Red Cups already??

It’s November 8th with only two weeks till Thanksgiving – and yet all around me I’m already seeing (and sometimes hearing) Christmas. Where has 2007 gone? I saw my first Red Cup from Starbucks today and couldn’t help but smile, knowing that for the first time in over five years that I will not have to endure the retail torture of the holidays. With 2007 nearly gone, I can’t help but get slightly sentimental and retrospective about life. Today is Tracy’s 25th birthday and marks the five years to the day that we have been officially a couple. It’s startling to see how much change has happened in five years and how faithful God has been throughout the years. Tonight was also the first night of our Community Group meeting. Community groups within Church in the Valley (CIV) are small groups that meet weekly. The purpose of these groups is to encourage one another to love God and to love others. One of the ways that we do that is by meeting together weekly to talk about what is going on in our lives and how the Bible helps us to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to Him. Beyond group stating, Tracy and I are plugging away at life. I just went through some grueling midterms (welcome to grad school!) and Tracy is adjusting to new responsibilities at work. We are definitely looking forward to the holidays – a time we can spend with our families and take a quick break. In the meantime, I plan to enjoy the brisk weather and hopefully sneak over to Starbucks for a cup of coffee in my first Red Cup of the season.