December | 2010 |

Christmas Adventures

27. December 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized

We were gone almost two weeks on our wirlwind tour. The day we were leaving, Ian’s preschool called to tell me he was throwing up. He threw up the entire drive to our first destination. He had a bowl in his lap and I have to say, he’s got good aim!

First stop, Disney. We decided not to go into any of the theme parks because of Ian’s stomach bug but we did go to Ice and Disney Quest.

Ethan sliding down the ice slide at Ice.

All bundled up, even before they gave us parka’s to wear (it was 9 degrees inside)

Brrrr!

It’s really shameful when the first time your child gets to slide down a hill of snow, it’s in Orlando.

I gave it a try too.

Taught the kids how to make a proper snowball.

Ethan loved tubing.

Our pirate hotel.

Disney Quest

Then we headed to Chattanooga to visit friends and our usual hangouts.

We sure do love the cookies at the DoubleTree.

And the big jetted tub!

No trip is complete without a stop at Ted’s. Momma sure loves her bison.

Next to the Tennessee Aquarium.

One of the few times they were nice to each other.

Got to have at least one picture of them being silly!

We got to wish our friend’s daughter a happy birthday.

She loved eating the presents we got her:)

Ethan enjoyed an art class at the Creative Discovery Museum.

Their favorite was making a virtual snowman.

At the mountain maze on Lookout Mountain.

George teaching the boys Lava Tag.

We took a short hike to Sunset Rock to show the boys the view.

I don’t know who was more concerned, me or George that one of the boys would jump off the cliff.

We also played at the Pumpkin Patch playground on Signal Mountain.

Then on to Atlanta where we visited some more old college friends. Imagine all these boys at Covenant College in the future!

Playing dress up at a Civil War Museum.

Checking out Old General.

Digging for dinosaur bones at the Tellus Museum.

And panning for gems. We also enjoyed the planetarium where we saw all the stars in the night sky.

From Georgia, we headed south to the inlaws house for Christmas.

Ethan is excited to dig up some gems.

Hurry, mom. Take the picture quick. This is too heavy!

Thanks so much grandma!

Last, but not least, my desk. I picked this antique desk up at an antique shop in Chattanooga. My husband is in charge of packing the car and he had packed it standing upright in the back of the van. While in Georgia at our friends house, I drove to one of the museums. The desk went flying back and I thought for sure it would go out the back window. Thankfully it didn’t but it was pretty banged up. But George’s stepdad can fix anything and it was a Christmas day guys project for George, his stepdad and brother-in-law. I did supervise a little:) It is as good as new.

Ian got sick again while at our inlaws for Christmas. A fever and cold symptoms. I will spend the next few days wiping noses and doing two weeks worth of laundrey. Sigh…

Annual Christmas Party

12. December 2010 · 3 comments · Categories: Uncategorized

I survived the week and made it to the Christmas party. I was mostly on my own in putting it all together, that’s why I’m amazed I made it:) Lots of yummy food, laughter and of course the gift exchange game. Another fun party with friends! Now on to packing for our trip to TN…

On the Edge

11. December 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Depression, God's still working on me

One of the incidious things about depression is that it can sneak up on you when you least expect it. I have been feeling the stress the past couple of months of many responsibilities and too much on my plate. But I’m organized enough that I think I can manage it. Yet, I’m in that position where if one little thing is added, everything will crash down. I think the kids constant fighting may be that one thing. I was on the verge of tears yesterday from their fighting and I realized that my depression symptoms were trying to squeeze their way in. We are in the midst of party preparations for our annual Christmas party and I’ve had a few other events going on this week as well so when the kids start fighting, I can’t take it. I guess it feels like I’ve emptied myself of everything I have to hold it all together. That’s where the Holy Spirit steps in and reminds me that I am not alone and he strengthens me to pull myself together. It’s a good thing because tonight is our party! Praise God for his unending grace!

Compassion Gift Catalog

10. December 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Compassion International

Do you have someone on your Christmas list who has everything? You want to give them a gift but can’t think of anything? Compassion International has an on-line gift catalog of gift ideas that will help make a difference in the life of a child living in one of the poorest communities of the world. These gifts help provide clean drinking water, medical treatment, disaster relief, food supplies and much, much more for Compassion-assisted children and their families.

Some of the gifts include chickens, goats, clean water, mosquito nets and gift prices range from $10 to $5000. You can purchase these gifts in the honor of a friend or family member and make difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Jesus says in Matthew 25: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Click here to view the catalog and provide for the least of these in the name of Jesus.

Christmas Doings

09. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Uncategorized

Decorating our Christmas Tree

Somehow all the ornaments were around the bottom of the tree:)

All finished.

Grandma and PopPop braved the cold air to join us for the parade.

Gang enjoying the parade.

Friends at dinner

Ethan’s school’s float in the parade

Ian and Me

Gratitude 191-200

07. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Gratitude Community

191. Cold weather
192. Snuggly sweaters
193. Jars of Clay Christmas Concert
194. Going to the movies with a friend. “I didn’t mean to kill you, just maime or seriously injure.”
195. The ladies who continue to come to my bible study.
196. God works through weak and broken vessels like me to share his word.
197. God pursues me when I’ve sinned, no matter how far, even to the ends of the earth.
198. His mercy and compassion is greater than my capacity to rebel against him.
199. That One Greater than Jonah has come.
200. He is Immanuel, God with us.

What to do with Santa

06. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Teach Me Jesus

For those who read my post about our Advent Box, I mentioned that we don’t do Santa with our kids. (If you didn’t read that post, you can see it here.) At first I had hoped to just ignore Santa and maybe it wouldn’t become an issue. When my oldest was in a church preschool and Santa came to their Christmas play, I knew I had to have a different tactic. I told my son then that Santa was a character in tv and in a book, like Mickey Mouse. As he’s gotten older and everywhere we go people ask “what did you ask Santa to get you for Christmas?” I’ve had to help him understand more about the difference between what we do during Christmas and the rest of our culture. He’s under strict orders to not say anything to kids at school and to let them believe what they want about Santa. The only reply he’s allowed to give is “We don’t celebrate Santa.”

Today is St. Nicholas day and it is widely celebrated in Europe. My guess is that the Dec. 6th celebration somehow got merged over the years with our Christmas celebration on the 25th. What I have been doing is teaching the kids that there was a real Santa Claus whose name was St. Nicholas. I have a book called, Santa, Are You For Real? that we read each year on St. Nicholas Day. This morning in our Advent Box, was a tiny cup (actually a communion cup). We read the passage from scripture where Jesus says in Matthew 25:

“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’37“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’40“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

I tell them that the cup represents the part of the verse where Jesus says “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” We read the story about St. Nicholas and talked about his generosity to the poor. Our activity today was to fill stockings with items that homeless men in our community need: socks, soap, toothbrushes,etc. We are going to give them to a ministry that works with the homeless in our area.

After about five years of instructing Ethan in the true meaning of Christmas through our Advent Box, he now looks for Jesus in what he sees at Christmas time. When were were decorating our Christmas tree, he asked, “What will we put at the top of the tree, a star?” I said yes and he replied “Do we do that because there was a star over the manger where Jesus was born?”

Where do you find Jesus this Christmas?

Babies and the Babysitter

06. December 2010 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized

Our babysitter has a special way of teaching our kids new things. Oftentimes it’s things we wouldn’t have thought to teach them ourselves. Like when she taught them how to use a blow gun or the jumping on the bed game. We tease her about it a lot and laugh when she tells us the stories of how and why she taught them something.

For some reason, they also ask her deep questions about life that they don’t ever ask us. Apparently last night was one of those nights. Ian wanted to know how babies get out of their mommies belly. I have a book about that very subject that I have read to Ethan a few times (The Story of Me (God’s Design for Sex)). I didn’t realize that Ian was interested in the topic as well. He’s never asked me, though one time in a public restroom he yelled at the top of his lungs “Mommy, you’re peeing out of your but.” The other women in the bathroom enjoyed his comments and were laughing to themselves.

So last night, Ian asks about how babies are born and says “My mommy pooped me out.” Our babysitter says she didn’t want him to go to bed thinking that so she talked to him about it. When she told me the story, I thought I would die laughing!

Guess I have to get that book out to read to Ian too. For goodness sakes, he just turned 3!

Tearing Down and Building Up

03. December 2010 · 1 comment · Categories: Teach Me Jesus

“So encourage each other and build each up.” 1Thessalonians 5:11

We have an ongoing problem in our house with boys who say mean things to each other when they’re angry. Today it was Ian telling Ethan “I hate you!” After he completed his timeout I had the boys sit down with me and do an activity to teach them about how Christ wants them to treat each other.

They both built a house out of Lego’s and we talked about what a builder does. They start from a pile of supplies and after a lot of hard work they have a house. I had Ethan read the verse from 1Thessalonians and we talked about what it means to build up a person and what it means to tear them down. (Ian of course took it literally and talked about how to build a person:) I took them by surprise and knocked down Ethan’s house and it broke into a bunch of pieces. (On one hand it wasn’t wise for me to do it because he got extremely upset but on the other hand, it helped with the message I was trying to relay). After I helped Ethan calm down, I pointed out to both of them that when they say hurtful things or call each other names, they are tearing each other down like I did Ethan’s house. I also pointed out that like the house Ethan built was a masterpiece to him that he worked hard on, so is each person in the world a masterpiece that God created. When they say hurtful things to someone else they are also hurting God. I then knocked down Ian’s house and explained to them that before they say anything hurtful in the future, I wanted them to remember what it felt like to have their house torn down. I encouraged Ethan to remember just how hurt he was when I knocked down his house so that he would remember that God is just as hurt when we treat each other unkindly.

I had a moment of thinking that I ruined the teaching moment when I saw how upset Ethan was but when he realized that it was part of the lesson I was teaching, he told me he forgave me, gave me a hug and he then helped Ian understand the meaning behind what we did.

Advent Week 1

02. December 2010 · Write a comment · Categories: Teach Me Jesus

I posted about our Advent Box a few days ago. I thought I would try and post more specifically what we are doing. Sunday began the Advent Season. We began the Advent Season by lighting our family Advent Wreath and reading Isaiah 9:2-6

Here’s a summary of our devotionals and objects in our Advent Box for the first week:

1. Object: a small scroll Verse: Gen 3:15 the promise of redemption

2. Object: Praying Hands Verses: Luke 1 Zechariah received an answer to prayer and told that Elizabeth would have a child; John the Baptist who prepared the way for Christ.

3. Object: Trumpet Verse: 1 Thess. 4:14-18 about Jesus’ second advent Activity: see our local Christmas Parade (where lots of trumpets will be played:)

4. Object: Angel Verse: Luke 1:26-38 Mary is told she will have a child

5. Object: Magnifying Glass Verse: Luke 1:46-56 Mary’s Song (“My soul magnifies the Lord”)

Grownups shouldn’t be left out of Advent! Since all my shopping is done ( I had to shop and wrap it all before Thanksgiving to give to my mother-in-law to hold onto until Christmas because we will be traveling for the two weeks prior to Christmas), I am able to focus more on Advent and dwell on it’s meaning. I’m reading an Advent devotional that has been wonderful: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas. Christmas isn’t just for children to enjoy-I trust that your heart is full with the wonder of God’s love in sending his son to earth for us. Take time today to meditate on the promises of the Messiah.