Glad Tidings of Great Joy

Is it possible for Christmas to get better every year?

This was our 4th year to not have gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.

I guess it's kinda complicated to explain to those that don't understand.

No Stockings. No exchanging gifts. No Christmas tree. Definitely no Santa.

For me, it means replacing stress with peace, which is so difficult to look around and see this time of year. We sing songs of Joy, but are we stopping to experience that Joy? We sing songs of Peace, but are we resting in the Peace which passes all understanding - and focusing on Him alone?

It means that my focus changes. Instead of giving to those that already have too much, I'm giving to those that do without. And this means I'm exchanging gifts with the One who should really be getting the gifts anyway.

He Alone is the reason that we celebrate.

This year, I kept my mouth closed, and I listened. I asked people how they were doing.

"I'm doing good, but I just have so much shopping left to do. I was hoping that I would be done by now so that I could just enjoy the rest of December."

I had to sit back and praise God. I was listening to so many people tell me how stressed out they were, and I was just so thankful. Thankful that instead of all of the stress, I got to sit back, relax, and enjoy my Savior...and teach my children to do the same.

My prayer this month was that others may experience what I have been experiencing.

Love. Joy. Peace.

no strings attached.

yes, even at Christmas. Especially at Christmas.

Throughout December we did the Jesse Tree - reading scriptures that told the story of God's Redemption of his people - through the prophesies and the lineage of Christ.

Bella loved figuring out which symbol ornament went with the scriptures we read.

Balian loved turning on the lights of the tree, getting the box of ornaments out, and stacking the ornaments to make towers.

But even in the midst of making towers, the kids were learning. When Balian was praying one night he mentioned something about Adam and Eve. I couldn't make out everything, but at least he was catching on to something. And he was getting so excited about putting baby Jesus on the tree...Christmas Eve it was like he just couldn't stand the anticipation. The mention of the name Jesus, and he was running to the box to get the baby Jesus ornament out. He was excited.

I taught the kids about St. Nicholas. The real one. We talked about how St. Nicholas gave to people that had needs - like food, money to pay taxes, etc. - because he loved Jesus. We talked about how we should do the same.

To Celebrate St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6), I asked Bella if she could help me go through her toys to see if there were any toys that she didn't play with anymore, or that she simply didn't want. I explained that there are some little boys and girls that don't have very many (if any) toys to play with - and that she has a LOT of toys. God wants us to share what we have with others that don't have as much. My daughter has such a giving heart! I think she would have given away ALL of her toys if I hadn't told her she couldn't! After going through them all, the toys we decided to part with went under the Jesse Tree - our gifts to Jesus - by giving to those that don't have as much. (we donated them later.)

We also watched the Veggie-tales video about St. Nicholas. It's actually very good, and I have to admit that I had to keep myself from crying at the end of it a couple of times...

We talked about Jesus' birthday all month long. Bella dressed up, put veils on her head, and acted out the story of Christmas, while pretending to be Mary - using her baby dolls for baby Jesus.

Bella never referred to December 25 as Christmas. It was always "Jesus' Birthday."

We did talk about Santa, and how he (gasp!) isn't real. Some people think that he is real, but he isn't. He is pretend - just like Rapunzel. A story. And although there are books, toys, movies, and games all about both Santa and Rapunzel, they are both pretend. Not the truth.

Jesus is the Truth. Jesus is why we have Christmas. It's His Birthday - just like we all have a birthday.

We talked about gifts. We get presents on our birthday. We give presents to people on their birthdays - because we are happy that they are alive so that we can love them. That is their special day. Would Bella like it if on her birthday everybody gave Balian presents? I wonder if Jesus feels the same way...

In the midst of all of this, Neil and I prayed, as we always do, about what gift our family could give Jesus for His birthday this year. How did he want us to serve him - to be his hands and feet?

And he led us right to where he wanted us to be. A place we probably never would have gone otherwise. I remember getting off of the phone after figuring everything out, and tears were running down my face as I was talking to Neil about the opportunity that God had given us. I was beyond words. In the midst of giving, Jesus was giving to us - filling our hearts to overflowing. And as we experience this pouring out, we're getting addicted to it. We want more. We want to do more. We want to give more.

And we do.

No it shouldn't (and doesn't) just happen at Christmas. But there is something thirst-quenching about giving to the Lord on His day. Bringing our gifts, and bowing down before the King - presenting them to Him in a posture of Worship. Like the Wise Men did so long ago, we give gifts to the One who deserves the Praise.

We celebrated Him.

We were Blessed to have my brother, Brandon, with us this year for our Jesus Celebration. It was so good to spend time with him. catch up. Talk about the Lord like we never have before. The change that I've seen in him - the way he's growing in the Lord. My heart is full of Joy. I'm overflowing. Thank you, Jesus.

We made and decorated a Birthday cake, and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

We watched St. Nicholas...again...

We did a scavenger hunt - searching for baby Jesus. We used Scripture, and did activities, and with each step understood more about God's love story. At the end of our journey, we found baby Jesus, wrapped in strips of cloth - in a stable, with the animals. So unfitting for my King.

Bella and Balian took turns holding baby Jesus, and were so, so gentle.

The wonder of Christmas, for me, no longer lies in children's faces as they see a big Christmas tree or see what Santa brought them on Christmas morning.

The wonder of Christmas lies in children's faces as they come one step closer to knowing their Savior.

We read the Christmas story again, from Luke, Chapter 2, and we FINALLY put our baby Jesus ornament on the top of the Jesse Tree.

I listen to their beautiful voices as we sing praise - and worship together as a family - celebrating the birth of Jesus. God humbling himself to be like one of us.  The Lamb without blemish - born to lay down his life.  To experience the separation from God and the full measure of God's wrath that we deserve.  That I deserve. To save us ALL.  Once.  Forever.

Joy to the world!

The Lord has come!

Let Earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare him room!

Let Heaven and nature sing!!!

Happy Birthday, Jesus! We give you all the Glory!!

Not. Quite. Crawling.

Yes, Isaiah is 9 months now, and still isn't crawling.  The other two kids started the day they turned 9 months.    He's finding ways to get around though - at least a little bit.

If we're in the living room, he'll hold on to the shag rug, and pull himself forward.  

He can get up on his knees, and when he does he rocks.  We've tried to entice him with keys, water bottles, phones, etc...but nope.  This is a video of one of Neil's ideas to try to get him moving.  Someday I'll be able to post a video of him actually crawling...until then, enjoy! 

I Love My Job!

We are all sitting down to dinner, getting food on the table, and getting everybody situated.  I finally sit down, and look over at Balian interacting with Isaiah.

He's holding Isaiah's hands together and saying "Thank you...God...for Mama...for Daddy...Bella...me..."

yes, my 2-yr-old was teaching my almost 9-month-old how to pray.

Discipleship starts early, friends.

Didy, a.k.a Waves

 So after my first experience with carrying Isaiah on my back - and him sleeping for 2 hours - I was totally sold on it.  My friend Emily is the VP of Ft. Worth Babywearers, and she helped me out a LOT!  After researching wraps, I saw that even though it's just a piece of fabric, it wasn't something I could make and have the same results (comfort, support, etc.) of a bought woven wrap.  I went over to Emily's house and tried out different wraps, she helped me practice different techniques, and she helped me better learn how to get Isaiah in back carries by myself.  She directed me to thebabywearer.com where you can buy woven wraps used on the For Sale or Trade forum.  And that's where I found it.  A used Didymos Silver Waves wrap.  I bought it from a mama in Canada for a really good price, and after trying it out, I wonder how in the world I made it this long without one.  Seriously...those mamas all over the world that carry their babies around while they do everything with the use of both hands have an edge on us "civilized" folk.  See for yourself:

Here's Isaiah in it.  Totally comfy.  Good support.  Not tight around the legs cutting of circulation.  He can see everything going on around him, and I can pull up the fabric that's around his back so that he can go to sleep if he wants.  I can do everything using both hands.  I don't feel like I need to put a hand on Isaiah to support him at all.  On a particular fussy day, I put him back there like this, and cooked dinner.  chopped veggies, bent down to get dishes out of cabinets, etc.  not a fuss was had when he was back there.  seriously amazing.  Oh, and no tugging at my shoulders or making my back hurt because of the baby's weight.  No hunching over. nothing.  love it.

And just to show how supportive these wraps are, here's Balian in it.  Yes, he's over 2 years old.  Honestly, I could probably carry Bella in it if I really wanted to.  So what did I do when I wrapped up Balian on my back?  I took him for a hands-free piggy-back ride...running around the house.  yes, I was running.  and yes, without hands supporting him at all.  It's that supportive.  He had a blast!

Seriously...I wish I had known about these things sooner!  It totally beats slings, ring slings, and Moby's, hands down!

Time with Daddy

Neil has no idea this was taken.  He and Bella were sitting outside at his parent's house.  The rest of us were spying on them through the kitchen window.  Bella was talking Neil's ear off, and he just sat there with her while she talked.  We were taking votes as to whether or not he was listening.  Then a while later, we'd see him say something back.  These two were probably out there for a good 45 minutes or so.  We have no idea what Bella was talking about, but what I DO know is that this kind of time with her Daddy is priceless.

Camping with the Cousins

While visiting Neil's family for Thanksgiving, all the kids (that were there) went for a camp-out on some of Neil's parent's property - the "country house", as Bella calls it.  PopPop, Neil and Kyle pitched tents, built a campfire, and slept out there with the bigger kiddos.  We all joined in for hot dogs and s'mores that night, and breakfast burritos the next day.  The kids all had a ton of fun together!  Bella was even asking if we could do it again the next night!

Mmm...that warm fire!

Taylor and Chase with Nana

Bella Girl

Miranda, Addison, Kyle, and Chase

The Campsite

Balian smiles

And Isaiah too

The Jones cousins: Chase, Bella, Taylor, Isaiah, ad Balian (Maris was in TX, and Addison was at home.)

And just in case you can't tell, Bella really liked Nana's Pumpkin Cheesecake at Thanksgiving.  Yup.  She's licking the caramel off the plate.  wow.  Her Daddy's girl, indeed!