Oh, That We Were There

    On Sunday I was blessed to be able to lead my Women's Choir in song for the annual Christmas Song Service at our church. We met at 7:25 AM sharp to run through our songs one last time, but another group was practicing from the balcony, so we had to wait. While we waited I nervously shared with them a short devotion I had prepared earlier that morning. It went more or less like this...

Years ago I heard a sermon where the Pastor shared something his mom once told him. She said that the one place and time in the Bible she would have liked to have witnessed herself was that first Christmas night, on the hillside, with the shepherds. She wanted to see and hear the angels as they filled the skies, proclaiming the God News of the Savior’s birth.

Since then I've thought about what Biblical event I would most like to have been an eye-witness to. There are many, but the one that I come back to time and time again is that night in the upper room. After Jesus had washed the disciple’s feet, and after he had broken the bread and gave them the wine, and after he had prayed for them, Matthew tells us, “they sang a hymn.”

Can you imagine… singing a hymn with Jesus! It takes my breath away just to think about it.

What did he sound like? Was his voice deep and full, or soft and tender? Oh, that we were there! 

For years I wondered what song they sang together that last time. I supposed there was no way of knowing. But amazingly, about year ago, I found out!

The celebration of the Passover for the Jewish people is steeped in tradition and ceremony. It includes the singing of several Psalms. Psalm 113 and 114 were sung before the meal. And Psalms 115 to 118 were sung after the meal. The last song that Jesus sang with his disciples that night was most likely Psalm 118. The first verse of 118 is a familiar one:

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

This is how Psalm 118 ends:

²² The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone; (He's singing about himself here.) 
²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.

²⁵ Lord, save us!
    Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.
²⁷ The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
    up to the horns of the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Did you notice, the Psalm begins and ends with the same words, “His love endures forever?” What a comfort that is! We may not see Jesus with our eyes, but he is certainly here with us, in our hearts. 

So sing to him, and sing with him! Sing with joy, knowing that he will bless us, and be with us, and that his love for us endures forever.

Christmas Music 24/7

What’s your favorite Christmas Song?


Here’s another question for you...

What’s your dad’s favorite Christmas Song?

If you ask any of our kids that question they’ll know the answer. Jeff loves the tune, O Come O Come Emmanuel. I think he likes it because it’s based on an old Gregorian chant, and Jeff’s always been a fan of the Gregorian chant.

Next question...

What’s your mom’s favorite Christmas song?

If you ask my kids that, they aren’t likely to know. That’s because I don’t really have a favorite. I love them all! From The Bell that Couldn’t Jingle, to Gardner’s Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day I’ve never heard a Christmas Song I didn’t like. However, I will admit, I prefer Classical Christmas Music. It’s rich and bright, and usually tells the story of the real reason for the season, as they say.

If you’re not sure what I mean by Classical Christmas Music, (or if you’d love to hear some right now) I invite you to visit my favorite place for Christmas music, MPR’s online stream. Just copy and paste this link to your browser and it will take you to MPR's home page. Then click where it says "HOLIDAY CLASSICS" and you'll be enjoying Christmas Music with me in no time.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/cms/


Too much work?

Okay.

Then just listen to this one.

Deck the Halls

I'm a little late with my blog this week. I got lazy, celebrating Thanksgiving.
And then I got busy, decorating the house for Christmas.

I thought it might be fun to show you some of my favorite decorations.

This is my nativity.

I think I only paid $2 for it at the Thrift Store,
and I think it is the sweetest thing ever.


Here's my snowman shelf.

See the one in the back with a red pom pom on its hat?
It's actually a sock filled with rice. Mandie made it in grade school,
and I love it. I also love the green paper Christmas trees.
Mandie and JJ made those.
The funny looking snowman tree in the center was a thrift store find.
If you wind it up, it spins and plays "Let it Snow." Too cute!


Our angel tree topper has been around quite awhile.

I made her the first year we were married.
I had always figured I'd just use her until I could afford something nicer.
But then when I did finally replace her, Mandie complained
and said I should put the other one back.
Good thing I hadn't thrown her away.



These are my Christmas salt and pepper shakers.


Usually this shelf is full of my other salt and pepper shaker collection,
my animal salt and pepper shaker collection.
But at Christmastime I pack all those away and put out these.
I think my favorites are the S'more snowmen way down on the right.
I bought those for myself one year,
from a regular store, and they weren't even on sale!


Here's a fun one.

That's JJ back when he was a pre-schooler.
This spring he'll graduate from college. How time flies.

Speaking of which, I've gotta go make supper.

Happy decorating!

Holiday Suggestion

I have a Holiday suggestion for you.

It's not a Halloween suggestion.

Or a Reformation Day suggestion.



It's not even a Thanksgiving suggestion.




I'm planning ahead, and offering up an idea
you can use to make your Christmas Holidays
extra special this year.



Throw a formal dinner for your loved ones!

Now I realize, this sort of thing takes a bit of work,
but I am here to tell you - it's worth it!

I've been treating my family to a formal Christmas Eve dinner
for the past 6 years, and I can't wait to do it again.



Sure, it takes a bit of planning.
But that's why I'm suggesting it to you now - well in advance
of the Holidays. That will give you plenty of time to plan
your theme, and your menu, and find
your pretty table linens and center pieces.



I suggest you shop thrift stores for these items.
No need to spend a mint. Thrift stores will have all sorts of
great items to dress up your table for this special meal,
from place mats, to candles, to dishes.



I've had a blast coming up with new ideas each Christmas.

Want to know what my theme will be this year?

Here's a hint:

(Anybody know where I can get 8 gold chargers and/or place mats?)

Gifts From Above

Recently, I had one of those days when everything seemed to be going right. I wish I could list off all the little miracles that went on that day, but the only one I remember is hopping in the car and hearing one of my favorite songs on the radio. Without giving it much thought, I said this little prayer. “God, why are you being so nice to me?”

Immediately I heard this reply, “Because you’re letting me.”

I think that’s actually a quote from The Breakfast Club, but if you remember the story of Jesus when he visited his home town of Nazareth you know that Jesus couldn’t always be nice to his people. The Bible tells us, “he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58)

I think about that a lot. Jesus wanted to do nice things for them, but their lack of faith kept him from doing so. How sad. And how interesting.

It makes me wonder. Do I do that too? Do I limit what God can do in my own life, by not believing that he’s here with me? There are millions of people in this world, most of whom have a lot bigger problems and issues than I do. Why would God care about little old me?

But he does. Miracle of miracles, he does! Believing that, helps me see it.

Walking across icy sidewalks without slipping - that’s the hand of God. Bumping into an old friend. - God knows when a visit like that is needed. Finding just what you need at the store, and it’s on sale! God always provides. Finding your cell phone even though it was set on vibrate, having a freezer so full of food things fall out when you open the door, driving home under a pretty sunset… these are all gifts from God.

In James we’re told, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” (James 1:17) Just think about that. The Father of all creation, who made the stars in the sky and everything else, knows about us and cares about us. That’s such a mind-blowing idea, we’d never be able to believe it without faith. But God gives that to us too.

People put a lot of thought, effort, time and money this time of year into trying to come up with the perfect gifts for the ones they love. You’ve been there. I have too, and it’s hard. Most of the time our gifts come up short. But not God’s gifts. He knows just what we need and can well provide it.

So enjoy his gifts! Look for them. And when you see them, give thanks for them. Know, through faith, that they come from him. Indeed, Faith in him is the best gift you’ll ever receive. Treasure it. Nurture it. Enjoy it.

Speaking of enjoying things, here’s another video for you. I loved it. I hope you will too.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Surprise "Hallelujah!"

Christmas Outburst

Going to any fun Holiday Parties this year? I am. A week from Tuesday we have our Handbells Christmas Party. I always enjoy that one. Carlotta makes 3 kinds of soup – all wonderful. Rachael brings her festive pineapple platter, and Lorraine brings her homemade candies. Everyone else brings assorted Christmas goodies. I bring the games.

I love making up party games! My games for Tuesday are a surprise, but I can tell you what we played last year: Christmas Outburst.

In the regular Outburst game (by Parker Brothers) teams take turns trying to guess as many of the 10 answers to a given category in 60 seconds as they can. For example, if the category was “Bears” teams might shout out things like “Grizzly,” “Polar,” “Brown” and so on. If those bears are listed on the card (which they are) they get a point for each one.

Outburst is one of our family’s favorite party games, so I thought it might be fun to play Outburst with a Christmas theme. All I had to do was think of some Christmas categories, which I did. Then, for fun, I printed up index cards and put the categories on one side, and picture clues for each on the other. For example, the card with a Partridge in a Pear Tree pictured on one side said “What My true love gave to me…” on the other. This way teams could pick the card they wanted on their turn with a bit of a hint as to what their category might be. The lists of answers I put in a separate 3-ring binder.

Why not play my Christmas Outburst game at your next party! Here are the categories and lists I used. Obviously, you can throw out any you don’t like, or make up some of your own. I’m also including detailed rules at the end.

Enjoy!

Stocking Stuffers

1. Candy/Candy Canes
2. Jewelry
3. Fingernail Polish
4. Toothbrushes
5. Match box Cars
6. Lip Balm / Lip Stick
7. Socks
8. Gift Cards
9. CD’s
10. Cash

Things found in Christmas Gift Baskets

1. Turkey
2. Ham
3. Sausages
4. Jam
5. Crackers
6. Nuts
7. Cookies
8. Cheese
9. Apples
10. Oranges

Christmas Cookie Cutter Shapes

1. Candy Cane
2. Bell
3. Star
4. Snowman
5. Wreath
6. Santa
7. Christmas Tree
8. Man
9. Angel
10. Stocking

Characters from Frank Capra’s Classic Holiday Film: It’s a Wonderful Life

1. George Bailey
2. Mary (Hatch) Bailey
3. Mr. Potter
4. Mr. Gower
5. Sam Wainwright
6. Uncle Billy
7. Harry Bailey
8. Violet
9. Clarence
10. Bert and Ernie

Things People do on Christmas Eve

1. Dress Up
2. Go to Church
3. Kiss under the Mistletoe
4. Travel
5. Last minute Shopping
6. Call Home
7. Watch It’s a Wonderful Life
8. Sing
9. Open Presents
10. Eat

Things People put on Christmas Trees

1. Stars
2. Angels
3. Lights
4. Ornaments
5. Popcorn Strings
6. Garland
7. Tinsle
8. Christmas Cards
9. Paper Snow Flakes
10. Candy Canes

Things on a Child’s Christmas Wish List

1. Legos
2. A puppy
3. Barbie Dolls
4. Play Station/Guitar Hero
5. Wii
6. Cell phone
7. Digital camera
8. Money
9. Trucks
10. Nerf Guns

Things People do to Stay Warm

1. Turn up the Thermostat
2. Cuddle
3. Light a fire
4. Blow on your hands/fingers
5. Exercise/move
6. Dress in Layers/put on a sweater or coat
7. Drink something hot
8. Put on a Snuggie
9. Take a hot bath/shower
10. Use a Heating Pad/ electric blanket

Things to do during/after a snowstorm

1. Go Sledding
2. Make a snowman
3. Shovel
4. Have a snowball fight
5. Make a snow fort
6. Make snow angels
7. Salt the sidewalks
8. Sleep in/ go back to bed
9. Bake Cookies
10. Listen to the radio for closings and cancelations

Pieces in a Nativity Set

1. Stable/crèche
2. Manger
3. Wiseman
4. Sheep
5. Camel
6. Angel
7. Shepherd
8. Mary
9. Joseph
10. Baby Jesus

Christmas Eve Program Calamities

1. Christmas Tree catches fire
2. Someone trips on the steps
3. Pre-schoolers fall asleep
4. Embarrassing typo in the bulletin
5. Little Girl lifts up her dress
6. Pastor is late or does not arrive
7. Organ won’t play
8. Crying baby disrupts service
9. Someone faints
10. They run out of Christmas Goodie Bags

Animals Often Pictured on Christmas Cards (Includes different kinds of birds)

1. Reindeer
2. Mice
3. Sheep
4. Cardinal
5. Camel
6. Partridge
7. Donkey
8. Dove
9. Polar Bear
10. Penguin

What People Do When Christmas is Over

1. Relax
2. Take down the tree
3. Put away lights/decorations
4. Shop the Sales
5. Play with their new toys
6. Return unwanted gifts
7. Send thank you cards
8. Catch up on sleep
9. Get photos developed
10. Make New Year’s Resolutions / go on a diet

Classic Christmas Movies and TV Specials

1. Miracle on 34^th Dtreet
2. It’s a Wonderful Life
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
4. Charlie Brown Christmas
5. Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
6. The Little Drummer Boy
7. White Christmas
8. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
9. Home Alone
10. Frosty the Snowman

Christmas _________________

1. Christmas Card
2. Christmas Tree
3. Christmas Carol
4. Christmas List
5. Christmas Cookies
6. Christmas Present
7. Christmas Party
8. Christmas Eve
9. Christmas Angel
10. Christmas Day

What “My True Love Gave to Me…”

1. Two Turtle Doves
2. Three French Hens
3. Five Golden Rings
4. Six Geese a-laying
5. Seven Swans a-swimming
6. Eight Maids a-milking
7. Nine Ladies Dancing
8. Ten Lord a-leaping
9. Eleven Pipers Piping
10. Twelve drummers drumming

Characters in the Dickens’ Classic: A Christmas Carol

1. Ebenezer Scrooge
2. Bob Cratchit
3. Tiny Tim
4. Ghost of Christmas Past
5. Nephew Fred
6. Ghost of Christmas Present
7. Fannie Scrooge
8. Fezziwig
9. Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
10. Belle

Things Associated with Santa

1. Rudolf
2. Ho! Ho! Ho!
3. Red Suit
4. His Sleigh
5. St. Nicolas
6. Elves
7. The North Pole
8. Chimney
9. Lump of coal
10. His List (naughty or nice)

Christmas Goodies

1. Fruit Cake
2. Sugar Cookies / Cut Out Cookies
3. Fudge
4. Gingerbread Men
5. Almond Bark
6. Peanut Brittle
7. Nuts
8. Spritz Cookies
9. Candy Canes
10. Popcorn Balls

Things People Write about in their Christmas Letters

1. New Job/Promotion
2. Vacations
3. Their Kids
4. The Weather
5. New Home/move
6. New Baby
7. New Grandchild
8. Weddings
9. School Activities
10. Their Pets

Snow__________

1. Snow Fort
2. Snow Plow
3. Snowbabies
4. Snow Day
5. Snow Shoes
6. Snow Shovel
7. Snow Cone
8. Snowmobile
9. Snow Board
10. Snowball Fight

Christmas Baby Names

1. Nowelle
2. Jesus
3. Holly
4. Carol
5. Angel
6. Ivy
7. Gabrielle
8. Joseph
9. Claus
10. Mary

A Few of Fraulein Maria’s Favorite Things

1. Raindrops on roses
2. Bright Copper Kettles
3. Brown paper packages tied up with strings
4. Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
5. Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
6. Silver white winters that melt into springs
7. Whiskers on kittens
8. Sleigh bells
9. Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
10. Schnitzel with noodles

Reindeer

1. Dasher
2. Dancer
3. Prancer
4. Vixen
5. Comet
6. Cupid
7. Donner
8. Blitzen
9. Rudolf
10. Clarice

Peanuts Characters

1. Charlie Brown
2. Snoopy
3. Lucy Van Pelt
4. Linus Van Pelt
5. Sally
6. Schroeder
7. Peppermint Patty
8. Marcie
9. Woodstock
10. Pigpen

New Year’s Resolutions

1. Quit Smoking
2. Exercise / get fit
3. Diet / lose weight
4. Spend more time with family
5. Save money
6. Manage Debt / pay off credit cards
7. Stop biting nails
8. Take a vacation
9. Get a better job
10. Be more organized

NOTE: If you own the game Outburst, play the game as usual, but use the above categories and answers instead of the cards provided. If not, read on….

EQUIPMENT:

The categories and answers from above, printed out

A pen or pencil to check off correct answers as you hear them

A 60-second hour-glass, clock with a second hand, or other means to keep time (most cell phones have a stop watch feature that will work)

Scratch paper to keep score on

RULES:

1. Divide players into 2 teams. Since you printed this list you’ll have to be all time reader and not on a team. Sorry.

2. Decide which team starts first.

3. Read the first category. The first team has 60 seconds to guess as many answers as they can, trying to come up with all ten on my list. Your job as reader, is to mark off the ones they get right as they shout them out. It’s not as easy as it sounds, as often everyone is yelling different answers all at once.

4. When time is up say, “I heard…” and read off all the answers they got right. Then say, “I did not hear…” and read whatever’s left. Expect someone to yell, “I said that!” If you believe them, you can check it off as well.

5. Scoring. The team gets one point for each answer on the list that they were able to guess. First team to score 60 points wins (after teams have had an equal number of turns, of course).

Additions and variations:

1. Passing. Each team starts with 3 passes. If team one gets a category they don’t like, they may pass it to team 2. Team 1 will then get a new category, and their opponents must take the category team 1 passed to them on their next turn. Only one pass can be used each turn. When (if) they use up all 3 passes, they may no longer pass.
2. Pictures. Beforehand, write each category on an index card. On the back print, paste, or draw a picture clue for that category .For example, a calendar turned to Jan. 1 would be an appropriate picture for the “New Year’s Resolutions” category. Then place all of the cards, picture side up in the center of the playing area, and let teams pick which category card they want to play without turning the card over to read the category until after they have made their selection.
3. Bonus points. In the boxed game of Outburst, teams roll special dice to get up to 3 bonus points if they got a certain answer right. One dice has numbers 1 -3 on it, and the other has 1 – 10 (it’s a ten-sided die). If they roll a 2 and an 8, that means they get 2 bonus points if they get answer number 8 right. The dice can be rolled before or after their turn. You can do the same type of thing, even if you don’t have the special dice. Just figure out a way for players to pull a number 1 – 10 out of a hat, and a 1-3 out of another hat.
4. We also played this game on Christmas Eve with my family, and on Christmas Day, with my extended family. For fun, I added these two categories:

VeggieTales Characters

1. Bob the Tomato
2. Larry the Cucumber
3. Nebby K. Nezzer
4. Junior Asparagus
5. Archibald Asparagus
6. The French Peas
7. Madame Blueberry
8. Pa Grape
9. Frankencelery
10. Jimmy & Jerry Gourd

Lord of the Ring Characters – not in the fellowship

1. Eomer
2. Saruman
3. Elrond
4. Eowyn
5. Theoden
6. Gollum
7. Arwen
8. Faramir
9. Bilbo Baggins
10. Nazgul / The Witch King / Ringwraith