Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 03:40PM The Watsons enjoyed a festive Christmas here in Memphis. We went to see Christmas lights at the zoo, hung out with Pancho and Aunt Amy for a week and a half, and enjoyed the excitement and celebration of Christmas morning through our boys' eyes. Here are a few photos that tell the story.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 12:58AM Nathan had his first Christmas play last week. It was put on by the Parents' Day out that he attends twice a week. He didn't have any lines, but managed to say, "Chick-a-Pow!" most of the way through the play while fooling around with the girl on his right and the boy on his left.
Great fun and it put us in the holiday spirit.
Merry Christmas.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 10:47AM 
I turned 34 on Saturday. 34. Seems a bit like the middle of something, but I'm not quite sure what or where. Not quite old...but getting closer. Not young, but youth is certainly farther away than it used to be. And I'm sure when I'm 54 I'll look back at this writing and chuckle at how silly I sounded 20 years ago for even considering youth and age at this juncture.
But I'm 34. And birthdays are good for reflection as much as celebration. I did a little of both. And I since I like to mix my celebrations and reflections like Jack mixes with Coke, here are some things I've been reflecting on and celebrating this week.
Stories...I come from a family of story tellers. Really good story tellers. Even the bad ones and the long ones. I grew up loving to hear my Granny tell long stories. I still love hearing my Grandma tell even longer ones. My mom tells funny ones, my dad tells loud ones. My Grandpa tells subtle ones. I'm reflecting on and celebrating the stories that I'm able to tell. Stories that are my own, from my 34 years, my life, my mistakes, my humiliations, my triumphs, my sadness, my uncertainty and my trail through this life so far. Hopefully I'm able to tell them as well, as loud, as funny, as profoundly and as deeply as my family.
Community...If there is anything that I can say has been absent from my 34 years it is lonliness. There have been times when I have been or have felt alone, but never really have I been, for any extended period of time, in a place of lonliness in my life. Throughout my 34 years I have found my location smack dap in the middle of a community of welcome and love. Growing up in St. Francis Square apartments in the heart of east Dallas' ghetto - community. At Lakeside Baptist Church - community. At SMU in the college group at the BSU - community. In seminary - community. In Fresno - community, lots of it. So much community I can't get away from it. Even in Memphis with Living Hope Church - community. Consistently God has surrounded me with communities of care & character.
Family...I am genuinely moved to tears when I think of the rich blessing that my family is to me. The family that hatched me and that raised me (and is still raising me) and the family that I chose in Lisa and our children is rich in love, forgiveness, stick-to-it-iveness, laughter, hilarity and lots more love. The family I have now may look a little different than the one I grew up in - to say Lisa and I have lived in lots of places is a ridiculous understatement while my parents still live in the same neighborhood as the Dallas high school they attended as teenagers. But some of the deeper character of families, that's the beauty.
My grandma sent me a card for my birthday. She wrote a note. Part of it said, "Your life's journey has taken you to many far away, wonderful places. How exciting to think what the next 34 years might bring!".
Yes. It is very, very exciting.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at 10:46PM Our congregation, Living Hope Church, for this Advent Season is linking arms with other congregations around the world in participating in the Advent Conspiracy. This is simply an attempt by our church celebrate a Christmas and Advent Season in a more faithful way; a way that more authentically reflects our passion for Jesus and our reflection on the reasons for and meaning behind God becoming a person in the birth of a King born in a Manger.
To kick off our Advent Conspiracy, I (Matthew) had the privilege to speak to our church on the first Sunday of Advent. I spoke on the topic of 'Worship Fully' and explored the lives of those first worshipers at the manger. Feel free to take a listen.
Also, here's a little promo video that we did in preparation for the Advent Conspiracy. We shot this video while in Nicaragua several weeks ago. David Lewis, our worship pastor, is featured in this piece.
Monday, December 1, 2008 at 09:27PM Below is a letter that Lisa and i wrote in honor of World AIDS Day, 2006. It continues to convey our hearts on this day of reflection and re-commitment. We have edited it in order to bring it up to date and added a few heroes that we've met along the way.
-matthew & lisa.
Friends & Family
World AIDS Day, 2008
December 1st is internationally recognized as World AIDS Day; a day to mourn those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS, to love those living with the disease, to raise awareness, to re-encourage ourselves to stay in the fight, to celebrate the victories (however small they may seem) and, mostly, pray.
Our hope is that today, you will encourage your family, friends and loved ones who are living with HIV/AIDS and pray for those who are serving and ministering to those affected.
Today, I (Matthew) remember my friend, Johnny Madison. Johnny was my best friend in High School. A beautiful man who spent the latter part of his short life living with HIV and raising awareness about the disease as a motivational speaker and lecturer focusing primarily in disadvantaged neighborhoods in the Houston area. Johnny and I were on the wrestling team together, attended church together, had countless meals at Snuffer’s near SMU in Dallas and made a great many memories. He discovered his HIV status not long after graduating for college. It was at that point that he began speaking at Jr. High and High Schools, young adult gatherings and congregations. Unfortunately, after years of struggling with the disease and after a string of difficult hospital visits with a weak immune system, wearily, Johnny decided to take his own life. I have and will continue to miss my friend.
Today, I (Lisa) celebrate Nyazi Dandong. A strong 33, year old Nigerian woman who, out of love for Jesus, loves and serves our family. Nyazi is a mom. Her son is 3 and his name is Prince. But the difficult part of her story is that Prince is not her biological son. Her own son died about a year and half ago. He and Prince were the same age. When Nyazi’s brother died of the disease, she took his son, Prince, who was left orphaned, as her own. Nyazi is a widow. Her husband died of HIV/AIDS. Nyazi has a deep well of love within her that can’t be snuffed out by a sickness, or even by death itself. My favorite memory of Nyazi is watching her dance at the support group she attends. The song was about fighting the disease with dignity, and living despite the hardships. She worshipped and danced, and with amazing strength danced out the truth of her life in that song. Today I celebrate Nyazi Dandong, who is living positively with HIV.
Today, we (Matthew, Lisa & Nathan) are encouraged by our many friends and colleagues spread around the globe who are fighting against HIV/AIDS. We celebrate our friend Dr. Art Amman and his team at Global Strategies. Dr. Art is the first doctor to discover HIV in children over two decades ago. Fueled by a deep faith in Jesus, that discovery then propelled Dr. Amman to begin addressing pediatric AIDS worldwide. 
We celebrate our friend, Dr. Don Simmons who, while our professor at Golden Gate Seminary, organized the first AIDS awareness conference at a Southern Baptist Seminary. We’re thankful for his courageous leadership. We celebrate Drs. Chris & Mercy Isichei and Biana Grogg and their compassionate leadership at Faith Alive in Jos, Nigeria where we once had the priveledge of serving. We're thankful for Habibat Abdulkareem, who passed away earlier this year due to AIDS, but lived out the last days of her life training others to knit and make a living while living positively. We're deeply grateful for our dear friend, Florence Nwonkwo who, although positive herself, trains women in sewing, teaching them to be amazing tailors and amazing women of hope.
So, today, we hope that with us, you too will mourn, pray and celebrate. For there is ample reason for all three.
With full hearts…
Matthew, Lisa, Nathan & Elias