The Best Investment This World Has Ever Known

What are you investing in these days? I'm a huge Dave Ramsey fan. I listen to his radio show while paying bills or while completing our monthly budget or while doing book keeping for our business, Y Bar Construction. I follow Ramsey on Twitter and have read his books. My husband and I have even taught Financial Peace University at our church and he made our Christmas letter this year. He explains financial management in such a way that a sixth grader could understand him. If I were given millions tomorrow, I would know exactly what to do with it, following Ramsey's Baby Steps.


Ramsey's plan is great and it (when actually put to use) has the power to change lives and family trees. But what if I told you that I have an even better and more powerful investment strategy?  


I decided over eight years ago to invest everything I am or ever will be, all my worth into one single....

(....wait for it.....

here it comes....

...are you ready.... this is good...

...changes lives...

...produces the highest yields this world has ever known....)






I decided to invest everything I am or ever will be, all my worth into one single...... baby boy born in a manger.


Often times folks will call into Ramsey's radio show and doubt his advice to invest their money in good growth stock mutual funds. The callers think his advice is crazy considering our economy these past few years. Then Ramsey just recounts what his investments have done for him. It may not convince the caller but his testimony certainly convinces me (or maybe its his lake house that convinces me, just kidding); like I said, I know exactly where I'm going to invest our money once we are out of debt etc. 


Now investing in a God that came to this planet in the form of a baby boy, born to a poor *VIRGIN* girl, in a manger of all places... may sound crazy considering science or logic... or our world today, but I'm banking on this baby boy. It's all or nothin' for me. And of course, it doesn't seem crazy to me because I know what this investment has done for me. And like Ramsey, my most powerful persuasive tool is my testimony. 


Of course I'm tempted to share my testimony and tell my readers across the world what Jesus has done for me... how he has done more in me and for me these past eight years, than millions or even billions of dollars ever could, but I'll refrain (perhaps in a different post someday). Because my investment plan can actually be summed up in one word: LOVE. 

Love came down in the form of a baby boy. Love died on the cross for you and me. Love is waiting patiently for every human being to choose (or not choose) love. Love changed me and is still changing me. Love saved me. If you have ever been touched by Love, then you have been touched by the hand of God. God is love (I can't say it enough) see 1 John.


I've never met anyone that didn't believe Love was worth investing in. I imagine that Dave Ramsey would recommend this investment strategy too. Today I invite you to invest in Love... Today I invite you to celebrate the day Love was born in a manger!


***Happy Birthday Jesus, King of my heart and this universe! I love you!!!***




I think I'll go party now... Merry Christmas! And Love Bless (God Bless)!!!!! <3 



How are you celebrating Jesus' birthday?

Our Honest Christmas Letter

       I can't help but think of the Dunbar Family when I think of Christmas letters. The Dunbar Family that I'm referring to is from an episode on This American Life. Julia Sweeney reads an annual Christmas letter from the Dunbars.... It's a very funny episode if you enjoy sarcasm or dark humor. Here's an audio clip from the episode I'm referring to: 

The other type of Christmas letter that comes to mind is the infamous BRAG LETTER. You know the type; we've all read them... and by the end of the letter you can't help but wonder what planet they are from, because no one else you know has that much to brag about.

We are going to attempt to land our Christmas letter somewhere in between the dysfunctional "Dunbar's" and the nauseating "Mr. and Mrs. Brag". Here goes nothin'....

Dear Family, Friends, and Random Strangers that Read this Blog,                            

                  This is our first ever Christmas letter! I'm not the biggest fan of letters of this breed but we thought we'd do things a bit different this year. We are, however,  big Dave Ramsey fans and in true Dave Ramsey fashion we are cinching the "purse strings" in every way possible as we pay off our debt (we're down to just 35K!!!). So instead of sending 300-400 Christmas cards via snail mail, we are delivering 400+ "Christmas Letters" via email (or via other social media mediums). There are a few little old ladies that will be an exception to this new-state-of-the-art way of doing business. So consider yourself young and cutting-edge if you aren't an exception!

      Young or old.. snail mail or email... family, friend, or stranger.... our gift... our prayer... for *YOU* this Christmas remains the same...

HOPE

May you have the HOPE of being reunited with your loved ones that passed away this year or years past. May you look forward to a time when our bodies will be made anew... free of age, injury, or disease.  

*Hebrews 11:1, NKJV. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

*Romans 8:24-25, NKJV. "For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."

Romans 5:3-5, NKJV. "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

*

I Thessalonians 4:13-14

, NKJV. " But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.^"

Titus 1:2, NKJV. "in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,"

Titus 2:13, KJV. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ"

FAITH

Take that leap of FAITH (you know, the one you've been too scared to take)! This too, is our prayer for *YOU*! We promise you won't regret it. May your eyes remain focused on our loving Saviour... because walking on water isn't over rated... and this world.... yeah it's soooo over rated.

Hebrews 11:1, TLB. "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead."

LOVE

"...And the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor 13:13). Often times it is in our best interest to simply LET GO, but love is something you want to get a hold of and grasp firmly. The beauty of love is that it is in constant pursuit of *YOU* but it can only catch you if you let it. So our prayer is that you let love catch and carry you... then once caught, hold on tight and *NEVER EVER* let go. By the way God is love (1 John). >>>Try replacing the word love with God in this paragraph.<<< LET LOVE TAKE OVER... YOU!

We wish you a CRAZY-HAPPY-JOYFUL-FUN-LOVE_FEST-JOLLY-MERRY Christmas... after all Birthdays are meant to be celebrated!!!

God is love,

Vanessa and Ryan

A Christmas Evolution of Us

Christmas is just a few days away! I can't believe it! I'm blaming the lack of snow that exists here in Eastern Oregon for my lack of jolly Christmas spunk. Jolly or not, my favorite part of the Christmas season is the exchange of Christmas cards. Which comes at no surprise; especially if you read my post about my card/stationary addiction.

Ryan and I decided to do Christmas a little different this year, but before we share our season greetings for 2011... I thought it'd be fun to see our evolution of Christmas card pictures from the past few years...

2005

This picture was taken at my grandma's house. I was 20 and Ryan was 25. Aren't we young and in love??? We still are by the way!

This was the back of our picture. Simple and sweet. <3

2006

I can't really remember what we did for Christmas cards in 2006...

but I'm pretty sure it involved these pictures!

2007

In 2007 we used Shutterfly to create our Christmas card. We included the following pictures and a quote that is good enough to share again here, "To those we love & see each day & other loved ones far away... To all good friends who mean so much & those with whom we're out of touch... To folks who are so good & kind it's easy to keep them in mind... To people we keep close at heart even when we are apart... We sent to you this wish sincere for a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!"

This picture was taken the day we adopted Poco Bear.

On a hike to one of my favorite lakes, Van Patten.

This was taken the same day of my Grandpa's funeral. I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to have a picture taken after crying all day. We are in front of my grandparents fireplace in their basement. 

2008

In 2008 we used a card from Leanin' Tree.  You can click here to see the exact card that we used. It has been my favorite card so far. The greeting inside the card read "It wouldn't seem like Christmas if we couldn't get in touch and wish the Season's Blessings to those we like so much!" The card allowed us to put captions with the pictures. The captions you read here are the same as they were on the card 3 years ago (I realize I'm the biggest card nerd; I'm ok with that).

No caption because this pic was on the front of the card.

Ryan spent this year's father's day windsurfing w/ his Dad @ Thief Valley.

This picture was taken @ our friend's wedding. What a fun weekend! It's hard to believe  it has been over 2 years since our day!

It's nice to remember that warmer months are ahead... this picture was taken @ Vanessa's mother's home in AZ.

What would be do without God's awesome creatures? This year we deiced to give Poco a hair cut to help him deal with the summer heat. Isn't he handsome? Ike is our newest addition to our family... there is a reason why a hurricane was named after him this year! 

2009

2009 was apparently my year of indecision. I couldn't decide on just a few pictures and I couldn't decide on just one type of card, so different folks got different cards with different pictures. And some people got multiple cards; one for Christmas and one for New Years (at least I can admit that I'm addicted). I purchased my photo cards from Blessings Unlimited that year. There were no captions with the pictures so I'll just add my own now...

Ryan was voted Firefighter of the year.

It's amazing how much critters can grow in a year!

Photo taken by: Photos by Lisa Edited by me.

Carly Carlson Photography 

Carly Carlson Photography

2010

I was also indecisive in 2010. I attempted to keep it simpler last year but... well you know... ok you probably don't know... let's just say... ITS AN ADDICTION! One of the cards that we used last year can be found at WalMart. The others were... one of a kind....

Ryan and I stopped at Deadwood Outfitters for a day of their flyfishing clinic. I hope we can make to Deadwood in 2012!

Jenny Jimenez photography

Jenny Jimenez Photography

Jenney Jimenez took this picture at my best friend Eun's wedding. Click on this link to get a glimpse of Eun's beautiful wedding and Jenny's awesome photography.

Thanksgiving 2010.

Our caption for this was: Ryan says "This is what happens when you turn 30." I say, "This is what happens when your husband turns 30."

2011

???????????????????????????????????????

I guess you'll have to wait and see....  it's ok if you lose sleep over this... I understand!

What is your favorite tradition of the season? Do you send out Christmas cards? If so, how many? We send between 300-400 each year.