December Happenings

I am amazed at how this month has flown by. I did most of my Christmas shopping, the bulk of it anyway, before Thanksgiving. So that isn't what has consumed my time and thoughts between now and then. I know a few of my blogging friends have been wondering where I am and what I am doing. Let me see if I can shed some light on that subject.

We have taken a break from formal school for the month of December. That means no workbooks this month. We are still doing lots of reading, cooking and talking about different things. And we have been making some neat crafts and drawing. We take a break this month each year so that December becomes a little less stressful and a little more fun in many ways. We take the focus off of school and put it on Christ and His coming as a baby and why He did.

We are reading "A Christmas Carol" together. We take turns reading. I found this wonderful copy of the book and the younger kids and I read out of it. Game Champ has his own copy because he read it at school last year. He follows along in his copy when it isn't his turn to read. They all do very well reading out loud. We are on Stave 4 now and are hoping to get it finished before Christmas day. We may be doing some reading on that day, but I think that would be hard to get them to do. So we are trying hard to finish up. We have a version of the movie we are going to watch when we are done. Of course, we have watched a couple of animated versions already. The book is full of big words and strange word combinations so we do a lot of talking about what he means by it. This is something that we will be doing all the time from now on...reading a larger book out loud...one of great literary importance. I think it is fun and wonderful family time.

Since we do not have TV in the "normal" sense anymore, I have become even more movie crazy. I have purchased some of the "old" children's classics from my younger years and have loved watching my children enjoy them as I did. I have also purchased a few of my favorites as an adult. Star Princess has found that "Miracle On 34th Street" is a great movie! Fourstringpop has found that "White Christmas" and "Holiday Inn" are musicals, which he is not all that fond of. But all of the children's classics are musicals, too! And something you might not know...most of the Christmas classics from those children's collections mention Jesus' birth. I think that is awesome! Long ago it wasn't separated, Christ was always a part of Christmas. It is fun to watch the movies about Santa but if we only talk about Santa then we have missed what Christmas is supposed to be about!

My new favorite song, at the moment, is by Casting Crowns, called "While You Were Sleeping". Fourstringpop had mentioned that he had heard a few new songs on the radio this year so I began to listen for them. On my way to Target to get a few last minute gifts this song came on. I sat in my car while it finished. I cried as I walked into Target! It was that powerful to me. The next morning I got up and tried to find out who sang it and found a video on GodTube. I sat here and listened as the tears ran down my face. It just touched my soul as it sang how we, as Americans, save the trees and kill the children. Yes, there are so many activist for animals, trees, the earth, but so many against children, unborn children. "We" fight to have the right to kill the unborn, whom God says He knows and knits together in their mother's womb. Will we be a nation who sleeps through His next coming? I pray not. Wake up!

We have been doing lots of praying for the Lord to show us where He wants us. We have felt a leading into full time ministry as a couple. We have also felt a leading to a certain place. We are just waiting on the Lord to show us when. We are preparing to go....cleaning things out, giving things away, packing things up, fixing things up...etc. We are preparing for "rain" and "building our ark" so that when the time comes we are ready to go! His timing is perfect! We are ready, all of us, to go. Please join us in prayer that we will hear His call and be prepared to go!

I have been cleaning the last two days so that I won't have to do it during my break. I am off Wednesday and Thursday and I want to enjoy it. I am almost off Friday through Sunday but not quite. But I don't want to spend it cleaning or feeling badly because I am not cleaning. Foustringpop is working days this week, all two days that he has to work. So I have gotten so much done without worrying about waking him up during the day. I love feeling like I am accomplishing things that need to be done. It is a good feeling.

I know I will have much to share after Christmas. I pray that all of you will remember that Jesus was born a baby so He could grow up and die on a cross because of His great love for US! All of US! Remember Him on Thursday, and every day! He is really the ONLY reason for the season!

Merry Christmas! We love you all!