Longfellow's Christmas -

One of Hubs very favorite Christmas carols. Have you heard the story?

Christmas Outtakes

If we threatened Little Man with the island of perpetual tickling -
he just might smile.

"Mom, its 30 degrees out here - get it focused already!"

This is Hubs putting fear of God into kids with his clenched teeth
ventriloquist voice.
This is also Baby Girl not falling for it.
And also Big Guy looking quite constipated.

Maybe this is when Aunt Gigi started telling the kids all the embarrassing things I did as a child.

Are we done already?

"Daddy, if I give you some sugar can we stop standing on this crate?"

Little Frozen Soldiers.

Our family loves your family!!!!!
Merry Christmas!

A Silent Night?

Silent Night is probably one of my very favorite Christmas songs of all time. But in reality, THAT night was most likely not very quiet.


I love the movie that came out a few years ago called The Nativity Story. It portrays Mary in such a real, honest and human way, making the journey to Bethlehem with her not yet husband who is just as scared as she is.


Unlike our Sunday School pictures she did not wear a pristine, almost glowing light blue tunic with angelic white head dress. This young actress reminded me of the very real brush with death and very real night of horror, pain and miraculous birth that a young girl endured on a not so silent night long ago.


Do you remember the last time you gave birth?


Or rather the FIRST time you gave birth, because we know that one is the most horrific.

Now, can you remember doing all that without the drugs? in the dark. on the ground.

With no nurses there to assure you that this is normal and you're doing great. And no clean hospital bed and lights, and ice chips?

Add to that the obvious awkward situation that the man now fully responsible to bring about this delivery....

WAS A MAN! This just wasn't done then. Even Daddy's didn't get a viewing during delivery.

And speaking of viewing - they weren't married yet.

And let's try all this when we're about 16.





And as for silent?

Hardly.

Remember this night was one of the busiest Bethlehem had ever seen. So busy, and loud, and crowded that Mary and Joseph couldn't find a private room. But they were given a cave. I'm not sure it was a private cave. Maybe it was tucked into a large hill outside of town. For her sake I hope so.

But maybe it was in town, near to the inn, with people bustling by. And animals. Lots of animals.
And all that goes with animals.

Do you think that Mary had a moment where she turned her lady brain off and said to God Almighty - "You have to do this. This is crazy. You began it - You will finish it"

I'm sure she must have. Something like that.

Humbled. Horrified. But hoping with all her heart.

No, I imagine it was not all that silent in Bethlehem that night.

Or in heaven.


Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

Don't Give Up

Today I sat next to Hubs at his annual office Christmas luncheon. I enjoyed my quiet meal very much, even though the room was noisy. The kids weren't with us.

I didn't wipe one single mouth or remind anyone about manners, or appropriate volumes.

It was nice.

Amidst the low roar of Christmas tidings and year end stories I overheard a calm familiar voice of a precious lady reminding another mom in the room "not to ever give up".

Without turning around I knew the voice. And without hearing all the details I knew the heart of the conversation because I've heard these precious parents say it over and over again as it pertained to their now grown children.

"Never give up. Never ever give up. Encourage them every day and never give up."

It helps a great deal that this special couple has a strong faith in the Lord and relies on Him for the strength to encourage and love their children.

I was reminded of folks like these as I read through a tiny little book about parenting, written by a man named J.C. Ryle. The Duties of Parents was released in 1888. It's message is simple but profound. Each short chapter summarizes a truth to remember as we follow Christ in parenting.

The chapter I read last night has been burning in my heart all day as it succinctly listed how to take cues from Jesus where our children are concerned.

Does our Heavenly Father "parent" us all the same way? Not exactly. Although His Word does not change He customizes a special relationship with each child.

He knows us.

Our temptations, our companions, our character, our besetting sins, our works and where we dwell. And in His special divine way, "parents" us as individuals, thereby ordering all things for our good.

ALL THINGS FOR OUR ULTIMATE GOOD.

But in the ordering of all things we see a pattern. And this is the list that Mr. Ryle described in chapter 13 of his wonderful little book.

He withholds.
He leads.
He delights.
He chastens.
He corrects.

Of course, he expounds diligently and thoroughly but simply on each point. And without completely spoiling the chapter, but because I can't resist, I'll include a little excerpt from his conclusion.

"And be not afraid, above all, that such a plan of training will make your child unhappy. I warn you against this delusion. Depend on it, there is no surer road to unhappiness than always having our own way. To have our wills checked and denied is a blessed thing for us; it makes us value enjoyments when they come. To be indulged perpetually is the way to be made selfish; and selfish people and spoiled children, believe me, are seldom happy. Reader, be not wiser than God, train your children as He trains His."

AND HE NEVER GIVES UP.

Last Saturday, on a sunny morning that hadn't yet reached 35 degrees, I stared down at the crowd of runners pouring out all they had left for the finish line...............

one in particular stood out to me.

The others quickly faded into a blur because this one was special......

He was mine.

"God, I am humbled that you have called me your own. Thank you for making me your child. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you that your plans for me are wise and for my good. Give me a love like yours for these little charges that You've trusted into our care for such a short time. Give me a steadfast heart, filled with long suffering and purpose. And fuel my energy with new life to train them in such a way to bear much fruit in Your Name and for Your glory."


The Duties of Parents by J.C. Ryle at Lamplighter Publishing

It's A ..................

Well, its going to be a girl. On or about May 11, 2010, we'll be thrilled to welcome another little lady to our family!

TWOG FACE

This season of "farkly" lights and puking and presents and eating and singing songs about Jesus and hippopotumusessss all in the same five minutes doesn't always lend itself to long, creative blog posts full of retrospection and whit.

And meaning.

Flanked with breathtaking pictures of my beautiful Christmas decorations.

That the kids put up by themselves this year.

Due to the aforementioned puking.



However, it doesn't mean that things aren't going on. And that I don't have thoughts.

I have thoughts.

Like little itty bitty TWITTER size thoughts.

Twitter is for men, I'm convinced.
A short saying. To the point. No extra details or follow up necessary.

This why men Tweet and don't Blog. And that's the extent of my psychology expertise in the field of humanities.

But lately a little Tweet is about all I'm good for up there in the brain department.

So since, I don't carry around a smart phone in my bathrobe pocket to continuously update my facebook status and tweet collection I thought I would just save them up for the first ever, but most likely not the last ................................................

TWOG-FACE EDITION

Here's to short attention spans everywhere:

Big Guy is tall enough to put the top branches of the Christmas tree up by himself. This makes me cry.

He also just won the St. Jude 5K for his age group, which happens to be the largest 5K in our area with almost 4000 runners. This made me cry too.

Our new kitty somehow made it inside while we were gone all day to let our freshly cleaned carpets dry.

She did, in fact, relieve herself indoors. Also making me cry.

But she did it in the restroom. ..... On the bath mat. Just like I trained her.

I did not bother to wash the bathmat.

I have now added a new bathmat to my Christmas list.

The Pied Piper is a disturbing story. Even the second grade version.

Baby Girl is a breath expert. And a breath status announcer. Her own and others.





My brother in law shoots wild dogs that come on his property. In the country they call it "poppin' dawgs".

Little Man would like to move to the country in Arkansas so we can also "pop dawgs".

Hubs would not allow such loose living on his watch so instead they popped pumpkins. He's such a gentleman.

Adding a LEAF to the TABLE

This blog gets a little dusty sometimes. Like corners of my house and my life.

We've been busy around here. And pre-occupied. And busy. And simplifying.

Did you know simplifying life can keep one very busy? Trying to get back to the basics of what I'm "sposed" to be doing. And realizing that when I'm doing what I'm "sposed" to - I'm busier than ever.

"Sposed" to be doing is what we work hard at around here and sometimes mommy gets just as off track as anyone else.

what?

What was I doing before?

- or rather

What was I neglecting?

Ouch.


And just when a good system seems to be in view, God adds another little something to the mix.

To keep it spicy.

And our other little something arrives officially next May but in the meantime has made quite an entrance and created more than a stir around this house.

Let me say that 7th grade and morning sickness are not good friends.

And since we it was only about a year ago that Jesus brought home one of our little ones, we decided to wait a bit to tell the kids.

But vomiting and nausea have a way of outing themselves. Literally. And since my kids have all become resident pro's at identifying swine flu in others, the poor bunch thought momma was on her way to the grave.

Our only recourse was to spill the beans.

And that,

in a nutshell,

or on my knees in the bathroom,

pretty much describes the focal point of our lives for the last few months.

But, thanks be to God, this too did indeed pass and just in time for the holidays, I am feeling like my chipper self again. We are anxiously awaiting our ultrasound in a mere two days to find out if we're expecting a "man cub" or a "miss tiss". And by Christmas we'll be halfway there to meeting our new little miracle.


I have been expecting a baby over Christmas holidays many times. Well, every time, to be exact.
And other than the magical wonder known as my jaw dropping consumption of cinnamon rolls, stretchy pants, and rotel covered everything,.....................

there is something extra special about the anticipation of a baby during a season when the whole world remembers God's greatest gift.

A baby.

Born to two humble, ordinary people.

In whom salvation was begun.

On whom rests the hope of the entire world.

What a joyful thought to remember and to anticipate His coming again!