Happy New Year

My Prayer for You in 2008


May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts.

May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.

May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!

May your clothes smell of success like chocolate chip cookies.

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be only tears of joy.

May the problems you had forget your home address!

In simple words...may 2008 be the best year of your life!!!


"May the LORD look upon you with favor and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26)

Taken from Mikey's funnies

Blessings~

Jay & Laura

Merry Christmas

Here is a Christmas Poem from our heart to yours.

FINDING CHRIST IN THE STRANGEST PLACES
By Dave Veerman


How strange
a crib
the baby laid
sin and straw surrounded
soon humble shepherds
exclaimed the news
good will of God abounded

A strange
collect
these learned men
for adolescent questions
and worried mother
found her son
and heard his strong suggestions

Then strange
he ate
with sinners known
taxing reputation
his love reaching
up and out
forming faithful nation

Now strange
this well
on unclean soil
with outcast woman thirsting
his living offer
satisfied
she ran, her message bursting

But strange
a vessel
engulfed and tossed
the storm had no relieving
till wakened
his rebuke and peace
had followers believing

So strange
the basin
water and towel
he took each filthy pair
feet washing
hearts cleansing
the least and greatest there

Soon strange
that tree
on deadly hill
cursed, condemned, impaled
abandoned, yet
he stayed upon
finished work, sins nailed

And strange
a grave
for final rest
our Lord entombed that hour
defeated death
burst forth alive
with resurrection power

Most strange
the home
he lives now
another chosen place
God’s own Son
in my life
what incredible grace!

Copyright 2007 Dave Veerman. Permission is granted to send this to others, with attribution, but not for commercial purposes.


Merry Chirstmas~

Jay & Laura

I hate cancer!

Hello to all readers of this blog! We really try to be celebrate-ish in this blog but I have a prayer request. I have a dear friend,Karen. Karen has been diagnosed with metastised breast cancer stage 4. The cancer is in her breast, her hip, spine, cranium, and shoulder. She is 45! Karen is a dear friend from college. She is one of the first people I remember meeting at Montreat College as a freshman. Karen and her huband Scott, have 3 children,-21,17,13.

I have had many friends with illnesses but for some reason Karen's is hitting me like a ton of bricks. Would you please pray for Karen and her family as you read this? We are praying for healing. Pray for her as you celebrate the birth of our Savior who came to take away the sins of the world. Pray as you light a candle or hug a friend this Christmas.

Thanks to all~ Laura

Only if you LOVE music!

As most of you know, I received a minor in music while at Taylor University. Anyone who has purchased one of my CD's knows that I love ALL kinds of music.

For all you music lovers out there, here is 3 minutes of pure Christmas DELIGHT!

Enjoy & Merry Christmas!

Jay

Tired of feeling like a silent majority?

Merry Christmas!

I am tired of being the silent MAJORITY! Over 90% of our country celebrates Christmas, yet at the risk of "offending" the 10% who don't, I get advertisements and announcements of "Holiday Sales" and "Holiday Savings".

If you are like me then watch this video and start celebrating a new holiday...Merry Tossmas! STOP buying from retailers who don't honor your Savior and support those who do!

Merry Tossmas, and Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Jay

23 years but that's not the news...

Saturday Laura and I celebrated 23 years of marriage. Well actually we did that on Friday night with dinner and a night out. Saturday night we had bunches of teenagers invade our home to help Torrey Celebrate birthday number 17. Funny, the girls out numbered the boys...hmmmm.

The real news of the weekend though happened Saturday morning. Annually around this weekend we drag the kids down stairs to the basement, back them up to a doorpost under the basement stairs, stick a pencil on top of their heads and see how much they've grown.


This Saturday we crossed two milestones as our 10 year old Gracie now stands at 5 feet even, which boggles our mind as neither Laura or I are tall. Torrey now stands at 6 feet even making him the tallest in our family. Don't worry, Dad can still take him...I think~

All of this to say, it's been a wonderfully reflective time around here...December always is and I we hope this Christmas season will be for you as well.

Blessings~

Jay

They're Heeeeeeere!

We are absolutely giddy here in Celebrate Land as we just received shipment of advanced copies of our new book The Spark. It looks great and there are even "real" endorsements! Ha!

We're making a special offer to readers of our blog and other Celebrate friends. Order a book (or two) online here: and you'll have it to give as a Christmas present! What a great stocking stuffer!

Don't wait, this offer expires soon!

J & L

From the mouth of babes!

Well today is the day! According to my ten year old, as of today, my life is half over! I celebrate 45 years today! I guess I could look at her statement as a compliment- that I will live to be 90!

Do you ever find it funny that people ask, " do you feel any different" Yeah, a whole 24 hours made me feel a whole year older! Yesterday I was a young 44, today, I am a very old 45!

I am a firm believer in the statement that you are only as old as you feel! So some days I feel 18 and other days I feel 80! I actually love birthdays- I get gifts, and taken to lunch, and in our house, you get a birthday week..so I get a whole week of fun!

What are some of your thoughts on old age and birthdays!?

Laura