I decided to pick up my Bible tonight to start on the reading for my Bible study.
(I haven't really picked up my Bible to sit down and read it for a couple of weeks now...and that makes me sad)
As I was reading through Hebrews 12, my eyes started to well up with tears. Read it for yourself:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses (go read Hebrews 11 if you don't know what this is referring to), let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who also endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
(Get ready for the kicker)
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." (this is found in Proverbs 3:11-12 as well) (vs. 1-6)
I'm just going to stop there for a minute and allow you to soak that in. Re-read it if you need to.
Here's the part that really made me cry:
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. "Make level paths for your feet," (Proverbs 4:26) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. (vs. 7-13)
As I was reading this, welling up with tears, God brought to my mind the struggles I've had with infertility this year...and the fact that I didn't trust and kept trying to make things happen my way. I felt like God was punishing me, by not allowing me to get pregnant. And guess what? I'm thinking now that maybe He was. Would I have gotten pregnant if I had trusted more? It's possible. But, that's not the point. The point is, I didn't trust Him...I didn't want to follow His plan and lean on Him for strength...I wanted to do things alone. And, it took me feeling helpless and alone and finally giving up all those times to realize I couldn't do it without Him. And now, that I feel like I have endured a lot of discipline this year, I am starting to see the part described in verse 11:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
I do feel at peace. I do feel like trusting God is the right way...the best way...to go through this battle.
I don't know many people that like to think about God's wrath very much. I think a lot of times, we tend to think of God's wrath as being an "Old Testament" thing. And yet, it's not. God is a God of wrath...but also a God of love. How do these two seemingly contradicting attributes go with the same God? Simple. We all deserve the wrath of God. All of us. There is not one of us that hasn't sinned, hasn't fallen short, hasn't done something to deserve death. Yet, God offers us His love and forgiveness, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Does that mean He won't pour His wrath out on us? Not necessarily. There is still a consequence for the sins we've committed. There are still residual effects of the things we've done. And, we will still have to answer for them someday. Yet, God still loves us, and in all things, works for the good of those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
Discipline is good. It is not always pleasant. It is not always fun. Most of the time, it just plain sucks. But, it's always best. It's always meant to help us and not to harm us. My parents disciplined me when I lived at home. I may not have always understood it at the time...or even agreed with it...but it was always to help me to see that what I was doing was wrong...or that I was going to hurt myself in the long run by doing it. I hated having a curfew and not being able to do certain things...but you know what? I appreciate it now. Now that I am out of the house and can see why my parents did the things they did...it all makes sense. They just wanted to keep me safe...and in one piece...because of their love for me. Not to stifle me, not to keep me from growing up...to keep me safe. That is all God wants for us, too. He wants to keep us safe and to keep us with Him...so the things of this world will not entice us and make us turn away from Him.
I hated the discipline I had to endure this year. I had many very painful days and nights. But you know what? They helped me get back on track...back on the path God wanted me to be on. A path of trusting God and letting Him have control of my life. And, let me tell you...this path is worth all the discipline in the world.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Out With the Old...
I have never been big on New Year's Resolutions.
I don't really see the point.
If you want to accomplish something or change something about yourself, why wait for the beginning of the year? Why not start now? At least, that's how I've always seen it. I quit soda one year for New Year's...and it worked for about three months...but then I'd had enough. I just don't think there's anything magical about making a resolution at the beginning of the year.
However...
I do love when it's time for a new year to start. Because that means everything starts fresh. Christmas has come and gone, and now it's time to start all over again. I look forward to the ball dropping, because it's like the end of one book closing...allowing a new one to be opened.
My 2010 book was full of lots of blessed memories. I created a collage of some of my favorites.
I got to be a part of so many awesome things this year...
Two celebration dinners on finding out the sex of two beautiful babies
Four weddings, one of which I was in
An amazing retreat with the women in my Wednesday night Bible study and some of my college group girls
The play Wicked with great friends
Our first try at having a BUNCO group. We made it a whole year!
The college group celebrated its one year anniversary
A trip to Colorado to see our dearly loved friends that moved back home
Two surprise parties, one for my hubby and one for a wonderful friend
Josh and I celebrated our second anniversary (in Disneyland!) and five years of being together...as well as our 6th Christmas!
A great friend and I started a women's Bible study
A trip to Yosemite with some awesome friends from church
An amazing missions trip to San Francisco
Many birthday parties and baby showers
I started singing on the worship team for church
The Women of Faith conference
And many other amazing, memorable events
It was a full year. There was rarely a weekend that we didn't have SOMETHING going on. But, that's the way I like it. I love being busy and spending time with those I love. I love being able to look back on my year and smile.
It was a tough year, too. We had to endure a lot of things that were not so fun. I had a lot of personal struggles that were very tough to overcome...some of them that I still deal with daily. But, through it all, I know God was working in our lives. I have seen so much evidence of that. And man...I have an amazing church family. The women in my Bible study...the students involved in the college group...those at our Wednesday night Bible study and at church on Sunday nights...words cannot express how much I appreciate each and every one of them. The encouragement and love they have shown me this year has been incredible.
2010 was a fabulous year. Yes, at times it wasn't very fun...but that's life. You gotta take the good with the bad and ride it out. I am very much looking forward to 2011. I know God has amazing things in store for us and I am excited to experience them!
I don't really see the point.
If you want to accomplish something or change something about yourself, why wait for the beginning of the year? Why not start now? At least, that's how I've always seen it. I quit soda one year for New Year's...and it worked for about three months...but then I'd had enough. I just don't think there's anything magical about making a resolution at the beginning of the year.
However...
I do love when it's time for a new year to start. Because that means everything starts fresh. Christmas has come and gone, and now it's time to start all over again. I look forward to the ball dropping, because it's like the end of one book closing...allowing a new one to be opened.
My 2010 book was full of lots of blessed memories. I created a collage of some of my favorites.
I got to be a part of so many awesome things this year...Two celebration dinners on finding out the sex of two beautiful babies
Four weddings, one of which I was in
An amazing retreat with the women in my Wednesday night Bible study and some of my college group girls
The play Wicked with great friends
Our first try at having a BUNCO group. We made it a whole year!
The college group celebrated its one year anniversary
A trip to Colorado to see our dearly loved friends that moved back home
Two surprise parties, one for my hubby and one for a wonderful friend
Josh and I celebrated our second anniversary (in Disneyland!) and five years of being together...as well as our 6th Christmas!
A great friend and I started a women's Bible study
A trip to Yosemite with some awesome friends from church
An amazing missions trip to San Francisco
Many birthday parties and baby showers
I started singing on the worship team for church
The Women of Faith conference
And many other amazing, memorable events
It was a full year. There was rarely a weekend that we didn't have SOMETHING going on. But, that's the way I like it. I love being busy and spending time with those I love. I love being able to look back on my year and smile.
It was a tough year, too. We had to endure a lot of things that were not so fun. I had a lot of personal struggles that were very tough to overcome...some of them that I still deal with daily. But, through it all, I know God was working in our lives. I have seen so much evidence of that. And man...I have an amazing church family. The women in my Bible study...the students involved in the college group...those at our Wednesday night Bible study and at church on Sunday nights...words cannot express how much I appreciate each and every one of them. The encouragement and love they have shown me this year has been incredible.
2010 was a fabulous year. Yes, at times it wasn't very fun...but that's life. You gotta take the good with the bad and ride it out. I am very much looking forward to 2011. I know God has amazing things in store for us and I am excited to experience them!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Our 6th Christmas
Josh and I celebrated our 6th Christmas together this year.
That is so crazy to me.
We started dating in March of 2005...broke up for two months...got back together in May...broke up for four months...and started dating again in September. So, our first Christmas was celebrated in 2005.
Christmases with Josh have always been special. Our first was interesting because we were meeting each other's families. Our second was super special because that is when Josh proposed. Our third was exciting because we were getting married less than two months later. Our fourth was magical because it was our first as a married couple...and because my sister got engaged. Our fifth was fun because all of our siblings were married and the babies on each side were celebrating their first Christmases as married couples. Our sixth was memorable because it was nice and relaxing.
We went to Josh's parents' house on Christmas Eve and celebrated with his mom's side of the family, as well as his dad's parents. It was a lot of fun. We ate yummy Mexican food, played Pictionary and Wheel of Fortune for the Wii, and decorated gingerbread houses.
We went back to his parents' house on Christmas morning and opened gifts with his immediate family, plus his dad's parents. It's always so fun to see what people get and to see the reactions on their faces when they open their gifts. I was very excited to get a lot of wonderful gifts. Some handmade, others store bought...but all given with love.
We then headed to my parents' house and celebrated with my immediate family. We ate yummy breakfast and then opened our gifts. My sister and her hubby made everyone's gifts this year and they totally rock! We got a beautiful maple wood cutting board that my bro-in-law made, and my sister made the cutest hand towels with a pot holder attached...so you can use them to either pull stuff out of the oven or hang on your oven to use as a hand towel. We felt very spoiled after we got home and had to make many trips into the house to bring in our gifts.
We then got to relax at home for a couple of hours. Josh put together his computer, as he got some much needed parts as gifts...and I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (my favorite, by far). Did I mention that my hubby bought me ALL of the Harry Potter movies for Christmas?? I was SO very excited about them! I now own all six in a nice boxed set. I can watch them whenever I want! It made me quite happy.
After that, we headed to the movie theater with some friends to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I was a little irritated that we HAD to see it in 3D (no theater in our area was showing the 2D version at all on Christmas Day), but it wasn't too bad. It just was an extra $3 per ticket I wish we didn't have to spend. But man...that movie was AMAZING! I think it was definitely my favorite movie of the series so far. I haven't read the book since I was in jr. high, but a lot of it came back to me as I watched the movie. It has such a powerful message and is FULL of Jesus. What a wonderful movie to watch on the day we celebrate His birth!
We then headed over to a friend's house to hang out with those we went to the movies with, as well as a couple of others (dot35 reunion. For those that don't know what that means...it's Josh and his three childhood best friends. There's more to the story than that, but that's the gist of it).
We got home about 11:45pm, after having been awake since 6:20am. It was a long, but wonderful day. I was very happy to have the relax time in the middle...as I was able to get a 20 minute nap in there.
It was, overall, one of the better Christmases that I can remember. Not stressful, not full of running here, there, and everywhere...just the right amount of time spent with family, time spent with friends, and time spent at home. I know every Christmas won't be like that...especially when we get pregnant...so I soaked up as much of this one as I could. I just wish I would have taken more pictures. I am getting really bad about that. And since our camera has dead pixels and we get a weird black spot in every picture, Josh hardly ever brings it anywhere anymore. Perhaps we will have to invest in a cheap point and shot camera for my birthday...
Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling and jumping all over the place...when the point of this post was to talk about our Christmas...and how it was our 6th one spent together. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by the ones you love!
That is so crazy to me.
We started dating in March of 2005...broke up for two months...got back together in May...broke up for four months...and started dating again in September. So, our first Christmas was celebrated in 2005.
Christmases with Josh have always been special. Our first was interesting because we were meeting each other's families. Our second was super special because that is when Josh proposed. Our third was exciting because we were getting married less than two months later. Our fourth was magical because it was our first as a married couple...and because my sister got engaged. Our fifth was fun because all of our siblings were married and the babies on each side were celebrating their first Christmases as married couples. Our sixth was memorable because it was nice and relaxing.
We went to Josh's parents' house on Christmas Eve and celebrated with his mom's side of the family, as well as his dad's parents. It was a lot of fun. We ate yummy Mexican food, played Pictionary and Wheel of Fortune for the Wii, and decorated gingerbread houses.
We went back to his parents' house on Christmas morning and opened gifts with his immediate family, plus his dad's parents. It's always so fun to see what people get and to see the reactions on their faces when they open their gifts. I was very excited to get a lot of wonderful gifts. Some handmade, others store bought...but all given with love.
We then headed to my parents' house and celebrated with my immediate family. We ate yummy breakfast and then opened our gifts. My sister and her hubby made everyone's gifts this year and they totally rock! We got a beautiful maple wood cutting board that my bro-in-law made, and my sister made the cutest hand towels with a pot holder attached...so you can use them to either pull stuff out of the oven or hang on your oven to use as a hand towel. We felt very spoiled after we got home and had to make many trips into the house to bring in our gifts.
We then got to relax at home for a couple of hours. Josh put together his computer, as he got some much needed parts as gifts...and I watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (my favorite, by far). Did I mention that my hubby bought me ALL of the Harry Potter movies for Christmas?? I was SO very excited about them! I now own all six in a nice boxed set. I can watch them whenever I want! It made me quite happy.
After that, we headed to the movie theater with some friends to see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I was a little irritated that we HAD to see it in 3D (no theater in our area was showing the 2D version at all on Christmas Day), but it wasn't too bad. It just was an extra $3 per ticket I wish we didn't have to spend. But man...that movie was AMAZING! I think it was definitely my favorite movie of the series so far. I haven't read the book since I was in jr. high, but a lot of it came back to me as I watched the movie. It has such a powerful message and is FULL of Jesus. What a wonderful movie to watch on the day we celebrate His birth!
We then headed over to a friend's house to hang out with those we went to the movies with, as well as a couple of others (dot35 reunion. For those that don't know what that means...it's Josh and his three childhood best friends. There's more to the story than that, but that's the gist of it).
We got home about 11:45pm, after having been awake since 6:20am. It was a long, but wonderful day. I was very happy to have the relax time in the middle...as I was able to get a 20 minute nap in there.
It was, overall, one of the better Christmases that I can remember. Not stressful, not full of running here, there, and everywhere...just the right amount of time spent with family, time spent with friends, and time spent at home. I know every Christmas won't be like that...especially when we get pregnant...so I soaked up as much of this one as I could. I just wish I would have taken more pictures. I am getting really bad about that. And since our camera has dead pixels and we get a weird black spot in every picture, Josh hardly ever brings it anywhere anymore. Perhaps we will have to invest in a cheap point and shot camera for my birthday...
Anyway, I feel like I'm rambling and jumping all over the place...when the point of this post was to talk about our Christmas...and how it was our 6th one spent together. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas surrounded by the ones you love!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
A Giveaway...and a Good Cause
If you read my blog on a regular basis...or simply read the post I linked on Facebook titled The Year of Babies, you would know who Cliffy is. I have a button on my sidebar with his picture on it. Anyway, liferearranged's blog is hosting a new challenge and a giveaway. She is asking everyone to donate $1 to bringing Cliffy home. $1. That's all. If you haven't donated because you were afraid your money wouldn't go very far, think about donating $1. It's simple and easy. In the month since I originally blogged about this, over $3,000 has been raised for Cliffy...bringing the total to over $7,000! The total cost to bring him home is $20,000...so it's about 35% covered so far. But, just think...if everyone that reads this blog gave $1...and passed on the info to everyone they know, and they all gave $1...the money could easily be raised in no time.
But, to top it all off, liferearranged is giving away a Silhouette die-cutting machine. If you don't know what that is, check it out here. It's amazing...to say the least...and you can do so many awesome things with it. Anyway, liferearranged has all the details for the giveaway here.
So...think about it. $1 can seriously go a long way. You can find the giving widget on my sidebar as well.
But, to top it all off, liferearranged is giving away a Silhouette die-cutting machine. If you don't know what that is, check it out here. It's amazing...to say the least...and you can do so many awesome things with it. Anyway, liferearranged has all the details for the giveaway here.
So...think about it. $1 can seriously go a long way. You can find the giving widget on my sidebar as well.
Reason Number Twenty-Five
It's here!!!
Ok. So I'm a bit late and it's already come and past...but for the sake of this blog...
IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!
THIS is the entry I've been most looking forward to.
25. JESUS. There is nothing else I could possibly love more about Christmas. The fact that God sent His ONLY son, Jesus, to this earth...as a baby...to grow up to take our sins upon His shoulders...
Man...
It blows me away. Seriously. Every time I really stop and think about it, I just can't even imagine that. Sending my kid some place, KNOWING they were going to die a horrible death? I don't think so. But that is what is so amazing about my God. He loves me...
you...
all of us...
THAT much. It was SO worth it to Him...and I am FOREVER grateful because of it.
THIS is the reason I love Christmas the most. It's the reason I wish everyone loved the most...or at all.
And this is just the best:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
(Luke 2:1-20)
Amen and amen. Jesus is the most important part of Christmas for me. I hope He is for you as well. I hope you had a wonderful day reflecting on what He did for you!
Ok. So I'm a bit late and it's already come and past...but for the sake of this blog...
IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!
THIS is the entry I've been most looking forward to.
25. JESUS. There is nothing else I could possibly love more about Christmas. The fact that God sent His ONLY son, Jesus, to this earth...as a baby...to grow up to take our sins upon His shoulders...
Man...
It blows me away. Seriously. Every time I really stop and think about it, I just can't even imagine that. Sending my kid some place, KNOWING they were going to die a horrible death? I don't think so. But that is what is so amazing about my God. He loves me...
you...
all of us...
THAT much. It was SO worth it to Him...and I am FOREVER grateful because of it.
THIS is the reason I love Christmas the most. It's the reason I wish everyone loved the most...or at all.
And this is just the best:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
(Luke 2:1-20)
Amen and amen. Jesus is the most important part of Christmas for me. I hope He is for you as well. I hope you had a wonderful day reflecting on what He did for you!
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Reason Number Twenty-Four
Again, it's late and I'm tired...so this will be quick!
24. Christmas Eve services. We went to the one at our church this evening. While I enjoyed it, it definitely doesn't compare to the Christmas Eve services we did at my old church. We would do a Christingle service. If you aren't sure what that is, check it out here . And, the best part? We would do a late service...it would end around midnight. It was a lot of fun and a wonderful way to bring in Christmas.
And...Merry Christmas!! I should have written this before midnight, but no such luck...
One more post to look forward to!!
24. Christmas Eve services. We went to the one at our church this evening. While I enjoyed it, it definitely doesn't compare to the Christmas Eve services we did at my old church. We would do a Christingle service. If you aren't sure what that is, check it out here . And, the best part? We would do a late service...it would end around midnight. It was a lot of fun and a wonderful way to bring in Christmas.
And...Merry Christmas!! I should have written this before midnight, but no such luck...
One more post to look forward to!!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Reason Number Twenty-Three
Sweet and simple...I have a horrible headache...
23. Friends and family. I love how Christmas brings together the opportunity to have celebrations with friends and family...that you may not have/make the time for during the year.
Only 2 more!!
23. Friends and family. I love how Christmas brings together the opportunity to have celebrations with friends and family...that you may not have/make the time for during the year.
Only 2 more!!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Reason Number Twenty-Two
Here's a quick one since it's late and I'm tired...
22. Wrapping presents. I seriously LOVE wrapping gifts! When I first interviewed for Hallmark, they asked me to wrap a box. They handed me a roll of wrapping paper, a pair of scissors, some tape, and said, have at it. It looked AWFUL when I was done! I can't believe they hired me after that. But thankfully, I learned how to wrap beautifully...and quickly, at that. And now, I find great joy in wrapping presents...especially at Christmastime. It's so fun!
Only three more days!!
22. Wrapping presents. I seriously LOVE wrapping gifts! When I first interviewed for Hallmark, they asked me to wrap a box. They handed me a roll of wrapping paper, a pair of scissors, some tape, and said, have at it. It looked AWFUL when I was done! I can't believe they hired me after that. But thankfully, I learned how to wrap beautifully...and quickly, at that. And now, I find great joy in wrapping presents...especially at Christmastime. It's so fun!
Only three more days!!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Reasons Not To...
I've been writing these daily blogs about why I love Christmas.
No surprise there, right?
And yet, this morning, I started to realize that there are some things that make me sad or make me not like it so much. So, here's the other side for you...
1. The fact that my Grandpa is no longer alive to celebrate with us. My grandpa passed away 4 years ago on November 16th. That first Christmas was really hard for all of us...but we pulled together and made sure we celebrated together. Since then, our Christmas celebrations have been non-existent. Everyone is doing their own thing now and we no longer get together with the whole family. It makes me sad. I know most of us grandkids are married now and have more family to celebrate with...but it still bums me out that our family celebrations kind of fell apart when my grandpa died.
2. Drama. 'Nuff said.
3. The commercialism of it all. I love giving and getting presents. Don't get me wrong. It's fun to surprise people...and be surprised. But, that is not the reason behind Christmas. And, even if it was...our society has made too big a deal out of spending TONS of money on people. I can't believe how many people are willing to go into major debt to get their family and friends these amazingly expensive gifts. I'm all about the thought behind it. A handmade card from a friend means so much more to me than anything anyone could possibly buy me. And again, I'm not saying I hate gifts...because I love them very much. I am just saying that you don't have to spend a lot of money on someone for them to appreciate your gift. There's no need to stress out or feel bad about Christmas gifts...or the lack of them. This time of year is all about celebrating Christ's birth...and doing so with the ones you love.
4. The refusal to say "Merry Christmas". I already mentioned this in my blog yesterday, but seriously...I hate how much people are afraid to offend others these days. I understand...some things we say can truly offend someone. But, "Merry Christmas"? I just don't get that one...
5. How rude people can get these time of year. Seriously. I worked retail. I understand both sides. Yes, it sucks to wait in long lines when you're trying to get your shopping done...but it's not the fault of those people behind the counter. It's no one's fault, really. There are many of us that procrastinate and do our shopping last minute...or those that truly only have time off work to go shopping in the final few days before Christmas. We're all trying to accomplish the same thing: get our shopping done. But those people behind the counters? They deserve some respect and some sympathy. Think about it. If you are rude to them, they are likely to be rude to the person behind you in line, and the cycle continues. Why can't we all just be nice and spread Christmas cheer to those we come in contact with? I appreciate retail workers so much more now that I've experienced their pain. I HATED working the Christmas season at Hallmark. We wrapped gifts for free...so many people would ask for their purchases to be wrapped. Many were patient and caring, while others would have 15 things they needed to have wrapped...and wanted them all done and ready to go in 5 minutes. It's hard to be nice to someone who's irritated with you or talking badly about you. And yes, there are people who will talk badly about your wrapping job or your ringing up skills right in front of your face...when you're doing nothing wrong. Ugh. My point is...just be nice to those in the stores. They are just doing their job.
So, there you go...my top 5 reasons why I don't love Christmas.
No surprise there, right?
And yet, this morning, I started to realize that there are some things that make me sad or make me not like it so much. So, here's the other side for you...
1. The fact that my Grandpa is no longer alive to celebrate with us. My grandpa passed away 4 years ago on November 16th. That first Christmas was really hard for all of us...but we pulled together and made sure we celebrated together. Since then, our Christmas celebrations have been non-existent. Everyone is doing their own thing now and we no longer get together with the whole family. It makes me sad. I know most of us grandkids are married now and have more family to celebrate with...but it still bums me out that our family celebrations kind of fell apart when my grandpa died.
2. Drama. 'Nuff said.
3. The commercialism of it all. I love giving and getting presents. Don't get me wrong. It's fun to surprise people...and be surprised. But, that is not the reason behind Christmas. And, even if it was...our society has made too big a deal out of spending TONS of money on people. I can't believe how many people are willing to go into major debt to get their family and friends these amazingly expensive gifts. I'm all about the thought behind it. A handmade card from a friend means so much more to me than anything anyone could possibly buy me. And again, I'm not saying I hate gifts...because I love them very much. I am just saying that you don't have to spend a lot of money on someone for them to appreciate your gift. There's no need to stress out or feel bad about Christmas gifts...or the lack of them. This time of year is all about celebrating Christ's birth...and doing so with the ones you love.
4. The refusal to say "Merry Christmas". I already mentioned this in my blog yesterday, but seriously...I hate how much people are afraid to offend others these days. I understand...some things we say can truly offend someone. But, "Merry Christmas"? I just don't get that one...
5. How rude people can get these time of year. Seriously. I worked retail. I understand both sides. Yes, it sucks to wait in long lines when you're trying to get your shopping done...but it's not the fault of those people behind the counter. It's no one's fault, really. There are many of us that procrastinate and do our shopping last minute...or those that truly only have time off work to go shopping in the final few days before Christmas. We're all trying to accomplish the same thing: get our shopping done. But those people behind the counters? They deserve some respect and some sympathy. Think about it. If you are rude to them, they are likely to be rude to the person behind you in line, and the cycle continues. Why can't we all just be nice and spread Christmas cheer to those we come in contact with? I appreciate retail workers so much more now that I've experienced their pain. I HATED working the Christmas season at Hallmark. We wrapped gifts for free...so many people would ask for their purchases to be wrapped. Many were patient and caring, while others would have 15 things they needed to have wrapped...and wanted them all done and ready to go in 5 minutes. It's hard to be nice to someone who's irritated with you or talking badly about you. And yes, there are people who will talk badly about your wrapping job or your ringing up skills right in front of your face...when you're doing nothing wrong. Ugh. My point is...just be nice to those in the stores. They are just doing their job.
So, there you go...my top 5 reasons why I don't love Christmas.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Reason Number Twenty-One
I had a fabulous day today and I am in a really good mood because of it. I had coffee with the girls in the college group this morning. I had lunch with two fabulous young ladies from church, as well as the women in my Bible study. I hung out with a dear friend and her two little beauties this afternoon. I had a yummy dinner made by my cute husband. And, we went to a friend's house to watch Jurassic Park. I LOVE being on vacation with Josh!
21. The phrase "Merry Christmas". I am not one who is easily offended by most things. If someone sent me a Kwanzaa or Hanukkah card, I would say thank you and be grateful for the thought behind it. Our old apartment manager sent out a letter one year, asking people not to give her Christmas cards or gifts, because she didn't celebrate Christmas. I never understood that. If someone gets me a gift, whether it goes against my beliefs or not, I will accept it with a grateful heart.
With that being said, I hate that people, even those who believe in Christ, say "Happy Holidays". I don't think it's wrong to say...especially if people are referring to both Christmas and New Year's. But, if it's replacing "Merry Christmas", because they either don't agree with that phrase or because they don't want to offend people, I get a little bothered by it. Again, I would never be ungrateful for anything given to me...whether it says something about Christmas or Holidays or Kwanzaa. I just want to shout at people, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" when I hear them say, "Happy Holidays".
Does that make me crazy? Do I sound like I'm contradicting myself? I just love Christmas so much. I love everything about it being the celebration of Christ's birth...and I want to make sure people remember that is the TRUE reason why we celebrate. Not for the presents, not for the food, and not for the decorations.
So, Merry Christmas...and stay tuned for the last 4 days...
(still SO crazy to me how fast this month has flown by!)
21. The phrase "Merry Christmas". I am not one who is easily offended by most things. If someone sent me a Kwanzaa or Hanukkah card, I would say thank you and be grateful for the thought behind it. Our old apartment manager sent out a letter one year, asking people not to give her Christmas cards or gifts, because she didn't celebrate Christmas. I never understood that. If someone gets me a gift, whether it goes against my beliefs or not, I will accept it with a grateful heart.
With that being said, I hate that people, even those who believe in Christ, say "Happy Holidays". I don't think it's wrong to say...especially if people are referring to both Christmas and New Year's. But, if it's replacing "Merry Christmas", because they either don't agree with that phrase or because they don't want to offend people, I get a little bothered by it. Again, I would never be ungrateful for anything given to me...whether it says something about Christmas or Holidays or Kwanzaa. I just want to shout at people, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!!" when I hear them say, "Happy Holidays".
Does that make me crazy? Do I sound like I'm contradicting myself? I just love Christmas so much. I love everything about it being the celebration of Christ's birth...and I want to make sure people remember that is the TRUE reason why we celebrate. Not for the presents, not for the food, and not for the decorations.
So, Merry Christmas...and stay tuned for the last 4 days...
(still SO crazy to me how fast this month has flown by!)
Monday, December 20, 2010
Reason Number Twenty
Here's a quick recap of the first nineteen reasons I LOVE Christmas:
1. Christmas trees
2. Serving
3. Christmas music
4. Christmas crafts
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats
6. The smells of Christmas
7. Christmas lights
8. The weather
9. Christmas treats
10. Christmas musicals/productions
11. Christmas movies
12. Delivering presents
13. Christmas cards
14. "Festive" Christmas attire
15. Christmas parties
16. Candy canes
17. Christmas ornaments
18. Christmas stories
19. Christmas shopping
And, now for number 20...
20. White elephant gift exchanges. Even though they are usually...well, there's no other way to put it...crappy gifts, I still find them a lot of fun. We went to one tonight with some of our good friends and it was hilarious. Some people literally grabbed things they had half used or had lying around the house...others went to a thrift store and grabbed REALLY random stuff...and others brought things they probably had received as a gift and hated...but never touched. It was pretty funny to see the reactions on people's faces as they opened their gifts. Some of my friends were laughing so hard they were crying. It's fun to see how creative people get with these gift exchanges. It was a really fun night.
On another note, we did all our Christmas shopping today!! Now all I have left to do is wrap everything and get some baking done. I am SO excited for Christmas! This week is going to be the best!
1. Christmas trees
2. Serving
3. Christmas music
4. Christmas crafts
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats
6. The smells of Christmas
7. Christmas lights
8. The weather
9. Christmas treats
10. Christmas musicals/productions
11. Christmas movies
12. Delivering presents
13. Christmas cards
14. "Festive" Christmas attire
15. Christmas parties
16. Candy canes
17. Christmas ornaments
18. Christmas stories
19. Christmas shopping
And, now for number 20...
20. White elephant gift exchanges. Even though they are usually...well, there's no other way to put it...crappy gifts, I still find them a lot of fun. We went to one tonight with some of our good friends and it was hilarious. Some people literally grabbed things they had half used or had lying around the house...others went to a thrift store and grabbed REALLY random stuff...and others brought things they probably had received as a gift and hated...but never touched. It was pretty funny to see the reactions on people's faces as they opened their gifts. Some of my friends were laughing so hard they were crying. It's fun to see how creative people get with these gift exchanges. It was a really fun night.
On another note, we did all our Christmas shopping today!! Now all I have left to do is wrap everything and get some baking done. I am SO excited for Christmas! This week is going to be the best!
Followers
I check the stats on my blog every now and then.
I think it's interesting to see what posts people read...or don't read...and how often they read them. It's amazing to me that my The Year of Babies post has had 70 hits! And, My Story has had 43! It's humbling to think that people actually take the time to read the words I type...and are maybe even sharing them with other people.
I have never felt like I communicate really well physically talking to people. I have been told over the years that isn't true, but I really feel like the best way I communicate and get my thoughts out is by writing them (or typing them, in this case). I started writing in a diary in 3rd grade and continued to write down my thoughts on a regular basis until I was in my early 20's. I pretty much stopped doing so when I got engaged and had to plan a wedding. It's crazy, though...I seriously have at least 15 filled up journals tucked away in my hope chest. I laugh when I look through them...especially that first diary I had. I wrote down the silliest stuff.
Anyway, to get back on my previous thought...I really feel like this is one place that I can write my honest thoughts down and let them be read by whoever feels led to read them. Some people may not agree with my choices...or my opinions...but this is me. I am not perfect, I don't have everything figured out, I still struggle with trusting God...but I try my best to be the wife and leader God has called me to be. I want to write honestly about my experiences, but I also want to be able to help others who may be struggling with the same thing. I don't want to write "woe is me" posts and not try to come up with solutions on how to make things different. I want this to be a place of healing for me...as well as for those who read this blog.
With that said, I would love to see more comments from those who read this blog. Whether you "follow" my blog publicly or privately...or whether you happen to stumble upon it every now and then...leave a comment. Ask me a question about why I wrote something the way I did...or why I feel a certain way...or how I deal with certain things I'm going through. Leave your opinions or thoughts. Say hi. I just get curious sometimes to see who's reading my blog when I see that some of my posts have had a lot of hits. It's a weird feeling to write something on the internet...and have no clue who may possibly read it. So, leave me a comment...or send me an e-mail, if you'd rather be more anonymous.
And, if you're looking for other blogs to "follow", let me know, and I will recommend a few. I have been branching out more and trying to find other people's thoughts to read. I have found some that have inspired me, challenged me, and broken my heart. It's amazing to find other people out there who have dealt with heartache and loss...and yet, God still does amazing things in and through them.
Kind of a random blog post for me...but I truly do get curious about who's reading...so let me know!
I think it's interesting to see what posts people read...or don't read...and how often they read them. It's amazing to me that my The Year of Babies post has had 70 hits! And, My Story has had 43! It's humbling to think that people actually take the time to read the words I type...and are maybe even sharing them with other people.
I have never felt like I communicate really well physically talking to people. I have been told over the years that isn't true, but I really feel like the best way I communicate and get my thoughts out is by writing them (or typing them, in this case). I started writing in a diary in 3rd grade and continued to write down my thoughts on a regular basis until I was in my early 20's. I pretty much stopped doing so when I got engaged and had to plan a wedding. It's crazy, though...I seriously have at least 15 filled up journals tucked away in my hope chest. I laugh when I look through them...especially that first diary I had. I wrote down the silliest stuff.
Anyway, to get back on my previous thought...I really feel like this is one place that I can write my honest thoughts down and let them be read by whoever feels led to read them. Some people may not agree with my choices...or my opinions...but this is me. I am not perfect, I don't have everything figured out, I still struggle with trusting God...but I try my best to be the wife and leader God has called me to be. I want to write honestly about my experiences, but I also want to be able to help others who may be struggling with the same thing. I don't want to write "woe is me" posts and not try to come up with solutions on how to make things different. I want this to be a place of healing for me...as well as for those who read this blog.
With that said, I would love to see more comments from those who read this blog. Whether you "follow" my blog publicly or privately...or whether you happen to stumble upon it every now and then...leave a comment. Ask me a question about why I wrote something the way I did...or why I feel a certain way...or how I deal with certain things I'm going through. Leave your opinions or thoughts. Say hi. I just get curious sometimes to see who's reading my blog when I see that some of my posts have had a lot of hits. It's a weird feeling to write something on the internet...and have no clue who may possibly read it. So, leave me a comment...or send me an e-mail, if you'd rather be more anonymous.
And, if you're looking for other blogs to "follow", let me know, and I will recommend a few. I have been branching out more and trying to find other people's thoughts to read. I have found some that have inspired me, challenged me, and broken my heart. It's amazing to find other people out there who have dealt with heartache and loss...and yet, God still does amazing things in and through them.
Kind of a random blog post for me...but I truly do get curious about who's reading...so let me know!
Reason Number Nineteen
I can't believe I am still up at this hour! I am usually in bed by 12am at the absolute latest these days...so this is a bit crazy for me.
19. Christmas shopping. Yes, I actually like shopping for Christmas gifts. I just haven't done much of it yet. That is on the agenda for tomorrow...well, later on today, I suppose. I am hoping to get it all done tomorrow so I can start doing one of my other Christmas loves on Tuesday...which I will blog about another day. There's just something so fun about picking out a gift that you hope the person you're purchasing it for will love.
Less than a week away now! So crazy!
19. Christmas shopping. Yes, I actually like shopping for Christmas gifts. I just haven't done much of it yet. That is on the agenda for tomorrow...well, later on today, I suppose. I am hoping to get it all done tomorrow so I can start doing one of my other Christmas loves on Tuesday...which I will blog about another day. There's just something so fun about picking out a gift that you hope the person you're purchasing it for will love.
Less than a week away now! So crazy!
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Reason Number Eighteen
18. Christmas stories. We watched Disney's A Christmas Carol tonight at a friend's house...the new one with Jim Carrey. To sidetrack a little...that movie is SCARY! I can't believe it's considered a kid's movie. I would NEVER let young kids watch it. Anyway...I love the story of A Christmas Carol and the many adaptations I've seen of it. I love some of the other Christmas stories that you hear as well...like The Night Before Christmas. I just think they are so fun!
I can't believe that we are just a week away now! I really gotta get my butt in gear and get my shopping done. I am never usually this late in the game.
I can't believe that we are just a week away now! I really gotta get my butt in gear and get my shopping done. I am never usually this late in the game.
Update to Number Eleven
I was very excited yesterday when, at my last day of work, the teacher put on A Charlie Brown Christmas! And, guess what is on TV right now? A Christmas Story. I won't be able to finish it, but I am still pretty excited!! Oh, I love Christmas!!
Reason Number Seventeen
I had a busy night last night, so I didn't get a chance to post this.
17. Christmas ornaments. I know my first reason was Christmas trees, but some of my ornaments are very dear to my heart...so they get a reason all their own. Our Christmas tree is a hodge podge of Hallmark ornaments I collected over the three years I worked there (and beyond), ornaments we've been received as gifts since we've been married, and the ornaments Josh's mom and grandma got him each year when he was growing up (and they are all dated). I have a couple of ornaments that are very special to me. One is of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. It lights up and plays a line of America the Beautiful. The reason I love this one so much is because of what it reminds me of. I posted in reason number 6 about the smells I love at Christmas. I have a thing for smells, as I mentioned there. And, I talked specifically about why I love this ornament so much (read it here ). I also love the Precious Moments ornament we have for Our First Christmas. I really want to get a Precious Moments one for when we need a Baby's First Christmas ornament. Josh has some pretty cute ornaments, too. He has one of Santa warming his butt in front of the fire that I find hilarious. I just think ornaments can add so much character to a tree and can remind you of the places you've been, the memories you've made, and the people you love...and they get brought out each and every year to bring all those warm fuzzies back.
Christmas is just around the corner!!
17. Christmas ornaments. I know my first reason was Christmas trees, but some of my ornaments are very dear to my heart...so they get a reason all their own. Our Christmas tree is a hodge podge of Hallmark ornaments I collected over the three years I worked there (and beyond), ornaments we've been received as gifts since we've been married, and the ornaments Josh's mom and grandma got him each year when he was growing up (and they are all dated). I have a couple of ornaments that are very special to me. One is of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. It lights up and plays a line of America the Beautiful. The reason I love this one so much is because of what it reminds me of. I posted in reason number 6 about the smells I love at Christmas. I have a thing for smells, as I mentioned there. And, I talked specifically about why I love this ornament so much (read it here ). I also love the Precious Moments ornament we have for Our First Christmas. I really want to get a Precious Moments one for when we need a Baby's First Christmas ornament. Josh has some pretty cute ornaments, too. He has one of Santa warming his butt in front of the fire that I find hilarious. I just think ornaments can add so much character to a tree and can remind you of the places you've been, the memories you've made, and the people you love...and they get brought out each and every year to bring all those warm fuzzies back.
Christmas is just around the corner!!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Reason Number Sixteen
I am attempting to do this from my iPhone so we will see how it goes.
16. Candy canes. So one of the people in our college group brought cards and candy canes for everyone in the group. It was very sweet of him. It reminded me of the story behind the candy cane. If you've never heard it before, check it out here
I love candy canes and I love what they symbolize.
16. Candy canes. So one of the people in our college group brought cards and candy canes for everyone in the group. It was very sweet of him. It reminded me of the story behind the candy cane. If you've never heard it before, check it out here
I love candy canes and I love what they symbolize.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Reason Number Fifteen
Oh yeah...10 more days, baby!! Bring it!
15. Christmas parties. Oh, I love them. We are having one tomorrow night with the college group, and we have a white elephant gift party to go to on Monday night. There is something so amazing about combining the festivities of Christmas with friends in a "party" environment. I love walking around someone's house, with the sounds of Christmas music in the background, chatting it up with my friends. In my mind, I imagine the perfect party to be this way:
Everyone is wearing amazing clothes. Like, really amazing. The women in beautiful cashmere sweaters in bright reds and golds, with leggings and cute boots. The guys in striped button down shirts with a nice pair of jeans. And, everyone has a glass of sparkling cider in their hands as they laugh and reminiscence about days gone past. The house has beautiful decorations hanging from every nook and cranny, and the food is spectacular.
Man...
So, even though I have NEVER been to a party like that...that is what I look forward to when I think about Christmas parties. The joys of wearing "dressy" clothes, enjoying some Martinelli's, and laughing with the people you love most in the world. I am super excited about these parties!
15. Christmas parties. Oh, I love them. We are having one tomorrow night with the college group, and we have a white elephant gift party to go to on Monday night. There is something so amazing about combining the festivities of Christmas with friends in a "party" environment. I love walking around someone's house, with the sounds of Christmas music in the background, chatting it up with my friends. In my mind, I imagine the perfect party to be this way:
Everyone is wearing amazing clothes. Like, really amazing. The women in beautiful cashmere sweaters in bright reds and golds, with leggings and cute boots. The guys in striped button down shirts with a nice pair of jeans. And, everyone has a glass of sparkling cider in their hands as they laugh and reminiscence about days gone past. The house has beautiful decorations hanging from every nook and cranny, and the food is spectacular.
Man...
So, even though I have NEVER been to a party like that...that is what I look forward to when I think about Christmas parties. The joys of wearing "dressy" clothes, enjoying some Martinelli's, and laughing with the people you love most in the world. I am super excited about these parties!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
No Stress, No Stress, No Stress...
Yep.
It's true.
The main source of stress in my life will be gone Friday afternoon at 12:30pm.
I am no longer employed.
And the crazy thing is? I'm not sad.
My blog yesterday should explain that very well.
But really...I thought I would be more emotional about the news...but the only emotion I felt was anger.
My employers have apparently known since November that my assignment would be ending this week. And apparently, one of them was supposed to let me know...and never did. Wonderful, right? I am beyond frustrated about this. Who does that? The only reason I found out about it was because my husband happened to have a conversation with someone today that knew about it...and assumed he and I both knew about it as well. Oh so lovely...
I am not usually a very confrontational person...but these people are getting an e-mail from me. I think it is totally irresponsible to end someone's assignment without telling them. What if Josh hadn't talked to that person today? Would I have ever been told? Or would I have shown up to work in January, only to look like an idiot to everyone at the school who knew I wasn't supposed to be there?
Sigh.
All frustration aside, it's kind of a relief. I don't have to worry about overprotective parents or being told "no" by a little girl or visits from different people who all have different ideas on how I should do my job. Maybe the next time I go to get a massage, my neck won't have as many knots in it.
I'm really trying to look at it as a blessing. God has a plan for me...and that plan is to prosper me and not to harm me...that plan is to give me a hope and a future. My future just obviously doesn't involve working with this little girl anymore.
I will miss the teacher...and the students...and the little girl a bit. She really is usually a sweet kid. And, many of the kids in the other classes know me by name and come up and say hi to me every day. I will miss that part.
But man...the good outweighs the bad on this one for me. God's got something better out there for me...whatever it may be...and I am excited to see where He is going to take Josh and I because of this.
It's true.
The main source of stress in my life will be gone Friday afternoon at 12:30pm.
I am no longer employed.
And the crazy thing is? I'm not sad.
My blog yesterday should explain that very well.
But really...I thought I would be more emotional about the news...but the only emotion I felt was anger.
My employers have apparently known since November that my assignment would be ending this week. And apparently, one of them was supposed to let me know...and never did. Wonderful, right? I am beyond frustrated about this. Who does that? The only reason I found out about it was because my husband happened to have a conversation with someone today that knew about it...and assumed he and I both knew about it as well. Oh so lovely...
I am not usually a very confrontational person...but these people are getting an e-mail from me. I think it is totally irresponsible to end someone's assignment without telling them. What if Josh hadn't talked to that person today? Would I have ever been told? Or would I have shown up to work in January, only to look like an idiot to everyone at the school who knew I wasn't supposed to be there?
Sigh.
All frustration aside, it's kind of a relief. I don't have to worry about overprotective parents or being told "no" by a little girl or visits from different people who all have different ideas on how I should do my job. Maybe the next time I go to get a massage, my neck won't have as many knots in it.
I'm really trying to look at it as a blessing. God has a plan for me...and that plan is to prosper me and not to harm me...that plan is to give me a hope and a future. My future just obviously doesn't involve working with this little girl anymore.
I will miss the teacher...and the students...and the little girl a bit. She really is usually a sweet kid. And, many of the kids in the other classes know me by name and come up and say hi to me every day. I will miss that part.
But man...the good outweighs the bad on this one for me. God's got something better out there for me...whatever it may be...and I am excited to see where He is going to take Josh and I because of this.
Reason Number Fourteen
I can't believe how quickly this month is flying by! I still have a LOT of Christmas shopping to do...I have to buy stamps for my Christmas cards...and I have some baking to do...
Too much to do...so little time.
14. "Festive" Christmas attire. Ok, so I am NOT a fan of the "ugly" Christmas sweater. We all know which ones I mean. My idea of "festive" attire is much more subtle. Wearing Christmas colors...or wearing tasteful Christmas earrings...or wearing a cute "Christmas-y" scarf (or even Christmas socks. Because, even if they are "ugly", no one has to see them). I wore one of my "Christmas-y" scarfs today and it made me feel like I was dressing up my outfit a little bit. I will be wearing my other Christmas scarf to work on Friday, as we are having our class Christmas party. I like being "festive" for Christmas...just in a not so "over the top" kind of way.
Too much to do...so little time.
14. "Festive" Christmas attire. Ok, so I am NOT a fan of the "ugly" Christmas sweater. We all know which ones I mean. My idea of "festive" attire is much more subtle. Wearing Christmas colors...or wearing tasteful Christmas earrings...or wearing a cute "Christmas-y" scarf (or even Christmas socks. Because, even if they are "ugly", no one has to see them). I wore one of my "Christmas-y" scarfs today and it made me feel like I was dressing up my outfit a little bit. I will be wearing my other Christmas scarf to work on Friday, as we are having our class Christmas party. I like being "festive" for Christmas...just in a not so "over the top" kind of way.
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...
Side note: Does anyone else remember that book?
Such describes my day at work today. I got to work and waited outside the gate, like I always do, for the little girl I work with to show up. Today, I waited...and waited...and waited... Last Monday, the same thing happened. I waited until the bell rang and then I went up to the classroom...only to find out she had a fever and wasn't coming to school that day. So, even though I was a little frustrated that I'd been standing outside in the cold for 25 minutes for no reason, I did get paid for 2 hours...AND I wasn't feeling very good, so I was happy to be heading back home. I didn't get so lucky today.
Her mom typically comes and volunteers in her class every Monday. When she does that, she usually walks her in from the office. But, she's normally there at least 15 minutes before school starts. I kept looking at my clock this morning, getting a little excited about the possibility of being able to go home and hop back into bed for a bit. Three minutes before the bell rang, I saw her and her mom walking towards me from the office. I admit, my heart sank a little.
That was just the start of my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day...
It got worse.
She was SUPER distracted by her mom being in the classroom. I haven't seen her that distracted in over a month. And, it didn't help that her mom was walking around the classroom, helping the other kids with their work. She kept trying to get her mom's attention, completely ignoring her own work and what I was telling her to do. It got so bad, in fact, that she refused to read to me. She crossed her arms and said, "No. I'm not doing it." This is not normal behavior for her. She doesn't tell me no when I ask her to do something. Ever. It's something she just started doing last Friday. I don't know if it's because she had a sub for a couple of days or what...but it's definitely getting worse, not better.
But the worst part about it is that she listens to EVERYONE else. Her peers, the teacher, her mom...anyone that told her to do the same thing I'd just told her to do, she listened to. It seriously made me really frustrated. I kept thinking, If she was my kid, she would be in SO much trouble... I had to walk away and give up a couple of times, just to get my emotions under control. I don't want to lash out at her accidentally. I don't want to frustrate her even more by showing my anger to her. I went up to the teacher a couple of times and told her she wasn't listening. The teacher would go right up to her and ask her to do her work...and she'd do it.
This continued throughout the rest of the day. It seemed that whenever she was bored or "done" with whatever we were doing, she'd cross her arms and tell me no again. I seriously left work super stressed out. Thankfully, I had a massage appointment scheduled for this afternoon (thank You, Jesus, for timing that one out perfectly!). I had a LOT of knots in my upper back that needed to be worked out...all due to stress and work, I'm sure.
I know I shouldn't let a 6 year old girl get me so frustrated...but knowing how sweet and even tempered she normally is...just makes this that much harder. She's never been defiant before. She has always listened to me and done what I've told her to do...even if it takes her a little while to do it.
I am really hoping things will be better tomorrow. The teacher is going to email her mom and let her know what's been going on. I really want to see that sweet little girl again tomorrow...not the monster I've been seeing lately. I really want this last week of work before break to be fun...not dreadful...
Ugh.
The joys of working again.
I really do feel blessed to have this job. I do enjoy it...most days. Today was just the worst day I've had so far. It tested my patience, my willpower, and my grace level. God, give me the strength to deal with whatever comes the rest of this week!!
Such describes my day at work today. I got to work and waited outside the gate, like I always do, for the little girl I work with to show up. Today, I waited...and waited...and waited... Last Monday, the same thing happened. I waited until the bell rang and then I went up to the classroom...only to find out she had a fever and wasn't coming to school that day. So, even though I was a little frustrated that I'd been standing outside in the cold for 25 minutes for no reason, I did get paid for 2 hours...AND I wasn't feeling very good, so I was happy to be heading back home. I didn't get so lucky today.
Her mom typically comes and volunteers in her class every Monday. When she does that, she usually walks her in from the office. But, she's normally there at least 15 minutes before school starts. I kept looking at my clock this morning, getting a little excited about the possibility of being able to go home and hop back into bed for a bit. Three minutes before the bell rang, I saw her and her mom walking towards me from the office. I admit, my heart sank a little.
That was just the start of my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day...
It got worse.
She was SUPER distracted by her mom being in the classroom. I haven't seen her that distracted in over a month. And, it didn't help that her mom was walking around the classroom, helping the other kids with their work. She kept trying to get her mom's attention, completely ignoring her own work and what I was telling her to do. It got so bad, in fact, that she refused to read to me. She crossed her arms and said, "No. I'm not doing it." This is not normal behavior for her. She doesn't tell me no when I ask her to do something. Ever. It's something she just started doing last Friday. I don't know if it's because she had a sub for a couple of days or what...but it's definitely getting worse, not better.
But the worst part about it is that she listens to EVERYONE else. Her peers, the teacher, her mom...anyone that told her to do the same thing I'd just told her to do, she listened to. It seriously made me really frustrated. I kept thinking, If she was my kid, she would be in SO much trouble... I had to walk away and give up a couple of times, just to get my emotions under control. I don't want to lash out at her accidentally. I don't want to frustrate her even more by showing my anger to her. I went up to the teacher a couple of times and told her she wasn't listening. The teacher would go right up to her and ask her to do her work...and she'd do it.
This continued throughout the rest of the day. It seemed that whenever she was bored or "done" with whatever we were doing, she'd cross her arms and tell me no again. I seriously left work super stressed out. Thankfully, I had a massage appointment scheduled for this afternoon (thank You, Jesus, for timing that one out perfectly!). I had a LOT of knots in my upper back that needed to be worked out...all due to stress and work, I'm sure.
I know I shouldn't let a 6 year old girl get me so frustrated...but knowing how sweet and even tempered she normally is...just makes this that much harder. She's never been defiant before. She has always listened to me and done what I've told her to do...even if it takes her a little while to do it.
I am really hoping things will be better tomorrow. The teacher is going to email her mom and let her know what's been going on. I really want to see that sweet little girl again tomorrow...not the monster I've been seeing lately. I really want this last week of work before break to be fun...not dreadful...
Ugh.
The joys of working again.
I really do feel blessed to have this job. I do enjoy it...most days. Today was just the worst day I've had so far. It tested my patience, my willpower, and my grace level. God, give me the strength to deal with whatever comes the rest of this week!!
Reason Number Thirteen
Here's reason number 13...
13. Christmas cards. Ours came in the mail on Saturday! We really wanted to do professional pics again this year...but when it came down to it, the money just wasn't there. So, I used Shutterfly this year and made (what I think are) cute cards. I am excited to mail them out. I also love receiving Christmas cards in the mail. It's not often that we get mail worth reading...too many credit card apps or bills or junk mail. So, I get really excited when Christmas rolls around and we get fun cards from family and friends. We've only received one card this year...but I'm thinking that means everyone is running a little late this year (like me). I was so excited to cover our mantel with cards last year...and I hope to be able to do the same this year!
Only 12 more days!
13. Christmas cards. Ours came in the mail on Saturday! We really wanted to do professional pics again this year...but when it came down to it, the money just wasn't there. So, I used Shutterfly this year and made (what I think are) cute cards. I am excited to mail them out. I also love receiving Christmas cards in the mail. It's not often that we get mail worth reading...too many credit card apps or bills or junk mail. So, I get really excited when Christmas rolls around and we get fun cards from family and friends. We've only received one card this year...but I'm thinking that means everyone is running a little late this year (like me). I was so excited to cover our mantel with cards last year...and I hope to be able to do the same this year!
Only 12 more days!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Reason Number Twelve
I can't believe there's only 13 more days until Christmas!! Time has gone by so fast this year.
Just to recap, here were the first eleven reasons why I love Christmas.
1. Christmas trees
2. Serving
3. Christmas music
4. Christmas crafts
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats
6. The smells of Christmas
7. Christmas lights
8. The weather
9. Christmas treats
10. Christmas musicals/productions
11. Christmas movies
And now for number 12...
12. Delivering presents. Ok, so I haven't finished my Christmas shopping. In fact, I've barely even started it. Part of that is because I've been super busy...and the other part is that I just don't know what to get everyone this year. I'm trying to be frugal and creative...but it's so hard to do sometimes. I really want everyone to like what they get.
Anyway...back to my reason. I was able to deliver someone a "Secret Sister" gift tonight. It was pretty fun being able to play Santa and hand that woman her gift. I like being sneaky when it comes to surprises or secrets that will be revealed in time. And, I love the joy of seeing someone's face when they receive an unexpected gift.
13 more days until Christmas. 5 more days until I'm off work for 2 1/2 weeks. It's gonna be a great week!
Just to recap, here were the first eleven reasons why I love Christmas.
1. Christmas trees
2. Serving
3. Christmas music
4. Christmas crafts
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats
6. The smells of Christmas
7. Christmas lights
8. The weather
9. Christmas treats
10. Christmas musicals/productions
11. Christmas movies
And now for number 12...
12. Delivering presents. Ok, so I haven't finished my Christmas shopping. In fact, I've barely even started it. Part of that is because I've been super busy...and the other part is that I just don't know what to get everyone this year. I'm trying to be frugal and creative...but it's so hard to do sometimes. I really want everyone to like what they get.
Anyway...back to my reason. I was able to deliver someone a "Secret Sister" gift tonight. It was pretty fun being able to play Santa and hand that woman her gift. I like being sneaky when it comes to surprises or secrets that will be revealed in time. And, I love the joy of seeing someone's face when they receive an unexpected gift.
13 more days until Christmas. 5 more days until I'm off work for 2 1/2 weeks. It's gonna be a great week!
Reason Number Eleven
Today was a LONG day...but I am excited about this blog!
11. Christmas movies. There are certain movies I HAVE to watch each year...for it to REALLY feel like Christmas. Here is my list:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the original...you know, the cartoon version. It makes me very happy. In fact, I own a pair of Grinch slippers and I used to own a shirt
The Santa Clause - the original on this one, too. Although, I do like the other two as well...but nothing beats the first one
Home Alone - oh yes. This one has to be watched each year. They used to play it on TV every Thanksgiving, but they have since replaced it with my next one...
Elf - I saw this movie in the theaters when it came out and I died laughing. We used to watch it each year with friends, but even if we can't do that, we still have to watch it. There are so many hilarious lines in it.
A Christmas Story - I don't think I have watched this one since I've been married, because Josh doesn't really like it. But, I like it. It's one of my mom's favorites and we watched it every year when I was growing up.
A Charlie Brown Christmas - this one just makes me smile. I haven't seen it yet this year, but I am looking forward to. My mom loves this one A LOT. So much, in fact, that she put on a play of it at the church we went to when I was in high school. My sister and I sat and wrote down all the lines from the movie...pausing it between each one to make sure we got them right. It was so much fun to be a part of. I played Sally. If you haven't seen it or don't know who Sally is, you should watch it and find out!
These are the ones I like to watch...but don't have to watch EVERY year:
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - this one is HILARIOUS. I love every part that has anything to do with the Christmas tree...because so many funny things happen surrounding it.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the one with Jim Carrey. It's funny...it's in own right, but it doesn't beat the original (at least, not in my opinion). It's one that I can take or leave each year.
I didn't grow up watching It's a Wonderful Life or White Christmas or anything of the like. It's not that I don't like them...but they don't give me the warm fuzzies that these other ones do. And, I have only seen them each once. I'm not a big fan of Miracle on 34th Street or Santa Clause is Coming to Town. I do like A Christmas Carol. I know there are many different adaptations of that...and I know I haven't seen them all...but I like that story. The Muppet one is pretty cute.
And, how could I forget The Holiday? I like to watch this one year round, but it is about Christmas to begin with...and it's super cute.
Anyway, only two more weeks until Christmas!!
11. Christmas movies. There are certain movies I HAVE to watch each year...for it to REALLY feel like Christmas. Here is my list:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the original...you know, the cartoon version. It makes me very happy. In fact, I own a pair of Grinch slippers and I used to own a shirt
The Santa Clause - the original on this one, too. Although, I do like the other two as well...but nothing beats the first one
Home Alone - oh yes. This one has to be watched each year. They used to play it on TV every Thanksgiving, but they have since replaced it with my next one...
Elf - I saw this movie in the theaters when it came out and I died laughing. We used to watch it each year with friends, but even if we can't do that, we still have to watch it. There are so many hilarious lines in it.
A Christmas Story - I don't think I have watched this one since I've been married, because Josh doesn't really like it. But, I like it. It's one of my mom's favorites and we watched it every year when I was growing up.
A Charlie Brown Christmas - this one just makes me smile. I haven't seen it yet this year, but I am looking forward to. My mom loves this one A LOT. So much, in fact, that she put on a play of it at the church we went to when I was in high school. My sister and I sat and wrote down all the lines from the movie...pausing it between each one to make sure we got them right. It was so much fun to be a part of. I played Sally. If you haven't seen it or don't know who Sally is, you should watch it and find out!
These are the ones I like to watch...but don't have to watch EVERY year:
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - this one is HILARIOUS. I love every part that has anything to do with the Christmas tree...because so many funny things happen surrounding it.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the one with Jim Carrey. It's funny...it's in own right, but it doesn't beat the original (at least, not in my opinion). It's one that I can take or leave each year.
I didn't grow up watching It's a Wonderful Life or White Christmas or anything of the like. It's not that I don't like them...but they don't give me the warm fuzzies that these other ones do. And, I have only seen them each once. I'm not a big fan of Miracle on 34th Street or Santa Clause is Coming to Town. I do like A Christmas Carol. I know there are many different adaptations of that...and I know I haven't seen them all...but I like that story. The Muppet one is pretty cute.
And, how could I forget The Holiday? I like to watch this one year round, but it is about Christmas to begin with...and it's super cute.
Anyway, only two more weeks until Christmas!!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Reason Number Ten
10. Christmas musicals/productions. I went to our church's Christmas musical tonight. My cute husband had a part in it this year. It was a pretty good production. It reminded me of all the Christmas productions I've seen/been part of over the years. Handel's Messiah, SONdance productions, The Nutcracker, various church productions... I love 'em all.
15 more days until Christmas!!
15 more days until Christmas!!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Reason Number Nine
Here's a short post with the next reason...
9. Christmas treats. My dear friend Elise brought some yummy treats to college group tonight. She's made them before, but this time, she made them with mint oreo cookies. I don't know what else to call them, so I'm going to call them "Oreo cookie balls". She puts chocolate on top and they are just amazing, gooey, and sweet. I love the creative treats people think of during Christmas.
Only 16 more days until Christmas! And, 16 more reasons to love it!!
9. Christmas treats. My dear friend Elise brought some yummy treats to college group tonight. She's made them before, but this time, she made them with mint oreo cookies. I don't know what else to call them, so I'm going to call them "Oreo cookie balls". She puts chocolate on top and they are just amazing, gooey, and sweet. I love the creative treats people think of during Christmas.
Only 16 more days until Christmas! And, 16 more reasons to love it!!
Bucket List
There are a few things I want to accomplish in my life.
I was having a conversation with Josh yesterday and something came up that I was like, "Oh yeah. I totally want to do that before I die". So, it got me thinking about creating a bucket list. I know it's kind of a popular thing to do nowadays, but I think it's important to have dreams and goals. So, I am going to start writing mine...and I'm sure I will be adding to it eventually. Here goes:
1. Have a baby.
2. Write a book.
3. Take up ballroom dancing.
4. Go swimming with dolphins.
5. Fly first class.
6. Go on a cruise.
7. Drive along Route 66.
8. Visit New York during Christmas.
9. Go to Disney World.
10. Take a trip to Italy.
11. Attend a movie premiere.
12. See a show on Broadway.
13. Tour Alcatraz.
14. Tour Pearl Harbor.
15. Tour the historical sites back east.
16. Go to the San Diego Zoo.
17. Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
18. Lead someone to Christ.
19. Read 100 books of Classic Literature.
20. Earn my Bachelor's degree.
21. Go on a second honeymoon to Maui.
22. Celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square.
23. Teach my children to follow the Lord.
24. Learn how to sew something more than just a button or fixing a hole in a shirt.
25. Plant a garden.
26. Spend a day at a spa.
27. Learn to whistle.
28. Own a Mustang convertible.
29. Learn how to play the piano better, so I can sing and play at the same time.
30. Kiss my husband on top of the Eiffel Tower.
31. Journey to Israel to see where Jesus walked.
32. Attend a NBA Finals game.
33. Attend the Olympics.
34. Visit Disneyland on Christmas Day.
35. Visit all 50 states.
36. Go on vacation in Seattle.
37. Buy a house.
38. Celebrate my 50th anniversary with my husband.
39. Visit the Grand Canyon.
40. Knit a blanket for my children.
That is the start right now. I will add to it as time goes on. I like having goals and things I want to accomplish.
I was having a conversation with Josh yesterday and something came up that I was like, "Oh yeah. I totally want to do that before I die". So, it got me thinking about creating a bucket list. I know it's kind of a popular thing to do nowadays, but I think it's important to have dreams and goals. So, I am going to start writing mine...and I'm sure I will be adding to it eventually. Here goes:
1. Have a baby.
2. Write a book.
3. Take up ballroom dancing.
4. Go swimming with dolphins.
5. Fly first class.
6. Go on a cruise.
7. Drive along Route 66.
8. Visit New York during Christmas.
9. Go to Disney World.
10. Take a trip to Italy.
11. Attend a movie premiere.
12. See a show on Broadway.
13. Tour Alcatraz.
14. Tour Pearl Harbor.
15. Tour the historical sites back east.
16. Go to the San Diego Zoo.
17. Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
18. Lead someone to Christ.
19. Read 100 books of Classic Literature.
20. Earn my Bachelor's degree.
21. Go on a second honeymoon to Maui.
22. Celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square.
23. Teach my children to follow the Lord.
24. Learn how to sew something more than just a button or fixing a hole in a shirt.
25. Plant a garden.
26. Spend a day at a spa.
27. Learn to whistle.
28. Own a Mustang convertible.
29. Learn how to play the piano better, so I can sing and play at the same time.
30. Kiss my husband on top of the Eiffel Tower.
31. Journey to Israel to see where Jesus walked.
32. Attend a NBA Finals game.
33. Attend the Olympics.
34. Visit Disneyland on Christmas Day.
35. Visit all 50 states.
36. Go on vacation in Seattle.
37. Buy a house.
38. Celebrate my 50th anniversary with my husband.
39. Visit the Grand Canyon.
40. Knit a blanket for my children.
That is the start right now. I will add to it as time goes on. I like having goals and things I want to accomplish.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Reason Number Eight
I am having a not quite full-blown migraine, so this reason is going to be short and to the point.
8. The weather. I know that weather really doesn't have a lot to do with Christmas itself, but I love when it is rainy and wet during the month of December. It makes me happy.
More reasons to come...sorry for the short post.
8. The weather. I know that weather really doesn't have a lot to do with Christmas itself, but I love when it is rainy and wet during the month of December. It makes me happy.
More reasons to come...sorry for the short post.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Reason Number Seven
So this reason actually has more to do with how I spent my evening last night after I wrote Reason Number Six. But, here it is anyway...
7. Christmas lights. There is a family in our city that decorates their house to the nines every year. Their Facebook fan page says it takes them three months to get everything ready...and that they improve their decorations every year. I have gone to this house every year since discovering it...and every year I am amazed. It is beautiful. It's gorgeous. It's so detailed. It's bright and cheerful...and oh so Christmasy.
It may be hard to tell from that picture...but yes, there is a house under there. And the picture doesn't even do it justice. The whole other side of the house isn't even seen here.
My favorite part, by far, is the fact that the 'Christ' in Christmas is made of different colored lights then the rest of the phrase...and I don't think it's a coincidence. It makes me so happy to see that there are still many people in the world who celebrate Christmas...and aren't afraid to use the phrase "Merry Christmas". There's no "Happy Holidays" coming from this girl. It is all about Christmas...and most importantly, all about Christ.
I love the way Christmas lights look on houses. They brighten up neighborhoods and make the world seem like a much brighter place...literally! Of course, I love to think of Christmas lights as being symbolic to Jesus being the Light of the World, as I mentioned in Reason Number One when I blogged about Christmas trees.
More reasons coming soon!
7. Christmas lights. There is a family in our city that decorates their house to the nines every year. Their Facebook fan page says it takes them three months to get everything ready...and that they improve their decorations every year. I have gone to this house every year since discovering it...and every year I am amazed. It is beautiful. It's gorgeous. It's so detailed. It's bright and cheerful...and oh so Christmasy.
It may be hard to tell from that picture...but yes, there is a house under there. And the picture doesn't even do it justice. The whole other side of the house isn't even seen here.
My favorite part, by far, is the fact that the 'Christ' in Christmas is made of different colored lights then the rest of the phrase...and I don't think it's a coincidence. It makes me so happy to see that there are still many people in the world who celebrate Christmas...and aren't afraid to use the phrase "Merry Christmas". There's no "Happy Holidays" coming from this girl. It is all about Christmas...and most importantly, all about Christ.
I love the way Christmas lights look on houses. They brighten up neighborhoods and make the world seem like a much brighter place...literally! Of course, I love to think of Christmas lights as being symbolic to Jesus being the Light of the World, as I mentioned in Reason Number One when I blogged about Christmas trees.
More reasons coming soon!
Monday, December 6, 2010
Reason Number Six
Here is my 6th reason for why I love Christmas.
6. The smells of Christmas. To me, this is a combo of many different things.
The smell of...
Real Christmas trees
Peppermint from candy canes
Fresh baked cookies
Hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows
My Christmas scents from Scentsy (and I have LOTS. My favorites right now are Christmas Cottage and Winter Wonderland. I am excited to use the others soon!)
The hint of fireplaces in use (I can only handle a hint of that smell, as I am allergic to the smell of smoke, and get horrible headaches if it's really strong. I wish this wasn't the case, as I'd love to use our fireplace this Christmas)
I have always associated certain smells with people or places. I remember walking into the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln building in Disneyland for the first time in probably 5 years...and instantly being brought back to the first time I'd set foot in there. To this day, I step into that building to catch a whiff of that smell...because I know at that moment that I am truly in Disneyland. It's amazing how powerful smells can be for me...which is why I love the smells of Christmas so much.
More reasons to come!
6. The smells of Christmas. To me, this is a combo of many different things.
The smell of...
Real Christmas trees
Peppermint from candy canes
Fresh baked cookies
Hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows
My Christmas scents from Scentsy (and I have LOTS. My favorites right now are Christmas Cottage and Winter Wonderland. I am excited to use the others soon!)
The hint of fireplaces in use (I can only handle a hint of that smell, as I am allergic to the smell of smoke, and get horrible headaches if it's really strong. I wish this wasn't the case, as I'd love to use our fireplace this Christmas)
I have always associated certain smells with people or places. I remember walking into the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln building in Disneyland for the first time in probably 5 years...and instantly being brought back to the first time I'd set foot in there. To this day, I step into that building to catch a whiff of that smell...because I know at that moment that I am truly in Disneyland. It's amazing how powerful smells can be for me...which is why I love the smells of Christmas so much.
More reasons to come!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Reason Number Five
Here's my 5th of 25 reasons why I love Christmas.
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats. I went to coffee with a couple of the girls in the college group this morning. I love how Starbucks uses red holiday cups and decorates their stores all cute. And, of course, the yummy holiday flavors they have. My personal favorite is the Pumpkin Spice Latte, even though those come out in the fall. I did try a Peppermint White Mocha last week and it was pretty good...although it was a little too sweet for my liking. I love the cute cookies and other treats they offer as well. Starbucks is just a happy place to be during the Christmas season.
20 days until Christmas!
5. Starbucks Holiday Drinks and Treats. I went to coffee with a couple of the girls in the college group this morning. I love how Starbucks uses red holiday cups and decorates their stores all cute. And, of course, the yummy holiday flavors they have. My personal favorite is the Pumpkin Spice Latte, even though those come out in the fall. I did try a Peppermint White Mocha last week and it was pretty good...although it was a little too sweet for my liking. I love the cute cookies and other treats they offer as well. Starbucks is just a happy place to be during the Christmas season.
20 days until Christmas!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
25 Reasons to Love Christmas
I love Christmas.
It is by far my favorite holiday...and always has been. I knew at a young age that Christmas was all about Jesus and his birth...my parents never did the Santa thing with us. My grandparents tried to give us gifts from Santa...but we always knew they weren't from him...as we received them on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning. I knew Christmas wasn't all about the presents...but more about spending time with family and reflecting on Jesus's birth.
I was so excited this year to decorate. Josh and I were not able to decorate much last year, as we moved into our new place on December 20th. His mom bought us a little tree and made ornaments for it with our niece. It was a wonderful gift for us last year. This year, we wanted a real tree...and a fairly big one at that. Thankfully, we were able to get one and decorate it with all of our ornaments. It's a mish mash of Hallmark ornaments (from the days when I worked there and received a discount) and ornaments Josh has received over the years from his mom and grandma (for each year he's been alive). It's a beautiful mix and I just love it.
One of my Facebook friends has been counting down her 25 reasons to love the holiday season since December 1st. I have so enjoyed seeing the things she's picked each day and decided to do something similar. Since I hate that people are losing sight of Christ in Christmas, I am going to blog about 25 reasons why I love Christmas. As today would be the fourth day, I will do four of them in this blog.
1. Christmas trees. Not only do I love the ornaments and lights they are adorned with, I love the meaning behind them. I found this definition (on this website ):
Evergreen- the second color of Christmas shows everlasting light and life. The needles point up to heaven.
I love that the tree has to do with light and life. It's a wonderful reminder to cherish life during this time and to remember the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
2. Serving. We talked a lot in our college group on Thursday night about the Christmas party we are putting on at church to serve some families in our community. I love the opportunity that Christmas brings to provide gifts, dinner, and fun to families that may not have those blessings otherwise. I love seeing all the beautiful smiles on the little ones.
3. Christmas music. Oh yes. This part is definitely one of my favorites. I have been listening to a local radio station in my car since after Thanksgiving that has been playing nothing but Christmas music. It makes me so happy to turn on my car and hear Silver Bells or Mariah Carey belting out, Jesus, Born on this Day (and yes, they play this song on the radio). It seriously makes a stressful day much more enjoyable.
4. Christmas crafts. I went to a couple of different holiday boutiques this morning with my sister and a dear friend. I love seeing all of the beautiful things that people spend their time crafting for others to enjoy. I bought a Christmas knitted towel to go on my refrigerator. My Nanny used to make them and every time I see them, I get excited. I have one with Mickey and Minnie on it that was given to me as a wedding gift, as well as one with a coffee pattern and one with apples. This Christmas one is the perfect addition to my collection.
Stay tuned for more reasons to love Christmas.
It is by far my favorite holiday...and always has been. I knew at a young age that Christmas was all about Jesus and his birth...my parents never did the Santa thing with us. My grandparents tried to give us gifts from Santa...but we always knew they weren't from him...as we received them on Christmas Eve, not Christmas morning. I knew Christmas wasn't all about the presents...but more about spending time with family and reflecting on Jesus's birth.
I was so excited this year to decorate. Josh and I were not able to decorate much last year, as we moved into our new place on December 20th. His mom bought us a little tree and made ornaments for it with our niece. It was a wonderful gift for us last year. This year, we wanted a real tree...and a fairly big one at that. Thankfully, we were able to get one and decorate it with all of our ornaments. It's a mish mash of Hallmark ornaments (from the days when I worked there and received a discount) and ornaments Josh has received over the years from his mom and grandma (for each year he's been alive). It's a beautiful mix and I just love it.
One of my Facebook friends has been counting down her 25 reasons to love the holiday season since December 1st. I have so enjoyed seeing the things she's picked each day and decided to do something similar. Since I hate that people are losing sight of Christ in Christmas, I am going to blog about 25 reasons why I love Christmas. As today would be the fourth day, I will do four of them in this blog.
1. Christmas trees. Not only do I love the ornaments and lights they are adorned with, I love the meaning behind them. I found this definition (on this website ):
Evergreen- the second color of Christmas shows everlasting light and life. The needles point up to heaven.
I love that the tree has to do with light and life. It's a wonderful reminder to cherish life during this time and to remember the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
2. Serving. We talked a lot in our college group on Thursday night about the Christmas party we are putting on at church to serve some families in our community. I love the opportunity that Christmas brings to provide gifts, dinner, and fun to families that may not have those blessings otherwise. I love seeing all the beautiful smiles on the little ones.
3. Christmas music. Oh yes. This part is definitely one of my favorites. I have been listening to a local radio station in my car since after Thanksgiving that has been playing nothing but Christmas music. It makes me so happy to turn on my car and hear Silver Bells or Mariah Carey belting out, Jesus, Born on this Day (and yes, they play this song on the radio). It seriously makes a stressful day much more enjoyable.
4. Christmas crafts. I went to a couple of different holiday boutiques this morning with my sister and a dear friend. I love seeing all of the beautiful things that people spend their time crafting for others to enjoy. I bought a Christmas knitted towel to go on my refrigerator. My Nanny used to make them and every time I see them, I get excited. I have one with Mickey and Minnie on it that was given to me as a wedding gift, as well as one with a coffee pattern and one with apples. This Christmas one is the perfect addition to my collection.
Stay tuned for more reasons to love Christmas.
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