My family over the years has invented its own Christmas traditions. We bake Christmas cookies and decorate them together--well Phil mostly eats them. We open one gift at a time to savor each gift and show appreciation to the giver. We have our children open one gift per night the week prior to Christmas so they can enjoy each gift instead of being on overload with a mountain of gifts. Santa then brings the stockings on Christmas morning. I usually make chocolate chip pancakes or biscuits with chocolate gravy on Christmas morning for our traditional Christmas breakfast.
Last year my mom and dad, sister and her husband, Lindsey, my niece and my daughter Megan decided we had enough stuff and we needed to share with a family in need. When we received the list from the family (we don't know who they are and they don't know who we are) we divided the list and shopped for our people on the list. Then we got together and wrapped all the presents a couple of days later.
This year our tradition continues. However, this year we are shopping together today for a family. We thought it would be more fun to shop together. After our purchases have been made, we will come back to my house and wrap gifts. I plan to play Christmas music and I know we will have lots of laughs and giggles as we wrap the presents together. There is something about helping someone anonymously that brings joy to your heart.
I thought it would be fun to read about other families traditions or how your family blesses others during the Christmas season. If you have a neat holiday tradition, please share!!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Am I seeing a Ghost?
Many of my close friends know that we had to put our beloved "Tiny" to sleep a couple of weeks ago. He was a red haired, miniature dauschand who had been in our family for over 12 years. It was sad, but Tiny had lost the feeling in his back two legs because of a back injury and it was the merciful thing to do.
We have another miniature dauschand "Lexie" who is small and black haired. She has been lonely and tends to howl when she is sad, so it has been rather pitiful watching her look for Tiny and cry for him.
Anyway, after church today, I was home by myself. I was sitting at the kitchen table and suddenly a glimpse of a small animal with red hair went by our back door. Okay, I am telling myself....that was probably Lexie and you just thought it was red hair. So, I went to the door to look out and ya'll, there was a miniature red haired dauschand that looked just like the presumed dead Tiny. This dog was in our backyard! Lexie was huddled behind her doghouse evidently terrified of the "ghost" dog. I immediately called my preacher husband and told him that we have had a miraculous resurrection of our Tiny. He was stumped as I was. You have to admit, this is a little weird.
Well, when Phil got home and I was brave enough with him there, we both went out to look at our resurrected dog. I am sad to say, it was not Tiny. Yes, he was a miniature dauschand and yes, he had red hair, but just as Lexie knew, he was not Tiny. He did not smell like Tiny, he did not have the swagger Tiny had and yet, here he was in our yard.
Many thoughts ran through our heads. How did this dog get in our yard? Who put him there? Did some sweet (out of their mind) church member, bring us a new dog to replace Tiny. We finally figured out it probably belonged to our neighbor on the next street over. Come to find out, yes, it was their dog and the next door neighbors saw it out and assumed it was our Tiny. They sweetly put it back in our yard thinking it was ours, where later it scared the wilies out of me and Lexie.
Our neighbors have their dog back. Lexie is back to howling. Everything is normal-or as normal as it gets around here. If some sweet church member or friend is thinking of replacing our Tiny, please DON"T! I have had enough trauma today as it is.
We have another miniature dauschand "Lexie" who is small and black haired. She has been lonely and tends to howl when she is sad, so it has been rather pitiful watching her look for Tiny and cry for him.
Anyway, after church today, I was home by myself. I was sitting at the kitchen table and suddenly a glimpse of a small animal with red hair went by our back door. Okay, I am telling myself....that was probably Lexie and you just thought it was red hair. So, I went to the door to look out and ya'll, there was a miniature red haired dauschand that looked just like the presumed dead Tiny. This dog was in our backyard! Lexie was huddled behind her doghouse evidently terrified of the "ghost" dog. I immediately called my preacher husband and told him that we have had a miraculous resurrection of our Tiny. He was stumped as I was. You have to admit, this is a little weird.
Well, when Phil got home and I was brave enough with him there, we both went out to look at our resurrected dog. I am sad to say, it was not Tiny. Yes, he was a miniature dauschand and yes, he had red hair, but just as Lexie knew, he was not Tiny. He did not smell like Tiny, he did not have the swagger Tiny had and yet, here he was in our yard.
Many thoughts ran through our heads. How did this dog get in our yard? Who put him there? Did some sweet (out of their mind) church member, bring us a new dog to replace Tiny. We finally figured out it probably belonged to our neighbor on the next street over. Come to find out, yes, it was their dog and the next door neighbors saw it out and assumed it was our Tiny. They sweetly put it back in our yard thinking it was ours, where later it scared the wilies out of me and Lexie.
Our neighbors have their dog back. Lexie is back to howling. Everything is normal-or as normal as it gets around here. If some sweet church member or friend is thinking of replacing our Tiny, please DON"T! I have had enough trauma today as it is.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Days of Romance
Remember when you were first dating your beloved and he would write you poetry, bring flowers, and whisper sweet words to you. I have a wonderful marriage and my husband has done a great job of keeping up in the romance department. However, nothing could have prepared me for the beautiful picture he sent of himself this morning. I was swooning at the sight of my precious husband and the incredibly romantic scene he chose to send me. He is out of town and it will be evident when you view the picture, what he has been up to. I have to say-romance is not dead, the pig may be, but not the romance.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Traditions
I believe traditions can be a good thing. Our family enjoys its traditions. One of my favorite is how we open presents at Christmas. Beginning when the kids were smaller we open 1 gift per night until Christmas Eve when Santa comes. So, if the kids had 5 presents under the tree, 5 days before Christmas we would begin opening one a night. I loved this because my children were able to focus and enjoy that one gift the whole evening and gifts didn't get lost in the madness of doing them all at once.
My family (mom and dad) had a tradition that only one person opens a gift at a time so everyone can enjoy the opening and then the gift giver gets a hug and kiss from the recipient of the gift. We have kept that tradition with my children. However, when we go to Phil's moms for Christmas, their tradition is everyone opens all at once and it is fun that way too. It is wild and crazy and everyone is laughing and having a great time. My children have had two different traditions given to them and I wonder which one they will use with their family. Will I be upset because they choose Phil's family's way and not my family's way. Not in the least. I will just be happy they love each other. The gift giving is just an outlet of their love for each other.
I have been thinking a lot about traditions lately. Mainly traditions in the church. Why we do things the way we do them and how sometimes those traditions become our religion instead of our relationship with Jesus. We have been moving away from some of our long kept traditions at one of our services at church lately and there has been quite a bit of controversy over the changes. Some love them, some hate them. The changes were made in an attempt to reach the lost of our community who may never have stepped foot in a church building and to reach the young in our community who see church as irrelevant in today's world.
I have my personal opinion on these changes and I know I have to be careful about my thoughts and actions. I don't want old or new traditions to become my religion. I only want Jesus. I only want a relationship with my Father. I only want to show others his grace and mercy. I believe there are many ways to accomplish this, but I need to be careful that I don't become so set in my traditions that I value my traditions more than my relationship with God.
Like I said earlier, just thinking.....
My family (mom and dad) had a tradition that only one person opens a gift at a time so everyone can enjoy the opening and then the gift giver gets a hug and kiss from the recipient of the gift. We have kept that tradition with my children. However, when we go to Phil's moms for Christmas, their tradition is everyone opens all at once and it is fun that way too. It is wild and crazy and everyone is laughing and having a great time. My children have had two different traditions given to them and I wonder which one they will use with their family. Will I be upset because they choose Phil's family's way and not my family's way. Not in the least. I will just be happy they love each other. The gift giving is just an outlet of their love for each other.
I have been thinking a lot about traditions lately. Mainly traditions in the church. Why we do things the way we do them and how sometimes those traditions become our religion instead of our relationship with Jesus. We have been moving away from some of our long kept traditions at one of our services at church lately and there has been quite a bit of controversy over the changes. Some love them, some hate them. The changes were made in an attempt to reach the lost of our community who may never have stepped foot in a church building and to reach the young in our community who see church as irrelevant in today's world.
I have my personal opinion on these changes and I know I have to be careful about my thoughts and actions. I don't want old or new traditions to become my religion. I only want Jesus. I only want a relationship with my Father. I only want to show others his grace and mercy. I believe there are many ways to accomplish this, but I need to be careful that I don't become so set in my traditions that I value my traditions more than my relationship with God.
Like I said earlier, just thinking.....
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Two weeks in and counting
I have finished my first two weeks back at school. Only 178 more school days to freedom--summer! I know that is sad wishing my life away, but boy, I miss my freedom!
Things went well at school except for "NO AIR CONDITIONING" in my little room and "THE COMPUTER FROM THE STONE AGE."
Yes, as I was putting loads of books onto my little cart, I was sweating through my shirt and capris--remember an earlier blog-I am something of an Olympian Gold medalist in the sweating category. There are a lot of physical elements to my job the first two weeks and my thermostat was set at 100 degrees and could not be moved. Finally, a maintenance man came out yesterday (Kevin--I read name tags now and try to be Jesus by calling all people by their name) "So, Kevin, what is going on with my air conditioner?" Kevin responds, "Well, it looks like your thermostat was set at central office to come on at night and not the day"
( if you are in the world of education, you know this makes perfect sense to the powers that be). "So, Kevin how are we going to fix this little problem." Kevin says "Well, I will check at central office and see if they will let me change it to come on in the day while you are here." "Well, thank you very much Kevin, that would be so awesome to have air conditioning when I am actually here!" I said that last part in a very Jesus like way. I pasted a smile on my sweaty face because it really is not Kevin's fault that I am melting at work. I think I kind of grossed him out because as you know, I was sweating profusely and he had not one bead of sweat on his face or uniform. I bet he gets day air conditioning in the maintenance department. Lucky Kevin.
Now I can only hope that central office will change their position on air conditioning. Maybe Kevin will help them see the value of having air conditioning during the day instead of at night. Stay tuned. You never know how these educational decisions will turn out.
Tomorrow I will write about my computer. This whole air conditioning blog has made me sweat. I need a shower. Til' tommorw..
Things went well at school except for "NO AIR CONDITIONING" in my little room and "THE COMPUTER FROM THE STONE AGE."
Yes, as I was putting loads of books onto my little cart, I was sweating through my shirt and capris--remember an earlier blog-I am something of an Olympian Gold medalist in the sweating category. There are a lot of physical elements to my job the first two weeks and my thermostat was set at 100 degrees and could not be moved. Finally, a maintenance man came out yesterday (Kevin--I read name tags now and try to be Jesus by calling all people by their name) "So, Kevin, what is going on with my air conditioner?" Kevin responds, "Well, it looks like your thermostat was set at central office to come on at night and not the day"
( if you are in the world of education, you know this makes perfect sense to the powers that be). "So, Kevin how are we going to fix this little problem." Kevin says "Well, I will check at central office and see if they will let me change it to come on in the day while you are here." "Well, thank you very much Kevin, that would be so awesome to have air conditioning when I am actually here!" I said that last part in a very Jesus like way. I pasted a smile on my sweaty face because it really is not Kevin's fault that I am melting at work. I think I kind of grossed him out because as you know, I was sweating profusely and he had not one bead of sweat on his face or uniform. I bet he gets day air conditioning in the maintenance department. Lucky Kevin.
Now I can only hope that central office will change their position on air conditioning. Maybe Kevin will help them see the value of having air conditioning during the day instead of at night. Stay tuned. You never know how these educational decisions will turn out.
Tomorrow I will write about my computer. This whole air conditioning blog has made me sweat. I need a shower. Til' tommorw..
Sunday, August 24, 2008
What a Weekend!
I have just awakened from a marathon nap--it is Sunday afternoon people! I don't awaken well after a deep sleep nap. My brain is not fully functional and I have learned that because of this, my mouth can sometimes say things that people (my family) sometimes misunderstand. I need to be awake so that my "be nice" filter is in place because I tend to be somewhat grumpy when I awake. So while I am in my "no filter on brain and mouth mode" I thought I should write about this weekend.
The reason for the marathon nap is because me and my "Peeps" went on a road trip to hear Beth Moore speak God's words to us in San Antonio. There were around 10,000 ladies from all over the world-even Japan in attendance. The worship was incredible. Hearing all of these ladies praise God was something I won't soon forget. Beth visited with us about our inheritance in God. It was powerful.
I loved seeing Beth-we all got our picture made with her. She had her two girls with her and we bloggers got a special chance after her last talk to sit in a question and answer period. Very fun! I have to tell you all that even though I loved seeing and hearing Beth, my favorite part was before and after the picture shoot with her. You see, I got to visit with "Boo Mama"
Boo Mama has always been one of my favorite blog sites. I love her writing style, precious stories about her comings and goings, and her incredible testimony on the internet. I also felt somewhat connected because she and my husband and about 10 others went to Africa together in February with Compassion International. (My husband, Phil, got to meet our little adopted girl there-Doreen which was so precious) Anyway, I and my Coffee Group friends just marched ourselves up to Boo Mama and before I knew it, I was in a big bear hug with her. I just love that woman even though it was the first time we had officially seen each other in person. Isn't it neat that those that love the Lord have such a common bond that we can't help but love each other.
So to recap the weekend:
Cost of hotel: $244, plus $38 to park; Drive to and from Abilene:12 hours (we had lots of potty breaks); loss of sleep: 4 hours; Friday night supper time: 10 pm on the river walk; Grossness: huge rat on said river walk; Hair: wet and dripping from rain in San Antonio; Walking to and from and all around the Alamodome: three hundred miles (I am exaggerating somewhat, but I didn't have my pedometer so I had to estimate), water for sale in Alamodome: warm and $3.75 a bottle.
Hearing Beth and meeting BooMama: priceless!
The reason for the marathon nap is because me and my "Peeps" went on a road trip to hear Beth Moore speak God's words to us in San Antonio. There were around 10,000 ladies from all over the world-even Japan in attendance. The worship was incredible. Hearing all of these ladies praise God was something I won't soon forget. Beth visited with us about our inheritance in God. It was powerful.
I loved seeing Beth-we all got our picture made with her. She had her two girls with her and we bloggers got a special chance after her last talk to sit in a question and answer period. Very fun! I have to tell you all that even though I loved seeing and hearing Beth, my favorite part was before and after the picture shoot with her. You see, I got to visit with "Boo Mama"
Boo Mama has always been one of my favorite blog sites. I love her writing style, precious stories about her comings and goings, and her incredible testimony on the internet. I also felt somewhat connected because she and my husband and about 10 others went to Africa together in February with Compassion International. (My husband, Phil, got to meet our little adopted girl there-Doreen which was so precious) Anyway, I and my Coffee Group friends just marched ourselves up to Boo Mama and before I knew it, I was in a big bear hug with her. I just love that woman even though it was the first time we had officially seen each other in person. Isn't it neat that those that love the Lord have such a common bond that we can't help but love each other.
So to recap the weekend:
Cost of hotel: $244, plus $38 to park; Drive to and from Abilene:12 hours (we had lots of potty breaks); loss of sleep: 4 hours; Friday night supper time: 10 pm on the river walk; Grossness: huge rat on said river walk; Hair: wet and dripping from rain in San Antonio; Walking to and from and all around the Alamodome: three hundred miles (I am exaggerating somewhat, but I didn't have my pedometer so I had to estimate), water for sale in Alamodome: warm and $3.75 a bottle.
Hearing Beth and meeting BooMama: priceless!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Number 2?
We are getting a bid for the repair to our ceiling today. You know the one that had the leg sticking out of it last week. That was number one house fix.
Last night as Phil was returning home, he pushed our trusty garage door opener and the door would only open 1/4 of the way up. He tried several times and nothing above that height. It is a little hard to get through that space, so he goes around to the front door, where I meet him saying "I think the garage door is broken." I need to remember to be quiet in those obvious times of husband frustration. He seemed to already know that the garage door was broken, so I quietly stepped out of the storm that surrounded him and kept my mouth from stating anymore obvious facts.
We were supposed to be on our way to a rehearsal dinner. Phil had just finished the rehearsal and had come by to pick me up. We had to call and cancel because we had to get this fixed. My car is being held hostage in the garage and Phil is leaving for Alaska Sunday.
Phil looks at the garage door and the spring has broken. This is the garage door opener and spring replacement that we put in two years ago. Hmmm...things sure don't last like they used to.
So another $225 to the garage door people this morning who came on a Saturday and replaced the spring on our door.
I figure this is number 2. You know when things begin to break around the house, they always come in threes. So, the air conditioner is 1, the garage door is number 2, ...I am waiting to see what number 3 is. Do you think that maybe the leg through the ceiling would count for number 2? That sure would be nice. I am really glad I have a job or I would have had to sell my wedding ring or something to pay for all this.
I'll let you know when and if number 3 lands.
Last night as Phil was returning home, he pushed our trusty garage door opener and the door would only open 1/4 of the way up. He tried several times and nothing above that height. It is a little hard to get through that space, so he goes around to the front door, where I meet him saying "I think the garage door is broken." I need to remember to be quiet in those obvious times of husband frustration. He seemed to already know that the garage door was broken, so I quietly stepped out of the storm that surrounded him and kept my mouth from stating anymore obvious facts.
We were supposed to be on our way to a rehearsal dinner. Phil had just finished the rehearsal and had come by to pick me up. We had to call and cancel because we had to get this fixed. My car is being held hostage in the garage and Phil is leaving for Alaska Sunday.
Phil looks at the garage door and the spring has broken. This is the garage door opener and spring replacement that we put in two years ago. Hmmm...things sure don't last like they used to.
So another $225 to the garage door people this morning who came on a Saturday and replaced the spring on our door.
I figure this is number 2. You know when things begin to break around the house, they always come in threes. So, the air conditioner is 1, the garage door is number 2, ...I am waiting to see what number 3 is. Do you think that maybe the leg through the ceiling would count for number 2? That sure would be nice. I am really glad I have a job or I would have had to sell my wedding ring or something to pay for all this.
I'll let you know when and if number 3 lands.
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