It's Almost Christmas...

Good morning, it's Saturday and as I laid here in bed, it struck me that I am probably the worst 'blogger' possible. When I started this blog, I really thought to myself that it would be an easy daily task to get on here and update you all. But I realize I have probably left many of you with sheer disappointment after checking to 'keep up with the Carrolls' and realizing there hasn't been too much to keep up with. Who knows, maybe no one even reads this thing besides our parents and a few of our close friends. So for whoever may be reading this; I apologize, yet once again, for my lack of commitment to this blog.

I realize I have yet to bring this blog to life. But like I have said before, I am going to try to do a better job of 'blogging'... this I promise you. This needs to be somewhat of my journal, it's so easy to go through our daily routines and forget about the experiences we have faced that day or just the works God has been doing in our lives. A blog; or a journal; is definitely a keepsake we all should strive to have. And it's always fun to read back on them and sort of re live the moment in a sense.

Anyways enough of that; so what has been happening since my last entry of 'forever ago'. Well, Daniel and I are still home in Cali. The weather has been gorgeous, sandals and a tank top in December; only in California. We have really just been enjoying our time here with family and friends. But as usual around this time of the year; Decemberish; Daniel and I start craving the baseball season again. We are both just so excited for this next baseball season. We've had a couple of rough last 2 seasons (with injuries, slumps, moving around...) but even though it is hard to say- I honestly don't think I would have traded it for anything. During a time, there would have been no way I would have even been able to utter those words from my mouth. I mean, yeah, it would have been nice to just have had healthy easy seasons and just enjoyed the ride; but we would have missed out on the lessons the Lord has showed us and taught us and the way He's worked in our hearts through these situations. It's been rough and was definitely a huge struggle at times. But I realized how big the God we serve is! And I've only seen a glimpse of it; WOW!

Daniel and I were recently blessed to be able to go the PAO (Pro Athletes Outreach) Conference held in Texas. It is sort of like a 'retreat setting' where major league and minor league players, as well as their spouses come together and are able to have just awesome fellowship and hear amazing studies. We even got to meet Josh Hamilton and his wife (which I'm not going to lie; Daniel and I were kinda star struck at first), but they were so down to earth as well as so many other of the 'well known' players there. I have so much admiration to see these players using the pedestal they have through baseball to make a stand for the Lord. There are no words to describe the impact that ministry is having on so many people who are able to be apart of it. We were beyond blessed. And each and every one of the teachings we heard was impacting and moving and definitely touched our hearts deeply. It definitely left us with a refreshing feeling going into the next baseball season.

I think the biggest lesson we've learned through baseball throughout these last couple years that Daniel and I have been striding on together is that; ultimately God is in control. And His kingdom needs to always be our ultimate goal. It's so easy to get caught up in the 'baseball scene' and let our sole focus be only on 'moving up' in the minor league system and making it to the big leagues. But the reality of it is that it can all be taken away in an instant and what matters in the end is the impact we make for Christ. I feel so refreshed having that mindset going into this next baseball season; it gives me so much peace and I praise God for the hard lessons it took for us to learn that. So that's my heart and I'm excited for the journey the Lord has ahead of us.

Thank you so much for the constant prayers I know many of you have had for us, we truly covet them beyond words.Anyways, I am most likely not going to get on here before Christmas, so I want to conclude this by wishing you all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!

I want to leave you with a quote from Max Lucado's book 'A Love Worth Giving To You',
I know it's kind of long; but it's so REAL and such a huge reminder to be thankful for the true meaning of Christmas. Its says:

"Consider the gift for a moment, what Jesus really did. He swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable. He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. He could hold the universe in His palm but gave it up to float in the womb of a maiden. If you were God, would you sleep on straw, nurse from a breast, and be clothed in a diaper? Christ did. If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? If you knew that the tounges you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit at you, the hands you made would crucify you, would you still make them? Christ did. Would you regard the immobile and invalid more important than yourself? Jesus did. He humbled Himself. He went from commanding angels to sleeping on straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary's finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that's what LOVE does. It puts the beloved before itself. Your soul was more important than His blood. Your eternal life was more important than His earthly life. Your place in heaven was more important to Him than His place in heaven, so He gave up HIS so you could have YOURS."