Traditions

     When I was a kid way back in the olden days, our Christmases carried the same traditions every year.  Without fail, I knew that we would go to church on Christmas Eve.  I would recite a poem, sing a song or act in a play.  After church we would gather at my grandparents' house where each family would take turns having a picture made in front of the Christmas tree.
     Once the big celebration was over, we would go home (I grew up across the pasture from my grandparents' house so we didn't have far to go) and open our gifts.  For some reason the excitement of the night always seemed to be followed by an extra cold bed and sometimes I would pay my younger siblings to warm my bed for me!
     Anyway, we would get up on Christmas morning and open our stocking gifts and later go to my other grandparents' for Christmas one more time.  Every year.  Pretty much.  Every year the same traditions.  Well there was that one year our house burned on Christmas night but that's a story for another time.
     Traditions.  They have never been this way for our kids.  We have seriously done Christmas in the spring with one set of grandparents.  And because of dad's work schedule, each year has been different at our house.  I've wondered if it has been difficult for our kids, but they've never known any other way.
     While it would be nice to have a set plan each year, a tradition, not being able to do that has certainly done a number on the control freak in me.  In fact, she has pretty much had to take a vacation every holiday!
     Typical traditions or not, I am blessed with an amazing family.  We've had a crazy year and I'm sitting here alone in my empty nest.  Everyone else is either at work, church, traveling here or enjoying their own home.  We've celebrated on Christmas Eve Eve.  We've celebrated in a whirlwind because time was limited. We've celebrated for two days!  But this year our celebration is 'scheduled' to happen very late.
     Yet we must carry on.  One son has helped me with the menu and will do some of the cooking.  A couple of the boys helped me grocery shop. (Now THAT was a real adventure!)  When we arrived at home after shopping, a dog walked up to us.  Our usually sarcastic son couldn't rest until we had gotten the dog safely back into the neighbor's yard.  That boy.  He tries to be so tough but he has a heart of gold.
     The main reason we are waiting to have Christmas so late?  Our youngest son volunteered to work a double shift both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  He works at a hospital two hours away.  After coworkers found out he had volunteered, they thanked him.  One with tears in his eyes.  He told our that son he had never gotten to spend Christmas morning with his child because of the job and was so thankful to finally get to do that.
     Traditions.  Well we may not have normal traditions like everyone else.  But I sure hope the tradition of service, love and giving is something all our kids carry on for many years to come.  Somehow I believe those things are a better gift to our Savior than a strict holiday schedule anyway.
 

It's Fake!

     Here I am rewatching yet another Hallmark Christmas movie. While I normally can't sit still long enough to watch  anything more than a 30 minute sitcom,  these  Hallmark Christmas movies start getting my attention way back in October.  I guess you could say I'm addicted.   And yes I even love it when they show their Christmas movies in July!
      So here I am,  cappuccino in  one of my favorite Christmas mugs,  watching tears come into the eyes of a son  as his father plays  "The First Noel" on the piano  just like he did last night when I was wrapping Christmas presents.   And the situation that looked hopeless  is now going to have a happily ever after  just like it did when I watch the same movie last night.
      Such a sweet story right?    We all love a good happily ever after ending.   Well  most of us anyway.   My sons tend to tease me about watching these Hallmark movies.   They have noticed many similarities between each one.    It seems the main character is always having a horrible catastrophe.   And often it involves a missed  plane according to my sons.
      But the one thing I have noticed over the last couple of years of watching and re-watching these wonderful Hallmark movies  is that the snow is fake!   It's absolutely  fake!   Shrubs are covered with blankets that appear to be snow.   But they are all too perfect.  Snowmen are perfectly shaped  and actually wiggle and wobble when  buttons are placed on for eyes.   I don't know about you but I have never had a snowman wobble simply because I placed  button eyes on his face.
      I've watched people sit down on snow and the whole blanket move.  And a poinsettia being given as a gift that was obviously a fake flower! Not even a good fake!   But still I spend hour after hour watching Hallmark Christmas movies.  And it doesn't matter if Lacey Chabert  is playing  a widow or a young woman in love;  or if Candace Cameron Bure is falling in love with a fellow snowstorm survivor or with the son of the innkeeper,   I am pulled into the story and head over heels in love with the happy endings.
      Fake snow or not,  did you know that we can all have a happily ever after ending?   There is only one way.   By excepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.   And that is what Christmas is all about.

I've Fallen and I Can't Get Up

     I have a new exercise. Sock skating. Seriously. Every night I put on the slickest socks I can find. Walking through the house during the Christmas season  wastes too much valuable time that I could be decorating, creating, cooking, writing etc. So I get from one place to the other by sock skating!  It's much quicker than walking and I have assured myself I'm burning tons of calories.
     There is also an added bonus. Less sweeping. These fluffy socks pick up dog hair and lint like crazy. Every 30 minutes or so, just clean off the gunk and your socks are ready for another go!      
     When I first told my family about my new mode of transportation, the suggestion was made that I get one of those life alert pendants. You know. Like the sweet gray haired grandmother gets in the commercial after her family discovers her alone in the kitchen floor, unable to move.
     Really?  I'm 55 folks!  Not 105!  Sure it sometimes takes me a little longer to remember that that big box in the kitchen that keeps things cold is called a refrigerator.  And sure I sometimes don't remember where I'm going. But what's the big deal?  That's been going on for years!
     About a month ago we put up our outdoor Christmas lights.  Because of time constraints I volunteered to get up on the roof to help. The 'NO's could be heard all over the neighborhood!  What's the deal people?!?
     While I love my family, and appreciate their concerns for me, I will continue sock skating. So, please excuse me while I skate off down the hallway  to take care of these gray roots no one is supposed to know about.  No one is gonna offer me a senior discount anytime soon!  And when sock skating becomes an actual sport, I will have lead the way!

Judge Not------Unless You're on Jury Duty

     Judge not lest ye be judged.  Ever had that quoted AT you?  I have.  Matthew 7:1 is probably one of the most miss-quoted scriptures in the Bible.  

     A few months ago I got that dreaded letter in the mail.  I had been selected for jury duty.  Seriously?  I was about to go on vacation.  And when I came back from vacation I was starting a new job assignment that would require lots and lots of training and concentration.  All to be interrupted for the next four months by jury duty.  

     You know.  Some people have jury duty and never even have to report.  The four months go by without interruption and jury duty is a thing of the past.  So maybe that would happen for me.

     Yeah right.  First day of reporting I tried to hide in the back of the courtroom.  I stayed quiet and avoided eye contact with the judge and attorneys.  I wore my bright pink stilettos so, that if they saw them, they would think I was eccentric and not choose me.  None of that worked.  I found myself seated on my first jury.

     There I was, no cell phone allowed, taking notes, and being asked to judge another person.  Judge! That word!   Me.  For two days even.  

     But what about judge not lest ye be judged?  Well here's the deal.  When reading the next 4 verses we find out that it's okay when we've got our own lives in order.  Did I have my life in order?  Was I worthy of passing judgment on someone else?  I will admit that I sat in the jury box praying as I was being asked to judge.  It was an awesome responsibility.  And I wanted to make the right decision.

     Well that one went by well and we were even given pizza for lunch as we were locked in that jury room deliberating.  Yeah, locked in.  Another thing I had to overcome.  Was it really necessary to lock the door to that tiny room filled with 11 other people I didn't know but had to eventually agree with? Surprisingly we arrived at a decision fairly quickly and blew the mind of the plaintiff's attorney when he found out he wasn't going to get a ton of money he expected to get. 

     Thinking one time would be all I would have to go, I breathed a sigh of relief.  Now I could get to learnin' my new job.  Right.........  Called downtown once again to the courthouse, I found myself sitting in that jury box again!  This time I missed it by 3 people.  Whew!  Only took half a day for that one.  Surely I was done.

     Not so fast.  One more time to the courthouse.  Again I sat quietly in the back.  And again it didn't work.  My name was called first and I found myself one more time in that jury box.  And one more time on a jury and asked to judge someone.  And be locked in that room again!

     Jury duty will be a thing of the past for me very soon.  I'm glad.  And I'm thankful for the soul searching jury duty brought my way.  Judge not lest ye be judged?  It's a good idea to re-read Matthew 7:1-5 every now and then.  And get things right first.