It’s Almost Here…2014!

December 31, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres4 Comments

Happy New Year’s Eve!!!

Can you believe it’s almost 2014?!?! Less than 24 hours to go! It must be especially hard to believe in our household because I discovered this last night:

Yes, that’s the envelope from the Christmas card I gave Craig this year… I was apparently so confident in the fact it was Christmas 2012 I went the extra length to date even the envelope. So, maybe we aren’t ready for 2014…but like it or not, it’s on the way!

One thing we are definitely ready for is a child, and on this Trying to Conceive Tuesday we ask for your prayers as we discern how to face this coming year with the many choices in front of us…We have an upcoming appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist this month, along with a call with an adoption agency we met with early in 2013. We need God to lead us and guide us to make a decision in this. Your prayers are very appreciated – as always. 🙂

What upcoming things in 2014 have you on your knees in prayer? First and foremost, let’s all remember to celebrate the amazing gifts with which God has already blessed us, and thank Him constantly for those. And to get us in the spirit of celebration, here’s a little something Craig and I have been collaborating on with that new software and recording system he bought me for Christmas. It isn’t edited – this is raw ‘footage’ – but here I am, singing the 1940’s Traditional Jazz Song, “What Are You Doin’ New Year’s Eve?”

Happy New Year’s Eve!

With Love,

My Choice Monday

Cure For The (All Too) Common Cold

December 30, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres4 Comments

Good Morning and Happy Monday!

I may sneeze my way into 2014 the way things are looking right now, and since I’ve had more than a few people acknowledge they’re suffering the same illness, we decided that today’s “My Choice Monday” should be about cold remedies!

1. The Neti Pot

I’ll have to admit, when Craig and I first tried this, we were both a little bit nervous…Intentionally putting water in your nose…Well, that’s just a tad nerve-wracking. However, we were faced with the necessity of having to do SOMETHING prior to boarding the long flight to Rome, Italy earlier this year, and to avoid eardrum-popping madness, we would have done just about anything. This turned out to be step #1 to freedom!

2. Comtrex Day & Night

Folks, this stuff is wonderful. I have been dealing with each and every one of these symptoms and this is the only over-the-counter medicine that really helps! Plus, it’s convenient to buy one box and have both daytime and nighttime relief!

3. Aura Cacia Peppermint Shower Tablets

I don’t know about you, but one of the things that seems to help the most when I’m really congested is a hot, steamy shower! Add a peppermint tablet to that steam-filled bliss and you’re on your way to congestion recovery!

I also found a DIY option that I think would work marvelously – I just haven’t been able to locate one of the ingredients in a brick and mortar store (Kind of essential when you have a cold now!). Maybe you’ll have more luck? You can see for yourself here, at the blog Rebekah’s Corner. If you have any clue where to find Menthol Crystals, let me know! We would love to try making these!

Hopefully, you won’t be celebrating this New Year’s Eve like this member of the Newlywed Lefebvres – but if you are, try these recommendations to banish your cold before 2014!

Until Tomorrow…

Lots of Love,

Food For Thought Friday

The Bible In Hollywood??

December 27, 2013December 27, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres11 Comments

When is the last time you went to the movies? With today’s technology, it hardly seems worth it to visit an actual movie theater and fork over a whole week’s pay to watch one movie, eat one scoop of popcorn and have one sip of Diet Coke…It has to be a pretty good movie…

Well, we have a GREAT movie for you! We saw it with Jenna, Craig’s youngest sister, on Christmas Eve – and for a steal – $5 per ticket, $2 off a drink purchase and a free popcorn!!! All 3 of us saw a movie, with a drink and our own popcorn, for a TOTAL of $20! Maybe that kind of a deal would make ANY movie great, but this one is a must-see (provided you’ve seen the movie “Mary Poppins” in the past, anyway):

This is actually based on the true story of the creation of the beloved Disney movie, “Mary Poppins”, and brought tears to my eyes (and Jenna’s) for sure – I can’t say the same for Craig, but I know he really enjoyed it. 😉 Click on the picture for all the information you’ll need on “Saving Mr. Banks”, then go and see it!

Here’s another movie tidbit that might interest you: Biblical Films Are Making A Hollywood Comeback . While this seems like wonderful news, and I am SO excited to see “Noah” in March 2014, as well as “Mary: Mother of Christ”, remember Isaiah 55:8 and don’t just believe everything you SEE and HEAR – especially when it is of this world. Take it all with a grain of salt, and know that Hollywood is in it for the MONEY – not for the Will of God – although, God works in miraculous and mysterious ways, and they may be doing just that, though certainly unintentionally…

For example, Brian Godawa – a Christian who is also a screenwriter in Hollywood, and who also wrote a book I recently purchased about Noah, of all people, and the Nephilim – has seen an early version of the script for the upcoming movie, “Noah”, which reveals the following:

“…It has been suggested that the film shows Noah as an early opponent of climate change. Its director, Darren Aronofsky, has called him the “first environmentalist”.

Brian Godawa, a screenwriter, claimed to have read an early version of the script and said it portrayed a scenario in which the Great Flood was caused by man’s “disrespect” for the environment…” From The Telegraph, “Biblical films’ Hollywood Comeback”, by Nick Allen

Definitely “food for thought” on this Friday…and on that note, we leave you with pictures from our Christmas (thus far – more to come!)…

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Until Monday,

X’s & O’s,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Be Near Me, Lord Jesus, I Ask Thee To Stay

December 26, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Merry Day After Christmas!

We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! As we posted yesterday, we spent a wonderful few days in Minnesota with family, and while we are exhausted after our drive back yesterday/early this morning, it was such a blessing to be able to celebrate Christmas with our northern family!

On this Thirsty Thursday, I thought I would share with you an insight from a devotional book I just love – we both do – The One Year Book of Hymns. Today’s entry focuses on the song “Away In A Manger”… Did you know this hymn’s first two verses are somewhat of a mystery? The author is unknown…For many years, it was said to have been written by Martin Luther, as it appeared first in a Lutheran hymnal, but no one really knows for certain. Regardless, it is a beautiful song…Take a minute to really listen to the words:

The final verse’s author is known. It was written by John McFarland, between the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and its words are profound:

“Be near me, Lord Jesus. I ask thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray.”

Jesus as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger… and then we read in Isaiah 53:1-6 :

Who has believed what he has heard from us?

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He was despised and rejected by men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces.

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

Don’t you find it astonishing that we, as Christians, during Advent and Christmas, honor this tiny baby, born in a manger – Emmanuel, God With Us. God’s only Son, sent down from Heaven to save this world from its sin…

And after Christmas, we let our joy and our heavenly peace fall away. We allow the world to creep back in, and we all go astray. We follow society, the media, and all that we know in our hearts to be wrong. We are all guilty of this. Just like sheep – following blindly the wrong shepherd.

This day after Christmas, let’s make it our resolution to keep that joy and that heavenly peace in our hearts, to remember all year long why we celebrate Christmas in the first place, and to let that reason be shepherd of our souls.

All Our Love,

What's Up Wednesday

Merry Christmas from the Newlywed Lefebvres

December 25, 2013December 27, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

We wish you and your families a very merry, joyous, healthy and safe Christmas! God blessed us with a wonderful visit to Minnesota, along with a truly beautiful “white Christmas” of snow and below freezing temperatures!

May your Christmas be just as magical!

All Our Love,

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TTC Tuesday

Talk About A Miracle Baby!

December 24, 2013December 24, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres2 Comments

Merry Christmas Eve Folks!

In our land of the fertility-challenged, we often hear the term “Miracle Baby” – Couples who were told they would never conceive, miraculously do, and that is NOTHING short of a true miracle!

But on this Christmas Eve, we, as Christians, have the most amazing miracle baby of all – Jesus! Not only was Jesus born to a virgin, he was God incarnate!

Just take a moment to THINK about how utterly incredible it is that the God who created Heaven & Earth came down as a human being in the form of a helpless infant, and was born – not in the fanciest of hospitals, as anyone noteworthy would be today – in a manger.

I’ll take it a step further, and think about just how much Craig and I want children of our own…And then I think, God sent His Son to knowingly live a life that would end by suffering death on the cross to save this whole utterly undeserving world from our sins…

The ultimate sacrifice…your own child.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

Matthew 1:21

21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins.

Luke 2:7-19

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds watching, and keeping the night watches over their flock. 9 And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. 10 And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people: 11 For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: 14 Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. 15 And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us. 16 And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. 17 And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. 18 And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.

On this Christmas Eve, take time to remember the real reason for the season: the most amazing miracle baby of all!

All Our Love & Christmas Blessings,

My Choice Monday

A Delicious Way To Wake Up!

December 23, 2013December 20, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Happy Christmas Week!

We are writing to you from beautiful (& very chilly) Minnesota on this Monday before Christmas, with the perfect (mostly) prepare-ahead breakfast for your Christmas Morning!

Craig & I made breakfast for dinner last week, and tried this dish…It was so GOOD! We substituted blackberries & blueberries for the raspberries, and of course used Gluten-Free Bread – but you can certainly use “real” bread if you aren’t “gluten-challenged”!

Raspberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole

Click the link for the recipe, and until you make your own version, here is the one we made last week!

Oh my goodness, this was just so delicious! Craig ate his with maple syrup, and the look he gave me when he took his first bite told me he was in heaven! 🙂 Personally, I think whipped cream…or vanilla ice cream…mmmm…would be yummy, as well!

I would have taken a pretty, ‘staged’ picture our plates…but we just gobbled this up TOO quickly!!

If you enjoy this recipe and are gluten-challenged or interested in more gluten-free and delicious recipes, Udi’s has some great ones here – Your family won’t even be able to tell the difference! 🙂

Until tomorrow…

Love,

Food For Thought Friday

His Mysterious Ways (& They Aren’t OUR Ways!)

December 20, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres1 Comment

Happy Happy Happy Happy Friday!!!

Can you tell I’m excited and energized this morning?!?! It isn’t ONLY because I’ve been up since 4AM, and have already gotten the day’s work-out in and have had 3 cups of coffee and half of one Monster Energy Ultra Zero drink (but that has a lot to do with it!).

Tonight Craig and I exchange our Christmas cards (letters) and our not-in-a-stocking stuffers, and have “our little Christmas dinner” on the Christmas Tree Spode. It’s our 1st (2nd if you count our ‘big gift’ exchange last Sunday) Christmas of 4, and beginning things reverently and quietly is my favorite way to ‘begin the season’, so to speak. Tonight, Craig will read from our “Family Bible” the Nativity Story from Luke. And we will give the furs their Christmas bones and catnip, before sending them off to the pet nanny in the morning. These are parts of the Christmas tradition we are beginning within our little family.

Traditions, practices, good habits: these are important in our lives – much as our switch to Monday thru Friday blogging has become our practice – something we do every weekday, and some of you have asked “Why?”.

Well, let’s talk for a moment about why we are blogging daily, and networking with Christian Blogging Networks/Communities. Why is this a ‘new tradition’ for the Newlywed Lefebvres?

Because God is reaching people through us.

Amazingly, our little blog has been viewed in these 43 countries:

U.S.A.
Canada
United Kingdom
India
Costa Rica
Italy
Phillipines (Just yesterday actually)
Thailand
Germany
Hong Kong
Australia
Romania
U.A.E.
Saudi Arabia
France
New Zealand
Malaysia
Taiwan
Russian Federation
Singapore
South Africa
Trinidad & Tobago
Sri Lanka
Portugal
Hungary
Mexico
Ireland
Switzerland
Indonesia
Slovakia
Bulgaria
Norway
Brazil
Finland
Spain
Israel
Qatar
Netherlands
Bolivia
Austria
Albania
Botswana
Republic of Korea

And our words & pictures have been shared on Twitter, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, PressThis, Pinterest & via e-mail…

Feeling called to write about the journey we are on with Christ in our marriage, it is utterly amazing to see we have touched people all over the world, and all over the United States. God is powerful, unfathomably so.

When He tugs on your heart to do something for His Kingdom, there is a reason, and it is bigger than you…Craig and I may not be able to get away from work and the furs to go to Botswana, and tell the people there how awesome our God is…But God can use simple words in a blog to reach someone all the way across the world. It is just CRAZY what God can and DOES do when you follow Him.

Remember that when you feel your heartstrings pulled to do something for Christ, that is not YOU talking in there. It’s the Holy Spirit. Follow Him.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says,

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

This Christmas, let the Holy Spirit be your food for thought.

Love & Blessings,

Thirsty For Christ Thursday

Christ: The Ultimate Bridegroom

December 19, 2013December 19, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed Lefebvres3 Comments

Greetings Y’all!

Yesterday, a friend and I were discussing weddings – believe it or not, right? Two women discussing WEDDINGS?!?! Never! 😉 And, in true wedding talk fashion, everything (flowers, venue, cake, dress, etc) was mentioned but the groom. Why is that the norm?

Today, I want to share with you a song I found by searching for “wedding” online – just because that conversation yesterday had me all reminiscent about a certain September 15, 2012… and God intervened. He led me to this:

Wow.

Talk about a conversation involving a wedding day that is centered on the most amazing groom, Jesus. Isaiah 54:4-8 (ESV) says:

4 Fear not, for you will not be ashamed;
be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced;
for you will forget the shame of your youth,
and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.
5 For your Maker is your husband,
the Lord of hosts is his name;
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,
the God of the whole earth he is called.
6 For the Lord has called you
like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit,
like a wife of youth when she is cast off,
says your God.
7 For a brief moment I deserted you,
but with great compassion I will gather you.
8 In overflowing anger for a moment
I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,”
says the Lord, your Redeemer.

“The icon of Christ the Bridegroom portrays the selfless love of Christ for His Bride, the Church (Isaiah 54). He is dressed in royal colors as the betrothed King, corresponding with Sacred Scripture’s account of His mockery by the Roman guards before His crucifixion. The crown is a symbol of His marriage to the Church; the rope, a symbol of the bondage to sin, death and corruption which Jesus untied by His death on the Cross; the reed, a symbol of His humility.” (Borrowed from the Christ The Bridegroom Monastery)

What an amazing God we have who takes us just as we are, cleanses us from our sin, and pledges Himself to us – all the while, not just forgiving but forgetting our past and our wrongs. Christ: The Ultimate Bridegroom.

Until tomorrow….

Blessings To You All,

What's Up Wednesday

An Early Christmas At Our House

December 18, 2013December 18, 2013 The Not-So Newlywed LefebvresLeave a comment

Hello everyone!

It has been a little while since I have written anything on the blog, so I decided that I would sit down and take some time on ‘What’s Up Wednesday’ to give a little bit of info on what has been going on.

Usually you see some pictures of the latest project I have been working on (for quite some time) and that being the cheval mirror for my wife. I am glad to say that the mirror part is finished so we have at least a full length mirror available!

It may sound silly to take on another project while I am finishing this one, but I find that working on another gets me motivated to work on the other, because I always reach a point where glue or a finish needs to dry, and then I can switch to the other one and keep going.

I decided to build a jewelry box for my wife, which I thought would be a pleasant surprise for her. I have no clue what I said that clued her in, though, because she straight out asked if I was building one! I could not keep it from her because I was so shocked that she guessed, that I knew I could not hide it in my expression!

Sunday we celebrated a little bit of Christmas early, and exchanged our “big gifts” with each other. This is only the start of our Christmas celebrating, as we have our stocking stuffers and Christmas dinner on Friday, and then we will celebrate with family after that! It will definitely be busy next week!

Pier picked out the perfect gifts for me! I will share a couple of them! I received a red and green plaid flannel shirt, which will be the perfect and warm shirt to wear on Christmas! After opening that, she gave me this HUGE box. Although it was not heavy for its size, I began to open it and I soon realized that there was another box inside wrapped up… and I opened that to find another and another and another and another and another! I never thought it would be 7 boxes to open!! Just for her to find 7 boxes to fit perfectly inside one another must of taken months!

Once I finally got down to the actual gift box I opened it and found a Citizen Eco-Drive Skyhawk Blue Angels edition watch! I was fascinated by the fact that it set itself to the correct time with radio waves right then and there and later I read the “mini book” called an instruction manual and found out the many other features of this watch including the E6-B computer on the face dial of the watch! Pilots will know exactly what I am talking about! Also, no batteries to replace as it is charged by any light source and will run 6 months in complete darkness with a full battery!

I loved watching Pier open her gifts. As some of you know, my wife has an amazing voice and I love to hear her sing. The best thing is she loves to sing, so I get to hear her often! I decided to get her a whole home recording and vocal system. I watched her smile as she opened the boxes containing the pro grade speaker, song database of 17,000 songs, 2 pro microphones (one for me so we can sing together!) and a mixing board and cables! It is unfair if only I get to hear her, so I also included a special recording mic and audio interface so we can record her singing!! I am sure that she will have some songs on the blog in the future! We have already used both systems and I will say she sounds amazing on them!

Well, I need to get back down to the workshop and finish Pier’s jewelry box! We hope you all have a wonderful day, and join us again tomorrow for Thirsty For Christ Thursday!

Love,