Category Archives: Family
Eleven Highlights of 2011
- Rang in 2011 in Time Square with our Mside College Mission Team
- Led Matthew to Christ at Spring Retreat
- Found out on Easter that Ashley and I were excepting our third son.
- Spent an amazing summer with my family and on mission with the Mside Youth.
- Began our fourth year of Ignite youth worship services.
- Preached the Word at Hub City Church on Labor Day Sunday.
- Great relationships built with students at discipleship home group.
- Totally crazy October & November prepping for Luke and living with back pain.
- Lower back surgery on November 11.
- Luke was born on November 17 and spent 10 days in the neonatal unit.
- Rang in 2012 at home with my beautiful sleeping family of five!
A Baby Changes Everything
This week baby Luke turns four weeks old. To say that things are different around our house is an understatement. Even though he’s our third child, a new baby in the house changes the whole dynamic. We had just gotten our other two boys to the point of being pretty independent (dressing themselves, going to the bathroom on their own, brushing their own teeth, and even helping clean around the house). Now we’re back at square one with a new baby. Sleepless nights, 3:00am feedings, and dozens of daily diaper changes are part of our routine again. A baby changes everything. I’m thirty-five years old and have done this twice before, but getting back into the swing of caring for a newborn has really thrown me for a loop.
Can you imagine what it was like for Mary? She was an unwed teenager giving birth to a baby boy in a stable and having to lay her newborn down to sleep in a feeding trough. Did Mary fully comprehend the immense impact her baby would have on the world? Her little swaddled infant was about to change everything in her life…and in the lives of every person who walks this planet.
One of my favorite Christmas carols reminds us what life was like before Christ: ”Long lay the world in sin an error pining.” But then he appeared. When Christ…Immanuel…God With Us came to this world there was, “a thrill of hope and the weary world rejoiced”. Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection changed the world. He changed my life and I hope he’s changed yours too. This Christmas may our lives be changed by this baby.
Advent Devotions
December snuck up on the Neighbors family. Our November was a total blur. I had back surgery on November 11 and our third son was born on November 17. After an early arrival our son spent the next ten days in the NICU. With all that we’ve been through this month it seem like October was just yesterday. But here we are…it’s December…it’s Advent. If ever there was a year that my family and I need to slow down and remember all that Christ did by putting on flesh and coming to this earth, it’s now. In the midst of back pain, physical therapy, diaper changes, feedings, and sleepless nights I sat down today to focus on the Lord. I picked up a great new little devotional called, Why Christmas? Twenty-Five Meditations. This is a special book written by one of my friends and Morningside Church members, Carol Story. Carol is the mother of singer/songwriter, Laura Story. If you’re looking for a great tool to help you focus your heart on Christ this Advent season, pick up a copy of this little devotional. May this month be an opportunity for us all to focus more of our heart’s attention magnifying Jesus.
