The Final Countdown

My reading-addicted office neighbor two doors down, a.k.a. Todd-the-orange-peelin'-donut- lovin'- dude, has been raving about his reading accomplishments during this year of 2008! 100 books, blah blah blah.

Well, not that I am competitive (ha!) but, I got out my calculator and pencil and did some of my own statistical analysis on what I have read this year. Here is the data- you decide the winner!

• read and used 315 new recipes (I signed up for a meal plan/grocery list service for 45 weeks this year).
• read 252 children's picture books between June and August (you call the Avon Wayne Township Public Library- they have the check out information to back me up. My daughter and I nearly won that contest.)
• read 18 faith statements by our 2008 Confirmation Students.
• read over 90 Christmas cards and letters during the season of Advent.
• read all of donut'-lovin'-dude's blog entries...that is 227 of his blogs read.
• read the 47 submissions for our 2008 Lenten Devotional at least 5 times each during the editing process. That is a total of 235 devotions read.
• read over 30 books for my continuing education requirement for the conference. (not that anyone will ever read my continuing education report.)
• finally, I assume that emails count as reading material too (since I am a material girl) . And prior to deleting my inbox recently I had well over 2,457 emails during 2008!

Hmmm.... 3,624 items read! That is my final countdown in 2008...

Happy New Year!

Our daughter has spent this fall learning about the different seasons we experience in this hemisphere: spring, summer, fall/autumn, and winter. And now the seasons are fully within her grasp.

Well, yesterday she was thrown a bit of a curve ball with the concept of "new year's". She wanted to know if the seasons would be changing again (she is really hoping to avoid winter and spring and go straight to summer so she can swim with her buddies again!). We then had to explain about the calendar year (which brought up another whole set of issues and ideas to unpack).

She has gotten the idea now because this is yet another holiday to celebrate and we will be doing some celebrating. She really likes parties. We will have a special dinner out to eat, dress up nice, and come home to make yummy s'mores! I doubt she will make it to midnight for the official changing of the year and neither, probably, will her parents! (Sleep is too precious!)

Whatever way you celebrate the year past and the new year to come- be safe, have fun, and trust God goes before us in all things.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Singing with Simeon

I enjoyed so much my attempt to sing with Mary a week ago, in preparation this weekend's sermon on the prophets Simeon and Anna, I had another go. See December 21st blog, Singing with Mary, for my contemporary version of her Magnificat!

(read Luke 2:29-32 for the originial version of Simeon's song)

O God, my leader, just like you said you would,
you can send me home now!
because I am soooo content.
I got to see it!- Your plan to save,
and you did it out here for everybody to watch and see!
Wow!
Your Brightness shines into the dark, scary places where lost folks try to hide,
your illumination honors all of your children.

Thanks be to you, God!

Eve of Christmas- 5

Merry Christmas! We did it! 4 unique and fabulous worship experiences. Thank you to the staff and countless volunteers, musicians, valet folks, nursery workers, etc.

Wow- now time to get to bed!

Eve of Christmas- 4

Another fabulous service... if I keep weeping at all the meaningful, sentimental parts I will not have any mascara to remove at 1am this morning! :)

A crisis has occurred in that the pop machine in the building is dysfunctional and the lady with the key just left because a kid in the nursery threw up on her. Rats. Now I gotta find some caffeine in another way.

Hmmm....

Eve of Christmas- 3

Wow- lovely, lovely music- our volunteers and staff have totally and completely out done themselves! Awesome.

I watched lots of smiles as folks sang, ladies wiping tears from their eyes and big cheezy grins on kids faces! What a great view- to watch and witness others worship!

Now, we do it again!

(Except for the luminaries, of course, which have blown away in the wind... the other ones set themselves on fire. ha ha)

Eve of Christmas- 2

Chaos was overrated at 5pm worship! The kiddos did terrific! Wonderful music by their angelic voices- 240 worshipped with us.

We have the sanctuary vaccuumed, prepared and now the next set of music practices has begun!

Now time for a bite to eat and help our new youth director with the luminaries!

Eve of Christmas- 1

Our senior pastor's Windstar was pulled out of the church ditch, local fire department has been here and left, and thousands of trees have surrendered their lives for bulletins- which all means that NOW we are ready for Christmas Eve worship!

The rain has stopped, the candles are prepared, and the musicians are tuning up and rehearsing as I type. Whew- finally the anticipation, the expectation, the hype- will it be all we want it to be?!?!

Yep- and more!

See you after our 5pm service (kids, communion and chaos!)

:) I get to vacuum between services this year! woo hoo!

Singing with Mary

While listening to Todd's sermon this morning I was inspired again by the song of Mary. This song or poem she shares following the reception of the news of her part in God's salvation plan. My imagination got hummin' this morning. "What if God had asked me to be the mother of Jesus when I was a young teen? What would I have said or sang?"

Regardless of how I might answer those questions the reality is that God asks all of us to harbor his Son in our hearts. Will we welcome him? Will we accept the challenge? Will we sing with Mary? And what will we sing?

(below is my version of what you'll find in Luke 1:46-55)

My soul sings of God's glory
and my spirit knows joy in God, my Savior
for God has not forgotten me, a humble little servant.

From now on those who follow me will know what blessedness looks like,
because I will not stop talking about the great things God did for me-
holy is God's name.

God's generous forgiveness spills out and washes all people
especially those who recognize God's leadership and grace.

With strength God accomplishes amazing things.
God's mind searches out and then humbles those who are arrogant.

Leaders are impeached by God's standards of leadership and
those who are humble God gives opportunities to lead others.

Empty bellies God fills, empty minds God renews, and empty souls God befriends,
these are the good things God gives,
but the smug and conceited walk away unfulfilled and hungry.

God continually helps the servant Israel and her legacy the church,
God never forgets to offer mercy to Sarah and Abraham's children forever
because God keeps the promise made to our foreparents.

Holy is God's name!

All I Want for Christmas...

...are the end of bailouts.

...my eyesight to "get worse" as I age because then I will actually see better.

...Santa's reindeer to not leave any 'droppings' on the front lawn.

...a nap.

...family and friends to know that I love them and pray for them deeply.

Holy Family

My heart caught a glimpse of the holy family last week. No one noticed them as I did because they were not what you’d expect. He had an acne-filled face of a nineteen year old college freshman with a bit of a soul patch. Her blond hair coiled about her face while the glitter of her gold pumps flashed in the timid winter sun.

Neither were Jewish or middle eastern but they were a contemporary American Holy Family. Huddled together arm and arm they were poised with all the subtle drama of the first Christmas. At their feet not in a manger but cuddled into a pumpkin car seat lay their sleeping firstborn son. A virgin birth this wasn’t, but an unexpected unplanned pregnancy this was. The arrival of this little guy shattered the life script for these two middle class white students from suburbia America. Yet, the holy family they were.

They were holy not because of they were without fault or sin, but they were holy because of the promise they were making before families, their son, one another and God to be faithful in cherishing one another til death parts them. It was through their promise of a covenant commitment that holiness surrounded this young couple.

I saw the Holy Family reflected in this couple because he couldn’t take his adoring eyes off of her long blond locks, young frame, and subtle curves. His eyes held the promise of passion and compassion.

They were holy and didn’t know it because they were too young to be scared or intimidated about the prospects of the life path before them.

I am so grateful my heart witnessed their love and their little young family because in their promise-making God reminded me of His loving Promise to be with us as one of us... and that is the gift the first Holy Family offered.

Overdid & overdone

My little baker and I created over 13 dozen cookies yesterday afternoon. I don't know if it was all the sugar, pure exhaustion, or over stimulus of the flurry of baking- but I didn't get to sleep very quickly last night!

Today begins the process of eating them! yum!

Provocative Question

Yesterday while driving in my car I heard the most provoking question this Advent season. I cannot wait to share it with you.

This question, I have no doubt, will make you stop, think, and go, "hmmm." I was stumped. I had to use my one lifeline available to me in the car- my husband and the Internet.

The question was raised by our four year old. She asked very sweetly and thoughtfully from the back seat, "Momma, how do worms breathe?"

Yep. That is a provocative question alright.

And the answer made us giggle all the way home! :)

What shall I Write?

A few blogs ago, Todd (that writing nut down the hall from me) was waxing poetic about all that he has written this year. Ya da Yada ya. I can in no way compete with the plethora of articles, books, and blogs etc. that he has created in 2008. (My body requires sleep.)

So, I thought of one thing that I could write and maybe even beat him to it. Goals.

I wrote down my goals for 2009! Yep, after the Christmas letter was mailed my spirit was heavenly inspired to cast a vision for my future endeavors. (Actually, the real truth is that my husband got excited about writing down his goals and the bathroom mirror seemed lopsided without my goal list prominently displayed on it.)

Every year (usually sometime around New Year's) my goals are jotted down in my journal or on my desk at work. But this year- they are typed up (in various categories) and put on the bathroom mirror. The idea behind this technique is to visually see them everyday and be more mindful of the steps required to make them become a reality.

Financial, Body, Mind, Spirit, Motherhood, Marriage and Creative are the categories with several goals listed in each area. Whew- I have a LOT to do and be next year!

What are your goals for 2009? What do you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months?

Write them down, get focused, and maybe we can catch up with Todd one day on our writing...

HA!

Adventing, we go!

Preparations last week paid off and we had a lovely party Sunday night. I was a bit unsure about the ham- I am much better at turkey, I think, but no one has reported any sickness of any kind!!
Now, more Advent stuff to do and be about- staff parties, visit with Santa, Christmas at the Zoo, and this weekend, we will be baking our Christmas cookies! (Have you noticed my oven is earning it's keep?!)

In spite of our hectic pace, I am becoming more and more appreciative of the depth and breadth of Advent's meaning. We are awaiting the final coming of Christ in his final glory. Thus, Advent puts us in touch with profound hope, expectation, and waiting.

And as I hear about loved ones suffering, cancer affecting families, wars, and strife, child abuse & neglect- I am even more excited about Jesus' final birth into this world- because evil will have an end and suffering will be stop. Justice will be distributed. The dead will be raised- and all will truly be well in God's holy and righteous sight.

So, even though I am keeping busy with the fun and festivities, but my soul is fed in quiet waiting prayers of the Hope that is to Come!

Thanks be to God!

Preparations...

Gotta purchase four gifts and wrap them, bake and decorate a cake, bake a loaf of yummy pumpkin bread, clean the house, set the tables for 13 guests, and get a ham in the oven by Sunday afternoon... I hope I can get'er done!

Our daughter is thrilled about the prospect of opening presents before Christmas. And she enjoys baking as well.. so that is what our weekend (besides worship) will include!

Prepare the way of the guests!

Blue Devils, Boilermakers

We have a Blue Devil and a Boilermaker in my house... guess which one is happy today?!?!

http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=3626775

Drinking Problem- Solution #1

I was graciously informed over dinner last evening that yesterday's blog entry was

too depressing and that I needed to return to light hearted material.

In that vein...

Over breakfast today while watching a marvelously colorful sunrise (did you see it?!)- my daughter and I devised a plan. We have been hatching plans ever since her creative and imaginative gene was tickled during a wrestling match over water color paints.

Our plan involves solving Duke pup's drippy drinking dilemna. And the plan involves straws. Swirly straws and bendable straws. Yep- you can guess where this might lead and we did indeed go there. My four year old giggled, no, actually I think it was a cackle, while I described the step by step process.

First, we need to get Duke to hold a straw in his mouth and NOT EAT IT. (giggle) "What about tape, Momma?" (giggle) "What about glue, Momma?" (cackle)

Once the straw is secured in his mouth, we need to teach him to use the straw I told her. "I'll show him, Momma." And at once she got out a straw and put it in her leftover milk from her cereal. Then, she stood in front of Duke, saying (in between slurps) "Watch, Dukie, Watch me." He wagged his tail in rapid rhythm not at all sure what was happening but, thoroughly enjoying the attention he was getting.

ha ha ha ha! I cannot go on... by the way he was still dripping drips from his water dish.

I hope that was light hearted enough for our readers out there...

Where We Live

Finally, in the 16th draft- the 2008 Christmas letter has been put to rest- bed- or print. Now, is the second most difficult task of the annual Christmas card/letter writing gig: collecting all of the correct addresses for people.

Last night I waded through my old address book and discovered all sorts of names of folk who won't be getting a letter this year because they are now deceased. (Who knows? They may enjoy not receiving a letter this year. Maybe I can write- Heaven - as the address and the US postal service can deliver it like they take Santa's mail to him at the North Pole. Or is that too much mixing of church and government?)

Because I can now 'see dead people' in my address book it has become painfully obvious how outdated this ledger is. Another clue to how out-of-touch of my address book is that several couples listed A to Z are now divorced. Ouch.

I had no idea that addressing Christmas letters would be an exercise in grief work! Whew.

And the turkey was...

...juicy! Hip Hip Hooray!

We had a terrific holiday- great weather, good conversation, yummy food, delicious pies etc.

Now, onto the next feast!