CHRISTMAS TOUR DAY 5

Christmas in Elementary school is an exciting and busy time time!

The kids have finals, gift exchanges, pajama days, class parties, and performances this week.

I've been cutting out felt mice for days for the 3rd grade party craft.  

My daughter's card for her kindergarten teacher brings tears to my eyes and makes me want her job.  But then I snap out of it when I remember she will be assisting 24 kindergarteners in the construction of gingerbread houses on Wednesday.   

This is the last day I have at home before Christmas break.  Tomorrow is the last day of school and I will be there all day for Christmas Chapel, and various class parties.  So today it's last minute wrapping, stuffing stockings, party preparations, putting together teacher gifts, and a little laundry.  Not to mention enjoying the last quiet moments I will have for the next 18 days.

I have 6 hours until I have to pick up the kids.  I think the couch is calling my name!

CHRISTMAS TOUR DAY 4

Christmas activities fill our schedule and 

this month has been all about ice skating!

Ice skating with friends and family at the local outdoor rink,

practicing new moves,

and preparing for the big show!

Ellie participated in the Ft. Collins Winter Wishes Ice Show this year.  It kept our schedule full this month with rehearsals. This past weekend it all came together and she preformed in 3 shows.  She was an adorable penguin!  It was a great experience for her meeting other skaters, participating in a team, building her confidence, and seeing all their hard work come together in an amazing show!

CHRISTMAS TOUR DAY 3

I recently heard on the radio that the White House will no longer have Christmas Trees but they will decorate "Holiday Trees" instead.  "...Because we are no longer a Christian nation but a nation embracing many faiths" is the comment I heard.   

How sad.

In our house we do CHRISTMAS!  We enjoy the fun of Santa, stockings hung by the chimney with care, colored lights on the house, the hustle bustle, the massive amounts of cookies, setting the perfect table, the parties, the shopping list.  It's all fun!

But when I hear my girls sing...

"The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing."

"The thrill of hope.  The weary world rejoices.

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!"  

" Silent night, Holy night!  Son of God, Love's pure light!"

...then I am reminded of what really matters.  

CHRISTMAS TOUR DAY 2

Last night I enjoyed the Kindergarten Christmas program at school.  Not much beats Kindergartners for quality entertainment. There were singing camels, oxen, and sheep, and an angel band.  

Here is my angel.

There was nose picking, halo adjusting, sash yanking, excess voice projecting, face making and bored out of their minds, oblivious to the audience of hundreds, ceiling gazing.

Of course none of that was from my Molly.

She was a perfect angel!

WELCOME DECEMBER

December is here!  Our tree is up, our house is decorated, and all my shopping is finished.  But sit back and relax I cannot.  This month is the busiest on record for our family.  All good things though.  I love this time of year; the planning, the cooking, the Christmasy activities.  


There is so much to be thankful for.

My Christmas List

My kids don't write letters to Santa, or make Christmas lists, or spend time looking at toy catalogs.  I don't know why that is.  We haven't forbidden it.  I know there are things they would like to have, but they don't ask.  Somehow we have managed to raise kids who think it's not all about the presents.  I have no great parenting skill or advice on this but I'm happy that's the way it is.  I know I have certainly been pining over the catalogs that fill my mailbox this month.  But I have gotten some really great gifts already this year.
So my Christmas List is my gratitude list.  My ongoing counting of 1000 Gifts.  Here goes...

593.  Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
594.  watching my 11 year old son stand in front of the church and ask for 100 boxes
595.  watching him shake hands with Franklin Graham

596.  and meet a young woman who received a shoebox in a Russian orphanage as a child

 597.  watching the 6th graders unload the boxes and form a chain to the door of the school

598.   enjoying his "moment of fame" as the kid who brought over 100 boxes

599.  hearing the true stories of hope that a box of pencils, candy and toothpaste can bring


600.  the first snow fall 
601.  the way the fog froze on the trees the other morning and made everything glitter on the way to school
602.  the smell of a fresh tree when you bring it home

603.  my paperwhites about to burst open and fill my kitchen with their scent

604.  seeing The Lion King at the Denver Performing Arts Center

605.  being amazed at what lights and costumes and sets can do to create magic
606.  enjoying hot chocolate after the show at a downtown Denver diner

 607.  having an indoor window seat to the Parade of Lights

 608.  watching children watch parades

609.  the Christmas hustle and bustle of downtown
610.  anticipation of things to come

SNOW DAYS

What do you call days that school is canceled but there is really only a dusting of snow?  Can you really call them "snow days"?  I don't think so.  While the rest of the country has been covered in feet of snow and children everywhere are shouting for joy and building snow forts,  we are off school for record low temperatures.  It was 12 below zero yesterday.  And still my boys fuss with me about wearing coats!

The first day we all slept in.  I made hot chocolate and muffins.  We sat by the fire.  We watched a movie, played Wii, and got out some board games.  All this family togetherness lasted until about 10:00 am.  Then it began... the boredom, the pestering, the arguments over toys.  Time for a field trip!  Arctic temperatures aren't going to stop us.  Let's get out of here!  So off we went to the library, the McDonald's playground, Target.  Later we even had a trip to the emergency room.

Day 2 had my kids whining "I wish we could go back to school."
Me too kiddos, me too.

Fun at McDonald's for 2 hours while mom read a book.

A trip to the Urgent Care Center after Jack and the girls thought turning out the lights in the storage room to see the Lego ghost glow would be a good idea.  He tripped over one of his sisters and ended up with 2 staples in his head.  At least he has something cool for show and tell.

NEW YEAR

Yesterday was one of those days that is so cold the inside of your nose freezes as you breathe.

It was a crystalized winter wonderland.

And it was silent.  

I love the busyness of Christmas.  All the meal planning, decorating, plan making.  And then it is over and I love the silence.  The decorations have been put away.  My in-laws left before the sun was up on Monday.  My kids went back to school yesterday and I went on a walk with my dog in the quiet morning.  

It's a New Year.  


There have been years that I have been happy to say "good riddance", years that I wanted to hurry along so we could get to the next thing, and years that I anticipated because they held promise of upcoming events.  


This year came quietly.  And this year my spirit is quiet.  No big plans looming, no major changes we are planning.  Certainly God could have plans for us that we do not anticipate but for our part I am content to have dailyness this year.  Just everyday reliability,  routine and consistency.  


I enjoy the process of looking back at the previous year and looking ahead and making resolutions.  I like having goals in mind.  I like list making.  Last year I listed a few resolutions here.  Some I accomplished like taking my children to the nursing home for visits, house training our puppy and learning new computer skills.  Some goals are ongoing, making the list every year,  because there are some things you just can't check off a list, like encourage my children more.  And then there are the goals that fall by the wayside forgotten or priorities shifted.  


This year I have not composed a list.  Certainly there are things I want to accomplish this year, a few more rooms to paint and projects to complete, I'd like to get a little more exercise, and I have some spiritual goals in mind.  But, overall  I am more content to just see what comes this year. I remember as a child always asking my father "What are we going to DO?" and his answer was often "Why do we have to do anything, can't we just be?"  That was not a concept I embraced.  Boring!  But now I'm beginning to think that there might be some wisdom there.  To slow down a little and just be.

So as this new year dawns, and so far things are quiet, I am thinking of the words of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:11 when he says "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands..."  


And so, although many may think a quiet life is an unattainable goal in my busy household of four children, it is my New Years's Resolution of sorts.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

OUTDOOR WINTER FUN

The 9th Day of Christmas

We have not had any snow in the foothills this season so we headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park to find some.

We had a wonderful afternoon of sledding fun.

We had a fancy wooden sled, 2 plastic saucers, and a long 3 seater.  We flew down the hill on our knees, our bottoms, and our stomachs, sideways, backwards and in pairs.  We had wipeouts both accidental and intentional.

Here are some of my favorite one-liners from the day.

"I think I broke my but."

"Abandon ship!"

"I'm having major steering issues."

"This is AWESOME!"

"Again, again!"

We had a blast and here are the photos to prove it.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

POVERTY

I've been reading and hearing a lot about "making a difference" lately.  I'm a few chapters into The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns and I have been listening to the Outlive Your Life video series at MaxLucado.com.


Richard Stearns says that "poverty is rocket science".  It is so complex an issue and I agree with this as I pass the man on the corner with the "hungry" sign.  Shouldn't this man get a job?  If I give him money will he blow it on drugs or alcohol?  Didn't Jesus say to feed the hungry?  What would I say to him?  What should I say to my kids when they ask what he wants?


In the video series Max points out that much of our success in life is due to our birthplace. "In the game of life many who cross homeplate were born on third base and many others, who are just as willing and capable, weren't even born on a team."  So I'm a 3rd baser and that man on the corner, maybe he doesn't have a team.  Or maybe he isn't willing and capable.  I do not know, but I do know that I have be given much and much is expected.


Several years ago I was on my way to pick up my kids from school in Rochester NY.  I got off the highway and stopped at a red light.  Across the intersection is a man with a sign.  I want to help.  I have only change in my purse but sitting on the passenger seat is a loaf of banana bread that I had just baked.  On an impulse I wave to the man.  The light changes and he can't cross.  I have to move because I am blocking traffic.  I circle the block and come back.  I tell him that I have no money but that if he really is hungry he can have my bread.  I hand it out the window.  Our eyes meet and I think he is ashamed or perhaps disappointed.  He mumbles no thank you and heads off in the opposite direction.  I am sad for him and for me and for circumstances.  I threw my banana bread back on the seat and went to pick up my kids.  On the way back home I notice the corner is empty.


Since moving to Colorado I see these these men up and down the interstate or in the Wal-Mart parking lot almost daily.  Last week I read a lovely post entitled "The Man On The Corner" at the blog Graceful and I was inspired to try again.  I didn't plan anything I just knew at some point it would happen.

Thursday we woke up to snow, and gray skies.  The kids were thrilled.  It was beautiful.  The first snowfall signals the approach of a season I love.  But then, I have a warm coat, a cozy house and heated seats in my car.

After having a lovely morning at Ladies Bible class I head up an exit to Wal-Mart to pick up a couple things.  And there he is.  A man on the corner with a sign that I do not bother to read.  It is cold and windy, he must be frozen.  We enter through the garden center which is filled with Christmas displays.  I quickly collect the items I need, a bag of flour, snacks for the kids' lunchboxes, and some toilet paper.  I wonder if he will still be there and determine what I will say.  At the Subway behind the checkout I purchase a cup of coffee and stuff a bag full of creamers and sugar packets.  We load the car, my 4 year old, completely unaware of her mama's conflicting thoughts and plan.  We reach the corner and I roll down the window.  "You must be cold" I say and "I wanted to give you this and tell you that God loves us all and offers everyone a chance to change."  I hand him the coffee.  His eyes look vacant.  I hand him a $5.00 bill, hoping it isn't spent on pot.  He says "Thank you and God bless."  And I roll up my window and drive home.  

I don't know whether I helped or enabled this man.  Maybe a seed was planted.  At the very least I shared a hot coffee on a cold day.  To be honest the passing of a $5.00 bill out the window was easy, the coffee was a nice touch but it's the words I wonder about.  It's the eye contact and the having to say something that was hard.  But it was a good lesson for me in being bold with compassion.    I won't be handing out money at every corner but I am keeping my eyes open.  

GOODBYE WINTER

Goodbye Winter!  It was fun having you.

 Today is the first day of Spring,

 so it's time for you to be going now.

  We look forward to having you back another time.

Thanks for the memories. 

Oh! And don't forget to take your snow with you.

HOPE FOR SPRING

I know spring has arrived in some areas but we are in the midst of winter here. 

See the snow out my window.  

I gave myself hope when I found some forsythia branches at the grocery store. I know it's sort of faking spring but I love it when the sun shines on them in the morning.  

GIFTS OF WINTER

Our family has been blessed with the gift of a second home.  It is a little 2 bedroom cabin in the hills around the Finger Lakes region of New York state.  My husband's grandfather bought the property years ago and Tim has his fondest memories of childhood there.  


Last week we headed "to camp" for some down time.  There are many gifts to be counted in the quiet of a winter woods.  My list continues...


35.  for the gifts that last for generations to share

36.  for the gifts of nature that only last a day - fresh snow glistening in the sunshine

37.  for unhurried breakfasts

38.  for quiet moments where the only sound is a crackling fire

  for time away from, phone, cable, and computer to...
39.  read books
40.  play games

41.  take hikes through fresh snow

42.  play arctic explorers
43.  compete in our own Olympic sled races
44.  start new projects

45.  spend the day in pajamas
46.  enjoy fresh air

47.  to pretend we are pioneers

48.  to teach the art of fire building 

49.  to follow deer tracks

50.   to think on the words "Be still and know that I Am God"

Thank you Father for these winter gifts.  Help us to find more moments of stillness, where we can shake off the clamoring world and all its hurried distractions and see you and your world with new eyes.