To be Mary....

I wasn't feeling so in the ho ho holly jolly spirit the last couple of days. The stresses of decorating the house... shopping for gifts... the ones I found a month or so ago are now out of stock (grrrr...) and the days have literally just left me breathless.

So, today I threw on my favorite Christmas CD. It's Elvis, just in case you were wondering and you know.... that did the trick. I'm relaxed, dancing around the house making goo-gie noises at Ben and taking it in.

..and then it happened.

The CD changed to one that I also love equally well... with lots of stars singing christmas carols. The song that came on in particular was Amy Grant singing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" and it got me thinking...

...to be Mary.

Can you imagine being pregnant.... back then... being visited by an angel... being in your ninth month... riding on a donkey for hours only to find out there is no room for you. You are about to birth the King of kings and Lord of lords and they have no room for you. The ACLU isn't there to wage your battle for you... Jessie Jackson isn't there to cry discrimination and wage a march... they don't have the 5 o'clock news to make it a featured story for you to garner public support. It's just you, your man and the donkey. And then you labor... not in a safe hospital room with doctors, nurses and drugs at your disposal but in a stable among the animals... and filth. How humble of a birth had He.

And when Mary looked at Him for the first time... do you think she realized just how huge of an impact He would truly have on mankind? And then to be a KING. A KING?... and travel to pay homage to a baby... just a little infant... can you imagine? Can you even imagine... to be the mother of the Lord and Savior of humankind?

How amazing.

And then I think about how commercial this entire season is. Don't get me wrong, I love decorating the house up for Christmas but a lot of time I do that .... for ME... because I just love it... rather than do it because of what it represents... the celebration of the season. To combat that this year I did our advent. What an amazing ADVENTure I'm having with my boys as they open their advent calendar each day. It's helping us all stay focused on the reason for the season.

This morning I went to hear my middle child perform a small Christmas program with bells... and there is NOTHING more wonderful than hearing sweet angelic voices lifted in praise of the Savior's birth. Hearing sweet children.... ones that YOU, yourself, have birthed singing Away in a Manger. As a mother, you can't help but to get tears in your eyes hearing something so sweet and innocent and pure.

Ok, so Elvis may be my favorite "get up and boogie" Christmas CD but... now I'm thinking, those Christmas carols that celebrate our glorious Savior... those are my favorite. Those make me think. O Holy Night is on now... I need a tissue.

Jesus. What an awesome story of overcoming hardship... pressing forward... blaming nothing on the past but just looking at what a difference you can make in the future.

ADVENTures in Advent - Day 7

Today’s Activity: Buy a toy with your own money and donate it to needy kids. I wanted to do this to show the boys generosity, charity, compassion, thoughtfulness and that all those things they want DO come with a price tag.

Today’s Letter: H – Holy Spirit
The poem reads: H is for Holy Spirit. Jesus’ Love Through Us Shines Bright

Discuss the 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7: Seven Swans a Swimming
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: 1) prophecy, 2) ministry, 3) teaching, 4) exhortation, 5) giving, 6) leading, and 7) compassion (Romans 12:6-8; cf. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11)

Tonight’s Movie: The Santa Claus 2

ADVENTures in Advent - Day 6

Today’s Activity: Elf the neighbors

Today’s Letter: G – Gift of Grace.
The poem reads: G is for Gifts Santa Leaves That Special Night

Discuss the 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6: Six Geese a Laying. We discussed that this was in line with the six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world (Genesis 1).

Tonight’s Movie: Elf (one of my all-time favorites!)

More information on the fun: When you get the opportunity to "Elf" the neighbors, it gets the boys in line with the whole thinking of how fun it is to give. You fill a bag with treats, ring the bell and run. They open it to find on their porch a bag filled with treats and a little poem attached that reads:

You have been Elfed!

Santa’s little helper has come to town
To leave these goodies you have found
If you wish to have the best season of all
You must help this "Elf" with his call

First, post this Elf where others can see
And leave it there ‘til Christmas Eve
Then other Elves will pass your door
To spread holiday cheer to even more

Second, make two goody bags and copy twice this sheet
So you can share the holiday treat
With two neighbors on our street

A mere two days is all you’ve got
So go ahead and give this fun a shot
Leave your treats where no Elf found
Which means that not one has been caught snooping around

So, as long as this sheets does not appear
You are safe to deposit your goods – is that clear?
Hide behind a bush, a car or a tree
Their surprise and joy you are sure to see.

Isn’t it fun to spread friendship and cheer
Through our neighborhood and street year to year?
It’s times like this that we know we are blessed
Our friends and our neighbors are simply the best.

And now another tradition is sure to have begun.
Thanks for sharing in this neighborhood fun.
And last but not least, enjoy the holiday season.
Give thanks to God for He is the reason!

Merry Christmas!!!

ADVENTures in Advent - Day 5

Today's bag contained a candy cane for each kiddo.

The card I inserted read:
December 5:

Today’s Activity: Decorate your bedroom door for Christmas.
Today’s Letters: C for City of Bethlehem
Discuss the 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2: Two Turtle Doves
Tonight’s Movie: Home Alone

I bought some wrapping paper so the boys could help each other wrap their doors to look like big, giant presents. I thought that was festive.

Today's Letter is C. I sometimes have different associations on their cards than what is in the poem that I wrote. For instance, their sheet says C is for City of Bethlehem and their drawing sheet reads: C is for Christmas Candles Shining Very Bright. This gives me another "in" to talking about scripture.

The 12 Day of Christmas day two - Two turtle doves which is when I can bring out the Bible and show how this represents the two books of the Bible. Explaining how the old testament was a foretelling of a Savor that was to come and the New Testament tells of a savior who arrives. Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments because they have one mate for life -- they represent enduring relationships, such as the unbreakable bond between the Old and New Testaments.

Stealing Sunday

Today we ripped this meme off not from a blogger but from a website that does (among other things) celebrity interviews. On Friday they asked 20 questions to recording artist Dwight Twilley. The site is called Pop Matters and you can read the original interview here. We enjoyed the questions so much that we decided to steal them! We only did very slight editing to make a couple of the questions more universal. We hope you enjoy latest our and greatest! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. The latest book or movie that made you cry?
Once I became a mom, I became a sap. Seriously, I got weepy-eyed at the newest Pampers commercial featuring little babies sleeping and it had a woman singing "Silent Night." Yeah, I've become one of "them," but it's okay. It's a unique club to be in and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

2. The fictional character most like you?
Dory from Finding Nemo without a doubt. My short term memory is almost non-existent. I walk into rooms constantly wondering why in the heck I was even there.

3. The greatest album, ever?
Wow, this is like picking favorites which I just don't do. I don't like the limitations on picking just one... I don't have one of these either because my musical preferences change with my mood, the time of day or the color of my socks. Seriously, no favorites.

4. Star Trek or Star Wars? Why?
Funny, I was just talking with the guy at Subway last night about this. I say Star Wars. Why? Why not? I always considered Trekkies weird. Star Wars was just ... COOL! Chewbacca... Han Solo.. C3PO... R2D2... Boba Fett... Jabba (unless it's Joey talking about snot-LOL)... Star Wars is just coolness - seriously, ask my 6 year old. A whole NEW era of Star Wars lovers has emerged!

Plus, Dr. Spok's ears just freak me out.

5. Your ideal brain food?
A balanced diet with lots of different colors and lots of vegetation. I strongly believe a plant based, raw-foods (I'm talking vegetation here, not meat or dairy), diet is crucial to helping the body heal itself. I AM a meat eater but I don't believe that animal protein should be only source of protein our bodies take in. Ideal brain food -- water, plants, some lean proteins and, most importantly, no processed foods!

6. Everyone is proud of a certain accomplishment, which one for you??
I don't really have anything that I'm most proud of. I don't do things for notoriety or anything. I'm proud of lots of things but one thing in particular just sticking out in my brain... I'm drawing a blank. Maintaining a 4.0 GPA in college is something I'm proud of but... in the "real world" who cares?

7. You want to be remembered for ...?
Being an honest woman of faith that is always there for her children, spouse and family... for being generous and charitable... organized... an amazing wife, housekeeper, cook and mom. Oh wait... that's me now! Ha!

8. Let's talk about recording artists. Who do you find the most inspirational?
Inspirational and recording artist -- wow, I don't think those words belong in the same sentence. Hee hee... With the upcoming artists being in their teen years and early twenties -- I don't have a lot in common with them so it's hard for ME to find THEM "inspirational." The older artists... I guess I don't find THEM "inspirational" either because, well, they've been around so long. So, from them I can find that I'm moved, but not inspired.

9. The creative masterpiece you wish bore your signature?
Windows. And, I'm not talking about the kind on a house!

10. Your hidden talents . . .?
I like to think that I'm a pretty awesome cook. It's not a hidden talent. What good is a talent if you keep it hidden? That's like snubbing God for giving you a gift because you don't use it.

11. The best piece of advice you actually followed?
If you lie to people, they won't believe you when it counts. Larry A. Wesson

12. The best thing you ever bought, stole, or borrowed?
Hmmm... again with the ONE THING. I don't borrow much of anything from anyone because I have a hard time asking for help. I don't steal... have you not read the 10 Commandments? The best thing I ever bought... hmm... that's tough because, I don't buy a lot of anything so ... ??? wow, that's tough. I will say breakfast/lunch/dinner for the soldiers at the tables of TGI Fridays. Every time Josh leaves on a flight, we go there and I always pick up the tab for any soldiers dining there. Being able to say "thank you" in a small way to let them know that their service, time and devotion do NOT go unnoticed...that's the best thing I could buy.

13. What is the most comfortable clothes that you wear?
My pajamas...hands down! I love the flannel pajamas.. I love the fleece pajamas. I love them even though they leave my hair FULL of static cling... pajamas are my favorite, most comfortable wonderful clothes. I think every week should have a "Pajama Day" just for people like me to just stay in their pajamas all day.

14. Your dinner guest at the Ritz would be?
My husband.

15. Time travel: where, when and why?
Wow... that would be THE coolest thing ever. Would you want to go back in time and help someone that needed it before an accident occurred that changed their life forever? Would you want to go back and place a bet so that you were rollin' in the dough later in life (Yeah, I'm totally thinking Back to the Future here)... Would you want to go back and spend more time with someone who were sick and not around anymore? Would you want to go back in time and fix a relationship that now seems unrepairable? I guess, for me, it'd depend on if it were a one time thing or if it were just like I had a teleport stick and could go whenever I wanted.

16. Stress management: hit man, spa vacation or Prozac?
The hit man... ha ha. That's hilarious. Spa vacation -- I'm not "spa" material. And half of those "treatments" seem ridiculous to me. Prozac? No thanks - I'm not one to take any kind of drug stronger than Ibuprofen. I say... exercise or reading or cleaning. Those are what I do when I'm stressed.

17. Essential to life: coffee, vodka, cigarettes, chocolate, or . . .?
Family.

18. Environment of choice: city or country, and where on the map?
Country! Where? Hmm... Colorado would be nice. :)

19. What do you want to say to the leader of your country?
My blog is not long enough to write all I'd like to say to him. I despise him. I think he's an arrogant son of a b$^!# and it will be a glorious day when he is voted out of an office he has no business being in.

20. Last but certainly not least, what are you working on, now?
Christmas, Christmas parties, Christmas dinners, advent activities, my birthday, and 2011!

ADVENTures in Advent - Day 4

Today's bag contained a little Santa chocolate for the boys.

The card I inserted read:

December 4:

Today’s Activity: Make salt dough decorations to give to others and

take Christmas card photos.

Today’s Letters: E is for Evergreen Tree

Discuss the 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4: The Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Tonight’s Movie: It's A Wonderful Life

This was the plan however the day didn't pan out to do any of this since we were putting up the Christmas tree, had a sick kiddo and Andy and Josh left at 4:30 to go see Fort Worth Christian's football team play for the state championship.

No worries, however, it's just good to have a plan!

ADVENTures in Advent - Day 3

Today's bag contained a special treat of fine chocolate truffles for the boys to share.

The card I inserted read:
December 3:

Today’s Activity: Deliver holiday sweets to the neighbors.

Today’s Letters: D for Donkey

Discuss the 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3: Three French Hens

Tonight’s Movie: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carey version)

I bought some Butterbraid bread from a friend in MOPS selling them for her daughter's school fundraiser. I let the bread rise overnight and then cut them in half before baking. Once they were baked, I drizzled the icing overtop and then wrapped some pieces of cardboard with festive Christmas wrapping paper and made a tag from some scrap paper I had in my scrapbook room. I let the boys deliver them to six of our neighbors.

Today's Letter is D. D is for the Donkey Mary rode on all that night.

The 12 Day of Christmas day three - Three French Hens stands for the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I also put in a little wood craft coloring kit for them to do.