everything went up today

When I woke this morning to the sound of vomiting, I realized the day would probably not go like I had imagined it would the night before. Also, I realized there was a high probability that the next five days would probably not go as planned either.

Then I jumped out of bed to deal with the situation. 

So most of today was spent consoling a vomiting, moaning, fevered two-year-old. The remainder was spent washing my hands. Oh, and preparing food.

But we did manage to get the tree up also. Brian got the tree yesterday. By himself. This was because I was sick, though considerably less so than my now-ill daughter. It slept its first night outside….well, make that, it slept its last night outside…and today we brought it in.

It was crooked. Very much so. We have one of those magical tree stands where you screw the base of the tree onto this iron rod, so we can straighten out our tree just by nudging it a bit. Only our tree needed a lot of nudging. And and more and more, until suddenly I hear this loud crack. And the tree is on the ground. The iron rod had been nudged past its limit. So we had to go get one of those old-school stands. It was soooo great, so much like childhood, me standing there holding the tree in place while Brian adjusted those screws at the bottom for about 30 minutes. Awesome. We just needed those fat Christmas bulbs that get really hot and then the whole strand it good for nothing if one of them goes out.

So one hour later, we were back in business.

And our now straight tree has lights and beads and ornaments from all kinds of places and decades.

I realize this has nothing to do with “Advent”. That’s OK. It’s not Advent yet. Plus…this is a reminder that things don’t always go as planned. I had not planned to spend Friday in bed. Nor Saturday on the couch holding a sick girl. So tommorrow may be equally as thrilling — as I forecasted to my mother today on the phone, “we are looking at a 90% chance of puke on Sunday”. That’s OK. It might not be “quintessential Advent” but, it’s still Advent, and I’m still looking forward to it.

But I would so much more, if I knew it wouldn’t involve former stomach contents.

And some pics:

Here’s Zabe putting up his ornament…

The kids get a new ornament each year. This year I gave Jams one of Mary and Jesus because she likes babies. And Jesus.

Here’s Jams with our “interactive nativity” sets.

It’s me and the sick girl. Sad.

And Zabe with a red bead. It matches the red eye the camera gave him.

the advent of advent

I am counting down till Advent. Nothing like antipating the anticipation of something.

I have been working like a crazy lady, trying to get my life together before Advent. And I think it is quite possible I may not reach perfection in the next six days: that there will be unfinished projects hanging over my head and enough disorganization that I won’t do all the little things I had hoped for Advent and that my thoughts and attitudes won’t quite be in an optimal spot to receive what I pray God has for me this Advent season.

But that is life. And Jesus comes to be with us in the middle of this messy life life. I have had to remember that it is him I am anticipating and not ”the completion of my to-do list”. I have had to remember that getting reading for God With Us, Immanuel, doesn’t mean I should leave him out of things until then. I have had to remember that snapping at my children who are interrupting my work on Christmas gifts does not reflect the priorities of the season. Even if they are about ready to sew my finger to a lovely piece of cloth.

So I have a good list going on for this week: pretty much all the things that I’ve been putting off for a couple months anyhow. Finishing the painting project begun in September, for example. Writing the Christmas letter that I had talked myself out of doing altogether (this IS the Facebook Era, afterall!) until my husband talked me back into it. Getting details put together for a Birthday Party for Jesus (the idea was great…the details? those get me everytime!) You know, the fun stuff.

I’m looking forward to it. Looking forward to the to-do list nearly being done, but mostly looking forward to a season to be with God, a season to enjoy and “feast” in the many good things he has given me.

Re-Advent: All Things New

This year’s theme is….

Re-Advent: All Things New

The book of Isaiah is the Advent book of the Bible. (This is according to me, so don’t don’t go publishing that as fact.) It encompasses so much of what Advent means: hope for the sinner, past and future redemption, peace in God’s power and plan, the temporal and eternal, new things, Immanuel…holy-schmoly, I’m telling you, it is all there.

And a weirdly disproportionate number of words begin with ‘re’. So this year I’m doing Re-Advent: All Things New. The big picture here is redemption: how God rescued us, restored us with value, gave us rest and favor…for which we cannot help but rejoice. There is such breadth of tense in ‘all things new’ — past, present, and future — where we can look back in gratefulness for how we have been made new and anticipate with joy the new things God promises for us.

Part of the inspiration for this theme comes from the passage Jesus read in Nazareth as he began his ministry (see Luke 4). Since this passage was what he selected to introduce himself and his ministry, it seems to be an appropriate guide to celebrate his coming and explore more fully what his coming really means for us.

1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
   because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
   he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
   to comfort all who mourn;
3to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
   the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
   the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61.1-3

The plan is to post something simple each day, whatever I’m learning or thinking about, based on these words, be they inspired from the Bible, the kids, life or other resources.

I am quivering with excitement. Either that, or the house is cold today…

Week 1 – Rescue - November 30
Week 2 – Redeem - December 7
Week 3 – Rest - December 14
Week 4 – Rejoice - December 21

I’ve got some…’interesting’ might be a good word….gifts planned for the kids that are going to further illustrate the redemption concept. And even though my kids can’t read this and my husband won’t be reading this, I still can’t bring myself to tell you what they are. It’s going to be fun. You’ll find out soon enough…

And on the activities, we’ve got a couple movie nights and a party for Jesus in the works, and some other fun stuff involving food. Honestly, I’m still thinking up some activities here — little ones that follow the weekly themes (maybe naps during Rest week? running around in superhero costumes during Rescue week?) and “normal” ones that add a little fun and festivity to the season. Ideas are welcome.