Snowy Salt Lake

It keeps snowing a whole bunch here and I'm pretty happy about it.  Brian and I live right by Ensign Peak, so we hike up there a lot.  We went for a quick 15 minute hike the other weekend to get some snow pictures.

See the big fluffy snowflakes?

You can barely see the mountains to the east- it was super foggy with the snow.

Brian throws the snow up in the air and Sam leaps up to eat it.  Snow makes her go a little crazy- she runs around in circles as fast as she can and jumps all around.

Then it got freezing and Brian was only wearing a sweatshirt so we went back to the car.

I feel like I want and need to be more intentional about serving God right now.  Sometimes I can be really lazy and procrastinate on things that are really important.  I really love our church and being a part of our church community, and have wanted to find a way to serve at our church for a couple of months now.  It's not difficult to find a place to serve, I just haven't quite followed through.  I've sent some emails about interest in serving, but again just haven't quite followed through with actually doing it.

Then the other night I was reading from Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa Terkeurst (it's really good) and she started a sentence with this: "As long as you are in the place God has called you and He's using you..." It made me think, how is God using me right now? Am I giving myself or am I just taking, getting, consuming, etc.

So, I want to start now being intentional about serving.  Brian and I are going to be greeters at our church at the Christmas Eve service (that's like the easiest first step!) and then I want to find another place to give my time at my church or in the community and let God use me.

I've also been inspired by a couple of my friends' blogs lately to want to write more and not just post pictures with captions ha!

Thanksgiving

We stayed in Salt Lake this Thanksgiving because Brian and I both had to work the day before and after. But that's okay because we were so happy to be invited to two awesome Thanksgiving gatherings. 

First we went to our friends Dan and Liz's house for a huge lunch.  Here's the girls, Liz, the other Liz, me, and Jamie.

Brian and I made sweet potato casserole (my favorite) and stuffing.

Brian, Charlie, and Taylor getting ready to eat!

The food was so good and so was the company.  Loved spending the day with our new friends.

Next, we went over to our family friends' Thanksgiving dinner.  They were finishing up and we were stuffed, so we ate dessert there and hung out with everyone.  

Dance party in the basement with the wii.

Jerry and Ann, our hosts :)

Bells being silly

Tessa and her dad

Jennilyn, me, Gem, and a little bit of Tess :)   

We ❤ our Salt Lake family!!

On another note, Brian and I have both been trying to cut down on our spending.  We purposely moved to Salt Lake with very few possessions, planning to buy new furniture when we got here (which we did).  We also didn't have very many winter clothes (since we lived in mostly tropical weather for the last three years), so we had a lot of catching up to do with buying everything from winter coats, to scarves, to snow boots.  I feel like we have been in intense spending mode for the last few months.  

Then, I found myself just getting into the habit of spending.  I love shopping, and it can be such a wonderful excuse to say, "Well, I really need those curtains, and need that sweater cause it's cold here."  A couple of weeks ago I read, "Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... For where your treasure is, your heart will be also." (Matt 6:19-21) I felt God reminding me that this is where my heart should be. 

I really want to cut down on spending and get back to living simply with our possessions, which is something that has always been important to Brian and I.  I want to be grateful for what we have and not constantly feel the need for more.