The Perfect Christmas

We all have a picture in our minds of what the perfect Christmas would be like, don't we? Mine involves lots of family, plenty of food, everyone pitching in to clean up, having energy to play with each grandchild and spending extra time with each older family member, all the while praising God and exuding joy and beneficence over all with whom I come in contact. I don't know where I got this ideal from, but it certainly hasn't been my experience (especially the last part, I'm sorry to say.) I was reminded of my expectations this morning when I woke up at 4:30 with a stuffy head and sore throat. Not today, not when Joel and his family are coming from Georgia tonight! As the day has progressed, other needs, burdens, and little glitches have presented themselves. It's tempting to get frustrated by all this real life that is interfering with my ideal.

Right now, I'm catching my breath and pondering that first Christmas.... one unexpected thing after another, and none of them easy! Mary and Joseph had to leave home when it was least convenient in order to answer a government summons, no comfortable accommodations were available for her as she went into labor, no one pampered her through childbirth and postpartum, and they didn't even get to go home right away! Someone was out to find and kill the child, so she and Joseph had to flee with their child to a foreign place.

In spite of how this all looked, though, everything was under the eye and hand of a loving heavenly Father. In so far as it happened according to His will, it was a perfect Christmas! The promise of the Messiah was fulfilled, and real people enduring real hardship were very much a part of those promises coming to pass. As life moved on for Mary, she would endure much more suffering and heartache, but she always knew that she had committed herself to God's care that day the angel first appeared and she said, "Be it done to me according to your word." As hard as things got, the glorious day of the resurrection made everything clear. He did everything He had promised.

As I try to finish up the prep for the week-end and pray for friends and family who are having a difficult time, I'm thankful for the reality of the gospel. My idea of "perfect" is so shallow and selfish; God's kind of perfect is life-giving! These momentary sufferings and hardships are under the care of One who came to live a most inconvenient human life, to die so we could live! I pray that your Christmas will be perfect this year -- that you will truly know "Emmanuel", God with us, and that you will know joy and peace in believing.

Hello, old friend

It's been about four years since I've had my sewing machine out. Something about this season, though, always makes me itsy to create a little something that won't be consumed by January 2nd. This year I decided to pull down some fabric from the attic and make some quick aprons. It's not a lot, but it satisfies my need for color and tactile activity. Of course, that means other things aren't being done right now, but I'll catch up later. And my sweet hubby is fixing dinner tonight so I can have this brief time of R & R.

Tradition!

December is here and I think I'm the only one without any Christmas decorations up yet! Not to worry, though; we're right on track with the traditional Trumbo approach to the holidays. Tomorrow is the day to put up the Christmas wreath and the window candles. Saturday I'll wash the holiday mugs for display and use. Next week I'll put the garland up in the dining room and hang some mistletoe. Then the baking begins! We will get our tree on December 18th. Why so late? Because we always wait until school is out so we can actually enjoy the process of putting it up and decorating. (And Rick likes to look for "specials" as the countdown of days gets closer to the 25th.) The girls will hang the ornaments after Rick tussles with the lights. Then, we'll settle back and enjoy the lovely soft lights and the amazing aroma of fresh pine. That, more than anything else, puts me in the Christmas mood.

I think my family's favorite tradition has to do with food, though. Like everyone else, I do a lot of holiday baking - special cookies and treats that I only make once a year. I begin early and freeze as much as I can for Christmas day. On that day, I put out a dessert buffet of all the goodies, and everyone is allowed to eat from it at any time of the day. I don't monitor my husband's fat intake or my children's sugar intake that day - it's one of my gifts to them. ☺ We enjoy a bountiful breakfast that morning, then keep a pot of Christmas stew on the stove and fresh bread on the counter for whenever anyone gets hungry. After breakfast, there's the general mayhem of presents and play, and with five children, eight grandchildren, and my mom all pitching in, that's a lot of activity!

The predictability of these things is one of the special aspects of the Christmas season. It's the anticipation of the special foods, the favorite ornaments, the same routine that generates an eager, joyful feeling about the holidays. The shared memories of family traditions is a gift that I enjoy year after year.

The Holidays - Cheers! or Oh Dear!

The early promotion of the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons sets off a low-grade panic in my mind. There are so many options everywhere that I feel like there's no way I'll do everything that needs to be done before the happy day of December 25th. Add to that the budget constraints that most people are still under and that time of joy begins to feel like a long, dreadful march uphill in the rain!

This week is Thanksgiving, and what I had originally foreseen as a quiet, "no fuss" holiday for this year to accomodate the tiredness I feel from this busy fall has morphed into more of a "deal" at our home than I thought I wanted. But this morning, as we prayed the prayer of confession at church, I became aware of the magnitude of my selfishness. We have so much to be thankful for! How can I possibly want to just shut the door to others who are without family or resources? Shame on me! Thankfully, God is always gracious and forgiving, and my heart was calmed as I asked for strength and joy to serve and welcome whomever He adds to our celebration this year.

Christmas is next. As we look at our calendar and I try to figure out how to shop and prepare, I keep thinking about the importance of joy in this celebration. Once again, I'll need grace for that to happen. I've already been encouraged along those lines by Nancy Wilson's excellent post about Christmas at Femina this week-end.(see link under Good Reads) Be sure to check it out!

And, in the words of Fra Giovanni, "Take joy"!

Bless or Impress?

What motivates us to do what we do? I know for many girls and women, it's the desire to impress someone - parents,teachers,a young man,a spouse,co-workers,other moms,employers, etc. Our desire for approval impacts our decisions, large and small. Even something as simple as what to wear can be a big deal when we're concerned about impressing some one. Does this mean we shouldn't factor in other people at all as we make decisions? I don't think so. As a Christian, I need to remember that I'm called to a life that is God-ward first and foremost, but my expression of love and faith is lived out with other people. My motivation for choosing to clean house, do laundry, dress tastefully, wash my hair, cook tasty and nutritous meals, etc. is based on God's call on my life. In Genesis 12, when God called Abraham, He told him that He would bless him and that Abraham would, in turn, be a blessing to others. So, this idea of "blessed to be a blessing" gives me my framework for decisions. It gives me a focus on both God and others as I make all kinds of decisions each day.

I really don't care whether or not I'm impressive, but I do pray that, in some small way each day, I'll be a blessing. How will you bless those around you this week?

Seasonal Beauty

Autumn is my favorite season! I love everything about it -- the variety of warm and chilly days, the consistently cooler evenings, sweaters, hot drinks, pumpkins, sweet potatoes.... well, you get the picture. But the thing I love most is the breath-taking surprises the trees give. In the midst of the expected greens, yellows, and browns, there will be a glowing red maple that casts rosy light over everything around it. Leaves that appear to be neon orange. Crimson dogwoods. Every year I'm amazed at the beautiful mix of subtlety and boldness in the colors of autumn. The beauty of autumn is different from the beauty of spring - that season of riotous colors from all over the color palette! Autumn's colors are, for the most part, variations on just a few basics.

I was thinking about this today in light of the seasonal beauty of a woman's life. A young woman in the springtime years is energized with possibilities. Having four daughters has allowed me to observe (and remember!) those years of "trying on" different looks and exploring a wide variety of interests. It's an exciting season with a beauty all its own. Then there's summer - that season of sameness, in some respects. Since I live in the South, my experience of summer is one of consistent, and sometimes overwhelming, heat, but there are some of the most gorgeous reflections of light during the summer - a sunrise, sunlight glimmering off a lake or ocean, a sunset in the mountains. The days are intense, much like the early adult years for a woman. If there are young children in the mix, that intensity can be magnified, but the potential for such beauty is there! The beauty of these years comes as we learn to reflect the light of grace in all of our relationships - husband, children, co-workers, parents, and siblings.

Autumn is definitely my season. The intensity is beginning to wane, and things are more focused. I'm enjoying the fruits of many things during this season. I get to see grandchildren being born as well as reap the benefits of years of teaching (getting to spend more time actually enjoying my students as I need less time to research and prep lessons!) My prayer is that, as I go through this season, I'll be a reflection of focused living in Christ - subtle in some ways, surprisingly bold in other ways! As winter approaches, I want to experience the beauty of that season as well. Winter can be stark, but there's a clarity to that starkness and a quietness as things rest. Snow is the most beautiful aspect of winter - a blanket of clean peacefulness that falls over our little part of the world. I want to be that way for those in my life -- peaceful, settled, yet with a clear perspective on life and death that allows both joy in the present and hope for the future.

I pray you'll also enjoy the beauty of the season, both the natural beauty around you as well as the beauty of your season of life.

Fall's a whirlwind!

It's been over a month since I've posted, but that doesn't mean I've been thoughtless for a whole month. (hehehe) I've been pondering a few things I want to blog about, but this first October entry is something easy - FOOD!
Many of you don't know that Rick taught at a boarding school for twenty-six years, and our family lived on campus. That means that we ate meals in the dining hall for nine months out of the year. I know; pretty sweet, huh? I learned to like things I probably wouldn't have tried if I'd been doing the menu planning (like salmon), but I also learned what a pleasure cooking can be. Now that we live in our own home with me as the chef, I'm finding new and wonderful things to make. At least, they're new for us.
For tonight, I'm preparing a recent find: Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese (modified from the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook)
8 oz. cooked macaroni (I ususally do a wee bit more)
3-4 c. shredded sharp ceddar chesse
1 13 oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs (I beat these before adding them)
a pat of butter (about 2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
some fresh ground pepper (to taste)
1/2 tsp ground mustard

Combine all ingredients except 1 cup of cheese in greased slow cooker. (I grab a stick of butter and run it around the sides and bottom to "grease" mine.) Sprinkle reserved cheese on top. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Don't remove lid during cooking!

We'll be enjoying this with grilled Italian sausages, grilled onions and peppers.