Thursday, December 18, 2008

DEAR SANTA

EDITED 1/3/09: To any Readers out there...... I just wanted you to know that I did not write this letter myself.... if you know who the author is, please let me know! But I DO agree with every last sentence! Enjoy!
Dear Santa:
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor and sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:
I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze, but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music, a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals, and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with three kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is calling and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to 20 cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always,
MOM

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel ALL my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa!


(Santa has asked that this gets passed on to all the mommies you know, feel free to copy and paste onto your own blog!)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

My Christmas Favs

My Favorite Christmas Songs


I'm in a Christmas-y Mood Today! Also, I'm playing along with my friend Janel, at DandelionDayz, who is listing her top 10 fav Christmas songs. So here are some of my favorites!

1. O Holy Night (any version. But I especially love it when Jeff Nielsen sings it on Christmas Eve at church! And I love Josh Groban's too)
2. Carol Of the Bells (instrumental and with vocals)
3. Gloria (Michael W. Smith) LOVE this!!!
4. Breath of Heaven (Amy Grant)
5. Strange Way to Save the World (4Him)
6. Mary Did You Know?
7. What Child Is This and Angels We Have Heard on High (Third Day)
8. Wexford Carol (instrumental)
9. Don't Save it All For Christmas Day (Clay Aiken)
10. Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Point of Grace)
11. Most instrumental Celtic Christmas music, especailly when the fireplace is on!

Don't recognize some of them? Then look 'em up on Youtube and have a listen. I think you'll love them too! What are your favs? To see Janel's list, go to http://www.dandeliondayz.com/. She got the idea from Jo-Lynne, at http://www.musingsofahousewife.com/, so check that one out too!

Funny story about "Angels We Have Heard On High." Years ago, when Emma was only 2 1/2, we were at church, and everyone was singing this song. Since it was Christmas Eve, she was in the service with us. Never thinking to explain the words, there she stood on her chair, singing with all her might: GLOOOORRRIAA, "Pulling Jessie's Tail All Day!" We never did figure out who Jessie was, or why she'd be pulling his tail.......... haha :)

Merry Christmas!


Thursday, December 11, 2008

Light

It's dark and rainy here today.

It would be a perfect nap day. But I have such a bad headache, I can't fall asleep.

So I went tip toe-ing (is that a word??) into my bedroom to put some things away while John is asleep. Not much light was coming in the windows, so I turned on the lamp to see better.

But it didn't do much good.

There was just enough natural light in the room already so that the light from the lamp didn't really make a difference. I turned the other one on, but it didn't really help either. It aggravated me for a second, and I finished up and walked out.

It doesn't seem to make a lot of sense...... a lamp gives light, and if I turn it on, it should make the room lighter. Had the room been really dark, the lamp would have worked wonders.

I guess God speaks in strange ways sometimes, when I'm least expecting it. Cuz I sure wasn't expecting anything while putting socks away today.

But this is what I started thinking about.....
I had "just enough" light in my room today.... enough to do what I needed, and carry on, whether that lamp was on or not. And in life, sometimes it's easy to go along with what we think is "just enough" God, too.

Just enough of Him doesn't really make any sense. But I guess people trick themselves into thinking that. We get so used to going about our business that we can't see Him in the little things everyday.

The lamp is on, but it just doesn't seem to make a big difference.

Until the sun goes down. And it's dark, and we are desperate for light.

We turn the lamp on, and it illuminates the room.

And in those times, that light is the only thing that allows us to see.

......just thinking.........