Christmas Traditions

I've been thinking about Christmas traditions in our family lately, and how they might change over the coming years as my children continue to grow and will soon be moving away and starting their own families. In many ways this makes me sad, in other ways I'm excited to see what will come. Since I was a child I've celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. As I thought about this tradition, I realize it has changed a lot over the years. When I was very small I remember traveling from my Great Grandma's to my Aunt and Uncle's to my Grandma's and finally finishing at my house, opening gifts and snacking all along the way. As the years went on, the number of stops got less and less until for the past several years it's been at my Mom's house only. We still have stockings and we still have plenty of snacky foods and presents, but it's different. It's still good, just different. Years ago I began a tradition in our home of waking up Christmas morning and gathering around the tree to open a gift to our family together. The gift would include the story of the birth of Jesus, a reminder to focus on Jesus, as well as the baby Jesus from my nativity scene wrapped up in beautiful paper. It's one of my favorite traditions, but what will become of it when my kids are gone with their own families and their own traditions? I think my husband and I will continue it, but it certainly won't be the same. We have always went Christmas lights watching about a week before Christmas. We travel all around town looking for the best, most beautiful, cutest, funnest, and most gawdy light displays out there while singing Christmas carols and laughing like crazy! I don't even know how much of the holiday time I will see my kids in a few years. I guess that's the process of life, change is always happening. As long as we always put Jesus first and our family second, I guess I can live with some change. I will miss the traditions of the past, but I look forward to whatever new traditions crop up. I do hope my kids will carry some traditions on through the future generations. I'm so thankful for so many wonderful memories that I will cherish every day! Wishing you beautiful Christmas traditions and memories this Christmas and in many Christmases to come! God Bless!

~Kim

I'm Thankful For...

Last Sunday I asked my middle school Sunday School class to make a list of 50 things they're thankful for. I think I need to do the same. Yes, Thanksgiving was yesterday, but I'm thankful every day. So here is my list in no particular order (after the first 3):

1. My salvation

2. My relationship with Jesus

3. My family, and incredible husband and the 2 most amazing kids in all the land!

4. My home

5. Plenty to nourish my body

6. Sunsets

7.The beach

8. Love

9. Health

10. Transportation

11. Freedom

12. A great church

13. Awesome friends

14. A job I love and fill fulfilled in

15. The opportunity to go to school

16. Trees

17. Flowers

18. My dog Oreo

19. Safety

20. Sight

21. Hearing

22. Peace

23. Patience

24. Hope

25. The smell of baking cookies

26. Laughter

27. Sorrow

28. Breath

29. Joy

30. Smiles

31. Struggles

32. Rain

33. Poetry

34. Music

35. Dance

36. Fall

37. Common Sense

38. Silliness

39. Movie nights with my daughter

40. Pillows

41. Playdough

42. Crayons

43. Jeans

44. Game Nights

45. The ability to express my opinion

46. My extended family

47. Campfires

48. Walks

49. Washing machines

50. Cotton Candy

51. Cracker Jacks

52. Imagination

53. Randomness

54. Hot Chocolate

55. Candy Canes (preferrably in 54)

56. Hugs

57. The Bible

58. Summer nights

59. Snow days

60. Books

61. Voice

62. Grace

63. Forgiveness

64. Storms

65. Christmas

66. Chocolate

67. Gilmore Girls

68. Great Coworkers

69. The people who are the "thorns" that make me grow

70. Snuggling

71. The roar of the ocean

72. Being able to serve

73. Tears

74. Contentment

75. Shoes

76. Soap

77. Hands

78. Highighters

79. Water

80. Bowling

81. Medical technology

82. Dreams

83. Clouds

84. The wind

85. Alone time

86. A voice that only God can love when I sing

87. Candles

88. Colors

89. Mountains

90. Beer battered onion rings

91. The Rodeo

92. My future

93. My past

94. My here and now

95. Prayer

96. The bath tub

97. Loose change

98. Children

99. Silly songs

100. Memories

Ok so I went a little farther than 50....I actually could keep going awhile longer. I wonder how many things you could come up with if you took the time to think about it. Thanksgiving isn't a day in November, it's an attitude we should have all year long.

God Bless,

~Kim

All About The Turkey

Thanksgiving is almost here and it has me thinking about what that means. Why is it we hear about 101 ways to cook a turkey, but little about why the turkey even matters? Thanksgiving is a tradition that is about much more than whether your bird is juicy or not. It's about celebrating the beginning of the discovery of our land. It's about being thankful for the amazing blessings that we take for granted on a daily, if not hourly basis. It's about holding our families close and realizing what a gift they are in all their imperfections. I'm overwhelmed with love and peace and joy and health and food and safety and comfort and so many other things I could fill up this blog with only the list. This year I'm more thankful for health because a few months ago it was shaken so I don't take in for granted anymore. I'm more thankful for my family all being under the same roof because it could be the last year they are. I'm more thankful for my mom because she's getting older and I don't know how much longer I'll have her. I'm more thankful for my husband because tough circumstances in life have brought us closer together. I'm more thankful for down time because I don't have any. Why do we have to wait for a holiday or life's circumstances to make us realize the amazing life we have? I think I'm going to start a daily journal of the things I'm thankful for so I can refocus on that attitude each day. God has blessed me so richly I can't even begin to share, yet I forget about those blessings when someone cuts me off in traffic or a coworker treats me poorly. Somehow I can't remember to love as Christ loves me (undeservedly) when someone in my family doesn't act as I think they should. Why have we come to the point of being thankful with qualifiers? Well I plan to change my attitude to an attitude of thankfulness always!!! Starting today I will be grateful for all that I have and all that I don't because I trust in what God is doing in my life and I'm thankful for it!

distractions

It's been a really long time since I've been here, but I think its time for my blogger return.
Life has been so busy... full time work, full time school, family, church, home..... it feels as if I never have a moment to do anything just because I want to. Well, I've decided I want to blog so here I am!!!

In my English class we've been talking about how we can get so distracted by everything around us and how distractions can endanger our democracy. The more I think about it the more true that seems to me. Everyone is so busy with their individual lives that they don't think about the whole of us often enough. I know I sometimes think about the things I'd like to change in this country, but what do I do about it?!?! A couple of years ago I took a small group of people to a local school to pray for our children, our schools, and our teachers. My plan was to do this every summer with the hope of gathering more people each year. What happened to that plan? I got distracted. Now that's not to say I didn't have some important things distracting me. The first summer I got distracted from this plan was because I was diagnosed with cancer...that's a reasonable distraction, yet this past summer I was cancer free and didn't make it back. If it were as important to me as I thought it was, I would find the time to plan it right? Isn't that what we all do...have great intentions until we get distracted. I hate to admit it, but I've even been distracted to the point that I forgot to vote! It's so not okay! What could possibly distract me so much that I forget to do the one thing that we can all do to make democracy work?!?! If I can't stay focused enough to at least cast my opinion in the process how can I expect the democratic system to work? We as a nation must stay focused, not just to vote, but to be educated voters! My life is busy and full of distractions because I live in a country that allows me access to education, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and financial security! Perhaps I need to be more grateful and think about whether I want these freedoms to be distracted for my kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. It's about prioritizing our lives and putting the distractions in their place. We need to take responsibility for our part of the democratic system. I need to take responsibility for my part in this great country I live in!!

~Kim