Looking back

A couple of months ago, we had a power surge that fried many of our electronics, one of which was an old CD/radio/cassette player.  I know, right.  Who even owns cassettes anymore??

Um, well, we do actually.

But that is not the point of this story.  So, the speakers for the CD player died, and we are trying to find some new ones, which is not as easy as going to Walmart.  It is a REALLY old CD player.

How old you may ask?  Well, hubbie gave it to me on Valentine's Day my freshman year in college, in 1998.  Yeah, 1998.


Thinking back on that day got me to thinking back on us.

We began dating our junior year in high school, 1996 to be exact.  Whoa, that makes me feel old!  This January will mark 17 years that we have been together.

You see, many people never thought we'd make it. Quite a few didn't think he would make it period, but especially not US.

And, not that we have 'made it'.

But, thus far the Lord has helped us.

God is so awesome, and to be sure, He is the reason we are together.  He has saved us from ourselves more times than we can count.  He has renewed, refreshed and resurrected our love and our marriage.  The Lord is our sustenance; He is our strength.  He is very literally the glue that holds us together.

There is no other explanation.


He is our Ebenezer. 

Friday Five

Okay, for this week's Friday Five I am listing five more of my favorite Christmas songs.

1.  Sleigh Ride - I just love this song!!

2.  White Christmas - Bing Crosby.  I am sorry but he does it best.

3.  Carol of the Bells -

4.  Winter Wonderland

 

5.  Jingle Bells - Bing, again, this time with the Andrews sisters

So, I know you have more favorites???

Reminder

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. HE makes me to lie down in green pastures, HE leads me beside the still waters.

HE restores my soul.

HE leads me in the paths of righteousness for HIS name's sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for HE is with me.  His rod and His staff they comfort me.  HE prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  HE anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over. 

Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

(from Psalm 23)

I needed this reminder today.

Competition

Does anyone else have children that are extremely competitive, especially with one another?

Anyone?

No?

Well, we do.  They get it from their dad.  Yeah, that's it.  They get it from him, all him.

I mean, my daughter is so competitive that tonight when we were dipping pretzels she would take the pretzel right off my fork.  The pretzel I already dipped mind you.  Apparently, I dipped more than her.  She even asked me to stop for a while so she could catch up.  I told her several times that it was not a competition, but I am pretty sure that just made her dip faster.

This competitive streak especially shines during the school hours.

But, why?  Why such competition? They are in the same family.  They are supposed to be working towards the same goal.  They are both loved by Hubs and I.  There is nothing to compete for; no prize, no trophy.  Nothing.  I know it is natural, and to a degree even healthy. 

It makes me wonder, though.  When do we grow out of it?  As Christians?

When do we stop trying to compete with each other?  For the bigger, better church?  For the desirable positions?  For our Father's love?

We are all in the same family.  We should be working towards the same goal.  We are all loved by our Father.

And, to a degree, is it healthy even now?

Is it?

Or is it just sibling rivalry?

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit" 1 Cor. 12:13

Friday Five

I know this is a little late, but here is this week's Friday Five edition - Christmas movies!!!

1.  Holiday Inn - I know this isn't a movie only about Christmas, but it will always be a Christmas movie to me.  I mean, this is the movie that introduced 'White Christmas.'

2.  A Charlie Brown Christmas - The absolute best part is the very end when Linus explains the real reason for Christmas. Classic.

3.  Elf - just laugh out loud funny.

4. How the Grinch stole Christmas - another classic

5.  White Christmas - just can't get enough Bing Crosby at Christmas, and Danny Kaye is hilarious.

Okay, again this is not an exhaustive list, but it is a start.  So what are some of your staples for Christmas movies?

It never ends

The kids and I went to a birthday party at a local park.  It was a gorgeous day and perfect for the park. The birthday boy and his family are in the same homeschool co-op that we are, and of course there were several homeschoolers in attendance.  The kids had a blast playing with all their friends, and I got to visit with some of the other homeschool moms.


While visiting with a couple of the moms, we shared similar stories about the comments and 'looks' homeschoolers sometimes receive, especially when we are out and about in the middle of the day. We laughed at the funny, and sometimes embarrassing, things are kids say regarding their schooling, and how they always seem to say them to those people.  You know, the ones who already think we just sit in our pajamas all day and watch movies or play video games.  Sometimes I wonder if kids inherently know to say the wrong things to the wrong people!!

I have to be honest, having other mothers to talk with and compare with and brainstorm with is one of the greatest blessings of this group.  It is such a relief to know that we are not the only people out there who really believe in what we are doing. I have learned lots of tricks of the trade and gotten a lot of cool ideas from this amazing group of ladies. Plus, it is a Christian co-op so we also share about our faith, our parenting, and just, our lives in general, from a Godly perspective with Godly advice and encouragement.  This is priceless to me.  

Another great thing about this particular group of ladies is the ability to just laugh it off, and trust in the Lord. No matter what people say. And people will say what they will, and will probably never stop.  All I can do is what He has instructed me to do - trust in the Lord with all my heart, lean not on my understanding, rejoice always, pray ALL THE TIME, and give thanks, even for the naysayers.   

Life of a Homeschooler

Today the kids made boats out of magnolia leaves and maple leaves. They actually worked!!!  My son 'had' to take a bath just to make sure.  He said they lost a few little people in the battle, but the boats were a success.

We also painted shields and swords, made Christmas sugar cookies, and went to the library, not to mention school.  I told my son on the way home from the library that I just wanted some time to sit and do nothing because I felt like all we have done today is go, go, go. 

He said, "I feel like that every day."

So true.

I sure thought that 'staying home' would give me a little more time.  Boy was I wrong!!

But it is so amazing; I absolutely love it!

Next week we will start making all of our Christmas goodies.  Since the kids are not in 'school' we will not need to give as many away.  That's too bad :)  More for me!!  I mean, us.

I'll end with this.

While we were making sugar cookies, I told the kids that the Lord was using them to teach mommy.  Yes, I was a little 'stressed' with all the flour mountains and homemade concoctions. 

But Princess was in awe.  She said, "Wow, God is using us!"

Oh that I would have that same awe when the Creator of the heavens and the earth, my Savior, chooses to use me.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:10

Interesting

Okay, since it is late, for me, and I am tired, I will just write this one out and leave the analogy-making to you guys.

Hubs said that at his job one of the bolts kept testing for an abnormality.  The tests showed there was a crack in the bolt somewhere.  The crack was not visible to the naked eye, nor some kind of sonogram technique, and yes I asked if it was a boy or girl.  Of course I did. Anyway, with all the high tech machinery to see the tiniest of cracks, they still saw nothing.

Nothing. 

Until they cut it in open. 

And there they were.

Two very small, very, very small, cracks that brought down the whole thing.

Hummmmmm.

One of those days

'Good morning Mom, I was bit by a spider!'

That will wake you up better than a cup of coffee!  I hate spiders.  I mean I REALLY hate spiders.  So, when my son told me this morning that he had been bit, and it was really swollen, and then when I looked at it and saw to two little dots, well, let's just say I called my mommy and deep cleaned his room, almost immediately.

He is fine now, but you wouldn't waste a prayer if you said one for him, and his mom.

Also, my daughter lost a tooth today.  YEA!  This particular tooth has been loose for almost two months, and that is just too long.  I could constantly hear my dad's voice in my head telling me 'it has to be pulled, it has to be pulled, or it will mess up her teeth forever!'  

It was a team effort to get this one out; mommy is not a fan of pulling someone's teeth.  It's just kind of weird.  But we did it, and now I have to put money under her pillow, or so I am told by one excited toothless girl.  I hope she accepts quarters :)

I just have to say that after the craziness of this day, I need something lighthearted.  So, I am going to brag on my children.  I know, I know.  Bragging is not polite.  I really have no excuse other than that the most wonderful highlights of the day involved my kids doing some really cool stuff.

Sister helped her brother and I as we cleaned his room.  She dusted and swept and put away Legos, all without one complaint. 

They both did their school work diligently, and without arguing.

At Walmart, both of them eagerly helped me with the groceries, though that may have been because they were ready to leave asap.  They shopped for the Angel Tree girl and boy with enthusiasm and excitement, without one concern for themselves.  They were excited to get things the other child would really like.  They went and got help when I spilled the black paint on the floor, and they said things like 'Excuse me' and 'Thank you.' 

In the midst of the chaos of today, my children shined bright with the Light.

And I am ever so grateful to be with them, to see it and not miss it.

Advent

Advent, the coming, the arrival, begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas.  A time of preparation for and celebration of the coming of Christ.

Growing up, we always had an Advent wreath in church. Each Sunday of the season a family would read selected Scripture before lighting the specified candle in the wreath.  Sometimes there were Advent devotional books produced by the church. At home, there was an Advent calendar, made by my mom, that hung in our living room, and each day we would pull off the corresponding number and see what picture lay behind. We have one even now hanging in our living room, made by my mom and me. All the girls have one. 

Such wonderful memories.

So what memories am I making for my children concerning Advent?  Am I teaching them to prepare for the coming Messiah?  Does our Advent calendar count down the days toward Christmas presents or the birth of Christ?

Am I truly conveying the wait, that time between the promise of His arrival, and the fulfillment of that promise?

Do I even understand the agony of that wait?

And the joy that was in the morning?

With His arrival, we, you and I, have hope.

The hope.

Our only hope.

I want my children to anticipate the coming of Christ MORE than the opening of presents. 

We say He is the greatest gift of all, but do we celebrate like it?

And am I teaching my children to?


"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:10-11