Christmas Time is Here

Christmas time is here! And when we blink it will be gone. So many cookies and lights, songs and decorations will be put away until next year. At that point we will all be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief maybe mixed with a little sadness (for my part anyway).
I love Christmas. I even enjoy some of the mall madness and shopping frenzy. Like many others though, most of my love of the season is tied to time spent with family. Memories of candlelit Christmas Eve services, the Open house my Mom and Dad would host for everyone we knew. Watching for the Santa report on the news and playing LIFE with my brother and sister, counting the minutes until 5:30a.m, wondering if that was late enough to start yelling for Mom and Dad.
But among the parties, craft fairs, and Christmas programs – busyness threatens our sanity and ability to sit and contemplate the miraculous gift Christmas brings. I was reminded of that earlier this week as the kids and I sat down for some much needed Bible time.

We read from Isaiah 9:2,6
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon this shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Who is this King of Glory? The baby Jesus, the risen Savior! We talked about darkness and light and what it would be like to have Jesus, in the flesh, as our ruler here on earth now – a true Prince of Peace. And I continued to wonder aloud what it would be like if Jesus returned to take us to heaven this Christmas? Wouldn’t that be the best Christmas ever!
That’s where the kids turned on me. At first the resistance was about missing the fun of opening presents and enjoying their gifts, but I soon realized it was something a little deeper. As I pursued the subject their responses amazed me, “But if Jesus came back on Christmas what would happen to our Aunts and Uncles and friends who don’t know Jesus? That would be the worst Christmas ever!”
What perspective. I hadn’t been thinking about it outside of my own circumstances. But God did think about each of us…even in our sinful state God so loved the world that He gave the gift of his son. Jesus, not concerned about his own glory humbled himself to become a baby in a manger, God with us, a man betrayed and crucified on a cross. Jesus, who defeated death and offers us victory over death through the covenant of His shed blood, is our reason for celebrating. This Christmas as we remember the gift that was given to us with such sacrifice may we be bold to share the gift of Life with those we love.

Eliminate lazy brain this summer: Ideas to improve your child’s vocabulary - Nashville Christian Parenting | Examiner.com

Last week began a new chapter in the life of our family – one without the word Nothing. You know the Nothing that comes immediately after you’ve asked your children, “What’s going on up there?”


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Happy Valentine's Day

Perhaps you had an Eco-friendly Valentine's Day! It's the responsible thing to do ;-)
Enjoy my friends albeit a day late!

Ten Star Service

                                                  

At the beginning of the school year we cleaned off our cluttered dining room table and decided to attempt family meals together. Many have already discovered the beauty of family dining, but we’ve been a little slow to join this crowd. For the past few years we’ve generally made due with kids eating in the breakfast area and my husband and I sitting close by at the island. We knew this arrangement wouldn’t last forever, but it’s what we had become accustomed to.

Last year and the year before that the dining room table was my ten-year-old’s school work area, so between homeschooling classroom space, soccer practices, and a traveling husband who is rarely home for dinner we just didn’t give much thought to formal meal time.


Sensing it was time for a change I moved the school work area to the breakfast nook and announced all meals would now be at the dining room table. You might have thought I informed them we were going to Disney World! I had no idea what kind of enthusiasm this decision would generate. From the very moment we made the switch I’ve had four eager meal planners and service attendants vying for their chance to be the one who cooks, sets, serves and cleans. We even have an event planner each evening – because no dinner is complete without a dinner game and Ten Star Service.


At the center of our dinner event planning is a little box given to us a few years ago by some friends of ours (thanks Ferdie & Maria). Inside the box are dozens of little cards that suggest dinner conversation starters, games and ideas for family bonding. Some of our favorites are Word Whisperers, Ten Star Service, Pass the Pepper and Family Star. This is truly the highlight of our dinner. Each evening there is a great deal of discussion that precipitates exactly what we will be doing during dinner besides eating. And I am usually the last to find out just what game we will be playing and what cartoon character I may have to impersonate.


We’ve been laughing a lot lately and many evenings I arrive at a beautifully set table accompanied by a server with a folded towel over his arm waiting to take my order. On these occasions I find my daughters have created menus to go along with the dinner festivities. This is truly as the dinner card would suggest, “Ten Star Service.”


It makes me wonder why we didn’t try this sooner. I suppose we’ve been so busy that we weren’t paying attention – just so caught up in the routine of life.


This past week we were sitting around our newly broken-in dinner table and grabbed hands ready to pray. Just before we started, my six-year-old piped, “It’s like a decoration around the table. Look at our hands! They make a decoration.”


It was then that it struck me. My daughter was right - we were all together. There were no missing ingredients. It was the perfect decoration. Food, dinner games and Ten Star Service aside there is nothing more I would rather my table be decorated with then the faces of the ones I love.

May Showers vs. May Baths

It’s a Friday night, and I have a good reason for writing. This evening’s events surpassed the usual Facebook status update and merited a story in their own right.


So I guess I should start at the beginning.


The day began much like any other. It was a morning for getting clean. The boys had already been in and out of the shower, and now it was time for the girls to have a go. I had decreed showers as opposed to baths today, and this did not sit well with my strong-willed, six-year-old daughter.

Why this was a decree and not simply a suggestion is a subject of some debate. But let’s just say that this was my hill, and I chose to stand on it today amid tears and drama, drama, drama!


Since I am used to dealing with all kinds of antics I was not moved by my daughter's pleas for a bath, though she pronounced with great passion that she did not like showers. Was it only a week ago that this same child asked if she could take a piece of bread into the shower, just in case she got hungry?


Clearly, I did not grant this request.


I’m a terrible tyrant. I know.


After maybe ten minutes of wailing, gnashing of teeth, and losing a little of my own hair I noticed that the water was running, the crying had stopped, and laughter had taken its place. This should be a good sign – right?


Hmm. Never mind – peace was what I wanted and laughter meant peace!

My little ladybug bounded down the stairs not fifteen minutes later wrapped in a towel wearing a mischievous smile that I supposed was attached to the satisfaction of being clean.


The episode forgotten, we went on to spend a wonderful family day driving all over town and back home again for a fabulous Taco dinner. Following dinner we enjoyed ice cream sandwiches, a chapter from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and the gentle removal of narwhal’s from little teeth (i.e. toothbrushing).

Upon our ascent up the stairs to tuck our submariners into bed my eyes took in all the clothes and toys that were strewn across the loft area and the floors of the kids’ bedrooms. Without fail this always causes my blood pressure to rise. Still I held my tongue as I walked from room to room until I picked up a wet raincoat that was lying on the bathroom floor. Curiously we had not been caught in the rain on this particular day.


“What is this doing in here on the floor?” I posed waving a green and white polka-dotted raincoat in the air.


“Oh! I wore that in the shower today because, remember Mommy, I don’t like showers,” quipped my six-year-old matter-of-factly as if this were a perfectly reasonable explanation.


“I don’t like to get my body wet because it’s too hot, but I didn’t wear the hood so I could wash my hair!” she beamed.


I stood there stunned and quickly shoved my head behind the bathroom door before my little problem-solver could see me explode into laughter. "What's wrong with Mommy?" the kids wondered aloud.


"I think she's upset," my husband assured them.


What is the proper response to your child wearing raingear in the shower? Whatever it is, clearly I had been outdone, and the hill I thought I had successfully defended earlier in the day had actually been overtaken by an ingenius six-year-old using the latest in water resistant technology.

Four-year-olds, Fitting Rooms and Foul Odors

Four-year-olds are fascinated with many things. Chief among these things are the noises and smells their bodies make. Come to think of it I’m not sure boys ever grow out of this stage.

Since this reality is never too far below the surface it was no surprise when my son announced his latest foul release in the fitting room today at Ross.

“Mommy, I just farted, and it STINKS!”

He was right, and I winced considering the woman who occupied the dressing room next to ours.

“I have such stinky FARTS!” he continued.

I didn’t argue. I was trying not to breathe.

“I don’t know why God made me this way, with such STINKY farts.”

I laughed wondering if God imagined this conversation when he was molding my little man-child. Regardless here we were with moms, grandmas and Ross’ associates serving as our hidden audience. I opened my mouth to respond to his question with encouragement and a chin-up sentiment, but before I could get the words out my little biohazard concluded, “But God made me this way.” With this statement he farted again, filling the dressing area with his own air of confidence.

He wasn’t concerned with who heard him discussing these intimate details, and he did not appear worried about who might benefit from his lack of self-control. He was only momentarily disrupted by his own discomfort and seemed to enjoy the conversation that ensued as a result.

At home during Bible time and throughout the course of our days we’ve been discussing how God made us each special and unique. We’ve been learning that God has a plan laid out for our lives and how he made each of us just the way he wants us. Apparently these words have found a home in my son for he is certain that he is wonderfully designed by God to emit foul odors – and he’s okay with that.

While I am delighted that my son has made peace with himself and his own unique smells, I am quite certain that God has greater plans in mind for him than mastering his bodily functions or being able to clear a room. Still I suppose that is quite a feat for a four-year-old.

Nashville Flooding*

I flew into Nashville this afternoon after being delayed a day by heavy rains and catastrophic flooding in middle TN. Thankfully my home and neighborhood were spared, but others were not so lucky.

As my plane made its descent I could hear audible gasps coming from all over the plane. Passengers stood and leaned over other passengers while everyone tried to view the devastation below.

The thing is - Nashville isn’t in a typical flood zone, but after receiving over 13 inches of rain within two days there was nowhere left for the water to go. Other areas of TN received as much as 21 inches over the two-day period.

Thankfully the rain has stopped, but not before claiming 10 lives in the Nashville area, and 18 statewide. Over 14,000 households have no power tonight and thousands more have been displaced from their homes. Downtown Nashville, Opryland, and many area businesses remain underwater at this time. Area schools are closed with 23 having sustained water damage.

But perhaps the area of greatest concern is the availability of clean water. I find it a strange idea - even the thought of being surrounded by water, but unable to drink it. One of the two water treatment centers for Davidson County is completely submerged. *Update* According to Scott Potter with the Metro Water Services, "The water is safe." News Channel 5 reports that Nashville residents are being asked to cut their water consumption in half at this time. Potter continued, "I need everyone to use one-half of the water they would normally use, if everyone does this - we will be able to get through this crisis satisfactorily. If we don't do that - we will have a problem"

I received two calls from my TN water utility company today. The first I received while in FL at the airport. A recorded voice informed me of the dire need to conserve water due to multiple water main breaks in our community and a small water reserve. Another call mentioned the possibility that we would be without water for three days!

I have never been faced with a scenario like this, and honestly, it caused a substantial amount of anxiety. It also caused me to consider how greatly I take our most precious resource for granted. At this point I couldn’t help but consider Haiti and the plight of individuals in so many third world countries who desperately need a consistent clean water supply. And here I was worried about three days!

According to a 2006 United Nations Human Development Report over 1 billion people live without access to clean water. This number is staggering and leaves me feeling almost helpless. What can we do in the face of such an overwhelming reality?

We can help one community at a time.

I continue to be impressed with organizations like World Vision and the Global Orphan Project who are invested in building self-sustaining communities and digging fresh water wells to serve those living in poverty all over the world. We can be a part of helping these organizations and others like them meet real needs of real people. The question is will we follow through with our time and money.

We must reach out to those around the world with the love of Christ while helping to meet their practical and most basic needs. We can do this while continuing to serve those neighbors within our own communities. It is not either or it is both and.

Nashville has been hit hard and many lives have been turned upside down, but we will recover, and we will have access to clean water in a few days if not tomorrow. But others in countries like Haiti may wait indefinitely.

Please continue to pray for those in Nashville and all of Middle TN who have suffered loss, but also pray about how you might get involved in bringing clean water to communities who don’t have their own well.

I can personally recommend The Global Orphan Project as a quality and effective organization. Our family and church is personally invested with this amazing group to help bring water, medicine, food and housing to families in Haiti. To get your church or family involved visit www.theglobalorphanproject.org.

To join cleanup efforts in the Nashville area please visit www.hon.org or www.longhollow.com/flood. I pray that the aftereffects of this flooding would serve as a sobering reminder of what we have been blessed with and prompt us to care for those who live their entire lives without access to the necessities that we frequently take for granted.

*Originally posted at Caffeinated Thoughts