Christmas Preparations

Phil has kept himself busy. As the weather has cooled, the heater we have this year has not proven quite adequate for keeping our little trailer warm. In order to potentially run a second heater, Phil put in another circuit to the panel so we wouldn't pop the breaker. We haven't needed two heaters yet, but it's a comfort to know that if we do, we'll be ready.

He then put a suspended light in the barn so he will be able to work in evenings.

Also, we got our Timber Green Forestry DVDs. Phil spent a full day watching the entire set, trying to learn as much as possible about how to earn a living on always more healthy forests. We've talked a lot.

The boys and I have had a good time doing Christmas things. I don't often do much for Christmas. But we started chocolate advent calendars from Grandma. I read a classic from my childhood, which was also a classic from my dad's childhood, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. A favorite author of mine, Linda Sue Park, has a gorgeous picture book The Third Gift. And today we finished rereading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, my personal favorite. I love how the boys laugh out loud, and how the end brings me to tears.

The three older boys are doing a Jesse tree, as we plan to review the Old Testament stories looking toward Jesus as the sprout growing out of the stump of Jesse (from Isaiah 11:1-2). I really extended myself and put up three unique construction paper trees.

The older boys have been extending themselves in coloring their little pictures. Isaiah set the bar high, adding detail and overlaying pencil colors.

Jadon, to help relieve Abraham's pressure to measure up to his older brother, created a creatively colored version. "We're all different, and we don't need to be the same," he was subtly communicating.

And Abraham put his chin up, took his time and meticulously colored in his medallion.

A final Christmas joy: I've taught Sunday school this last semester. Today, the coordinator had an amazing craft for us: advent calendars made from paper plates, torn construction paper, and tea candles, stuck on with elmer's glue and glue sticks.

This was a good bit more ambitious than my normal coloring page. And my ten students were already more antsy than they had been in months. But instead of my normal one helper, I had an unprecedented three! Three weren't even scheduled! I mentioned to one how amazing that was, and she said, "That must be the Lord's provision." And it was really true. Even writing ten names in Sharpie on the bottom of ten plates would have been more than I could have managed.

Today we lit the first candle at home: two millennia ago, the hope of the Jews, waiting for their Messiah; hope of us, waiting for the return of Christ.