Advent Blog - December 16th

Yesterday I mentioned the ornaments my grandma gives me for Christmas. This is my favorite one. It is ceramic and my grandma painted it for me when I was very, very little. I don't know why, but I love it more than the others.

Advent Blog - December 15th

Since I was little my grandma has given me a Christmas ornament for each Christmas. I love these ornaments. They are all homemade. Several of these ornaments are hand sewn felt ornaments. Here are two out of the many that hang on my tree.

Advent Blog - December 14th

As I mentioned yesterday, the holidays are all about family and friends. Yesterday I wrote about a few of my friends. Today I want to write a short post about my family. I have a fantastic family!! I didn't realize how unusually close my family was (and still is) until I became an adult. We were super lucky growing up because both of my parents worked at home. In fact, because my mom was always running and doing deliveries, my dad was home more often than my mom. I remember if I was sick at school, I always called my dad to come pick me up. I just thought this was normal, but as I got older, I noticed that many of my friends were not as close with their fathers. Not only am I close with my parents, I am also really close to my brothers. I consider the three of them my best friends. I found this picture frame at Target a few weeks ago and knew I needed it to display one of our Christmas pictures.

Advent Blog - December 13th

The holidays are all about family and friends and I think I have the best family and friends around. Yesterday I invited two of my closest friends, Christi and Kathleen, over for brunch and a movie. I told them to come on over in their PJs and I would make them delicious crepes (with Kathleen's help) and we would spend the morning watching the movie, The Holiday. I wanted to take pictures, but since all three of us (me more than them) looked like we just crawled out of bed, I decided against it. Anyway, I want to tell all my friends out there how much I love them and wish them a Merry Christmas.

Advent Blog - December 12th

I love this painting by Liz Lemon Swindle.

Advent Blog - December 11th

There were about half a dozen songs that didn't make the cut for my Christmas CD mix this year. I wanted to share the lyrics of one of those songs. Maybe it will end up the 2010 edition. Anyway, here are the lyrics to "The Rebel Jesus."

All the streets are filled with laughter and light
And the music of the season
And the merchants' windows are all bright
With the faces of the children
And the families hurrying to their homes
While the sky darkens and freezes
Will be gathering around the hearths and tables
Giving thanks for God's graces
And the birth of the rebel Jesus

Well they call him by 'the Prince of Peace'
And they call him by 'the Savior'
And they pray to him upon the seas
And in every bold endeavor
And they fill his churches with their pride and gold
As their faith in him increases
But they've turned the nature that I worship in
From a temple to a robber's den
In the words of the rebel Jesus

Well we guard our world with locks and guns
And we guard our fine possessions
And once a year when Christmas comes
We give to our relations
And perhaps we give a little to the poor
If the generosity should seize us
But if any one of us should interfere
In the business of why there are poor
They get the same as the rebel Jesus

Now pardon me if I have seemed
To take the tone of judgement
For I've no wish to come between
This day and your enjoyment
In a life of hardship and of earthly toil
There's a need for anything that frees us
So I bid you pleasure
And I bid you cheer
From a heathen and a pagan
On the side of the rebel Jesus

Advent Blog - December 10th

A few days ago I wrote about service projects my students and young women were doing for the homeless (to read it click HERE). Today is a follow up on that post. Last night my young women went to the Road Home's overflow shelter in Midvale to deliver the hats that they made (they ended up making 160 hats!!). I knew some of my students lived at the shelter so I had mentally prepared myself to see some of them there. I did and it was fine . . . at least it was until I got home. It was when I walked into my own home that it hit me - how different my home was from the shelter. The shelter was crowded, chaotic, and a little dirty. When I walked into my house it was warm, clean, and smelled good. It's spacious - way spacious for just one person. The families at the shelter had their bed and all of their possessions crowded into one tiny space - a space as big as my closet. Now I can't get my little students out of my mind. I pray that I may be able to help them - even if it's just being a good teacher and helping them for 45 minutes a day.