A Critical Distinction

From my reading this morning... 

"All sorts of people are fond of repeating the Christian statement that 'God is Love.' But they seem not to notice that the words 'God is love' have no real meaning unless God contains at least two Persons. Love is something that one person has for another person. If God was a single person, then before the world was made, He was not love. Of course, what these people mean when they say that God is love is often something quite different: they really mean 'Love is God'. They really mean that our feelings of love, however and wherever they arise, and whatever results they produce, are to be treated with great respect. Perhaps they are: but that is something quite different from what Christians mean by the statement 'God is love.' They believe that the living, dynamic activity of love has been going on in God forever and has created everything else.  And that, by the way, is perhaps the most important difference between Christianity and all other religions: that in Christianity God is not a static thing - not even a person- but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama. Almost, if you will not think me irreverent, a kind of dance."

-C. S. Lewis

From Mere Christianity

Honeymoons never end...

Here's to getting snowed in together and living as though we were stranded in the middle of nowhere... 

It's February. And I officially love this month. (I count off on my kid's essays for starting sentences with "And." oh well. 6th graders don't read blogs)
Anyways.... We, like almost everyone in America, were snowed in for five days of the past two weeks. I kept hearing of people getting stir crazy and suffering from cabin fever.... which baffles me. Jody and I loved every second of our lazy, sluggish, fat, wonderful, splendid, cabin days and would have LOVED for them to be continued. Coffee shops, reading, Scrabble and Yahtzee consumed our time, as well as hours cuddled up with reruns of Friends and Mad Men. Pretty sure teachers heart snow days more than their students...

 A glimpse into our little "vacation"... The pic of me is in no way an attempt to be artistic. I had just gotten hit by a huge snow ball by the person in the next picture. He's so sweet...

Snow ice cream, eggs benedict, spiced cider, and eating in bed! ... Also, the superbowl McDonald's special 50 piece nuggets. Don't judge.
Snow days, I love you.

I have to say, I was a little bit excited to see my kids back in Coppell...

Nostalgia...

Is it awful that I started a gigantic countdown to Summer?? Don't answer that. Every day in my planner is marked with a wonderful number, meaning I am one day closer to sweet summertime. Snow days are through. I'm tired of the cold weather and wishing for summer days like these...

Christmas craziness

This is a little a lot late, but I have some extra time during these two wonderful snow days in Dallas, so here is our Christmas in pictures:

Every. Single. Morning. You will find my husband's hair looking this lovely.

Beautiful Mollie and Kalee

Greatest family in the world... I'm serious.

Christmas afternoon with my love

It had been too long since my entire family had been together, so we soaked up every minute!! My sister Kalee is living in St. Louis right now (with a job she loves), and my brother Bryan is in the Marines, and well, not in Texas a ton either. Basically, the days couldn't go by slow enough. We played basketball,  watched movies, ate way too much, and had a blast finally being all together.

Barrett is everybody's favorite sibling. And we are all ok admitting it. He's just the best.

And then I turned 25. My older Bryan was in Dallas and flew out on my birthday for Embassy Duty training, so I had to say by to him for a good 2 years!!! It was sad. Very sad. Not a good birthday present... but I'm so excited for him. He finds out in about a week what country he'll be living in for the next year. 

Then I got to have dinner with some of my favorites at Tillman's, and it cheered me up :) So did the smore deserts. So did the scarf that Ashley knit me for my bday.

Happy snow day everyone!!

Every Season

I heard this song on the radio the other day, and for whatever reason it struck a cord within me. It could be the clever words, beautiful melody, or the sweet memories that came back to me when I heard it,  but it got me thinking... It's such a rich analogy of our lives - quickly going through season after season, some wonderfully full of celebration, and joy, while others bringing change, heartache and growth. All purposed. All planned.  Just as He orchestrates every intricate detail in the aesthetic change from winter to spring, so He also beautifully arranges the components of my life, providing purpose for each season though I may not see it now.

 I believe this is true, because I believe scripture to be true.
"For by Him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, - all things were created THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIM. HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS, AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER." -Colossians 1:16-17


Through this song, my heart was stirred and I saw sweet glimpses of the Lord. Pursuing us with his creation, begging us to see his beauty and perfection through it... Giving me this life of change, growth, friendship that I may see the beauty in Him working through it. (Thankfully, even through my failures).

New York and Four Texas Ladies...

One of my biggest wishes for a long time has been to travel to New York City. I'll admit, it's a place I would never desire to live but the idea of spending a few wishful days there was always captivating to me... and something I didn't think would be realistic for a very long time. Then Grace happened. Grace is one of my friends who is such a go getter. She's not one to flippantly throw around ideas hoping they might turn out. Unlike me, Grace makes. it. happen.
I went to Colorado with Grace and two of our other girlfriends, Kelsey and Rachel this summer, and we decided that we liked being around each other quite a bit and the four of us should get together for another tryst soon. I was thinking maybe Abilene, Dallas or Austin? Of course, Grace was thinking bigger...New York City. Although all of us acted excited about the idea, in our minds we were thinking...$$$....??? Not going to happen.
Soon enough, Grace found us crazy cheap flights, a place to stay, and there was no saying no.

On our first night in New York City... Hot dog, dinner, desert, late night pizza = perfection.

My first New York Broadway show... I loved it just as much as everyone said I would.







We are all one year apart, and have a unique connection... Grace and Kelsey were best friends in High school (in Abilene), Kelsey and I played basketball together at ACU, and Grace and I became good friends through Kelsey. Rachel comes in the picture when she marries our friend... (my second cousin, Grace's friend from high school and Kelsey's husband's best friend from high school) Confused yet? It just works...


We have a blast every minute we get to spend together. Love this little group so much.

 These are some of the most uplifting girls I know. Our time together is always full of laughter. I'm so blessed by them.

Grace texted me yesterday and said she wanted to look up cruise prices....

Amazing Love, How Can It Be?

Something worth your read:

"When Christianity says that God loves man, it means that God loves man: not that He has some 'disinterested', because really indifferent, concern for our welfare, but that, in awful and surprising truth, that we are the objects of His love. You asked for a loving God: you have one. The great spirit you so lightly invoked, the 'lord of terrible aspect', is present: not a senile benevolence that drowsily wishes you to be happy in your own way, not that cold philanthropy of a conscientious magistrate, nor the care of a host who feels responsible for the comfort of his guests, but the consuming fire Himself, the Love that made the worlds, persistent as the artist's love for his work, provident and venerable as a father's love for a child, jealous, inexorable, exacting as love between two sexes. How this should be, I do not know: it passes reason to explain why any creatures such as we, should have a value so prodigious in their Creator's eyes. It is certainly a burden of glory not only beyond our deserts but also, except in rare moments of grace, beyond our desiring; we are inclined, like the maidens in the old play, to deprecate the love of Zeus. But the fact seems unquestionable."

-C. S. Lewis

from The Problem of Pain

Jody's 50 -not 100- things

Sean Hill, this post is for you... Most people will find this post rather worthless.

1. I shook George W's hand in 5th Grade. He asked me what my favorite color was.

2. I play the ukulele.

3. I hate the Yankees with a passion.

4. I've married the antithesis of a Tom Tom.

5. I'm named after my grandpa Judge.

6. My favorite candy bar is a Pay Day

7.  I had a bowl cut through the 6th grade

8. I always wanted to go to Space camp, but it never happened.

9. As a child, my dream vacation was to go to Lego Land (and still is.)

10. My name is forever written on a brick at the Texas State Fair. Thanks Grandma.

11.  At the State Fair, when I was 10, I won 2nd place in the lego competition with a three-story cafe and a state flag.

12. I tend to laugh at my own jokes.

13. I have major problems with redneck Christians.

14. Much to my wife's disapproval, my favorite outfit is a grey sweatshirt and grey sweatpants.

15. I could live in Boston.

16. I'll admit it, I love Taylor Swift. T Swift. Tay Tay.

17. I never graduated from ski school, so I hate skiing. My wife is trying to ease me back in.

18. I own a surfboard, but I'm not so great at surfing. I'm working on it.

19. My friend Sean and I used to keep stats on ever NCAA football game we played. We obviously had some spare time...

20. I often got deservingly spanked from my grandma growing up. She is now one of my favorite people in the world.

21. Also, I had a neck and wrist leash whenever my mom would take me to public places.

22. I fear for my wife if we have a son who acts like I did as a child.

23. I find too much joy in sneaking up on my wife and scaring her... Which is way too easy.

24. I love Great Danes and will never own a purse dog. Sorry Ashley.

25. Arrested Development is my favorite show.

26. I wish I was good at golf.

27. My all-time favorite author is C.S. Lewis.

28. Best book I've ever read is the Screwtape Letters.

29. I never thought I'd be writing on a blog.

30. Since being engaged and married to my wife, my facebook pictures tagged have multiplied by 50.

31. I wish my wife would let me grow my handlebar mustache out.

32. And wear my American flag bandana in public.

33. And grow my hair back out.

34. But I love her anyways.

35. If I didn't have asthma, I would probably be in the Navy right now.

36. I can't wait to have a big family.

37. The greatest thing that ever happened to me was when a lady in the grocery store saw me in my Red Sox jacket and asked me what position I played for them.

38. I hung out with Michael Irvin at the World Premiere of "Friday Night Lights" in Los Angeles.

39. I was 50 pounds bigger in college.

40. I'm trying to talk my younger brother-in-law into being a Wildcat.

41. I'm trying to turn into a long distance runner.

42. I beat my wife in basketball. And I'm proud of it.

43.  My kids better go to T Bar M instead of Kanakuk, the kult with a k. :)

44. I can't stand a limp handshake.

45. Nothing beats Texas High School football.

46. I hope to finish writing a book by the time I'm 28.

47. I love my Sunday afternoon naps

48. I never drank coffee until I went to Law school.

49. I married a fox.

50. I would never have made it to 100.

I should be studying...

Mom's 50th!

Due to my prolonged laziness in the blog world, it's going to take a few posts to get caught up. This past month has been packed full of family and friends and we have enjoyed every minute of it. Hence the laziness. I'm not one of those people who are glad to be "back in the swing of things"... I'm not gonna lie, I'd rather still be on vacation. :)

Here is the first highlight of what's been happening in the past few weeks.

My MOM TURNED 50!! You've got to start with the milestone right?  I know she doesn't look it, but Susan L. (you'll never guess her middle name) Davidson turned the BIG 5-0!
 I get comments all of the time that my mom could be my sister, which is hard to imagine since I look like a 16 year old half of the time, but I'll take it as a compliment.  Jody's secretly praying I inherited these same genes.

Her best friend Cindy Sickles and I planned a little get together to celebrate in Amarillo, and my mom was so surprised! One of the many things I love about her is how she truly appreciates the simplest gestures. You'd have thought we flew her to Martha's Vineyard, first-class, for a dinner party on the beach with fireworks. It was so fun for us to see the look of surprise on her face when we were all there waiting for her, and she was genuinely excited.
 Of course, we had to have an old lady cane for her to walk around with.

With Memolly and my beautiful aunts

The whole fam together!!

There are few people in this world who consider their mother to be one of their best friends. I'm lucky to be one of them. Hardly a day goes by that I'm not on the phone with her...  She always has a listening ear, gives the best advice, and we are constantly laughing when we are together. I envy those people who get to live in the same town as their parents.

I need to start keeping a list of all of the things she did growing up that I want to copy exactly when I become a mom. She was patient, loving, incredibly laid back, didn't stress about trivial matters, and always found a way talked to us about Jesus and what this means in our lives. She also spoiled us like crazy at times. (i.e. letting us chose every night whether we wanted to be woken up the next morning with either tea or coffee) Spoiled.  Oh yeah, and she woke us up with her prayer journal every morning so we could read her daily prayers and scriptures for us as we got dressed. This a memory I treasure and definitely want to copy someday...
She loves her kids well. She loves her husband well, and she has an unrelenting and admirable love for Jesus. Whenever things don't go the right way (which is often),  she is the first one reminding us that God is faithful and good in all circumstances. She lives this out. I could go on and on about her integrity, and all the things I see in my mom that I strive to be, but I'll save that for a personal note. Your welcome.

Love you Mom! You are a blessing to all who know you!

" You make known to me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; In your righthand there are treasures forever."       Psalm 16:11



Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Many more blogs to come in the next week. I think.