I'm sitting here in a quiet living room smack dab in the middle of the Advent season. Another semester is over and I'm standing on the edge of a long winter break to recharge my batteries and quiet some of the noise that typically fills our weeks. You'd think I'd have nothing better to do but sit in front of the fire and sip cocoa and watch another Hallmark movie, but alas, it never seems to go that way. Yesterday, I had the best of intentions to get Christmas shopping done and spend the afternoon wrapping, but was instead bombarded with a few hard conversations at work that led to a few undesirable tasks to add to my day's agenda. My mind has been preoccupied with a few people awaiting diagnosis news from a doctor this week. The kids have dentist appointments this afternoon, which, due to my history with teeth, always causes me an anxious heart. This week in my advent study, I've been reading about peace. And the more I come to understand myself, the more I recognize that I have a difficult time feeling fully at peace. There's always something to worry about, dwell on, and plan for, and the all-or-nothing girl I am struggles to cast it all on the One who wants to free me of it.
I've been a little inconsistent with my daily Advent readings this December, but every time I go back to them and my Bible, it seems one truth sticks out - we live in the in-between. We live in the middle of two worlds - a perfect garden God created at the beginning, and a perfect city He's preparing for eternity. This world is the middle, the in-between. And it's full of joy and light and a beautiful picture of what's to come, but it's also marred by the cracks of sin and brokenness and a not-yet tension of the in-between.
Advent is a season that teaches us how to live in the in-between. Advent is about looking to Jesus as the light of the world, who came to fill in the cracks and serve as a perfect example of how to live in the tension. We can learn so much about how to embrace the in-between by looking to Jesus. He came small. He was born as a helpless baby, in the middle of nowhere, in the darkest of nights. God uses the smallest, simplest of acts to redeem His people. Jesus came as light. He shined His light and lived out a clear purpose that only He could fulfill. We are also God's children, the light of the world, called to live in a way that uses our gifts to bring light to others. And last, Jesus showed us the truest form of love, a love we can't fully understand but still get to receive. Jesus came to fill in the cracks, to take the broken pieces and restore them in way that's better than we can ask or imagine. That is the hope we look for at Christmas.
As I prepare for Christmas, one of the best ways I am reminded of God's faithfulness is through gratefulness. And I am grateful for lots this season...
759. Our 23 wrapped advent books make up one of our favorite traditions of this season. I pack Christmas books away through the year and love unpacking them every fall. I choose 23, wrap them with some wrapping paper I'm looking to use up, then attach little treats or activity tags to each. Some of the tags go with the book, such as "Watch Rudolph" after reading the book, "Turn off all the lights, light all the candles, and pretend to be snowed in," after reading Christmas in the Big Woods, and "Surprise, Charlie Brown Live tonight" to read with Charlie Brown Christmas. This is a great way to get a little organized before the busy season starts and the kids love unwrapping a big each day. One of my favorite parts of every night is curling up on the couch with the kids and digging into our newest read.
760. Our Main Street at Christmastime. I am thankful for the countless volunteers and the hours they put into bringing the magic to our streets. We visit Main Street often throughout the year, but visit it the most during December. We participated in the Reindeer Games the last Thursday of November and the kids had a ball bouncing from store to store to take part in a reindeer themed activity. They decorated cupcakes at Scratch, showed off their competitive spirits in a relay race at The Runners Flat, made reindeer food at Here's What's Poppin, and ended the night with a ride in Santa's sleigh, hugs from Mrs. Claus and our favorite, Buddy the Elf, and a jolly trolley ride snuggled up together. It was a top night.
761. Catching her lingering by Peekaboo's window with her nose pressed against the glass, dreaming about a new dolly in a red Christmas dress.
762. A warm cup of cheer to end our night
763. A fun family night out on the town. Cruz and I shopped for Christmas in Walnut and Daddy and Mila got us tickets to see Wreck-It-Ralph Breaks the Internet. The local theater has really upped its game with the new dream loungers and the kids loved seeing a movie in their pajamas. And the movie...one of the best kids movies we've seen in a really long time. Inventive, creative, funny, and so moving. I think we all cried a little. :)
764. Another night on the town, this time to cheer on our local girl, Maddie Poppe, at her first concert back home. It was a sold out show at Gallagher Bluedorn and all ticket sales went to support UNI's Dance Marathon. And Caleb was there! I'm not sure who loves Maddie more - my four year old daughter or 80 year old grandma! Our big family made it night out of it and maybe cheered the loudest when we heard the news she'd be back - to the Butler County Fair in June.
765. A string of December quiet nights at home. We do things like make goulash in the Instant Pot, fold laundry, and play Sorry by candlelight. And the kids usually hit this spot at night where they run around like crazy people and get really loud. And Beau and I pour a glass of wine.
766. Letters to Santa one night, letters to Cadjape the next. And Cruz asked Santa for toppings for cocoa. I love him!
767. Mila girl loves the trees this year. I picked her up from school last week and asked her what she wanted to do when she got home. "Play with the ornaments," she said! She pops a squat in the corner and plays with them like action figures. It's cute enough to overlook the fact that many of them have lost hooks or moved from the middle of the tree to the lowest hanging branches.
768. The gift of Christmas music. Rend Collective's Campfire Christmas in the car, Cruz's piano Christmas at home. He gets to play at the Western Home next week and is working hard to perfect his three pieces.
769. Oakridge Christmas and a sweet run in with Santa.
770. A sleepover with Grandma last week. We ate butternut squash soup and made cocoa, worked on a puzzle, and played ten games of Guess Who with the queen, Mila. Mom and I talk most days, but rarely do we get this special time to stay up late and spend most of the following day together, just us.
771. This spirit-filled girl and all her insight. Yesterday morning I overheard her and Beau talking at the kitchen island about Jesus. Mila calls him Jejus. Beau was reading his Bible and she went and grabbed hers, too. Mila asked why no one was nice to Jejus before He died and she said it made her so sad to think about that. Then they prayed together and thanked Him for all he went through for us. Thankful for the seeds planted in little hearts and their pure, childlike faith. And a husband who lets them see his.
772. Christmas cards, signed, sealed, delivered, and not thrown in the trash. ;)
773. A Sunday afternoon at Hick's Place, a quick stop at Dollar Store for a deck of cards, and an afternoon at Singlespeed before Charlie Brown Live at Gallagher. Afternoons like this feel like we're exploring a new city on a getaway. The good stuff!
Two weekends left. Here's to thinking small, finding joy, and sharing love throughout the rest of this in-between Advent season.
759. Our 23 wrapped advent books make up one of our favorite traditions of this season. I pack Christmas books away through the year and love unpacking them every fall. I choose 23, wrap them with some wrapping paper I'm looking to use up, then attach little treats or activity tags to each. Some of the tags go with the book, such as "Watch Rudolph" after reading the book, "Turn off all the lights, light all the candles, and pretend to be snowed in," after reading Christmas in the Big Woods, and "Surprise, Charlie Brown Live tonight" to read with Charlie Brown Christmas. This is a great way to get a little organized before the busy season starts and the kids love unwrapping a big each day. One of my favorite parts of every night is curling up on the couch with the kids and digging into our newest read.
760. Our Main Street at Christmastime. I am thankful for the countless volunteers and the hours they put into bringing the magic to our streets. We visit Main Street often throughout the year, but visit it the most during December. We participated in the Reindeer Games the last Thursday of November and the kids had a ball bouncing from store to store to take part in a reindeer themed activity. They decorated cupcakes at Scratch, showed off their competitive spirits in a relay race at The Runners Flat, made reindeer food at Here's What's Poppin, and ended the night with a ride in Santa's sleigh, hugs from Mrs. Claus and our favorite, Buddy the Elf, and a jolly trolley ride snuggled up together. It was a top night.
761. Catching her lingering by Peekaboo's window with her nose pressed against the glass, dreaming about a new dolly in a red Christmas dress.
762. A warm cup of cheer to end our night
763. A fun family night out on the town. Cruz and I shopped for Christmas in Walnut and Daddy and Mila got us tickets to see Wreck-It-Ralph Breaks the Internet. The local theater has really upped its game with the new dream loungers and the kids loved seeing a movie in their pajamas. And the movie...one of the best kids movies we've seen in a really long time. Inventive, creative, funny, and so moving. I think we all cried a little. :)
764. Another night on the town, this time to cheer on our local girl, Maddie Poppe, at her first concert back home. It was a sold out show at Gallagher Bluedorn and all ticket sales went to support UNI's Dance Marathon. And Caleb was there! I'm not sure who loves Maddie more - my four year old daughter or 80 year old grandma! Our big family made it night out of it and maybe cheered the loudest when we heard the news she'd be back - to the Butler County Fair in June.
765. A string of December quiet nights at home. We do things like make goulash in the Instant Pot, fold laundry, and play Sorry by candlelight. And the kids usually hit this spot at night where they run around like crazy people and get really loud. And Beau and I pour a glass of wine.
766. Letters to Santa one night, letters to Cadjape the next. And Cruz asked Santa for toppings for cocoa. I love him!
767. Mila girl loves the trees this year. I picked her up from school last week and asked her what she wanted to do when she got home. "Play with the ornaments," she said! She pops a squat in the corner and plays with them like action figures. It's cute enough to overlook the fact that many of them have lost hooks or moved from the middle of the tree to the lowest hanging branches.
768. The gift of Christmas music. Rend Collective's Campfire Christmas in the car, Cruz's piano Christmas at home. He gets to play at the Western Home next week and is working hard to perfect his three pieces.
769. Oakridge Christmas and a sweet run in with Santa.
770. A sleepover with Grandma last week. We ate butternut squash soup and made cocoa, worked on a puzzle, and played ten games of Guess Who with the queen, Mila. Mom and I talk most days, but rarely do we get this special time to stay up late and spend most of the following day together, just us.
771. This spirit-filled girl and all her insight. Yesterday morning I overheard her and Beau talking at the kitchen island about Jesus. Mila calls him Jejus. Beau was reading his Bible and she went and grabbed hers, too. Mila asked why no one was nice to Jejus before He died and she said it made her so sad to think about that. Then they prayed together and thanked Him for all he went through for us. Thankful for the seeds planted in little hearts and their pure, childlike faith. And a husband who lets them see his.
772. Christmas cards, signed, sealed, delivered, and not thrown in the trash. ;)
773. A Sunday afternoon at Hick's Place, a quick stop at Dollar Store for a deck of cards, and an afternoon at Singlespeed before Charlie Brown Live at Gallagher. Afternoons like this feel like we're exploring a new city on a getaway. The good stuff!
Two weekends left. Here's to thinking small, finding joy, and sharing love throughout the rest of this in-between Advent season.
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