Wife, Homeschool Mom. Walking through season of raising children and witnessing a mother's journey with dementia…all about faith and hope and challenge
Thought I would share our Christmas card photo for this year….we were having fun, being a little goofy, but also trying to remind the kids to stay focused.
The card came along with this quotation from G. K. Chesterton:
All this indescribable thing that we call the Christmas atmosphere only hangs in the air as something like a lingering fragrance or fading vapour from the exultant explosion of that one hour in the Judean hills nearly two thousand years ago.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, filled with exultant explosions of the reality of the Incarnation!! Merry Christmas
I keep thinking I will come up with something new to say…something that strikes me and makes me think, and hopefully you as well. It hasn’t happened yet. We went away with Steve’s folks for a few days to a cabin in Gatlinburg. I had this naive thought that I would be able to sit on the porch swing and read some, and maybe even write something…
Well, the time was a little more like this than it was a contemplative moment…
I instead find myself needing to be reminded to pay attention to the season. To slow down. It’s not too late. I know there are still lots of doors on the Advent calendar that are supposed to be open…but there’s time.
There’s still time to slow down and pay attention.
So, friends….here’s a chance.
Every year I love Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God to bring me into focus on the truth of the season. He offers it free on this player and the words to the first song are what I need to hear. Find some quiet place, put on some headphones and shut everything out for a few moments. Listen all the way through…he weaves the story of our Messiah.
He reminds us to listen and pay attention.
He takes us into celebration.
Start here….
Gather round, ye children, come Listen to the old, old story Of the powr of death undone By an infant born of glory Son of God, Son of Man Gather round, remember now How creation held its breath How it let out a sigh And it filled up the sky with the angels Son of God, Son of Man
Well, I said yesterday that it has been busy, although not terribly hectic. I’ve posted a few things on Facebook about our activities, but thought I would take advantage of this venue for a little more of a peek.
We had our wonderful Christmas program at church, which I mentioned, but let’s see if I can get the video on here….
That was so fun! I can’t help but grin when I watch Sammy, and Nate and Zach seem so mature. We love our fellowship, and the Christmas program is always a blessing.
This year the theme is Joy to the World, and I find myself filled with a sense of joy and excitement when I am in the midst of this people.
Today was the first of the Christmas parties for school. Three years ago Nate’s kindergarten class came through for a progressive party, and I guess we established a tradition. Sammy is the kindergartner now, with the same teacher…the wonderful Mrs. Burris. His giggling group of 5 year olds appeared this morning.
I was up at 5am making cookies.
The house smelled sooooo good and looked cheerful and warm, especially on a drizzly grey day.
Sammy was a little excited!!
Nothing better than kids at Christmas time, and it is a blessing to be able to have the group at the house. They all had fun decorating cookies, and that made me think of Christmases growing up when we made literally hundreds of cookies, carrying them around to the neighbors. Maybe that is a tradition that needs to be renewed….
After the kids left our place they went to another home for a craft and then I met them at their next stop…a nursing home. They were a little tentative when they first walked in, but several of the guests responded quickly and the kids warmed up. The children sang several carols and I could hear a couple of the people singing along.
After they sang a few songs the kids came out and handed Christmas cards they had made to the guests, wishing them a Merry Christmas.
After they had handed out the Christmas cards, there was one woman who wanted to hug the children. She was the most responsive of all the guests and had been singing along. As the kids would come up she would take their little heads in her hands and kiss them on top of the head. It made me wonder what stories she had and what her knowledge of our Savior was.
It was a great moment to see Sammy so at ease interacting…this is my boy who does not like to be noticed (I know, you’d never know that). He is coming out of his shell and becoming a great kid. Here’s the woman the children were hugging:
So the sights have been filled with images of the children celebrating Christmas and being aware of those around them. Being aware of the single mom the other day with the six children. Being aware of the neighbors who were evicted from their home because of lack of employment. Being aware of the delights of decorating cookies with friends, of singing songs and riding buses on field trips and of how much a hug and a smile can mean to someone aching for some contact.
I know I posted a lot of pictures in this entry, and I was aware as I took them that there is this deep desire to “capture the moment”. Great company tagline. It’s true though. I take these pictures and these videos because there is an awareness that all of this goes so quickly, and I want to hold on to it a bit longer. I want to be able to reflect and look back and enjoy these moments again.
Hoping that the sights and sounds, and yes even smells, in your venue are bringing delight as we near the day to shout and celebrate that our King came, and will come again.
Well….how are we doing with being simplified and not giving in to the stress of the season?
Actually, I have been extremely busy, but I have not felt stressed as much as usual. Right at this moment the house looks like it has awakened to the season. My mom used to always say that the house came alive for Christmas, and I think she is right. These walls contain so much….laughter and joy alongside the fears and struggles. Still, there is something about twinkling lights and trees brought inside that changes everything.
Last night we had our Christmas program for the church. It is not a play, but a program of various musical acts, poetry reading and a short message from our pastor. We have loads of talent in the congregation and the program is always fun, but this year I have watched the kids song probably 20 times and grin every time. The kids have a blast. Our theme was Joy to the World, and that was surely evident.
Still, as we came home we noted the house next door. The people have spent the last several days moving everything out. No Christmas decorations up and no radios blaring Christmas music. They were evicted three weeks ago and had to be out today. There was a sobriety about their activities and I watched as Sammy played with two of the kids for the last time. The youngest had been his best buddy for the last three years. I have no idea what will happen with them. We’ve offered what help we could think of…a job possibility…but that was not engaged. So, they’ll move on to the next stage and I’m sure will come to mind over the years as we wonder what happened to them.
I can’t help but thinking that the kids will always remember this Christmas as the one they had to leave their home. They have family, and I know they have a place to go. Praying that they are able to recover.
We also had lunch on Saturday with a woman we “adopted” through a friends’ ministry. She is married, but her husband is not very involved. She is 23 and has 6 kids under the age of 6. It would be easy for me to pass her off and judge her. It’s a lot harder to do that after sitting and having a meal with her at McDonalds. She has a name and face to me now and I know her story better, and I know she is trying. We brought our kids and I was so proud of my little men. Zachary was quick to open doors and to jump up and pick up dropped toys for her children. When there was an issue on the playset he took care of it without being prompted, so Steve and I could stay and talk with the woman. Nate put her at ease immediately with his quick conversation and easy laugh. Sammy observed more than anything, but played with the kids.
So, Christmas here is a mix. An awareness of struggle around us and yet joy in our midst and laughter and delight. Praying that God meets us each in our specific situation. Praying that He envelopes us in joy that is deeper than immediate gratification of purchases, that He meets us in the moments of silence and reminds us of the amazing fact of the Incarnation. Praying for those who are struggling that He brings those who are able to help and prompts us to act. Praying for great moments of grace and for miracles to abound. Praying for our faith to be enlivened as we sit in the glow of houses decorated and spirits filled with good cheer.
Praying that we don’t miss the moments in the midst of the busyness. That we are able to listen well even in all the chatter…..and to be amazed a little more than usual.
The Small Rain 
