Archives for December 2012

Hottest Gift of the Season

It was a chilly December. The year, 1996. Crazies were shuffling around preparing for the Christmas season. Black Friday madness was an understatement. Adults were fighting one another like my children do for the Mac-n-Cheese on left-over day. The hot item at hand? Tickle Me Elmo! That's right. Many of you may remember that giggling ball of red fur and his power over America that year.

I've never been one for going Christmas shopping with the crazies. None of this Black Friday non-sense. Definitely not getting out into any silly malls any closer than 3-4 weeks before Christmas! This year...awe this year. It's been a world-win, these past 12+ months. Nothing has been as usual around here.

On that note...2 weeks ago when I realized where were doing gifts this year {for family} unlike last year I flipped. We had no budget to speak of, no grounded ideas, much less a plan of action. My hubs has been locked up in a prison for 12 hours a day without even a phone call. Add onto that a 45 minute drives either way. All that leaves us at last Friday night. Yep! December 21st. The Friday night before Christmas...

Matt and I had chatted about a couple ideas for each child, got my sweet in-laws to watch the babies, and we headed to Toys-R-Us of all places. We giggled at our slack-forethought as we trudged through wicked bad traffic and made it to the packed parking lot leading to the building where parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were caged along with the bazillions of colorful trinkets made for our children's entertainment. I snatched the Last cart as we entered and quickly choose to deposit it into the nearest corner based on it's irrational movements and my tendency for claustrophobia.

Inside I didn't find as many frazzled adults as I'd expected. The two of us sifted through ideas. Compared prices. Discussed if each item would be a good investment. Ya know, possibly educations in any form, versatile, semi-gender-neutral, quality, and so on. I quickly found the blocks I thought Jamin would really like. Score! We're making great progress I thought to myself. They happened to be right next to the game aisle where we were in search of Hungry Hungry Hippo for Maggie. This was going to prove to be a quick trip with possible time left for a sit-down meal together rather than fast-food.

I always joke with my kids by asking them if they are "hungry hungry hippos." I chuckle at my cleverness in the old-school reference and they think I'm odd for saying hungry twice as well as calling them a random Zoo animal. Back around Halloween, when Wal-Mart started putting out their Christmas decor and gobs of toys,  I saw the game on an end-cap. I laughed and took the time to stop and show my kids saying, "This is a game mamma used to play. It's called Hungry Hungry Hippos. That's why I like to call you that. {hehe}" Maggie thought it was super cool and ask if we could get it. Not being in the habit of snatching up boardgames while on a grocery shopping trip, I declined my little girls request but told her we should definitely play it some time because she would really like it.

She continued to talk about the Hungry Hungry Hippos over the past few months. Just a couple weeks ago I got to stay and help in her class at One Church and they had a travel version of the game with only two hippos and she begged me to play. I was excited at her enthusiasm and of course gobbled up all those colored marbles! This is why I though this retro game would be a great gift for my big girl this year- quality time, memory-making.

Matt and I began pacing up and down the game section in search of this classic but had no luck. Laughing at our own determination, we pressed on to find an adorable Minnie Mouse dress-up doll for Izzie that she will Love as well as getting in some much needed but unexpected talk time with my bestie from El Dorado. You never know who you'll run into {literally} when paddling through the raging sea of parents during the last weekend before Christmas. Bonus Blessing! Even after asking a sales associate for help in locating what we will now call H3 for short, all we found was an empty place on the shelf where they once sat. We left with other goodies but still in search of THE game.

Together drove through heavy traffic to hit up the K-Mart around the corner near an Olive Gardened we dreamed of dinning at once we had our price. They were said to have had it online. More digging. Lots of laughing. Potty breaks. Intense climbing on shelves. Up and down, up and down rows. Toy after toy being passed up for what apparently had become The Hottest Gift of the Season- H3!

Quickly running out of time, we jumped back into our car and raced off to Babies-R-Us where we planned to snag the girls 'practical' gift(s). We hustled through their toy section with no luck.

 

 

Down the hill to Wal-Mart we went. With a little panic in our step, we swiftly marched straight to the toy section. What was supposed to be somewhat of a date night had rapidly turned into a double teaming of the toy section. We splitting up to cover more ground faster. Nearly crashing into one anther around corners with crazed looks in our eyes, my hubby looks at me and says, "This is fun. I love you." WORTH IT!

There were several games Maggie would like. Lots that were age-appropriate. Even a great selection of items in our price-range. But we'd invested too much time and energy into the idea of these amazing, famished, fighting-for-their-food mammals to leave with anything but. Needless to say, we left not barring the beloved hippopotamuses. Feeling accomplished in finding everything else during the tussle and bustle of Hippo Hunt 2012 we tried not to let the slight defeated of not having H3 get us down. Matt and I slugged over to the Wendy's to grab some burger to munch while we reminisced over the goofiness of the night on the way home to our babes awaiting bed.

When nearing home, Matt remembered he had seen H3 just that morning at our local Wal-Mart while we were grocery shopping. No way. I bet they might still have one! We devised a plan. We will run in, hug kids good-night, and then I would rush back out into the chilly night while he put the kids to bed.

When I rolled up in the WM parking lot, I scored a spot fairly close to the door. Good sign, right? I hurried in but trying hard not to seem like one of those slackers who forgot Christmas was four days away. I made my way to the toys we'd passed for months swinging past the end-cap full of games. Boo, no H3...not defeated yet. Straight to the aisle of games. I scanned each box with purpose. nothing...nothing...nothing...

I slowed my pace and began laughing at myself and this predicament. Had I become THAT mom. Obsessed with a silly game. I called Matt with disbelief. "Well, they don't have an either." I got off the phone after a few quick jokes about our adventure and ask an associate if she could help me look one last time. Two ladies listened to my request for H3 with confusion..."like that hippo game where they eat the balls?" One women helped me comb through the shelves while the other suggest I try the patio. After no success with a taller scavenger's assistance I walked toward the Christmas section and out into the frigged patio. Hmmm, several untouched tables Full of toys waiting for even more anticipated crazies in the coming days. Oooo, lots of board games! I began to grin. Glad I was the only one out there, I'm sure someone would have quickly side-stepped the looney.

Clutching my purse, I bent over and under the organized tables. Nothing. No Hungry Hungry Hippos. Poo

The other associate who'd helped me hippo hunt the shelves wondered out onto the patio, "Any luck". "Nope." As she approached me I just sighed. She walked right pasted me and said, there they are. WHAT!?!?!?! I flung around and skipped the couple steps back to where I'd just come from. Sho-enough, there where two. You heard me. T.W.O. Hungry Hungry Hippos games under a table pushed back just enough that I'd missed them in my sleepy gaze. She handed me a box and I almost tiered up, "I Could HUG You right now!!!" but she just smiled and shook her head. After thanking her entirely too many times I embraced that silly green box with the orange cartoon hippo on the front as I marched proudly to the check out. I Win!

The Hilarious Hungry Hungry Hippo Hunt of 2012

I called Matt and gloated over my spoils of war and we billowed long roars over The Hilarious Hungry Hungry Hippo Hunt of 2012. Who would have thought THAT would be the hottest gift this year?

Merry Christmas {Eve}!!!

 

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Compassate Giving this Season

Last year around this time, God had begun a crazy work in the life of my family. My husband had always loved Jesus and oozed Him in all aspects of his life. But about a year and a half ago, God caught Matt on fire in a new way I never saw coming.

compassionate giving this season

The hubs and I are neither one big readers {one of our many like interest, hehe}. All of a sudden Matt got this crazy craving for learning. He's a stank'n genius, so very few things challenge or fulfill him intellectually. But that year...he couldn't get enough. Our conversations changed. The simple what happened with the kids today, what youth even is coming up we need to plan, how is a fun new way we can teach our student ____ now became in depth theology, working out our long held to traditions {and we thought we were 'contemporary'}, and wows about how far our American churches have drifted away from the Center. Christ.

One of the many books he read during this time was Radical, by David Platt. Lots of you have probably heard of it; if you haven't I'm sure we can dig up some "orange crack" around our house somewhere to pass on! I have to be honest, I haven't personally read word for word any of these books Matt went through, but having been 'discipled' like a 3rd world nation without Bibles, I think I have the core of all of them.

Radical, coming from a pastor of a mega church who seemed to be scaring crowds away with his relentless telling of the true gospel, we were taken back. What's with this dude? Isn't church about 'gaining numbers'? Shouldn't he be building the kingdom? Heck to the NO. This dude is taking his cues from Jesus! Jesus ask people to eat him and hate ya mamma. That was totally driving crowds away. Those following Him around weren't from his dashing good looks, story telling ability, or His immaculate menus. Nope, they were following Jesus because He provided an everlasting hope. He fulfilled a promise centuries in the making.

Through our radical life styles change as a result of what God began in my husband's life, we chose to do Christmas a little different last year. Our family "Gave Christmas Away". We defiantly baffled our christian families when we digressed from our normal traditions. Now, we never did the giant ripe-n-tare in either of our families so our choice to "give Christmas away" was confusing. Do they think we ever went 'over board' with gifts for one another? Is gift giving wrong? What does this even mean?

Last year we choose not to give our families gifts. Rather, we picked LOTS of ways to 'give our Christmas away." All money we had budgeted for Christmas gifts went to ministries to spread the gospel. The following list are some of those:

  • Operation Christmas Child Boxes
  • Angel Tree Children
  • Families our Church knew where in need
  • Lots of homemade fun for neighbors
    {we prolly enjoy this more than they do, hehe}
  • Random opportunities that came up
  • Harvest International
  • Gospel for Asia
  • Samaritans Purse
  • World Vision

The last four of those we gave to in two different purposeful way.

  1. Choose gifts according to something meaningful to each person in our family and then made a homemade gift for that family member that let them know what we gave for them. i.e. My father-in-law loves fishing so we gave fishing nets {through Gospel for Asia} to help families have the means to feeding as well as to have a new job to provide for their family.
  2. We gave "birthday presents to Jesus" at His birthday party. My husband made up pictures of animals and how much they cost. Then each child was given a 'budget' to buy whatever they wanted. FUN!

We had so much fun with working through the process of rethinking gifts! This year, we are giving our children gifts but are definitely still contributing to gospel oozing ministries as well as limiting gift giving among ourselves. Again, I wanna say, we do not think there is anything wrong with giving gifts among family! We just want to make sure we aren't turning the birth of our promised "God with us". We want EVERYTHING in our lives to spread the good news of our loving God.

We let our kids help choose OCC box items as well as gifts for needy children we are helping this year. But this year was the first year we allowed our children {oldest 4.5} to help pick out gifts for us. Matt and I took the kids shopping without each other. Through this process we wanted to begin ingraining in them what it means to be selfless, thoughtful, sacrificing, all the while learning the joy of creativity, surprises, and giving in secret. This will also be done through giving more gifts to Jesus on his birthday.

I'd love to give you and your family just one fun opportunity to compassionately give this year.

A Note About Gifts {from compassion bloggers}

You get it. Christmas isn't about the gifts or the toys. It's about celebrating the birth of the greatest gift, and really, the only gift we will ever need, Jesus coming to earth. To save us from an eternity apart from God.For Jesus, "It's About Giving" was about giving everything.

Brianne, from compassion international, has visited a few of the countries where Compassion works and has talked to the children about Christmas, and what they do. For many of them, it is just another day. Another day to wonder if they will eat. Another day to walk for miles for water. Another day to get up early and go to the market with their mom or dad to try to bring in some money. Giving through the Christmas Gift Catalog provides an opportunity for the churches we partner with in South America, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, and Africa to personally hand these gifts to a child in poverty, to meet their need, and to tell them Jesus loves them.

We have a goal of gifting $20,000 through compassion bloggers could shift the focus for so many children this year. As just one of the ~2000 compassion bloggers, my goal is to raise $100 for the gift catalog through this final post.

Here is the support in raising this gift that I'm asking of my readers:

  • I would love just 10 of you to give $10
  • About five to give $20
  • And if just two to give $50 then we've met our 'as Jules is going" community goal

 

 

 

Any amount will be helpful. Greater or small than the suggestions above. You can leave a comment encouraging others to participate if you like!

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A Family Heritage

The holiday season can be fun, excited, stressful, and exhausting.

Christmas is a simple celebration of an extraordinary event, the birth of our Savior

Read the rest of the post on the Homemaker's Challenge today!
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Giant Christmas Ornaments {up-cycled pumpkins}

 

I'm on the Homemaker's Challenge again today sharing about my "up-cycled pumpkins"

 

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They Smell like…Manure

God sends word to them while they were disconnected from the rest of the town. No one thinks much of them. They are often looked down upon because they are thought to be uneducated. Their jobs are less than desirable. No one can really relate to them. No one wants to hang out with them. There was very little socialization in their field of work. Quite frankly, a lot of them are rarely clean, appear raggedy and smell like...manure. Their job is frequently persevered as "the worst job ever".

Nativity How did God speak to us in the birth of Jesus Christ

That's right, Stay At Home Moms.

As SAHM we some times feel disconnected from the rest of community. Even when trying to be purposeful about ministering to those around us, we just are incapable because of our job requirements. Rest in this season of life. Know that you are serving your community in a great way by being dedicated to raising godly children even when you are overtaken with the thoughts of being a lesser career women. Daycare workers are not expected to run field trips weekly. Parents would be ashamed if the child care provider was constantly overlooking the needs of their children; naps, meal times, education, reliable routine, nurturing. It is our job to protect our children. Discern their needs from our wants. Care for them with excellence just like we would expect someone else to do.

You may feel like the world looks down on because you are thought to be uneducated. Are you? No. I don't care if you have a masters degree in bladiblabla or if you have the street smarts of a veteran mom. You are educated in your line of work. Do you feel uneducated? Get out there learn. How can you do your job better? Better yet, how does God want you to do your job better? Read a blog, buy a new book, take a class, ask an older women how to ______. You are never too young to start being a great mother, and never too old to learn new ways to be a better mother. God created us in His image and we are no where near meeting that standard; that's half the fun, learning how!

Some may see your jobs are less than desirable. Who cares. The mundane, and exhausting aspects of this job are all worth it when you get to see your child's first steps, words, pretending, and even the first glimpses of learning to follow Christ. What may seem mundane to others is just the consistency our children need to learn love. Guiding our littles hearts to Jesus is our number one job. THAT is a big deal!

Sadly, I know all to well what its like to have few people {women} whom I really can relate. We're in the trenches. I encourage you to join {or create} a group of mom's can get together once a week or once a month, with or without kids, where you can spill your guts. The good he bad the ugly of your job. Other jobs have break-rooms so be creative, where would be a comfortable break-room for you and your fellow moms? Playground where kids can play? Someones home? A backyard? A restaurant? You need to know there are other women going through the same stuff. You'd be surprised at how many in your area would love something like this. You don't all have to be in the exact same stage of life or even parent the same {you're NEVER going to find someone who thinks exactly like you}. Online groups are alright but don't underestimate the need for face to face relationships- doing life together is is part of how we're made!

Let's be honest, some days we are un-showered hot messes and may even smell like...our child's poo. Our job can be persevered as "the worst job ever". God made this job. He approves. What more do we need. Lets bring up a generation who sees us love our job; take pride in our job; accomplish our job to the best of our ability.

God can and will breath life into your right were you are. In the fields guarding, watching, guiding your sheep, day and night. He has big things to tell you. He wants to use you in a powerful way as part of His grand plan.

Christ is our example. We are to love like He loved. He told us in  John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Let's live that out as MOMS! Be willing to give up your reputation, stature, pride- give up your LIFE to be a good shepherd for your children.

Do any of your deal with feelings of having "the worst job ever"? Lets start the conversation in the comments below.

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