Christmas notes 2010

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Blacksburg, VA. The leaves that once were vibrant fall colors are now under three inches of snow. The temperatures have dropped and are much colder than we were use to in Arkansas. The beauty that comes with the bright, white snow makes the season’s change worth it. There has been changes in the Noble family as well.

Jeff is basking in all the changes that have happened this year at Northstar Church. The church moved its office location to a beautiful, historical house on the edge of the VT campus. Being on campus and having a house conducive to ministry has brought a new dynamic for Northstar. The house is full most days and nights with meetings, discipleship time and fellowship from both college students and families. We have been honored to have seen many lives changed this year through salvation and baptism. There isn’t much more you can ask for when you get witness people give their life to Christ and decide to follow Him wholeheartedly. If Jeff isn’t in some type of discipleship meeting you can find him at home relaxing, reading or trying to beat Sam in Fantasy Football.

Carolyn has enjoyed subbing for the schools this year. She mainly works with Special Ed children and likes that she can pick and choose when she works. She is a part of a Ladies Morning Bible Study where she has made some good friends. She is still taking photos on the side but enjoys not having to make an income from it and just enjoy it for a hobby. As a continue saga of her health, she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this October. Fortunately, the cancer is non-invasive and does not require treatment. She will, however, have a double mastectomy and reconstruction on December 13th. Not exactly what we want for the Christmas holidays but God’s timing is always best. We have learned that time and time again.

Sam has grown like wildfire and has had the biggest change. We recently bought him size 11 shoes and he is about to be as tall as Jeff. He now helps with the Technical Team at church. He assists in setting up the lights each week and is in charge of the slides for the worship songs. It’s a great way to keep a teenager focused during the worship service! He played baseball this summer and is now playing basketball. He was able to go to Young Life camp this summer in Maryland and is already planning for next summer. This past summer we were able to go camping on the New River and take the kids to Virginia Beach. This was a first for both kids. Sam still loves the outdoors. His practice deer target is in the backyard where he practices shooting his bow. Not sure how the neighbors feel about it here but it is a yard ornament for now.

Adelyn has had her fair share of change as well. She started middle school this year. She is in the band and of all the instruments, she chose TUBA! If it is not the deer in the backyard, it is the tuba practice that
can be heard by all! She still takes guitar lessons and loves writing music. Our families all pitched in to buy her a beautiful blue Fender guitar for her birthday. She loves it and plays it often. She still takes ballet and tap. She is in prepoint this year and will probably get her long awaited toe ballet shoes in January. She loved playing softball this year and is now playing basketball. She still sports her converse shoes almost every day. She even wears them to basketball practice. The other day she was complaining of her feet hurting. It might be time to purchase real basketball shoes. Not sure how she will handle practicality over style. We will see.

This Christmas we pray that you have had some good changes in your life this year as well. We pray that Christmas will be a time that we will all remember James 1.17:

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Merry Christmas from the Nobles!

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A birthday and an Eve

My best friend was born 39 years ago today.

It’s amazing to think we’ve been married for 17 years, but we’ve been friends since her freshman year in college. I was a senior when I first met her. I was working at Third Street Baptist Church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas as their youth minister.

I needed someone to help me teach the youth girls on Sunday nights for discipleship while I focused on the guys. That impulse to divide the youth group by gender was one I’ve forever thanked the Lord for.

It was then that Carolyn agreed to help me – albeit with the warning that she would “never” date me. Apparently, she suspected my motivations were less than holy.

However, I had come to know that Caro was as beautiful spiritually as she was physically, and I was grateful when she agreed to help disciple and teach those young girls at our church.

Each Sunday evening after church we would wind up at the Wendy’s in Caddo Valley, discussing where our youth were spiritually and how we could encourage them in their growth. Those long conversations inevitably would meander to laughter and to deep discussions about life, dreams, and the heart.

Over the course of months, our hearts and common vision for life connected in a way that neither of us was prepared to acknowledge. Carolyn went home (New Mexico) after that spring semester, and it was in her absence that I realized (with some friends’ help) that I was genuinely melancholy.

It’s a long story from there (you can pick it up here if you’re bored), but the “rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say is that 17 years later, we are still laughing and having heart-to-hearts.

Her beauty is more alluring to me today than ever before. She has two ways of laughing – one is a charming and disarming giggle. The other is a raucous cackle that rattles the china. Her love for Christ and her simple way of serving others with hospitality, phone calls and gifts has been felt by so many. And our kids… wow. They are the direct beneficiaries of a mother who loves them without reservation.

So on this Christmas Eve, I wish my best friend a genuinely happy birthday. I love her.

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Turtles and pool parties

What a full day we had yesterday! The Noble family rose at the crack of dawn to head to Little Rock in different directions. Carolyn and Adelyn rode with some friends to LR so that Adelyn could try out for the Nutcracker – her second year. Much to the Monticello’s crew delight, all the girls that tried out from Monticello made it!

Sam and I left early as well – after cleaning up the kitchen from having friends over to dinner Friday night. We went to mom and dad’s house for a fantastic brunch with my visiting uncle from Minnesota. We spent the day with family, laughing, playing chickenfoot, and enjoying the weather. Anything sub-90 in Arkansas during the summer is like early winter.

After Carolyn and Adelyn returned from the tryouts, we went out into mom and dad’s backyard. While it’s beautifully landscaped, it can pretty much fit into a thimble. It’s small. But that didn’t stop us from finding a baby toad and a box turtle. We felt like regular Dr. Doolittles.

While Sam was intrigued, Adelyn was positively radiant. Animals share a special place in her heart. Of course, that didn’t stop her from racing inside to wash her hands in disgust after the toad peed on her.

We loaded back into the Sequoia (still with For Sale window chalk all over it), and raced back to Monticello for Journey’s Back to School Pool Bash and Birthday Party. David and Tammy English graciously allowed our church to use it as an outreach event. Sam (it was his birthday) didn’t mind at all. There were a ton of kids there, and it was a joy to visit, laugh, and watch our own Michael Phelps win gold in an informal relay against some kids and an anonymous state trooper.

There was a full house at Journey today, and it was exciting and humbling to see how many educators and teachers the Lord has brought into our fellowship. We prayed for them as a group, in addition to praying for our students. Ryan taught on the Great Commission in our Harvest Series, and it was interesting how he emphasized Matthew 28.19 where Jesus said that making a disciple is about teaching others to obey all that Jesus has taught us.

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