Although I can't seem to remember my address somedays, I seem to have a photographic memory on other things. I feel like I'm looking at life through a camera lens sometimes, and taking snapshots in my mind. And the older I get, the more I slow down and savor those little snapshots. The last few weeks I've had a few stand out that I've enjoyed closing my eyes and replaying over and over again. Like a few weeks ago when we went to dinner with my dad and Jean up in Tulsa one evening. Dad has always been great with kids and has really embraced and loves our kids. I got a little misty when I looked up and saw Dad and Clara holding hands and skipping down the sidewalk together. I'm not sure whose smile was bigger.
Then a couple of weeks ago the big kid went on a mission trip. He has done this before. But this time he went all the way to Nashville and was gone for a week. Standing in our driveway at the crack of dawn (literally) before I took Harrison to the church, I snapped another picture in my memory. Joe, Harrison (my big old hairy-legged boy) and myself, huddled together praying with the sun rising behind us. Made my heart skip a beat. So blessed to have a husband who prays. Humbled to get to parent this boy that I love more than I can express. And amazed that my baby is six feet tall and going off to serve the homeless and others in the inner city for a week.
Harrison got home from the mission trip at 2:30 in the morning. So Clara was anxiously waiting for him to wake up late the next morning. When he did, she was ready to be the first one to give him some love. I looked over and my very tired boy was holding his little sister, snuggled close, and she was purring....literally. Snap! Makes my heart happy!
And earlier this week, I sat in the stands watching a track meet. Still a bit amazed at the runner this boy of ours has become. But even more amazed at the things he is learning through this whole running thing. He has a teammate that is a very talented runner too. In cross country there was a little bit of tension at the beginning of the year. Everyone trying to find their place, making their way as freshmen. My boy is as competetive as they come, he loves to win. But he also loves to be a part of a team. This little rivalry could have gone a couple of ways. But I just had to smile and snap a picture in my mind at the track meet. These two guys, running the 2-mile race together. Running at the front of the pack, setting the pace, working together as a team. Smiling and enjoying the race and the friendship they have formed. Finishing first and second. And when it was over, my boy telling me "that was the most fun race ever!" He and his friend work together, they encourage each other, they challenge each other and sometimes, they even trade off who wins the race. I forgot my camera that day, but I've got that snapshot saved!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Time for some Claraisms
My girl is funny! Okay...hysterical! And she still just says the cutest things. So, it's time for some of the latest Claraisms. Enjoy!
"Daddy, we went to Sonic and I had teeter totters." (tater tots)
"Wanna play a game of wool?" (war)
"Beniz naughty ducks..." (Feliz Navidad)
Clara calls her big brother "Buddy"......
"Buddy loves syrup. Not Buddy our son."
She is learning to read, so I bought a classic collection of "Dick and Jane" books....but she calls them
"Chick and Jane" or occasionally "Nook and Jane".
She told Buddy one day "you are giving me a hiccup."
"If you spell dog backwards it spells Jesus."
Clara loves to eat "Chicken Slow Made" (chicken lo mein)
"Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Kai Lan laid an egg." (She carries on the Pierce gift for song lyrics.)
"Do you know what an upside down "i" is? An exciting mark. Like "Mommy is so happy...exciting mark."
(exclamation point)
"Are we going to do anything? I'm so boring!"
"Buddy, you are making me so annoying!"
And one of our personal favorites....one night Clara had Judy (her bitty baby....very important part of the family) sitting in her chair at the table. Judy has a very specific high pitched baby voice. And "Judy" just kept talking sassy to Daddy. So Daddy warned Judy that if she didn't stop being sassy, she was going to get her mommy (Clara) in trouble. Well, Judy just couldn't restrain herself and she was sassy again. So, Daddy sent Clara to the stairs for timeout. Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth! Clara was so offended and wounded. When she finally came back to the table, she was pretty inconsolable. She cried to her daddy "why you call me Judy instead of this little baby, I'm Clara!!! It was Judy that was being sassy!" She was totally serious, big crocodile tears. Her brother was really helpful, as he was laying on the table laughing until he cried. Okay....I might have had a couple of laughter tears myself. Joe stayed the course. But eventually had to leave the room before he burst!
Oh how this child makes me smile!!!
"Daddy, we went to Sonic and I had teeter totters." (tater tots)
"Wanna play a game of wool?" (war)
"Beniz naughty ducks..." (Feliz Navidad)
Clara calls her big brother "Buddy"......
"Buddy loves syrup. Not Buddy our son."
She is learning to read, so I bought a classic collection of "Dick and Jane" books....but she calls them
"Chick and Jane" or occasionally "Nook and Jane".
She told Buddy one day "you are giving me a hiccup."
"If you spell dog backwards it spells Jesus."
Clara loves to eat "Chicken Slow Made" (chicken lo mein)
"Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Kai Lan laid an egg." (She carries on the Pierce gift for song lyrics.)
"Do you know what an upside down "i" is? An exciting mark. Like "Mommy is so happy...exciting mark."
(exclamation point)
"Are we going to do anything? I'm so boring!"
"Buddy, you are making me so annoying!"
And one of our personal favorites....one night Clara had Judy (her bitty baby....very important part of the family) sitting in her chair at the table. Judy has a very specific high pitched baby voice. And "Judy" just kept talking sassy to Daddy. So Daddy warned Judy that if she didn't stop being sassy, she was going to get her mommy (Clara) in trouble. Well, Judy just couldn't restrain herself and she was sassy again. So, Daddy sent Clara to the stairs for timeout. Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth! Clara was so offended and wounded. When she finally came back to the table, she was pretty inconsolable. She cried to her daddy "why you call me Judy instead of this little baby, I'm Clara!!! It was Judy that was being sassy!" She was totally serious, big crocodile tears. Her brother was really helpful, as he was laying on the table laughing until he cried. Okay....I might have had a couple of laughter tears myself. Joe stayed the course. But eventually had to leave the room before he burst!
Oh how this child makes me smile!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Celebrating the small victories
Funny how our perspective changes as we get older. When I was in my twenties I thought I might change the world. In my thirties I very much enjoyed my little world. In my forties I was busy in my little world. And now, in the fifties, I'm just happy to celebrate small victories. Funny what can make a girl happy at this point. Here are a few of my favorites lately.
- I weighed less at my annual exam than I did this time last year. Whoop! Whoop! Can I get an amen sister?!
- My children eat fish. I know, sounds silly. But honestly, each time I fix some salmon or tilapia for dinner and my children get excited and all happy and scarf it down, I get happy. You see, for me at their age, if a meal didn't include Funyuns or Chicken in a Biskit crackers, it just wasn't a meal. The only fish we ate came in stick form. Fruit and vegetables came from cans. Except when my dad grew it in the garden....but I didn't really like those vegetables...because he didn't grow corn. So the real victory here? I have evolved! Well, at least a little. Honestly, the big kid got so excited when he saw the fish in the oven last night that I think I strained a muscle patting myself on the back.
- I let the big kid drive right after he got his permit. I realize this isn't a huge thing for most people. But I am one of those people who just gets really nervous about other people's driving. YES....I KNOW IT IS A CONTROL THING! I've been this way since I was a little girl. My mom used to scare the poo out of me. I very possibly rode on the floor of my mom's yellow Vega the whole time she was driving through some curving roads in Arkansas on a "girls trip" when I was like 11. Now you get it, right?! It's a big deal that I let the teenager behind the wheel...of MY car...on a rainy morning...only moments after he got his permit. Just sayin!
- Did I mention that I weighed less at my annual exam this year than I did last year?
- I started a book club with some friends. I've missed being in a book club the last few years. But schedules and little ones and big ones just made it impossible. So, I found some friends who were flexible with times and seem to like similar books. So I started a book club. Yippee Skippee!!! In case you didn't know, I love books. And I love to talk books with my friends. Unfortunately, I should not be in charge of anything. Because I couldn't even remember what day we were meeting this month. BUT...I surround myself with younger friends with better memories. So, it all works out!
- I got my reading glasses back that I left at the Wine Bar last month at book club. I got them back when we went to same said Wine Bar for book club this month. I count that a victory because I actually remembered to get them while Iwas there. Obviously I never managed to do that in the 30 days in between book club.
It's all about celebrating the small victories people!
- I weighed less at my annual exam than I did this time last year. Whoop! Whoop! Can I get an amen sister?!
- My children eat fish. I know, sounds silly. But honestly, each time I fix some salmon or tilapia for dinner and my children get excited and all happy and scarf it down, I get happy. You see, for me at their age, if a meal didn't include Funyuns or Chicken in a Biskit crackers, it just wasn't a meal. The only fish we ate came in stick form. Fruit and vegetables came from cans. Except when my dad grew it in the garden....but I didn't really like those vegetables...because he didn't grow corn. So the real victory here? I have evolved! Well, at least a little. Honestly, the big kid got so excited when he saw the fish in the oven last night that I think I strained a muscle patting myself on the back.
- I let the big kid drive right after he got his permit. I realize this isn't a huge thing for most people. But I am one of those people who just gets really nervous about other people's driving. YES....I KNOW IT IS A CONTROL THING! I've been this way since I was a little girl. My mom used to scare the poo out of me. I very possibly rode on the floor of my mom's yellow Vega the whole time she was driving through some curving roads in Arkansas on a "girls trip" when I was like 11. Now you get it, right?! It's a big deal that I let the teenager behind the wheel...of MY car...on a rainy morning...only moments after he got his permit. Just sayin!
- Did I mention that I weighed less at my annual exam this year than I did last year?
- I started a book club with some friends. I've missed being in a book club the last few years. But schedules and little ones and big ones just made it impossible. So, I found some friends who were flexible with times and seem to like similar books. So I started a book club. Yippee Skippee!!! In case you didn't know, I love books. And I love to talk books with my friends. Unfortunately, I should not be in charge of anything. Because I couldn't even remember what day we were meeting this month. BUT...I surround myself with younger friends with better memories. So, it all works out!
- I got my reading glasses back that I left at the Wine Bar last month at book club. I got them back when we went to same said Wine Bar for book club this month. I count that a victory because I actually remembered to get them while Iwas there. Obviously I never managed to do that in the 30 days in between book club.
It's all about celebrating the small victories people!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The best gifts...
In my lifetime, God has blessed me with some wonderful friends. Mostly, God has surpised me with friendships that were totally ordained by him. I'm not one of those people who has friendships from my childhood that have lasted my whole life. We moved several times when I was growing up. And I had good friends at each location, but it's hard to keep really close friendships long distance when you are growing up. I'll admit, there are times when I'm a little jealous of people who have been best friends since they were kids. That is a gift! BUT...God has more than made up for that with the friends he has given me over the past twenty years.
Harrison has several friends that he has known since he was little. I love looking at pictures of Harrison and Braden when they were toddlers and then seeing them both now that they are six feet tall. Or Harrison and his buddy Bradley, who even though Brad moved away several years ago, they have truly maintained a good friendship long distance. I've found the friends Harrison has to be such a blessing. There is nothing like knowing your children have wonderful friendships.
And Clara, bless her heart, has been drug around to all her big brother's activities since the minute she came home. And I'll admit I haven't been as good at fostering close friendships for her. But God is faithful, even when I'm not. Harrison and I are people who need that one very best friend. We have lots of friends, but we need to know that we have that one BFF who has our back no matter what. Clara...well, she likes to have everyone be best friends. She includes everybody. She is the girl I wanted to be best friends with growing up. She's easy going, everybody loves her, she's forgiving, she doesn't mind sharing. She's much like my best friend Jenny from junior high and high school.
It's funny how things work out. We finally found a flock (small group) at church that was the right fit for us. It's a family flock. We meet in someone's home and bring the kids and we eat dinner, worship, study the Word, and pray together. In the midst of finding this flock, God brought me a friend...another Jenny...who totally gets me. Now I've been blessed with my "C" friends, Christine and Christi, who not only get me, but love me in spite of me. And I figured that was pretty generous. But...God went ahead and gave me another friend as a bonus.
Well, about 16 months ago, Jenny and her family welcomed their new daughter Lauren into their family. Lauren was almost five when she came home from China. She had a "special need"...except someone forgot to tell her that. Lauren's hands and feet are shaped different from most peoples. But, that child can do just about anything you can imagine, she is one independent little fire cracker. She is loud and hilarious and absolutely contagious! Well, Lauren and Clara have become buddies. Lauren often calls her buddy "MyClara" when she speaks to or about her. These two make me laugh. They had their first sleepover the other night. And Lauren promptly came down with tap shoes on (did I mention we have brick floors?). We learned pretty quickly to hide the microphone with the amplifier when Lauren is coming...did I mention she is loud?
But what I love the most about these two little cuties is how sweet their friendship is. Clara never tries to mother Lauren. But she watches and then if Lauren is having trouble doing something with her hands, Clara will sweetly ask "would you like any help?" One time in the car when they were getting buckled I heard Clara say "it must be kinda hard to do that with just one finger." Lauren said "yeah, sometimes." It's not because she sees Lauren as having a "special need", it's just Clara's heart to want to help. And Lauren, she truly loves and appreciates Clara. She is the picture of happiness when she spies her friend Clara. The other day Lauren was here and it was beautiful outside. So the girls were drawing with sidewalk chalk. I snapped a picture of the girls tracing each others hands. It is a beautiful picture of their friendship. You see neither one of them sees the other as different, they just see their friend. Isn't that how God wants us to see each other? Just the way He sees us.
Best Friends
You just never know what they are up to.
Thank you God, for sweet friends!
Harrison has several friends that he has known since he was little. I love looking at pictures of Harrison and Braden when they were toddlers and then seeing them both now that they are six feet tall. Or Harrison and his buddy Bradley, who even though Brad moved away several years ago, they have truly maintained a good friendship long distance. I've found the friends Harrison has to be such a blessing. There is nothing like knowing your children have wonderful friendships.
And Clara, bless her heart, has been drug around to all her big brother's activities since the minute she came home. And I'll admit I haven't been as good at fostering close friendships for her. But God is faithful, even when I'm not. Harrison and I are people who need that one very best friend. We have lots of friends, but we need to know that we have that one BFF who has our back no matter what. Clara...well, she likes to have everyone be best friends. She includes everybody. She is the girl I wanted to be best friends with growing up. She's easy going, everybody loves her, she's forgiving, she doesn't mind sharing. She's much like my best friend Jenny from junior high and high school.
It's funny how things work out. We finally found a flock (small group) at church that was the right fit for us. It's a family flock. We meet in someone's home and bring the kids and we eat dinner, worship, study the Word, and pray together. In the midst of finding this flock, God brought me a friend...another Jenny...who totally gets me. Now I've been blessed with my "C" friends, Christine and Christi, who not only get me, but love me in spite of me. And I figured that was pretty generous. But...God went ahead and gave me another friend as a bonus.
Well, about 16 months ago, Jenny and her family welcomed their new daughter Lauren into their family. Lauren was almost five when she came home from China. She had a "special need"...except someone forgot to tell her that. Lauren's hands and feet are shaped different from most peoples. But, that child can do just about anything you can imagine, she is one independent little fire cracker. She is loud and hilarious and absolutely contagious! Well, Lauren and Clara have become buddies. Lauren often calls her buddy "MyClara" when she speaks to or about her. These two make me laugh. They had their first sleepover the other night. And Lauren promptly came down with tap shoes on (did I mention we have brick floors?). We learned pretty quickly to hide the microphone with the amplifier when Lauren is coming...did I mention she is loud?
But what I love the most about these two little cuties is how sweet their friendship is. Clara never tries to mother Lauren. But she watches and then if Lauren is having trouble doing something with her hands, Clara will sweetly ask "would you like any help?" One time in the car when they were getting buckled I heard Clara say "it must be kinda hard to do that with just one finger." Lauren said "yeah, sometimes." It's not because she sees Lauren as having a "special need", it's just Clara's heart to want to help. And Lauren, she truly loves and appreciates Clara. She is the picture of happiness when she spies her friend Clara. The other day Lauren was here and it was beautiful outside. So the girls were drawing with sidewalk chalk. I snapped a picture of the girls tracing each others hands. It is a beautiful picture of their friendship. You see neither one of them sees the other as different, they just see their friend. Isn't that how God wants us to see each other? Just the way He sees us.
Thank you God, for sweet friends!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Entitled?
Today I started a new Beth Moore Bible study on the book of James. Last summer our pastor taught on James. Man...it hit home! And I said one night at flock "I think God may have me camp in James for awhile." Over the past few months I've read in James quite a bit. And when the opportunity came to do this study, and it fell on a Tuesday (my only full-day for Clara), I knew I really needed to do it.
So today was the introduction. And Beth is introducing James and a little history. And of course, she dives right in. One thing she said really struck a cord with me. She said (not an exact quote), "Jesus didn't come bringing entitlement. He came bringing mercy and grace." Ouch! So, the Son of God didn't bring an air of entitlement. The One and Only who deservedly is entitled brought grace and mercy? So, our Savior didn't come feeling He was entitled. He freely gave grace and mercy. He met with those who needed Him. He didn't feel he should be driven around in a certain model of donkey? He didn't fuss if he didn't have 800 thread count sheets on his pallet on the hard floor? He didn't have a pity party if he didn't get into the school he wanted? Or get to be in the teacher's class he wanted? Or be in the small group with his friends at Bible study? So, does this mean he wasn't offended if someone cut in front of him? What about if he did some awesome miracle but the story got bumped from the news because of a Charlie Sheen story?
Beth reminded us that Christ didn't come to be a public figure. He came to be a personal savior. He did miracles because someone needed a miracle. Not so he could be noticed or become more famous. So...if we are representing Christ, don't we need to imitate him? Shouldn't we approach everyone with grace and mercy...not a sense of entitlement? Should we give freely and generously, as Christ has given to us? Even if they aren't "deserving"? Since I'm certainly not deserving of anything God has done for me. Beth Moore made a profound statement, "I don't just want to be what I've been delivered from. I want to be who I am delivered to!" Amen! We need to be delivered TO someone, not just FROM something!
At dinner tonight we discussed a little about entitlement. We live such an entitled lifestyle. Think, really think, about what we take for granted that we are entitled to. Why do my kids get to go to school, but millions of kids around the world don't? Why do I sleep in a warm bed with a full tummy? But millions go to bed (and I use that term lightly) hungry everyday. Those are some of the obvious things. If you really think about it, what else do you really feel entitled to? I was humbled and ashamed as I thought about it. I'm overwhelmed by God's grace and mercy that He has generously poured on me! Lord, please help me to be mindful, each day, of your grace and mercy in my life. And please, help me each day to give more and more and more grace and mercy to others. Don't let this lesson be something I forget in a few days or a few weeks.
So today was the introduction. And Beth is introducing James and a little history. And of course, she dives right in. One thing she said really struck a cord with me. She said (not an exact quote), "Jesus didn't come bringing entitlement. He came bringing mercy and grace." Ouch! So, the Son of God didn't bring an air of entitlement. The One and Only who deservedly is entitled brought grace and mercy? So, our Savior didn't come feeling He was entitled. He freely gave grace and mercy. He met with those who needed Him. He didn't feel he should be driven around in a certain model of donkey? He didn't fuss if he didn't have 800 thread count sheets on his pallet on the hard floor? He didn't have a pity party if he didn't get into the school he wanted? Or get to be in the teacher's class he wanted? Or be in the small group with his friends at Bible study? So, does this mean he wasn't offended if someone cut in front of him? What about if he did some awesome miracle but the story got bumped from the news because of a Charlie Sheen story?
Beth reminded us that Christ didn't come to be a public figure. He came to be a personal savior. He did miracles because someone needed a miracle. Not so he could be noticed or become more famous. So...if we are representing Christ, don't we need to imitate him? Shouldn't we approach everyone with grace and mercy...not a sense of entitlement? Should we give freely and generously, as Christ has given to us? Even if they aren't "deserving"? Since I'm certainly not deserving of anything God has done for me. Beth Moore made a profound statement, "I don't just want to be what I've been delivered from. I want to be who I am delivered to!" Amen! We need to be delivered TO someone, not just FROM something!
At dinner tonight we discussed a little about entitlement. We live such an entitled lifestyle. Think, really think, about what we take for granted that we are entitled to. Why do my kids get to go to school, but millions of kids around the world don't? Why do I sleep in a warm bed with a full tummy? But millions go to bed (and I use that term lightly) hungry everyday. Those are some of the obvious things. If you really think about it, what else do you really feel entitled to? I was humbled and ashamed as I thought about it. I'm overwhelmed by God's grace and mercy that He has generously poured on me! Lord, please help me to be mindful, each day, of your grace and mercy in my life. And please, help me each day to give more and more and more grace and mercy to others. Don't let this lesson be something I forget in a few days or a few weeks.
Monday, January 2, 2012
A Year in BOOK Review
You know I love to read. And I've revealed that I'm a nerd and keep a book journal. I keep track of all the books I've read, write a little review, and rank them all on a 0-5 scale. And I admit that now, I make a note if I borrowed the book from someone so that I don't drive myself insane trying to locate it if someone asks me for it. So, here are the books from 2011 and their ratings.
1 - "Spoken From the Heart" by Laura Bush 3.75
2 - "Love Walked In" by Marisa DeLos Santos 4.5
3 - "Lipstick in Afghanistan" by Roberta Gateley 4.5
4 - "Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper 3.0
5 - "Death in a Prairie House" by William R. Drennan 3.75
6 - "Your Boy" by Vicki Courtney 4.5 (have read this one before...needed a review)
7 - "Extraordinary Ordinary People" by Condoleeza Rice 4.5
8 - "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) 4.0
9 - "Baby We Were Meant for Each Other" by Scott Simon 4.0
10 - "The Personal History of Rachel Dupree" by Ann Weisgarber 4.75
11 - "Saving Levi" by Lisa Misraje Bentley 3.5
12 - "Heaven Is Real" by Todd Burpo 4.25
13 - "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates (Read more than half but never finished...too slow)
14 - "Decision Points" by George W. Bush 4.25
15 - "Radical" by David Platt 5.0
16 - "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett 5.0 (I've read this before and was just as wonderful the 2nd time)
17 - "Angel Falls" by Kristin Hannah 3.75
18 - "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen 4.25
19 - "Walking Across Egypt" by Clyde Edgerton 4.0
20 - "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet" by Jamie Ford 5.0
21 - "The Winds of War" by Herman Wouk (I've read 500 pages and will finish sometime, it is VERY tedious with details...but the history is great)
22 - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak 4.75
23 - "For Time and Eternity" by Allison Pittman 3.5
24 - "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grisson 4.5
25 - "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana De Rosnay 5.0
26 - "The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright 4.0
27 - "Shadow of Ashland" by Terence M. Green 3.75
28 - "I Still Dream About You" by Fannie Flagg 3.75
29 - "Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 4.50
30 - "A Lancaster County Christmas" by Suzanne Woods Fisher 3.75
31 - "Kisses from Katie" by Katie David 4.75
32 - "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard 4.25
My favorite funny line from a book this year was in "Love Walked In"...."If you've ever considered having a conversation about your sex life in a South Philadelphia cheese shop, stop that thought in its tracks right now and wring it's scrawny little neck."
Two of my favorite quotes from "Radical" give me much to think about....."What would happen if together we stopped giving our scraps to the poor and started giving surplus? What if we started giving not just what we are able to give but beyond what we are able to give? What if, like the widow in Luke 21 who gave all she had, we began to give what it hurt us to give? What if we gave like this, not just because of the critical need around us, but because this kind of giving is actually what the heart of Christ in us both demands and desires?' AND...."Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
So many books, so little time!
1 - "Spoken From the Heart" by Laura Bush 3.75
2 - "Love Walked In" by Marisa DeLos Santos 4.5
3 - "Lipstick in Afghanistan" by Roberta Gateley 4.5
4 - "Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper 3.0
5 - "Death in a Prairie House" by William R. Drennan 3.75
6 - "Your Boy" by Vicki Courtney 4.5 (have read this one before...needed a review)
7 - "Extraordinary Ordinary People" by Condoleeza Rice 4.5
8 - "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) 4.0
9 - "Baby We Were Meant for Each Other" by Scott Simon 4.0
10 - "The Personal History of Rachel Dupree" by Ann Weisgarber 4.75
11 - "Saving Levi" by Lisa Misraje Bentley 3.5
12 - "Heaven Is Real" by Todd Burpo 4.25
13 - "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates (Read more than half but never finished...too slow)
14 - "Decision Points" by George W. Bush 4.25
15 - "Radical" by David Platt 5.0
16 - "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett 5.0 (I've read this before and was just as wonderful the 2nd time)
17 - "Angel Falls" by Kristin Hannah 3.75
18 - "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen 4.25
19 - "Walking Across Egypt" by Clyde Edgerton 4.0
20 - "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet" by Jamie Ford 5.0
21 - "The Winds of War" by Herman Wouk (I've read 500 pages and will finish sometime, it is VERY tedious with details...but the history is great)
22 - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak 4.75
23 - "For Time and Eternity" by Allison Pittman 3.5
24 - "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grisson 4.5
25 - "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana De Rosnay 5.0
26 - "The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright 4.0
27 - "Shadow of Ashland" by Terence M. Green 3.75
28 - "I Still Dream About You" by Fannie Flagg 3.75
29 - "Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 4.50
30 - "A Lancaster County Christmas" by Suzanne Woods Fisher 3.75
31 - "Kisses from Katie" by Katie David 4.75
32 - "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard 4.25
My favorite funny line from a book this year was in "Love Walked In"...."If you've ever considered having a conversation about your sex life in a South Philadelphia cheese shop, stop that thought in its tracks right now and wring it's scrawny little neck."
Two of my favorite quotes from "Radical" give me much to think about....."What would happen if together we stopped giving our scraps to the poor and started giving surplus? What if we started giving not just what we are able to give but beyond what we are able to give? What if, like the widow in Luke 21 who gave all she had, we began to give what it hurt us to give? What if we gave like this, not just because of the critical need around us, but because this kind of giving is actually what the heart of Christ in us both demands and desires?' AND...."Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
So many books, so little time!
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Traditions....I love them!
I love Christmas! And I love traditions. We didn't have a lot of traditions growing up, so I may have gone a little overboard with my kids. But I want them to remember these times and hopefully pass a few on to their own kids someday. What are your favorite Christmas traditions?
Here are a few of ours...
- On Christmas Eve we open one gift...always new pajamas for everyone.
- We also go to church Christmas Eve and read the book "A Tale of Three Trees" each year.
- We set out cookies and milk for Santa and usually a letter is written to Santa (when they are young enough).
- Each year we get the kids an ornament that is related to something in their life that year. I keep a little journal for each of the kids and write down the ornament and why it is significant. Then someday when they take their ornaments to their own home they can look back at the journal as they put their ornaments on their tree.
- When Harrison was little he always slept with us on Christmas Eve (so he wouldn't get up an peek...not that he would EVER do that). Clara is a better sleeper so she doesn't usually do this. Now she and Harrison let us know when they are awake and they have to wait at the top of the stairs until we tell them to come down.
- Santa fills the kids stockings. That's really the only credit Santa gets around here. We don't make a big deal out of him.
- Each of us gets only three gifts...since Jesus got gold, frankincense and myrrh. This simplifies Christmas and makes us really think about what we are giving.
- For the four of us, I wrap all our gifts in plain paper and paint on them for decoration. Usually I use brown mailing paper, but this year I used solid red and green. Harrison requested that I go back to the brown...he likes traditions. : )
- When Harrison was in kindergarten we started going to make a Christmas plate each year. And once Clara got a little bigger she started helping with the plate. Now I have a whole set of plates with the kids art on them for Christmas. This is one of our absolute favorite traditions! As soon as Thanksgiving dinner is done we get the Christmas plates down and use them everyday. It is so fun!
- The last couple of years we have gone caroling with our flock (small group) from church here on our street. This is one of my favorite things that I hope will continue for many years. I remember piling in the back of a pickup and going caroling as a kid. I'm glad my kids are making these memories with our sweet flock family.
- We always celebrate Christmas with some of our friends too. Last night we did the annual Merideth Christmas get together. The Merideths have been kind enough to welcome us into their family. And we always enjoy getting together and sharing a meal, opening gifts and usually playing Apples to Apples or some other game. We celebrate Christmas with the Ingles by mail now, since they moved to Texas. But we used to do the same thing with them when they lived here.
- Throughout the Christmas season we have an advent wreath on our dining room table. Each week we read the meaning of each candle and focus on God's gift of His precious Son. And on Christmas morning we read the Christmas story in the Bible and light the Christ candle.
- Of course, we have a stack of Christmas books that come out after Thanksgiving and we read those throughout the season. And we try to watch several Christmas movies throughout the month too.
- And last year, Joey the Elf joined our Christmas traditions. Joey is our Elf on The Shelf. And Clara is CRAZY about him! It is so fun to watch her try to find him each day. And I have caught her more than once just talking to Joey, telling her whole life story to him. This morning I heard her saying "I hope I'm on the nice list, I really try to be nice, but sometimes I'm not." So fun having a 6 year old in the house!
I've probably forgotten something. But those are most of our favorites that we have consistently done for years. Christmas (not "the holidays") is my favorite time of year. I love reading the story of Christ's birth in my quiet time over and over during this month. Seems like I pick up a little something new each year. What a blessing it is to have the freedom to worship God and celebrate Jesus not only at Christmas, but throughout the year. Merry Christmas!
Here are a few of ours...
- On Christmas Eve we open one gift...always new pajamas for everyone.
- We also go to church Christmas Eve and read the book "A Tale of Three Trees" each year.
- We set out cookies and milk for Santa and usually a letter is written to Santa (when they are young enough).
- Each year we get the kids an ornament that is related to something in their life that year. I keep a little journal for each of the kids and write down the ornament and why it is significant. Then someday when they take their ornaments to their own home they can look back at the journal as they put their ornaments on their tree.
- When Harrison was little he always slept with us on Christmas Eve (so he wouldn't get up an peek...not that he would EVER do that). Clara is a better sleeper so she doesn't usually do this. Now she and Harrison let us know when they are awake and they have to wait at the top of the stairs until we tell them to come down.
- Santa fills the kids stockings. That's really the only credit Santa gets around here. We don't make a big deal out of him.
- Each of us gets only three gifts...since Jesus got gold, frankincense and myrrh. This simplifies Christmas and makes us really think about what we are giving.
- For the four of us, I wrap all our gifts in plain paper and paint on them for decoration. Usually I use brown mailing paper, but this year I used solid red and green. Harrison requested that I go back to the brown...he likes traditions. : )
- When Harrison was in kindergarten we started going to make a Christmas plate each year. And once Clara got a little bigger she started helping with the plate. Now I have a whole set of plates with the kids art on them for Christmas. This is one of our absolute favorite traditions! As soon as Thanksgiving dinner is done we get the Christmas plates down and use them everyday. It is so fun!
- The last couple of years we have gone caroling with our flock (small group) from church here on our street. This is one of my favorite things that I hope will continue for many years. I remember piling in the back of a pickup and going caroling as a kid. I'm glad my kids are making these memories with our sweet flock family.
- We always celebrate Christmas with some of our friends too. Last night we did the annual Merideth Christmas get together. The Merideths have been kind enough to welcome us into their family. And we always enjoy getting together and sharing a meal, opening gifts and usually playing Apples to Apples or some other game. We celebrate Christmas with the Ingles by mail now, since they moved to Texas. But we used to do the same thing with them when they lived here.
- Throughout the Christmas season we have an advent wreath on our dining room table. Each week we read the meaning of each candle and focus on God's gift of His precious Son. And on Christmas morning we read the Christmas story in the Bible and light the Christ candle.
- Of course, we have a stack of Christmas books that come out after Thanksgiving and we read those throughout the season. And we try to watch several Christmas movies throughout the month too.
- And last year, Joey the Elf joined our Christmas traditions. Joey is our Elf on The Shelf. And Clara is CRAZY about him! It is so fun to watch her try to find him each day. And I have caught her more than once just talking to Joey, telling her whole life story to him. This morning I heard her saying "I hope I'm on the nice list, I really try to be nice, but sometimes I'm not." So fun having a 6 year old in the house!
I've probably forgotten something. But those are most of our favorites that we have consistently done for years. Christmas (not "the holidays") is my favorite time of year. I love reading the story of Christ's birth in my quiet time over and over during this month. Seems like I pick up a little something new each year. What a blessing it is to have the freedom to worship God and celebrate Jesus not only at Christmas, but throughout the year. Merry Christmas!
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