Chosen Ones

December 25, 2009

Christmas Eve

A few years ago, Mommy and her friends started a tradition of getting together on Christmas Eve. The group is Mommy's high school friends, Miss DeAnna, Miss Jill and Miss Shana, along with their kids. What great fun it is! There are nine of us now, and one on the way!!

Guess what two year old had no interest in THIS group picture??

That's a Mama!!

December 21, 2009

The Christmas Letter

Christmas 2009

That’s right. I didn’t write one. For the first time in many years, no Christmas letter. A few weeks ago when I sat down to write one, it just wasn’t coming to me so I decided not to force it. And then we hit “the season” and suddenly I had all kinds of thoughts about what Christmas means to me and what I might write in a letter, but by then it was too late. Figures. So here-I-go-a-blogging the letter….

My new friend Laura recently mentioned that she thinks “wonder” is a great word. Got me thinking – about the word, what it means, and how right she is. To me, WONDER captures the essence of Christmas, almost better than any other word I can think of! I mean, isn’t that what God really asks us to do? Wonder at His son, born for us to die for us. Wonder at His faithfulness. Wonder at His grace and forgiveness. Wonder at His justice and mercy and goodness and, most of all, holiness.

God says, "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17. Isn’t that the essence of wonder??? Kids are so good at wonder. Seth, for example, has that look permanently affixed to his face right now. We went to a Christmas party at his therapy group and, yep, you guessed it. Santa showed up. Seth was so busy when we got there; running around like a crazy man, shrieking and playing and torturing the other kids. Then Santa walked in. Once I actually managed to get Seth’s attention, this was his face:

I mean, talk about WONDER. He was glued to the man for about five minutes straight. He watched his every move. He physically couldn’t look away!

Then he decided that he needed to show Santa his Duncan train, so he happily danced in circles, showing Duncan to Santa. (Of course, Santa was busy and didn’t notice).

After a while, Seth moved on and was back to running, leaping, crawling and rolling up and down the ramp. (sigh) Oh brother.

To me, that IS Christmas, and it brought tears to my eyes as I sat and watched Seth experience it. No, not "Santa," although I do believe that God delights in our giving gifts to one another. And not the secularization of Christmas. But again, God is bigger than the ways we trivialize the birth of His son. The true meaning of Christmas for me is WONDER. When is the last time that I had THAT look on my face when considering the birth of the Christ child? When is the last time that I took just a minute (much less five) to consider the magnitude of what God did that day? When is the last time that I, like Mary, sang of God's goodness in my life? "My soul, my soul. Magnifies the Lord, my soul. Magnifies the Lord, HE has done great things, great things for me . . . ." I think if I took a little more time to let the reality of CHRISTMAS sink in I just might have THAT look on my face a little more often. Wonder. Amazement. Awe.

So this Christmas, in this bloggy Christmas letter, we pray that you would experience the wonder of Christmas in all that Christ has done for us. May the true meaning of the day rest deeply in your heart and soul. And, as I always close these things, may Jesus be the twinkle in your eye and the spring in your step -- because He is ours! Merry, merry Christmas!!

January 1, 2010 HERE WE COME!!!!

Love you,
Deb & Seth

Christmas Letter

That’s right. I didn’t write one. For the first time in many years, no Christmas letter. A few weeks ago when I sat down to write one, it just wasn’t coming to me so I decided not to force it. And then we hit “the season” and suddenly I had all kinds of thoughts about what Christmas means to me and what I might write in a letter, but by then it was too late. Figures. So here-I-go-a-blogging the letter….

My new friend Laura recently mentioned that she thinks “wonder” is a great word. Got me thinking – about the word, what it means, and how right she is. To me, WONDER captures the essence of Christmas, almost better than any other word I can think of! I mean, isn’t that what God really asks us to do? Wonder at His son, born for us to die for us. Wonder at His faithfulness. Wonder at His grace and forgiveness. Wonder at His justice and mercy and goodness and, most of all, holiness.

God says, "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it." Mark 10:15; Luke 18:17. Isn’t that the essence of wonder??? Kids are so good at wonder. Seth, for example, has that look permanently affixed to his face right now. We went to a Christmas party at his therapy group and, yep, you guessed it. Santa showed up. Seth was so busy when we got there; running around like a crazy man, shrieking and playing and torturing the other kids. Then Santa walked in. Once I actually managed to get Seth’s attention, this was his face:

I mean, talk about WONDER. He was glued to the man for about five minutes straight. He watched his every move. He physically couldn’t look away!

Then he decided that he needed to show Santa his Duncan train, so he happily danced in circles, showing Duncan to Santa. (Of course, Santa was busy and didn’t notice).

After a while, Seth moved on and was back to running, leaping, crawling and rolling up and down the ramp. (sigh) Oh brother.

To me, that IS Christmas, and it brought tears to my eyes as I sat and watched Seth experience it. No, not "Santa," although I do believe that God delights in our giving gifts to one another. And not the secularization of Christmas. But again, God is bigger than the ways we trivialize the birth of His son. The true meaning of Christmas for me is WONDER. When is the last time that I had THAT look on my face when considering the birth of the Christ child? When is the last time that I took just a minute (much less five) to consider the magnitude of what God did that day? When is the last time that I, like Mary, sang of God's goodness in my life? "My soul, my soul. Magnifies the Lord, my soul. Magnifies the Lord, HE has done great things, great things for me . . . ." I think if I took a little more time to let the reality of CHRISTMAS sink in I just might have THAT look on my face a little more often. Wonder. Amazement. Awe.

So this Christmas, in this bloggy Christmas letter, we pray that you would experience the wonder of Christmas in all that Christ has done for us. May the true meaning of the day rest deeply in your heart and soul. And, as I always close these things, may Jesus be the twinkle in your eye and the spring in your step -- because He is ours! Merry, merry Christmas!!

January 1, 2010 HERE WE COME!!!!

Love, Deb & Seth

Merry Christmas!

December 14, 2009

Back to the Biddles!

We went BACK to Biddles for our Christmas visit!

We got there LATE on Friday. Jammie time!

Mommy loves me in my pjs......

The next morning, I played with Sammy!

Then we went to the mall. See how fast I can run???

After that, we gave some presents to my cousins, and they gave me a stocking. Mommy says that Aunt Eee-sah sent my "big" present to my house for Christmas day. :-)