"Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more..." The Grinch

"Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more..."  I've thought about this quite a bit this Christmas season.  I love Christmas, "the whole Christmas season."

I go all out some years, and this was one of those years.  We decorated the house inside and out.  I made homemade gifts for all of my neighbors.  I got together with some of my friends and did a cookie exchange.  We bought gifts for our extended family members that we thought they would really enjoy.  As a family we went to Lessons & Carols service at two churches, 3 of the advent services, and I went to "Let Your Heart find Christmas" event.  We went to the movies as a family and saw "Christmas Vacation."  We watched "Christmas Vacation" at home.  We had friends drop by and we dropped by friends' houses.  My children had activities with their friends and with their schools.  We traveled to our families' homes over the Christmas break.  We went all out...but with purpose.

Yes, "Santa" still visits our house even though my children are grown.  Yes, we still celebrate the birth as being on December 25th, even if it is the winter solstice, and not in the Fall.  Yes, I give my children a ton of gifts and decorate more than my local Target store.  Yes, we still watch all the Christmas programs depicting the wise men showing up when Jesus was a babe lying in a manger, although he was already a toddler when they actually arrived.  Yes, these things are not what the point of it all is.  The point is that Jesus has come.

You see, I love Christmas for one big reason.  This is the celebration of the birth of my savior Jesus.  I really believe in this stuff.  I think it's okay to go big and celebrate it.

I go all out because it's a celebration.  And not just any celebration.  In my book, it's THE celebration.  I am celebrating my point of hope.  The moment where a child was born that was God.  A point where the prophesied law was fulfilled and set into motion my salvation.

Today, I had a preacher say to me while commenting on our outdoor Christmas display, "You win the competition."  I notice that a lot lately. People not catching what is really happening, just looking at the surface.  People saying that we shouldn't go all out at Christmas.  That Christmas should be a season of society rules.  We shouldn't be so excited and celebratory.  Well, I'm not in competition, I'm in THE celebration.  And it is good.  I hope you are celebrating, too.  May God's Love Shine on you.

Merry Christmas, All The Year Through!

p.s. I will be solemn on Maundy Thursday.  But, I'll be all excited again on Easter.  Just a warning.

Friday Par-ta

This is what happens when you keep your pumpkins a little too long. 

Friday Par-ta

It's January.  You need to spice things up.  You need more fun.  You need a party with lots of interaction and games. 

How about a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Game Night?

Here's the activities for the party (Play these at your own discretion.  Someone might get hurt, so be careful. It's not my fault, I warned you.):

1.  The boiled egg vs. raw egg challenge.  Hard boil 8 eggs.  Leave 4 eggs raw.  Mix them up and place them back in the carton.  Have two challengers face each other.  Each one takes a turn, draws an egg out of the carton and busts it on his/her forehead.  The first one to two raw eggs busted, looses.  

2.  Lip Sync Contest.  Each contestant lip syncs to various songs picked by the audience.  The best or funniest lip sync wins.

3.  Pictionary.  Everyone breaks into two different teams.  A bowl with 12 different titles of movies, books or songs are listed on separate pieces of paper.  Each team selects a person to pick from the bowl and draw on a large drawing paper with an easel (so everyone can see what they are drawing).  Their team tries to guess the answer within 2 minutes. If they cannot, the other team gets one chance to guess the answer.  The team with the most points wins after the 12 titles have been drawn.

4.  #Hashtag.  Cut posterboards in half and at the top of each write one of the following hashtags.  Set around the house and include a pen for writing.  Get your guests to write an answer for each of the hashtags throughout the party.  This will drum up good conversation. Here are some good #hashtags to use taken from http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/hashtags/#item=308535:  #momtexts, #dadquotes, #weirdholidaymoment, #ifIwerepresident, #IthoughtIwascool, #worstgiftever  or Just make up some of your own.   

Another fun twist:  At the beginning of the party, pick one guest (make sure they agree, otherwise it won't be fun.) and make the the hashtag #make(guest's name)say   Although you might want to make it clear that it should be clean and not mean.  So, at some point in the night, after the lip sync would be a good time, this person gets up and says all the hashtags out loud.  Would be cute if this is a party for your children, that the dad is the one that has to get up and say everything or the grandma.  

Okay, have fun!

Verse

Proverbs 1: 28-33

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me, since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord.  Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.  For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your wisdom that You wish to bestow upon me.  Please let me hear You and follow You, Lord.  Let me turn from the world and the bad ideas I have.  Thank you Lord for all you have made, including me. 

In Jesus Name, Amen.