Twelve Days of Christmas-ing

It's time to share the love! It's time to squeeze out all the meanness and hate and selfish-tinted motives that drive us so much of the time.

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Today, as I sit at my desk behind a Christmas tree and manorah and a big bowl of M&M's (in our company's colors, with our companies name on them--- on each and every M&M-- this is not cheap people), I feel rich. I feel blessed. I know that as an American I have so much more than majority of the population of the world have.

I know this is true. I believe it is true. I've seen it, I've heard from those who've experience it first hand. When Chris told me stories about the street kids in Rwanda who literally live on the streets, it broke my heart. Rummaging through the city dump and taking care of each other at five, eight and eleven years old- it's how they survive.

So why do I feel entitled to a massage? My needs no longer include water, food and shelter. I need a certain amount of counter space in my kitchen, nice jewelry, a fifteenth lip gloss and a massage at least once a quarter.

Sometimes, and I guess especially at Christmas time, I am overwhelmed with the opportunities to give and serve and minister and be charitable. There are so many people who need their basic needs met as well as needing to experience sincere care and love and hugs.

I want my life to be effective, and not just by writing a check or donating a baby-doll or a gently used winter coat. I want to have an impact. And I'm not talking about changing the entire world tomorrow. I'm not naive enough to think that I matter all that much, but there has to be a better way.

Maybe it's just one blog post at a time. Or hugging one Scrooge a day. I'm not really sure what making an impact on my part of the world looks like right now, but I feel like something BIG is coming. I find comfort in knowing that all I have to do today is what God intended for me to do today- no more, no less. But I don't want to sell myself short, or aim too low, or completely miss using my talents, gifts and abilities for greatness. Something larger than I could dream. Something outside of myself. Something only God could do.

Change.

Texas Run Down...

Here are some pictures of how we spent SOME of our time in Texas.

Momma and me, Thanksgiving day. We had an amazing meal that my mom prepared 100% of. She loves to cook and we love to eat so it works out well.















Chris and I rode motorcycles with my dad. What an amazingly free feeling. I miss it.















This is a picture my brother John took from underneath the trestle. The tiny people way up in the air are LB & I and Chris- toting his obnoxiously long walking stick. He looked like Moses leading the way. I was more afraid of tumbling to my death.















This was one of our many modes of transportation during our trip in Texas. In the back of the truck my father-in-law let us borrow were huge bags of cow feed. The funny thing is that every time we'd drive by the Texas Longhorn cattle that get fed the before mentioned feed.... they'd come running across the pasture, recognizing the hum of this particular gray Ford, expecting food.

Chris and I both did alot of reading and journaling during our week away. This is Chris sitting on my sisters and brother-in-law's back porch.

Full speed ahead

Halls decked?

Holly hung?

Tree decorated?

Nativity set displayed?

Lights lit?

Christmas in our tiny abode really isn't all that pitiful if you ask me, but it is sort of meek. We have no room to put up a Christmas tree, or hang stockings, or set out snow-globes, but we make due.

I hung some garland, placed my plush reindeer atop the bookshelf and set out three or four of my favorite ornaments as little figurines. That is it, but it's okay.

I got to help decorate our sanctuary at church with live greenery and millions of red twinkle lights. I also got to put the tree up in the office and adorn it with lights and tinsel and blue and silver glittery balls. So I've had my feel. I really enjoy the use of LIVE greenery and garland in the Northeast. It seems to be more prevalent and available here than in the south. Live wreaths and trees and holly branches: very nice. And it's nice to throw it all away on January 1st.

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Christmas time is here and my calendar is full! Chris leaves today for a weekend youth retreat and while I really want to be excited about some alone time--- I have too much to do.

Tonight we are having a youth game night in the fellowship hall. Nothing like Twister, Taboo and a game of Jenga to end a tiresome workweek. After pizza and hanging out, I'll get home around 9:00pm where I really want to finish up my Christmas cards.

Tomorrow I have a baby shower at 1:00, a Christmas party at 9:00pm. PM. That's really late for me. AND the invite said, "festive attire!" Ha!!! I also found that the wonderfully talented Laila Biali is playing for FREE at 8:00pm at Rockwood Music Hall and her music does something incredibly healing to my soul. She's not only a pianist, but an amazing performer. I like to be entertained...

And Sunday morning the choir is singing and call time is 8:15am. Which really puts a damper on that whole "9:00pm festive attire" party, that I'm sure will involve wine...

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And next week: The Christmas Concert, Tell Me a Story. I will live at the church next week. The youth are also "leading out" next Sunday during church- to give us choir peeps a break, after all those rehearsals and performances. But since I'm involved with youth too.... But it's really fine. We live a block from the church. This is why we do this. And this week comes every. single. year.

OH--- And I'm also trying really hard to memorize a monologue (along with all my choir music). It's a little difficult because I wrote it, and being vulnerable up on that stage all alone, reading my own writing is sort of a writers nightmare. But it will work out, hopefully.

But what I really want to do right now, is simply stroll the aisles at Target!