A few of our favorite things...

As with every vacation, it would be impossible to sum up our ten days in Kansas City in words. 

From the first night at Fogo de Chao, being overwhelmed with fresh meat on skewers at every turn, through the B Christmas Pageant, a Chiefs win over Green Bay surrounded by my family, dinner with the Jeff & Tim families, a playdate with Tom & Abby, a turn as Rudolph at Cousin Michelle's Preschool, lunch with Ellie, Mallory & Alexis at Daddy's grade school,  trains and helicopters at Union Station, candy at Nanie's, lunch in Liberty with Rebekah, an actual date night for Mom & Dad, and pancakes with Uncle Jim, Aunt Jan & Uncle Sam, we celebrated with hugs and laughter and more joy than we could handle -- and that just took us to Christmas Eve Morning. 

The week culminated with Christmas Eve at Great Grandpa B's and Christmas Day at BaBa and Papa's surrounded by family, food and love.  Finally, we wound down Monday at Papa's "toy barn" driving every imaginable vehicle surrounded by our aunts, uncles, cousins and BaBa and PaPa.

It was a wonderful trip and such a blessing to celebrate Jesus' birthday with family and friends.  Charlie wasn't the only one sorry to leave, but I think we're all enjoying the chance to sleep in our own beds and cuddle with our dear puppies...and almost a full year later, I can say that Louie has officially served his purpose.  Last year upon our return from Kansas City, Otis was distraught, angry and apparently quite nauseated...this time he's just a little moody.  I doubt he'd admit it, but somewhere deep down inside even he appreciates Louie.

"Leavin'...on a jet plane..."

Prodigies perhaps?

They only look sweet and innocent...

Rudolph's Understudies

Lunch with Ellie

Lunch with Mal-Mal

Comparing Sperries with Alexis' friends

Lunch with Alexis

Oops...confused the paint with the candy!

Flying with Grampie

Merry Christmas, Nanie & Grampie!

Thrilled with Great Aunt Jan's surprise gum drops!

Chillin' with Great Uncle Jim

Ready to behave for church

Merry Christmas!

What the cousins are REALLY like!

Loving Great Grandpa B

Fun with Great Uncle Brian

Wake up, Baba & PaPa!  It's Christmas!

Only gift he actually asked for...

Here fishy, fishy, fishy...

Snap into a Slim Jim!

The Fury!

Bravest Passengers in the World!

Now Daddy's in on the act...

Everyone's in on the fun!

Finally off the woods for some "manly" business

before heading to the airport

Our Welcoming Committee!

Beautiful Miracle

I believe that the old saying that "God works in mysterious ways" is true, but I am just so grateful that sometimes He pulls back the curtain to give us just a glimpse of His beautiful, perfect, loving plan... For just such a glimpse, go to the link below or just click on the Reid link over to the right. http://chadandcorrisa.blogspot.com/2011/12/burning-bush.html?spref=fb

Epiphany of Sorts

Now for any naturally skinny and/or high self-esteemed readers out there, this may all sound like gibberish, but I had something of an ephipany today.  You see, while driving down the road I realized that I am not on a diet and I'm not sure of the last time that I was!

I know, for some of you that sounds like crazy-talk and for some of you that sounds like nothing -- but for someone like me who started dieting at age 8 (however ill-advisedly), and for the next two plus decades structured her life around what she was and was not allowed to eat that week (only white foods, no fat, no cheese, no carbs, no fried foods, etc, etc, etc...), this is mind-blowing.

Unable to believe it myself, I asked myself a few questions:

1 - Would you be happy if you woke up 5 lbs thinner tomorrow?  Of course!
2 - Do you have any idea what you currently weight?  Ummm...no
3 - Do you comfortably fit in the smallest jeans you own? Yes!
4 - Do you have any desire to buy smaller jeans?  No?...wow, No!
5 - Can you list everything you ate yesterday with calorie, fat and carb content?  Not a chance
6 - Do you eat the cheese on your pizza? Yes!
7 - Do you ever feel guilty after eating? No!

Eureka!  I'm not on a diet!  Interestingly enough, as I quizzed myself, I also made two other discoveries:
1 - I think about food much less often than I did on any of my diets
2 - I eat considerably less food than I did on any of my diets

Now, I don't have any sage advice as to how I arrived at this curious and wonderful place.  I suppose it's a combination of a happy marriage, an adorable (and busy) two year old and a confidence that they and God love me exactly as I am...plus, who knows what else, but I do have one final thing to say...

Yay Me!

Hope

So, one of Charlie's Mom's recent interests/projects is a new ladies Bible Study that has been meeting at our house on Monday evenings.  I have heard this from teachers for years, but it truly is amazing how much more you learn by preparing for a study than participating in one.  I am loving every second of it -- even though it is a completely Charlie-free activity!  Who would have ever thought?!?!

Anyway, for December Corrisa (my co-lead) and I decided to focus on the Life of Christ, but rather than spend time on His birth (though very important, we all really have a lot of chances to learn about it), we are focusing on three key areas:

1. Jesus Pre-Incarnate (before the manger)
2. Jesus Humbling Himself on Earth
3. Jesus at the Right Hand of God

Last night we did Jesus Pre-Incarnate, and I found the topic absolutely fascinating and so hope-inspiring that I wanted to share...so this is just for any of you fellow outline-loving, bookish types...and I will get back to the little monster with the next post...

Icebreaker: What hope do you hope is realized for 2012...big or little, what is something you'd really like to happen in the next year?

Topic: Did Jesus exist before Bethlehem?

• Jesus Christ is eternal, just as God is
• Jesus existed before the patriarch of the Jews, His own distant grandfather
• "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'" (John 8:58)
• Jesus was with God in the beginning and played a critical role in the creation of all things
• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being... And the Word became flesh, and dwellt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-3, 14)
• Believers were chosen in Jesus Christ before "the beginning"
• "Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundations of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love." (Ephesians 1:3-4)
• Jesus Christ is present throughout the Old Testament (I have a spreadsheet listing many, many OT prophecies with their corresponding NT fulfillment, so just comment or email me if you'd like it!)
• Jesus at the Fall of Man
• God has entered the garden of Eden to find Adam & Eve hiding. Eve tells Him that the serpent tricked her and she ate of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, disobeying the only command God had given to Adam and Eve.
• "And the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel." (Genesis 3:14-15)
• "I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed" (3:15a)
• "Her seed" - Jesus was born of a woman
• "But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law," (Galatians 4:4)
• Not of a man - "and to Jacob was born Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ" (Matthew 1:16)
• "He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" (3:15b)
• "He shall bruise you on the head" - Jesus strikes a fatal blow
• some translators use "crush" instead of bruise
• "Since then the children share in the flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil" (Hebrews 2:14)
• "you shall bruise him on the heel" - Satan strikes a non-fatal blow
• Satan Tempts Jesus, hurts Him, but does not vanquish Him (Matthew 4:1-11 & Luke 4:1-13)
• "Then the devil left Him; and behold angels came and began to minister to Him." (Matthew 4:11)
• "And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." (Acts 2:24)
• Prophecy
• Is very confusing and can seem quite cryptic...but holds amazing truths -- both in the Old Testament for the coming of Jesus Christ, and in the Old and New Testaments for the return of Jesus Christ
• Is not a set of requirements or steps that God must find a way to fulfill when He is ready, but is a history of what is to come -- which is why all of the seemingly minor, insignificant details are perfectly true
• God is not limited by time/chronology
• "But do not let this one fact escape you notice, beloved, that with the Lord on day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." (II Peter 3:8)
• Neither is Jesus
• "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)
• Conclusions
• God did not create Jesus as a solution to the Fall of Man
• Jesus existed before "the beginning", played a role in creation, and exists outside time
• Believers were "chosen" or saved before "the beginning", therefore God's initial plan included both the Fall and the path of Salvation (as well as everything else)
• To God our prayers are already heard, our hopes are already realized or forgotten, our worries are already laid to rest - like a movie, His plan is complete, though we have yet to experience it
• "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life...which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life span?...But seek first His kingdon and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:25-34 excerpts)
• So, if your hope for 2012 is part of God's plan, it Has already come true in His time. If it is not, then He has something even better for you!
• "And we know that God causes all thingss to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Angry Parents

A couple months ago Jason and I met for lunch at a deli in the mall, and using our extra few minutes, decided to stroll the halls.  Approximately 100 yards into our stroll we were waylaid at the Sprint kiosk and left the mall 90 minutes later (1 meeting missed!) with two new Smart Phones.  We hve finally entered the...teens, I guess?

Anyway, once I had removed all of the apps from mine and Jason had added bunch of new ones to his, we happily settled in to phonehood, and Jason handed down his formerly cutting edge (formerly as in  5 years ago) Palm Pre to Charlie.  Now, anything of Daddy's is a treasure to our little man, but one that makes ridiculous amounts of noise and sports a Gamecocks "skin" is even better.

Over the weeks Jason and I have amused ourselves watching Charlie have imaginary conversations with Grandpa and PaPa, call in late to meetings, and send urgent text messages, thinking, "Oh, how cute!" and assuming in the back of our minds that the fun would wear off and the phone would end up under the sofa or inside the train for the next few years.  We were wrong.

Charlie is heart-broken when his "Gamecock Phone" loses it's charge, and the fact that I personally don't keep tabs on the thing 24x7 can ruin his day.  Still, we played along until this weekend -- Saturday morning to be exact. 

As I was flipping the French Toast, I asked Charlie to run upstairs and tell Daddy that breakfast was almost ready.  He responded with, "I don't have time right now.  I'm playing a game."

Excuuuuse Me??!?!?!?!  And he wasn't kidding.  When I reassured him that I was serious and not in the mood to wait until his "game" ended...tears ensued...followed by being grounded from his phone.  Yes, you heard me -- I had to ground my 2 year old from a mobile phone, that doesn't even make calls!

Did I mention that Jason showed Charlie how to access Angry Birds by himself?  And yes, I see his point when he talks about dexterity, hand-eye coordination, technology awareness, etc -- all pre-requisites for preschool in this day and age.  But come on!

So, now we have Phone Rules in our house...for our TWO YEAR OLD!
1 - The phone is a reward.  You may only play with it when you are being good.
2 - Mommy and Daddy's requests and commands take precedence over the phone.  Immediately.
3 - The phone does not go outside.
4 - The phone does not go near the kitchen table.
5 - The phone does not go in the bathroom.
6 - The phone is put away at dinnertime until the next day.
7 - Mommy and Daddy can take the phone away at any time for any reason.

And yes, we actually had to share rules 3 through 6 with Miss Jennifer, Charlie's babysitter, on Saturday night.  I never dreamed that I would be talking about screen time in the same breath as overnight diapers...This is nuts.

But I guess we're hopeful that the rules will at least help us keep our little addict under control and prevent Angry Birds from turning us into very Angry Parents.

Our little addict settling for Mommy's phone en route to TX, when I forgot his!

Rebuttal, perhaps?

Now I know Charlie is smart, but this is a bit above and beyond...clearly he thinks that Christmas has plenty of room for both Jesus and Santa...

...or at least the Christmas train does.

Ho, ho, ho?

Disclaimer:  This is a factual discussion of Santa Claus...parents be warned!

So, yes, I was in fact "that kid."  You know, the one who told her entire second grade class that Santa didn't exist and their parents were lying to them (yep threw that in, too).  Then, I proceeded to argue with my teacher when I got in trouble, because after all, I had just been telling them the truth!

To be clear, as far as I know, my parents weren't "anti-Santa".  In fact, I think my mom even put some presents under the tree from him -- albeit they showed up in early December in the same wrapping paper as the rest.  See, I was the third child in a very pragmatic, some may say cynical family.  Santa never had a chance. 

Plus, unless I was just unaware at the time, Santa has definitely grown in popularity and power over the past few decades -- I mean even adults seem to revere him nowadays, and they must know, right -- unless of course their elderly parents sneak into their house on Christmas Eve a la that creepy I'll Love You Forever book...

Now, I am not anti-Santa.  I think he's just as much fun as Frosty or the Grinch, but we don't promote him in our house.  It has never been a particularly "religious" stand, but more from my realist background, a hesitancy to lie (however creatively) to Charlie, and an attempt decrease the importance of presents at Christmas.

Of course, I say that about presents, but yesterday afternoon Jason and I were practically giddy to learn that BaBa was able to order The Very Cranky Bear for Charlie for Christmas despite the fact that it is out of print -- the child LOVES that book and it's impossible to find!

But back to Santa.  As I a said, we have nothing against him, we're just trying to steer Charlie's Christmas experience towards the life and purpose of Jesus Christ, rather than the jolly old elf.  We decorate our tree and hang our stockings, but the most important decorations in our house are the nativities -- my "pretty" one and Charlie's "play" one share the spotlight in our living room.  When choosing between Christmas events, we opt for the Living Nativity over Christmas lights (though we skipped everything this year, preferring quiet evenings at home).

Amazingly, Charlie really seemed to be on board with our Christmas.  He begged us to turn off the old Santa Claus movie and turn on his Bible DVD (though to be fair, that old Santa Claus movie is BORING!) and he begs from dawn until dusk to add another character to his Nativity Advent.  So, I thought we were on the right track...until this morning.

En route to school, Charlie said, "It's Christmastime."
I replied, "That's right!  Who is Christmas all about?"
"Santa!"
"NO!" I shouted. "Buddy, Christmas is about God becoming man and coming to live with us here on earth."
"No, mommy.  It's about Santa."

Clearly, I have not gotten my point across.  Now, I know that Christmas isn't really God's holiday.  It's not in the Bible and to most people it's a celebration of family and generosity and peace on earth, etc -- all good enough things.  That said, when else can you hear the words "Jesus Lord at Thy birth" sung on primetime TV or see depictions of the miracle of God being born a man displayed throughout your neighborhood. 

I see Christmas as a wonderful time to remind ourselves of the perfection of God's plan, the miracle of Jesus' birth, the mercy of His death and the hope of His resurrection -- and one of the few times that we can freely share those wonders with anyone and everyone through cards and songs and decorations, etc.

But now I'm wondering if Santa gets in the way of all of that.  If my son, growing up in a Christ-centered home believes that Santa is the meaning of Christmas, now what?

At this point I don't have an answer.  I don't want to become anti-Santa, because I think that will create walls between our family and others that we love, and those walls may in fact inhibit us from sharing the true meaning of Christmas (and life!).  At the same time, though, I don't want Charlie to put his precious faith in a fictional character -- after all, faith is only as meaningful as it's object.

So for now Santa will remain on our tree, but he does not know if Charlie's being bad or good and his name won't appear on any gift tags.  But is that enough -- or is my middle-of-the-road stand hypocritical enough to elicit this response from non-Christians?

I always thought it was strange how Christians will tell me they have this giant and awesome truth they know is true deep in their soul and want to share with me, but when 12/25 comes around they lie to their own progeny because, apparently, that giant, liberating, and awesomely simple truth is somehow just not enough. It may be a good narrative, but it needs a little something to give it some panache.
[Taken from Jen Hatmaker's very thought provoking and much more firmly rooted stand on this same subject:  http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2011/11/29/the-christmas-conundrum#.Tt1R6unPWSQ.facebook]

I just don't know...can Jesus and Santa really share Christmas?