By The Fireside: December 2009

By The Fireside

Who hasn’t sat around a campfire and watched how firelight changes the faces that surround the glowing embers? There is something so mysterious and lovely about the dancing flames and the charcoaled smoke as it rises into the evening sky. The flames - the light - transform ordinary logs of wood into a picturesque bonfire. As indigo ash whispers through the night air, we breathe in a new aroma, resigning ourselves to the blaze.

When we think about community, we often reflect upon the wonderful times we've shared by a fireside...a warm hearth in a friend's home, Christmas morning with precious family, or sweet sharing and song around a bonfire. Perhaps this vision most reminds us of our great cloud of witnesses; the inspiration behind this page. As we share our stories & photographs here, our hope is that we may renew, refresh, and rekindle our friendships by this fireside...

Kenny & Jenn Sinclair

"...if my fire is not large, it is yet real, and there may be those who can light their candle at its flame." — A. W. Tozer, foreword to The Pursuit of God

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas Makes Me Smile

Whoever penned the phrase, "It's the most wonderful time of the year" was really onto something. Traditions are deeply steeped into our family all throughout the year...but never as much as Christmastime, which is indeed the most wonderful time! It brings families and friends back home, and beckons us to a warm cup of cocoa by the fireplace. It is also reminds us of the Light that came into the dark world...a baby, who was the King of Kings! A Savior! Hallelujah!

One very special Christmas moment for me this year was meeting my best friend, Lydia's 5 week old baby girl, Aida! She was perfect in every way and it was so incredible to see Lyd as a mom! She and Peter are wonderful parents and I enjoyed visiting and laughing with them :)

The Honken Family!

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And speaking of traditions, we started a new one this year! This was our first Christmas in our new home and we hosted a Christmas Eve breakfast at our house for our family!

Thanks to many of you who have been praying for mom...her lumpectomy surgery went well on Dec. 15th and the cancer had not reached her lymph. She did, however, have cancer remaining in the margins, and the surgeon will do an additional surgery to remove this in February. Please continue to lift her up in your prayers! She is in good spirits :)

Our beautiful new Christmas pillow from Aunt Sue!

Doing what boys do...

Christmas decorations...

Our Christmas Emma! Aren't her crossed-eyes the best?!

A Few Oregon Pics & K's 28th Birthday

Well, I left my camera in Oregon...but now that my mom-in-law came to visit for Christmas, I get my camera back! Blogspot, here I come :) Kenny is a landscape lover, and I'm a lover of people...so below is a slew of our favorites from the trip!

Driving to Portland...

Coos Bay roads

Foggy west coast

Jeanette & me

Winchester Bay Viewpoint

At long last....my "Human Bean" Supreme :)

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Kenny turned 28 on November 14th (did I mention I left my camera in Oregon?) and we celebrated by spending the night in Lebanon, OH...a quaint historic district north of Cincinnati. We meandered through antique stores, marveled at Victorian architecture, ate at "The Golden Lamb" (the oldest hotel in Ohio) and spent the night in a cozy cabin!

A home-cooked dinner at The Golden Lamb...I was obsessed with the apple butter (which, fortunately for me, came in a giant ceramic vat) and their "warm slaw" with vinagar and bacon. Delish.