. I was still in shock until I turned to stand up and realized that my Dad had been hiding behind us the whole time. The moment he hugged me, I started to cry.
The six of us stayed up at the chapel for a little while taking more pictures and letting it all sink in before we headed back down the hill to share the news with the 75 other family members who were waiting!
A couple of cool things to note:
- Bryan actually flew to my dad's house in SC earlier in the summer just for the day to ask his permission to marry me.
- Bryan had Uncle Gene carry the bible up the hill in his cargo pocket. During the photo shoot, Uncle Gene slyly passed it back to Bryan and I never had a clue.
- My little sisters, Mimi (13) and Grace (9 1/2) have known since Bryan flew to SC and were able to keep it a secret, despite staying in the same room as me for 2 days before he proposed!
- There are officially 408 photographs of our time up at the chapel.
It was a beautiful moment along a beautiful journey and I am so grateful to everyone who played a role in carrying out His plan!
More to come!
Maryel
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Bridesmaid Dress picked!

A real quick thank you to everyone who is working so hard to help. I can't even begin to express how grateful I am to have such wonderful people in my life!
More to come!
Maryel
Monday, August 17, 2009
What a lovely weekend!
More to come!
Maryel
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Unplugged
More to Come!
Maryel
The Inspiration...
The ceremony will take place at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Gainesvilel and for those of you who haven't been there before, the church is absolutely breathtaking. I am going with a neutral color palette. Bryan and his groomsmen will be in Air Force Mess Dress, except for my brother Chase, since he is not in the Air Force :) He and my Dad will be in gray suits. My bridesmaids will be in a yet-to-be-determined dress, most likely in ivory or champagne (yes, people have asked if I am concerned that the bridesmaids will look too much like me in my dress. The answer is no, I am not concerned). The flowers will be cream and very light peach roses that we are ordering in bulk direct from a grower and putting into bouquets ourselves! Bryan and I have yet to discuss the details of the actual ceremony, but are planning some special music pieces.
The reception will take place at Plantation Hall at Haile Plantation. As it will be an afternoon wedding, we are planning on having a more social, mingling reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres as opposed to a sit-down dinner. I like the idea of winter citrus, like clementines, as the main decor- bunched together in a bowl or glass container. Instead of one large tiered cake, we also like the idea of having a bunch of smaller cakes and pies in varying flavors. Bryan and I will still have one cake that we will cut, so don't worry about that.
We anticipate everything being over around dinner time. We are working on our guest list and budget right now and then soon to follow will be the save-the-dates.
More to Come!
Maryel
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
So... we're engaged! Now what?
