Lessons Learned

A few lessons that I learned and/or was reminded of courtesy of my nieces on this latest visit to see them:

A girl can never have too many lip glosses

AND

apparently you won't get poisoned from re-applying lip gloss every 4.2 seconds.

Cookie dough truffles should probably be smuggled into the house if you want them to last more than a couple of days.

The Ladybug Game is a great Christmas gift for four year-olds.

A two year-old's favorite words are still

MINE!

and

NO!

A nine year-old should probably not have chocolate espresso coffee beans after dinner.

Whoever invented Build-A-Bear Workshop is an evil genius.

"Beauty and the Beast" is still the best Disney movie ever (and was enjoyed by me as much as, if not more than, my nieces).

There is too much distance between and my family and I can't wait to see them again!

How was YOUR Christmas?

A Child Is Born

The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned.

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:2, 6-7)

Merry Christmas, all!

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

'Twas the day before Christmas....

I have to admit that a couple of days ago I was finding it hard to be in the Christmas spirit, mainly because I felt overwhelmed with activity and items on my pre-Christmas to-do list. But after a good night's sleep (amazing what that can do for you!) and some time to myself, I'm feeling much better and ready to celebrate.

Some of my favorites moments of this season so far:

• The Advent celebration at my friends Doug and Karla's house last Saturday night. Last year was my first time to attend their annual celebration, and it's something that I very much looked forward to this season. A group of about 20 of us gathered in their home to enjoy some yummy taco soup, talk, and then spend a period of time reading the story of Jesus' birth, sharing some thoughts about Christmas, and singing Christmas hymns. Such a beautiful, intimate way to remember Christ's birth and put the season in perspective.

• The lessons and carols service at my co-worker's church. I've attended this service for several years now and it is always a highlight of the Christmas season for me. With a choir and orchestra, it is quite different from my own church's Christmas service, but always such a lovely and thrilling service.

• Finishing my Christmas shopping and wrapping before Christmas Eve! It is so nice to NOT have to get out in the stores and fight massive lines and traffic today. I'll be able to stay home, finish some baking and food prep for tomorrow, and not leave the house til tonight when I attend our church's Christmas Eve service.

Some moments I'm looking forward to:

• Tonight's Christmas Eve service. With nearly all of my Christmas preparations behind me, it will be refreshing to be able to sit and reflect on Christmas without having my mind abuzz with all the things I need to do.

• Looking at Christmas lights. After tonight's service, my parents and I are planning to ride around town looking at Christmas lights. I'm not sure which are more fun to view--tacky lights or tasteful lights. (Do you have a preference?) I imagine we'll get to see a healthy dose of both.

• The 24-hour "A Christmas Story" marathon beginning tonight on TBS. Absolutely my favorite Christmas movie. Regardless of the fact that I've seen it perhaps dozens of times, I can't help watching it. So many great scenes--"Mama's little piggy", "I can't put my arms down!", "I triple dog dare ya!", "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine," "You'll shoot your eye out, kid", and, of course, "Fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra". For me, it just wouldn't be Christmas without at least one viewing of it.

• The event I'm looking forward to MOST--visiting my sister and her family for a couple of days. I'm sure my nieces will wear me out, but it will be totally worth it. Good thing I have a few days off from work afterward so that I can recuperate.

I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas!

Book Review: On This Day in Christian History

My latest review for Booksneeze is On This Day in Christian History by Robert J. Morgan. Morgan also authored the book that I previously reviewed, Then Sings My Soul, which provided historical accounts of some of the world's most beloved hymns and carols.

In On This Day in Christian History, Morgan gives a daily recount of notable figures of the Christian faith, ranging from the Roman Empire to modern times. The book contains 365 stories of martyrs, saints, preachers, and other heroes, one for each day of the year, designed for daily devotional reading. Each story also includes a Scripture reference.

There is a topical index at the back of the book, which makes the book a handy reference for preachers or speakers searching for stories on various topics to include in their sermons or speeches.

If, like me, you like history, I think you'll find this book an enjoyable addition to your daily devotional time.

Disciple Making

"Disciple making is not a call for others to come to us to hear the gospel but a command for us to go to others to share the gospel. A command for us to be gospel-living, gospel-speaking people at every moment and in every context where we find ourselves." --David Platt, Radical (pg. 94)

Buffet or Signature Dish?

The other day I was listening to a podcast of Pastor Chris Hodges from Church of the Highlands. [Quick sidenote: Chris Hodges is quickly rivaling Andy Stanley as my favorite pastor to hear preach. I may have to call it a tie.]

In his sermon, Pastor Hodges said that Church of the Highlands is more like a Ruth's Chris Steak House than a Golden Corral. His point was that they try to focus on doing a few things really well as opposed to having an endless buffet of programs and activities.

Although he was referring specifically to COTH, that comparison made me think about the kind of life I want to live. Many days I feel like I'm pulled in a hundred different directions and doing a lot of activity but not necessarily accomplishing a lot. I want to refocus on the things that truly matter and spend more time and thought on fewer activities and projects. Easier said than done, I realize, but definitely a goal to work toward.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I'm contemplating taking a break (perhaps permanent) from Facebook. I don't feel like it's a big time suck for me; I usually check it a couple of times a day, but I'm not on it all day (unless I accidentally forget to logout of my account, which has actually happened a few times). Still, I've been weighing the pros and cons.

On the one hand...

• Facebook has allowed me to keep up with long-distance friends and family, not to mention to reconnect with old high school and college classmates. (I figure I'll save the money spent on going to a class reunion; thanks to Facebook, I already know who's gone bald, who's gained weight and who's got 19 kids and counting.)

• Facebook has helped me learn new fun facts about people I've known for years. There are a ton of people I'm acquainted with, people I've gone to church with forever or who work with me, but outside of a few vital facts I don't know much about. Enter Facebook, and suddenly I get a little inside glimpse into their lives. Often, I learn that I have something unexpectedly in common with my Facebook friends. Sometimes reading about something on Facebook will prompt a conversation in "real life", which I enjoy.

• Facebook can be great for the ol' ego. Having a bad day? Just admit it in your status update, and watch the encouraging comments roll in. Accomplished a big (or small) goal? Broadcast it on Facebook and you'll find your own cheering section. There is power in having a little online community giving positive feedback now and then.

• Facebook can be a platform for sharing my faith. Occasionally I'll take a break from my snarky status updates and instead post a Bible verse or passage from a Christian book or lyrics from a praise and worship song. Likewise, many times I'll read a verse or lyric on someone else's status update and it will be just what I need to hear at that moment.

On the other hand...

• Sometimes it seems that Facebook has become a substitute for genuine conversation between me and my friends. If I can go on Facebook and read all of my friends' status updates, then it sort of negates the need to actually spend time together and catch up with each other, right? While Facebook been a great tool for connecting with long-distance friends, I'm not sure it's been so beneficial between me and my friends who live close by.

• It can be tempting to use Facebook to share my faith but not extend it further than that. What I mean is that I can pacify myself by putting a Bible verse on my profile but not be more pro-active in sharing my faith at work, at the grocery store, at restaurants, and other places I go.

• Facebook can quickly become all about ME. What I'm doing, what I'm reading, where I'm going, how I'm feeling. That's not to say that I shouldn't share those things, but sometimes I feel like it's just a big brag fest and I feel like a loser if I don't have some exciting anecdote to share. Crazy to think that way, but that does cross my mind sometimes.

And so the inner debate goes. I may take a sabbatical from Facebook for a few weeks to test the waters. Anyone else had similar thoughts?