happy christmas

This Christmas season has so far included: decorating our silver tree, making a gingerbread house (which got attacked by ants), wrapping presents (Charis wanted to help for about 2 minutes), watching Charis perform in 3 Christmas concerts, teaching Charis to knit, playing lots of Lego Starwars on the Wii, decorating Xmas cookies with friends (and eating raw gingerbread cookies-yum!), admiring the huge lego Christmas tree with those same friends, getting unexpected (and much needed) checks in the mail (that still happens?!), lots of reading by the fire (thanks to whomever anonymously sent us firewood) and watching Jonas climb out of his bed and sneak into the living room (over and over again). I feel really aware of God's mercy this month. I feel Him taking care of us. And I know he's letting us and others be a big part of the process, but I also know He is the orchestrator of it all.





I re-read all the accounts of Jesus' birth this week (in my favorite version of the Bible The Message). And something struck me as cool, that never has before. It's the part where the wise men have been following the star (Star Appreciation Society anyone?) and they loose sight of it, only to see it again right over Jesus' house. It says...

Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time! (Matthew 2)

How cool is that! I never really thought about how relieved they must have been to finally be in the right place. I like the assurance of it...the right place and the right time. I feel like I am in the right place at the right time. Led by God. I think this is always true. We are always right where we are supposed to be at that moment. And God uses those places to teach us and change us. I want that phrase to run through my head when I am doubtful. "This is the right place and the right time!"

I do believe Jesus came at the right place and time. I believe that His birth and eventual death is what allows me access to God. These words that I have heard so many times, and are often stale, are also what give me hope and assurance and joy.

happy christmas.

Cloud Appreciation Society

My beloved friend Kari gave me an amazing birthday gift recently. I recieved a large package in the mail full of beautifully wrapped packages. Each gift had a note attached explaining what part of my life it was for. Some of the highlights included a book for me (Eat, Pray Love. I really liked it.), a book for my kids, a cute nighty from Anthropologie, and the book of Phillipians hand written to me as a letter (such an enlightening way to read that!). But the highlight for me (if I had to pick one) was a framed piece of paper indicating that I am now a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society. I found the site and sent it to her some time ago and had since forgotten about it. Thankfully she did not.

My duty as a member is to "seek to persuade all who'll listen of the wonder and beauty of clouds". This will be no problem for me, seeing as it comes quite naturally. I absolutely love that this society exists and that Kari signed me up for it. I love that she knows I would love this. And I do appreciate, dare I say love (again), clouds.

roommates, cards and billys

Kat and Bas. ahhhh. A weekend with the old roommates. Paxton absolutely loves Bas. The thing with Paxton is he's less friendly and social than Charis, and more of a home-body. So I've always thought of Charis as being more of a "people person". But Pax is the real people lover. Although he'd rather stay home, he wants to be home cuddling and kissing. Whereas Charis is planning the next outing whenever we're home. So back to Kat and Bas. Paxton wanted to be near and on Bas all weekend. He's only like this with people he feels comfortable with. And I guess old roommates fit the profile.

Other than Pax and Bas hugging, we also played cards with K & B. That brought out this funny contrast of personalities. K & B are quite competitive, and me and Caleb are, well, not in the least. But it was fun all the same. I used to think I wasn't competitive because I'm not very good at sports. I thought it was some sort of defense mechanism. Like since Im not very good at "games" I don't enjoy them and am therefore not competitive. But I was "king" like 4 times during our card game, and I never digressed all the way to "skum". Yet, I was mostly ambivalent. Admittedly, I would have enjoyed the game less is I had lost the entire time, but I never felt angry or exuberant. K & B felt and expressed both. Having such strong feelings about a card game is baffling to me, but being so relaxed about life is boring to them.

"The billys"....this is what Jonas calls his toes. Why? I have no clue. But I love it, and constantly ask him to say it. Also, he has an affection for the letter "w". He can pick it out of a line-up and searches for it on the fridge. I also love that.

And I have begun the 5th Harry Potter book. I've only read part of chapter one, and Im already itching for the kids to go to bed so I can read more. Im no longer ashamed. I proudly read.