I really wish I had this window every night when ‘the littles’ (our name for Aliza +J crew) go down. I don’t. Usually this window is quickly turned to finishing dishes or moving onto Act 2 of the evening with the ‘olders’ (KA and Justin). Tonight they’re occupied for a moment. So, I’m seizing it with noting this glimpse into our day vs the ‘piles’ staring at me.
So, the start of Advent marked 5 months of the Jcrew being home. 5 months. In some ways the most loaded 5 months I’ve known. Mostly b/c they’re on the tail end of one of the most intense years I’ve known. Anyhoo...I think we’re still amazed how quickly the boys have adjusted, learned, inquired and grown. We’ve now been through summer (beach, walks, parks, pool, popsicles,hanging, etc), fall (enamored by the ‘snowing’ of leaves and fabulous sunsets, camping, fires, s’mores, preschool,thanksgiving and the like) and now we enter Advent and Christmas.
Of course each year you want your kids to get ‘excited’ about celebrating the Lord’s coming....in a manger and when he’ll come again. What I’m amazed by is, as much as I try, this can’t be grasped without the Lord in it. Some traditions grow ‘old’ for teens, some traditions grow ‘old’ for me even. So I rethink each year what message to communicate about these. Thankfully, God has been good to me to not ‘ram’ each of these down everyones’ throat. I mean a little bribery won’t hurt, but ramming? no. So we began our Advent season.
I really thought everyone was going to be ‘so excited’ to share our traditions with the Jcrew. Suddenly, I discovered they were busy, tired or distracted themselves. 2 weeks into Advent and it’s occurring to me that our traditions don’t necessarily ‘slow us down’. Sometimes they do quite the opposite. So, what do I do? I start a new one. One of demanding ‘quiet’. Yep. That’s it. TV less, computer time less and even friends less. If we can’t be still on the outside, we won’t be able to settle inside and anticipate what’s to come. It’s not natural. I know. BUT, we’re getting ready to celebrate the supernatural (aka Spiritual) that gives us life. Why should I be surprised that this is tough? Is there resistance? Yes. Will it be worth it? I don’t really know. I just know that somehow Advent, when drawing into it, always reveals things that possibly God wants to show us all year through. I’m hopeful that God can do what I can’t. So, I’m not as concerned that I didn’t dot all my ‘I’s’ and cross all my ‘T’s’ (even though I’m trying) if we’re not looking any different this month than we look all year through.
So even though on the outside we are pulled and tugged even more during this season, I find my heart can be oriented to anticipating new things in the midst. It means being creative and asking God for windows. I think I forget this way to often. ASKING GOD. Why? I go onto autopilot. So, for now, when at wits end with the ‘to dos, to get and remember’, I’m convinced I need the same ‘undoing’ I need every day. This is where I wish I lived. Undone and ‘over’ my list....but remembered, delighted by and drawing near to my Savior.
And what I really sat down to write about was the answer to these ‘windows’...windows to taste and see that the Lord is good and how to talk about that with my family. More to come...
So, the start of Advent marked 5 months of the Jcrew being home. 5 months. In some ways the most loaded 5 months I’ve known. Mostly b/c they’re on the tail end of one of the most intense years I’ve known. Anyhoo...I think we’re still amazed how quickly the boys have adjusted, learned, inquired and grown. We’ve now been through summer (beach, walks, parks, pool, popsicles,hanging, etc), fall (enamored by the ‘snowing’ of leaves and fabulous sunsets, camping, fires, s’mores, preschool,thanksgiving and the like) and now we enter Advent and Christmas.
Of course each year you want your kids to get ‘excited’ about celebrating the Lord’s coming....in a manger and when he’ll come again. What I’m amazed by is, as much as I try, this can’t be grasped without the Lord in it. Some traditions grow ‘old’ for teens, some traditions grow ‘old’ for me even. So I rethink each year what message to communicate about these. Thankfully, God has been good to me to not ‘ram’ each of these down everyones’ throat. I mean a little bribery won’t hurt, but ramming? no. So we began our Advent season.
I really thought everyone was going to be ‘so excited’ to share our traditions with the Jcrew. Suddenly, I discovered they were busy, tired or distracted themselves. 2 weeks into Advent and it’s occurring to me that our traditions don’t necessarily ‘slow us down’. Sometimes they do quite the opposite. So, what do I do? I start a new one. One of demanding ‘quiet’. Yep. That’s it. TV less, computer time less and even friends less. If we can’t be still on the outside, we won’t be able to settle inside and anticipate what’s to come. It’s not natural. I know. BUT, we’re getting ready to celebrate the supernatural (aka Spiritual) that gives us life. Why should I be surprised that this is tough? Is there resistance? Yes. Will it be worth it? I don’t really know. I just know that somehow Advent, when drawing into it, always reveals things that possibly God wants to show us all year through. I’m hopeful that God can do what I can’t. So, I’m not as concerned that I didn’t dot all my ‘I’s’ and cross all my ‘T’s’ (even though I’m trying) if we’re not looking any different this month than we look all year through.
So even though on the outside we are pulled and tugged even more during this season, I find my heart can be oriented to anticipating new things in the midst. It means being creative and asking God for windows. I think I forget this way to often. ASKING GOD. Why? I go onto autopilot. So, for now, when at wits end with the ‘to dos, to get and remember’, I’m convinced I need the same ‘undoing’ I need every day. This is where I wish I lived. Undone and ‘over’ my list....but remembered, delighted by and drawing near to my Savior.
And what I really sat down to write about was the answer to these ‘windows’...windows to taste and see that the Lord is good and how to talk about that with my family. More to come...
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While I'm at it...some pix...that always upload blurry...oh to have time to figure that one out;p
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