Posts Tagged ‘special times’

Best Christmas Ever

Friday, December 28th, 2012

After surviving what I felt was a serious ME meltdown on Christmas eve….the actual Christmas day went wonderfully.  I would even go so far as to say it was one of my family's best Christmases ever.  I can't pin down any particular reason, just that everyone felt peace and joy.  If you're a member of any family, then you know how persnickity holidays can be and how the stress can cause friction in even the healthiest families.  That's why I'm bragging about this being such a great day.

I can't be the only one to fret over making everyone's holiday special.  Mom's & dad's just want the best for their kids, right?  In years past, I've tried to be very careful as to what I buy as gifts.  The budget always reigns me in (of course) but at Christmas, special items are what my family likes to focus on.  I know families that go crazy at Christmas.  They buy everything their kids can dream of and then have no place to put it once the kid tosses it to the side for the next big thing.  At dinner last night, one of my kids mentioned that exact method and complained about how foolish that parent is to fall into that kind of giving pattern.

Wow, I had no idea that my own kids would see it as over-indulgence!  Back in their younger years….I worried that they would figure out our tight spending budget at gift-giving time and resent us.  Each time we visited friends who over-spent and gave their kids every latest game system and toy…I stressed a little.  Hubby and I were honest with the kids and told them–we can't afford to buy those things. (Hello, dad in seminary…forever)

Looking back, I'm grateful for the ability to stick it out.  While some may say my kids are spoiled (and I won't disagree) I am proud that they don't expect the world (or us) to hand them everything.  They get it and understand….stuff is just stuff.  Getting stuff just paves the way to want more.

I couldn't agree more.

Now there's something to think about, huh?  Are my wants just wants?  Or are they items I could do without?  What is it that you've got your mind set on this year to add to your collection of things?  Do you spend too much on clothes, shoes, toys or trips?  Could you cut back and do something more "helpful" with your money?  

God

Thank you for such a special Christmas with my family.  Your birth here on earth sometimes takes a back seat to gift-giving & activities.  I'm so thankful that you came and that you died for me.  I will forever be in awe.

Amen

What I'm learning:

God knows what we need even when we don’t. He knows where we’re going even when we have no idea.

Remember When

Friday, January 13th, 2012

On my drive to school this morning, a memory popped into my head. A song came on the radio and I flashed back to a day when I was riding in the car with my daughter, Ally. She has the funniest sense of humor and can always make me laugh (SHE IS ALMOST A CLONE OF HER DAD)! She made up her own hand signals to a Katy Perry song (don’t hate) and as we were driving along….she acted out the entire thing.

It was so funny–I COULD NOT STOP LAUGHING!

Here’s a portion of the lyrics that she used her sweet moves for—–>

“Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down

You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up”

If you can just imagine her dancing in her seat as we rolled on down the road (yes, other cars could see us) with me laughing so hard I can barely see the road. Great memory!

It’s funny how things come back to us when we least expect it. What’s even funnier is what turns into a good memory that doesn’t seem so significant at the time. The lesson? Is to cling to special moments, all of them.

You never know when it’s going to show back up!

Don’t forget to have fun with your kids. They grow up so fast!

Happy long weekend, friends! It’s the first time in years I’ve gotten MLK day off. We’ve usually had several snow days by now. So, yeehaw!