A Peaceful Saturday

 

Today has been a much-needed day of rest for me. After bringing my older girls to church for a retreat and spending my Kohl's Cash with my younger girls, I was able to stay home in pajama pants all day, covered with a plush blanket. 

We cheered the Baylor Bears to a victory over UT and the Big 12 Championship! Sic 'em Bears! My celebration was somewhat tempered by the sleeping kitten on my lap.  And then we had a victory dinner of steak cooked by my husband.

I savored being able to read a book without having to go anywhere or do anything. I've had so many things to do lately that I haven't been able to read as much, and I've missed it. My soul needs some quiet and restful days to recharge for the fuller and louder days. (And I know they are coming!)

The picture doesn't show it clearly, but our stocking holders spell out "PEACE." Isaiah said Jesus would be the Prince of Peace. This year I want my Christmas season to be full of His peace. Today was a good start. 

 

 Eating cookies by the fire.

The Hobbit

 

Since the second Hobbit movie comes out in one week, we watched the first Hobbit movie tonight. We gathered around the television eating our supper of warm potato soup, chicken, and homemade biscuits. And the movie was long enough for the girls to enjoy some warm cookies at the end of the movie.  I'm about to enjoy my warm cookies right now. 

I love how my girls are drawn to the great stories of love and sacrifice, courage and hope and redemption. I think we are drawn to these stories written by humans because they reflect THE story written by God. Of His love for us. Of Jesus' sacrifice. Of the courage of Jesus going to the Cross. Of the hope and redemption we have because of Him.  

 

The Joy of a Kitten

When we adopted Patches she was already a few months old and was already somewhat dignified. So I haven't shared my home with a little kitten since high school. I forgot how silly and lively and distracting kittens can be. 

Today Nora ran around the house and played with pieces of cereal, climbed onto the open dishwasher, climbed inside an open cabinet, and chased her tail for five minutes. She tried to put her head in a bag of crackers and also tried to eat some cheese I was snacking on. (I gave her a taste after I was through, and she loved it.)

She also decided to come help me type on my laptop. 

  

 In this season where we celebrate joy and peace, I love how kittens embody both. When she plays, Nora is the picture of joyful abandon. And when she sleeps, she is so peaceful and sweet. I want my life to exhibit such joy! And I want to rest peacefully when I rest.

 

The Light of Christmas

We were all tired and hungry as we drove home from the girls' long ballet practice. It was 7:00 and we still had to pick up supper. And we had to drop off some library books that were due before we could get our supper. 

And then I noticed this:

 

So we did what any tired and hungry mom of tired and hungry girls would do: I turned down the side street this house is located on so we could see it better! And then I stopped in front of it and took pictures. Which totally don't do it justice. 

Even though we are more the understated white light kind of decorators, viewing houses like this makes me happy. I love the extravagance and the total unashamedness of displays like this one. These people love Christmas and are not afraid to let everyone know.

It reminds me of God's extravagant love that we celebrate at Christmas. He loves us like this. With a big, lit-up, no room for doubt kind of love. He displayed His love for us for all to see in the manger and on the Cross. 

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~ John 8:12 (ESV)

The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.  ~ Isaiah 9:2 (NET)

 

'Tis the Season for Christmas China

One of things I enjoy during the Christmas season is using my Christmas china that my Granny gave me when Paul and I were first married.  Even though I have to wash it by hand, I use it as much as I can. It helps puts me in the Christmas spirit and reminds me of my Granny, who loved Christmas so much. 

The large plates and bowls just have the poinsettia design, but the dessert plates each have an illustration of one of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The cookies are obscuring the four colly birds on this plate. (Which I always thought was four calling birds. What is a colly bird, anyway?) 

Tonight I used it to eat Pioneer Woman's Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies. And because we like chocolate, we added chocolate chips.  Yum!

Resting in the Anticipation

 

This year I want to relax into this season of Advent, this season of remembrance of Jesus' first coming and anticipation for His second coming. 

Year after year I find myself stressed instead of resting in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I become distracted by the parties, the gifts, the travel, the decorating, the wrapping.  I turn these blessings into burdens that I bear in my own strength. I worry that our traditions aren't as good as others' traditions. That somehow our traditions are hurried or lacking.

This year I want to choose to be joyful. To be merry. To have peace. 

I want the miracle of Christ to overwhelm my heart. 

I know the events will still come. Ballet practice alone will keep us busy this month. But I want to walk through the parties, the ballet practice, the decorating, the travel, the wrapping with an awareness of Jesus. Not just baby Jesus in the manger, but my risen Lord who lives in me and empowers me to live out life. Christ came not just so we could have beautifully wrapped gifts or fun parties or lovely decorations; He came to save us and change us and take over our wayward hearts.

Come, Lord Jesus!

We're Test Driving a Kitten!

 

The danger of having friends who find a litter of kittens in their boat is that you may be tempted to bring one home! 

One of our girlies has been wanting a pet of her very own for a while now. We'd been considering a bunny or a guinea pig, but she loves cats, and these are free! Our friends were kind enough to let us have this sweetie on a trial basis. If Patches can learn to live with another cat, my girl has an early Christmas gift. 

So far the new kitty has explored and purred and made herself at home. And Patches has only hissed twice. So things look promising. I'm praying that Patches accepts the new kitten and that they become friends. Because I think we're already in love with new kitty.