Electronic Christmas Card

Cash is tight. Stamps are expensive. Blogging is free.

I know your fridge has probably been asking you for a Christmas Card of Honey Cate to put on it, so good thing you've got a color printer. And to make it even more fun, we've given you three options, but I'd go with the middle one if I were you.

Merry Christmas,
Drew, Nat, and HC

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Play Date

Honey Cate and her friend Ainsley Pearl were only born one day apart.Yesterday they enjoyed a lil play date together. Thanks to AP's mom, our friend Emily Agniel, for the pics! "What you looking at girl?"
"If you won't gimme a hug, I'm gonna put u in a headlock."
"Ainsley, we sure our cute. Let's pose for a pic."
"All this playin has made me hungry, lemme eat your fingers."

Traditions, Collections, & Questions for the New Year

TRADITIONS
Each New Year's Eve Natalie and I attempt to go on a little date and spend some time remembering and dreaming. We each take a piece of paper and write down a list of things we're thankful for from the previous year. We then take turns sharing those with each other. We also take another sheet and write down our hopes for the coming year and then share those. It has been a sweet tradition and thanks to Nat's organizational prowess, we have all of our lists from the past 5 years. We believe that "creativity is just forgetting where you stole it from" so feel free to be creative and "steal" this tradition if you are so moved. : )
COLLECTIONS
When I was a kid, I collected sea shells. In middle school I collected baseball cards. In high school, I collected girl's phone numbers. In college, I collected funny skit clothes for Young Life and the Annual Franklin St Halloween Party. After college, I started collecting books (I was getting older and more boring I guess). Over the past few years, I've started collecting something a little different..."good questions." In honor of the coming new year I have posted some of those good questions below. (You might have read some similar ones I posted last year.)

If you attempt to answer all of them, you'll probably drive yourself crazy, but I'd encourage you to take some time (either alone or with someone who knows you well) and think through some of these questions. Remembering...celebrating...dreaming...they are all very spiritual practices. I hope these questions are as helpful to you as they have been to me.

Special thanks to our friend "White Lightning" for reminding us to remember!

Questions for the New Year
2009 (time past)
-The most fun times you can remember:
-Your greatest flashes of creativity:
-Memorable things you heard people say:
-People you came to appreciate in a new way:
-People who were pure, unbounded fun:
-Times that music touched you deeply:
-In what ways did you change?
-Movies that impacted you:
-Things that books taught you:
-People you found especially interesting:
-The most compelling philosophical insights you encountered:
-Times when you entered a place of mystery:
-People who came through for you:
-Ways you messed up:
-Ways that you were magic:
-Times that God took you by surprise:
-The most stimulating discussions:
-Things you remember that you'd rather forget:
-The most difficult times:
-People who poured out their souls to you:
-Ways you were challenged to be a better person:
-Times when you entered a place of mystery:
-Your choice for time person for 2009:
-Terms you would use to describe yourself in 2009:
-When everything was going wrong and suddenly turned out right:
-People who disappointed you:
-If you were to give a title to 2009:
-Your most significant accomplishments:
-What spiritual practices generated the greatest benefit to your soul
-Was there any anger, guilt, greed or jealousy that needs to be resolved
-Did you love your wife as Christ loves the church
-Did you honor God with your finances and give generously?
-Did you cultivate your prayer life?
-How did you do as a father?
-As a husband?
-As a son?
-As a grandson?
-As a brother?

2010 (time future)
-What apprehensions do you have about the coming year?
-What journeys would you like to take?
-What daring and potentially thrilling things would you like to do?
-What would you like to change about yourself?
-If 2010 is to have a title, what do you want it to be?
-If you knew now that 2009 would be your last year on earth, what would you do more of? Less of?
-What major things do you want to accomplish this coming year?
-Who do you want to get to know better this coming year?
-Any wild predictions about what will happen throughout this nation and the world?
-Who are the top ten relationships you intend to influence in 2010
-How will you be more effective with these people than in 2009?
-What one change could you make in your behavior that would help you to live in greater alignment with your values?
-What has to happen in 2010 for you to label it “your best year yet?” (life, marriage, family, work, church...)
-What is the wildest, most unconventional thing you could do this next year to live with more passion?
-What out of the box thinking could you do in your job/ministry?
-How will you honor God with your finances in this next year?
-In what specific areas will you give more generously?
-Who will hold you accountable to be at your best this next?
-What are the most purposeful daily habits you could develop/upgrade over the next 12 months?
-Identify specific messes or clutter projects you’d like to clean up in the next 12 months
-Proverbs 22:1 says a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Identify 3 qualities you’d like to see associated with your name as well as how you’d define each quality.
-How will you take better care of your health in this next year?
-What will you do to daily renew your mind?

Eye Heart Country Music

As many of you know, I am a loyal lover of country music. Part of the enjoyment of country music is its simplicity. Singer/Songwriter Andy Gullahorn wrote this brillant song below. While he was attempting to mock Country Music, I'm confident enough in my love of country to enjoy laughing at the song, and at myself. People often ask me what I'm gonna do after I graduate from seminary. Honestly, I'd love to play country music in small town bars. We'll see if I can talk Natalie into that, but until then, may these 3 minutes bless your funny bones.

Introducing Kessler and Cookie

Our family keeps growing and we are so excited. You can tell HC is pumped just by the look on her face!

On Monday Dec 7th, my brother Blake and sis-n-law Ashley gave birth to our nephew, Kessler Staton Hill. We are bummed to be 1700 miles away, but excited to get to meet Kesslaaaa in a few weeks! You can read more on their blog.

We are also pumped for Nat's brother Nate and our sis-n-law Suellen (pronounced Swell-in by folks who live more than 45 minutes from a Walmart). They are expecting a little brother or sister for Pierce in June. Pierce likes to call the baby "cookie," so we'll go with that. Can't wait to meet you Cookie! You can read more about Pierce's adventures on their blog as well.

Merry Christmas From the Hills

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Crooked Creek 2009

A few weekends ago I had the privilege to take some of my high school friends from Arapahoe High to Crooked Creek Young Life camp outside of Winter Park. It was an amazing weekend of building deeper relationships with each other and introducing many of them to the extravagant love of Christ. Thanks to many of you for praying for us and financially making it possible for some of these kids to go. Below is a little video from the weekend and a link to some pics if you are interested.

Crooked Creek Snow Camp 09

Thanksgiving in Winter Park

Tip of the day: To avoid traveling during holidays, just have a baby and the family will travel to you!

Nat's folks, Papaw and Nana Leonard, came to see us for thanksgiving and Nat's brother Nate (cool word play huh?) and our sis-in-law, Suellen, and our nephew Pierce also made the trip. While the ski slopes sadly reminded us of the NC mtns (slushy and short), we enjoyed tubing, sledding and sleigh riding in the 60 degree weather. Here's a little video of one of our days tubing:
Here's some more pics too. There's some great ones of Papaw Leonard giving HC a manicure and Pierce and Natalie having a water war in the jacuzzi. By the way, when playing hangman, "jacuzzi" is a great word to use. I've won at least $8.50 over the years using that word. Drew

Thanksgiving 09 in Winter Park with the Leonard Clan

Old Friends & the Redlight Angel

I woke up stressed out on Monday morning. I needed to raise $900 this week to help some of my high school friends get to Young Life snow camp. Our trip to Crooked Creek Ranch is almost here and there are so many of my friends who I'd love to come with me, but $ seems so tight for everyone. I feel that tension and understand that 150 bones is a lot for 48 hours of camp, but I'm just convinced that its worth it, and will be 48 hours of sheer awesomeness.

I prayed. "God, I know that Young Life camp is not the only solution and that You are way bigger than a Giant Swing and Frisbee Golf in the snow, but I'd sure love to be able to give some of these kids the gift of experiencing You at Crooked Creek. If you want that to happen, you're gonna have to show up." He wanted it to happen.

It started earlier this week with a Facebook post I almost didn't write. It was a simple ask for anyone who wanted to sponsor a kid to go to camp. I got only one reply, and it was beyond unexpected. One of my friends in high school, who I probably haven't talked to in 13 years, wrote back and told me that he would love to help. He's mailing YL a check for $150. I'm still blown away and encouraged. You made my week Heath!

Then yesterday Natalie got a random text message from a friend who was visiting us last week and heard me talking about camp. She was asking if we still needed $ to help get kids there. Another $150 in the mail. Totally out of the blue. Thanks Brittany and Chris for loving us by supporting these kiddos! I can't fully express my gratitude.

And then today came...and it was crunch time. I was encouraged, but still needed almost $600. I had made some great plans to rake a few yards with kids, but snow still covered the ground. Now what could I do to raise funds? I had two of my high school friends in the car, but was in a hurry to pick up some more. I was stuck at a red light, but thankful for a windows-down-kinda-day following last week's "wintry mix." I noticed my friend Jan standing on the corner about to cross the street in the quaint Littleton downtown we refer to as Li-do. The red light gifted me enough time to answer her question of what I was up to. "Trying to raise money for camp," I yelled as we drove away. A little while later my phone rang, and it was Jan. She said that she had some work that we could do if I brought some kids over. I'm not sure if she really did need the help or was just trying to find something for these kids to do to help them to get to camp, but either way, she was an answer to prayer. She was an angel at the red light. I'm not sure how hard those guys worked, but I guarantee you they were overpaid! That family blessed our socks off. And boy am I thankful.

Thankful for old friends on facebook, for 160 character text messages that say so much, and even thankful for red lights.

Father, its still crazy to me that You choose to work through such sweet surprises to remind me that You're in control. Forgive me for ever doubting that. I'm just itching to watch You show up in even bigger ways at Crooked Creek. Bring it on...

Tip of the Day

Tip of the month: This month our cell phone numbers are made public for telemarketers. If you call the number below, and it will take literally 30 seconds to do, it will block your number. No gimmicks, it's legit. I did it myself! Just FYI. 888-382-1222