Very busy few days..............

Yes, it is December and it seems like the days just go by so fast!  I really don't know where the last week has gone.  After this weekends decorating, it feels like Christmas in the house.  I love driving around at night (by which I mean anytime after 4:30pm when it is pitch black out) and seeing all of the lights.  It feels festive and happy.  Last night, as an extra treat, I got to go to an amazing performance of "Disney - Peter Pan, Jr".  The cast included both Lia and Ellie.  Really it is so much fun to see them singing and dancing on stage.  What a wonderful experience for these girls to be doing these big productions at their ages (9 and 6). But it did make for a late night for me.  Today Doug came over and helped us out by installing a new "smart" thermostat for us.  Let me tell you that he quickly (and I mean quickly) in a matter of minutes had run the new wire and had the thing installed and operational.  I know that this job would have been a much longer process if Ken and I had tried to do this on our own.  Susie came over right from work and then we were able to have a wonderful dinner together (something that doesn't happen often enough)!  I managed to get my Christmas cards ready to mail and did a little bit of shopping also.  So, yes... it has been a busy few days!  

While I was going through the Christmas decorations, I came upon this guy!  While I know that he looks a little "worn out" he deserves to look a little tired.  He is more than 50 years old!  Ken got this Santa when he was 9 or 10 years old!  It always was on the front door of their house.  It looks home made but he is not exactly sure where it came from.  For many years, when Gwen and Doug were small, he spent time hanging on our closet door - exactly where he is right now!  Somehow we lost track of him for many years and I only recently found him again.  It is really nice to have these small bits of years gone by that blend in with all of the new things around us.  

Last night, after the play and the flowers and the excitement, the kids asked me to stay at their house and participate in their nightly Advent devotions!  I was honored to be asked and of course stayed for this event.  Gwen and Tim have several different Advent activities.  They have a really neat count down string that hangs from their fireplace mantel.  Each day they read a portion of the "Jesse Tree" story from the Children's Storybook Bible and then a corresponding picture is added to the countdown line.  Yesterday the story was Adam and Eve.  They also have an Advent Wreath (that includes a small piece of candy for each child) and a "story book" ornament for each day.  The book yesterday was about Mary.  Then these little books get hung on a special little Christmas Tree.  To complete their Advent activities, there are special Christmas books that are wrapped as presents.  Each night someone chooses a book to unwrap and then that book is read!  Wow!  That is a lot of stuff!  But even at a very late hour for these four little ones, and even after the excitement of the play, all four sat and listened through all of the readings.   There were some great comments and questions about Adam and Eve, about the fruit and about the real problem - disobedience. What a great reminder it was to me of the importance of just MAKING THE TIME - even when you might not feel like you have the time, to stop and remember the reason for the season.   What really warmed my heart was hearing Gwen recount the Advent traditions from her growing up years.  And I saw and felt again, the importance of sowing into the generations to come through our own children.  

Yes, that was the perfect end to that day, and it was exactly what I needed to remind me to stop and really contemplate the season.  With the decorating and the shopping and the extra things of the holiday, it is easy to jump on that busy-ness treadmill.  And after a short time, you realize that you are running faster and faster and getting further and further behind.  I believe that it is time for ME to find an Advent devotional (or two, or three) and make sure that I set aside that time each day to reflect on the wonder of Christmas.  It is my encouragement and my challenge to each of you, to do the same.  

Jesus, thank you for knowing exactly what a most needed and showing me the way through my grandchildren.  Thank you for the wonder and joy that children experience during this season.  Holy Spirit, help us all to stop and reflect on the great love of the Father that brought Jesus to us.  Help us all to see the shadow of the cross in the light of the manger.  Amen

A quiet and reflective Christmas day....

This year included some more new ornaments.  Ken and I got one from Lia and one from Ellie.

Both of these were made with love by the girls.  Ellie told me that the snowflake was pink and purple because those are her favorite colors.  And it has a star in the middle, because she loves stars.  Lia said she made a rainbow angel because she loves rainbows.  

This has been the year of the angel.  And the rainbow.   And hope in the promises of Jesus.  I love that the girls decided exactly what these ornaments should look like.  I love when Jesus speaks to me through children.  When I hold that rainbow ornament in my hand, I can feel the sorrow lift from my spirit, and sense the joy and hope that the promises hold.  And that sparkly star in the center of the snowflake reminds me of the star of Bethlehem.... that draws people to the miracle of Jesus.  

Our Christmas Day was very quiet.  Ken and I actually went out for breakfast.  I know this may seem really silly on such a day, but our little local diner was open, so we decided to go.  It was very pleasant.  I was thinking about the year I nearly burned our house down!  It is sort of a "family legend"!  I was cooking breakfast in the kitchen and the rest of the family was in the living room.  I had lit the Advent wreath that was sitting on top of our entertainment unit.  I glanced into the room and saw flames coming from the wreath.  There was a burn mark on top of that piece of furniture as a reminder of that event!  Needless to say, I never quite lived that  down.  I believe that was the last real Advent wreath that we had that had regular candles.  I switched to jar candles after that!  Yes, I love all the memories of past Christmas'.   Later in the day my oldest brother called me.  I have to admit that we don't talk often.  In fact, I don't remember the last time we chatted. We tend to stay in touch via email.  So this was a surprise.  For many years, I saw my brother several times each year when I visited my mom.  Since she died in 2011, I haven't seen him!  

In fact, I looked through my pictures and this picture is the last shot I have with my sister and brother with my mom.  It was taken in August of 2010.  After our conversation I was thinking about some Christmas memories I have of my brother Jerry.  I don't think that Jerry would even know this story.  The first present that I received from someone other than my parents (or Santa) that created a memory came from Jerry.  I was 6 and in first grade.  He was getting ready to leave for a tour of duty in the Army.  He gave me "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" book and a Stadium Checkers game.  I believe that this book is now on the book shelf at Gwen's house.  I kept that book and read it over and over.  I remember reading it to both of my children.  It was the first book that was actually mine - that I did not have to return to the library!  And I loved getting a game that was a "real" game. As a matter of fact, this is one of my best memories of Christmas from my childhood..  Even typing this makes me a bit sad that I have never shared this with Jerry!  I guess I will have to remedy this by giving him a call!   

So my day included some thoughts of times long past.  I am so thankful that it also included hanging these special new ornaments on my tree.  This has been such a difficult year, yet in the midst of it all, there are the angels.....and the rainbows.....and the star.  And there have been phone calls and memories.  And there has been time together.  And there is hope.  

Yes, it was a Christmas day unlike any we have had in the past.  It was quiet.  But in that time of quiet, there was the  presence of Jesus.  I felt the love of Jesus over breakfast with Ken.  I felt the promises of Jesus as I hung that angel ornament.  I felt the hope and joy of Jesus in that star glistening on my tree.  I felt connected to my family tree and all that Jesus has sown into my generations in the phone calls with my sister and brother.  It was a full day.  And it was good.  

Jesus, thank you for speaking to me through my grandchildren.  Help me to be open to hear your voice over all the sorrow and pain.  Holy Spirit, give me grace to walk through changes.  Help us all to know your very real presence with us.   Amen