Clean Up

Christmas is over and I feel like I'm in a mess!

Yes, the house is part of it. All these new THINGS to find a place for. All the little parts and pieces to organize and put away. All the decorations that need to be boxed and stashed until next year. All the needles I'll be vacuuming from that real tree I so desperately needed. Yes, the stuff is getting to me.

But it's more than that. For some reason, Christmas does not bring out the best in me. Maybe it's memories of Christmas disappointments past or the unmet expectations of Christmas present. Maybe it's the strained family relationships that always seem to come into focus this time of year. Maybe it's thinking too much about how it should have been, but wasn't. The baking I didn't get done, the craft projects I didn't finish, and the people we didn't see. I'm not really sure. And I can analyze it to death, but it probably won't help.

The truth is that the mess is me. I can blame it on all the outside circumstances I want, but the circumstances are merely symptomatic of what's inside my heart. I choose my responses and this week they have not been pretty. I have been reacting way too much. My emotions are heightened and I'm giving them too much power.

Oh, I know what I'm supposed to do and how I'm supposed to respond. In fact, in my mind, it's all played out the "right" way. But what actually comes out of my mouth and in my attitude? That's another story! It's easy to determine in a quiet house when everyone is sleeping that it will be a lot easier at the break of day. But the stresses of life will erupt again.

The question that begs answering is: what's spilling out of my cup? If I have poured milk into my daughter's breakfast cup and it gets knocked over, the only thing that can come out of that cup is milk because that's what I put in it. What spills out is what it's filled with. Same with me.

So what's in my cup? Is it Jesus or is it me? If I'm truly filled with the Spirit of my Lord, He's the only thing that can spill out. But when I'm filled with the spirit of Sara, yuck!, it is anything but lovely.

And much too often, I am filled with myself. I am full of self-centerdness and pride. It's my way or the highway around here. And that attitude affects my household. It provokes my husband and unsettles my children. And the whole house gets to be a mess. But guess who started it? Me!

I have so much power in my home. I have the power to build it up and make it a lovely, peaceful place. Or I have the power to tear it down and make it a chaotic, emotional mess. Moment by moment. In every situation.

So as I contemplate the days to come and the new year I am soon to ring in, God is reminding me that I have a choice. I am not a victim of circumstance. I have a decision to make. I don't have to be in a mess. My house doesn't have to be in shambles. Just as I will find places for all the stuff lying around, I have a place to put my heart stuff too.

At the foot of the cross.

I just celebrated the birth of my Savior. Jesus came as a sweet little baby not to stay a baby, but to bear the ugly burden of my ugly sin on an ugly cross. It was anything but sweet. But it was loving. And it was for me.

Christmas 2008 is over, but the story isn't. There is hope for me, and I am so, so thankful.

Fun Mom

It's another snowy day in the Puget Sound. We have about 5 inches now and it's still coming down! They're predicting it might even last through Christmas! The kids are in heaven during the day and they've been sleeping well at night...

Days like these help me realize what's really important. I have so many "to dos" on my list. Christmas is a week away and I'm not nearly as ready as I think I should be. I have cards to finish, baking to do, presents to wrap, menus to plan and last-minute errands to run. Not to mention the laundry that needs to be folded, the bathrooms that need to be cleaned and the carpets that need vacuuming.

But it will all have to wait. Today I'm going to take my children outside, rather than just sending them out on their own. We're going to sled down the hill a hundred times, attempt to build a snowman as well as Dad can, invite the neighbor kids in for some cocoa and forget about the floor that needs to be mopped when we come inside.

Then we're going to put the coats in the dryer and do it all again.

It's going to be a "fun mom" day. We don't have enough of those around here, so I'm off to bundle up...

Snow Day

It's a winter wonderland here in the Pacific Northwest! We woke up yesterday morning to a few inches of snow and frigid temperatures. The kids gobbled up their breakfast and headed outside. They have learned from seasons past that if they don't get out there quick it could melt before their eyes! The weatherman (or is it weatherperson?!) predicts continued cold and more snow later in the week. We hope so!

That's Sigourney in there somewhere!

Avery and her best friend Anna

The roads were clear enough that we were able to continue with our plans for our annual Christmas trip to Seattle with my family. We waited 3 hours in line for a picture with Santa...

And the boys were able to make their requests (although Avery asked why we even go see Santa "since you're the one who brings our presents anyway, we can just ask you.")...
My sisters and I have been doing this for 35 years. For some reason, my mother thinks it's still necessary...enough already!

We always follow up with a ride on the carousel, but Aiden DID NOT want to go on a horse. He asked to sit with Lydia on the bench!

A Christmas Question

The Christmas tree is up, the manger scene is on display, the 25 day countdown paper chains have been constructed, the chocolates in the advent calendars are being consumed...We're in full Christmas swing around here.

I've never had a problem with the fun parts of Christmas. I grew up visiting Santa and always got at least one gift I'd been coveting. But now that I'm setting the expectation for and concerned about the hearts of my own kids, my question is this: Is it possible to buy into the commercialism of Christmas and still get the real message -- the BIG message -- across?

Oh sure, they know it's Jesus' birthday (we even bake a cake!). But do they really get it? When we talk about Christmas and what they're looking forward to Jesus makes the list, but their real excitement lies around the gifts and the tree and the lights.

Seems pretty sad when we're talking about the Saviour of the world. The Mighty God. The Prince of Peace. He just kind of gets lost in the hulabaloo. Makes me think we should skip the hulabaloo and focus on the King. Really focus on Him. I mean unadulterated, completely saturated in, undivided attention on, focus.

Culturally impossible, I know. We don't live in a bubble. They'd be social outcasts! They'd be deprived! They'd grow bitter! But what about the heart? The true heart. Can we really have it both ways? Something to think about...