Merry Christmas!

The excitement around here is loud and clear. Suzanne and Emily made gingerbread today. I made plates up of fudge and chocolate dipped pretzels, and cut up 4 pounds of cheese for crackers and pepperoni. All to bring to Uncle Bob's house tonight. Mirielle made peanut-butter fudge last night, and today she cut up the ham, so we can bring it, too. I am letting the kids wear what they find comfortable tonight, frilly dresses and tights are just too complained against. In former years, I pushed, and they wore....but now, it just isn't so important anymore. So, Suzanne and Sonja will wear their Dora Pajamas, and the little girls will wear cute little pant-sets......and other than that, I have no idea. It is funny how things change. They are clean, and their hair will be brushed and sweet.

I just want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I have been thinking alot about why we celebrate, and how blessed we are. And I also want to say that outside of God, and how He has blessed us, we are nothing.

1. I like making lists.

2. Jesus said to, "Follow me".....and what did He do while on earth? He suffered, so that He never comitted sin.

3. Jesus made a way for us to follow, a way of victory over sin.

4. I personally can be freed from all that constrains me, : backbiting, complaining, coveting, thinking bad of others, judging, and on and on.....is this not exciting?

5. My older children, most of them, are living proof that the gospel works. When young people follow Jesus of their own accord, and choose to serve and flee youthful lusts, being around them is more blessed and good than can even be imagined.

6. Things around here are not idyllic. For example, today, I heard on of my daughters yell, "Which idiot did this?", she was answered by another daughter, "Why, is there a whole sequence of idiots here?".....oh, and one of my sons doesn't like to pitch in around here, and boy does he get teased. And last night, I got out a box with 8 or nine candy bars in it, to give one to Suzanne who is only 7, and picked up and vacuumed for a prize. She picked one, and later told me she didn't like that kind. Choose a different one, I said. Nope. Box empty. Who did it? No one did. And: Mirielle made peanutbutter fudge last night. This morning: cat prints across it so sweetly and neatly, I thought someone else did it as a joke. Nope, it was kitty. So, we are not bringing the fudge tonight. And, it didn't get hard enough. And: today I had one of my daughters wash a load of socks. Sounds easy. Well, first the socks need to be collected. Then, there were clothes in the dryer, and in the washer....it was a big job. She fussed. While I was cutting up the cheese, I was surrounded by a flock of hungry vultures. They want fudge. They have to wait. My hot tub doesn't have enough water in it. Proposed solution: go to the hardware store and get a fitting to fix a hose up to the faucet, then fill it from the bathroom sink. Hardware store man says they don't carry such a thing, which is either true or hardware man is too lazy to go check. So, second option: Dig hose out from under snow, hook up to spigot in front of house, run through house.......or tromp through snow around outside of house to the back.....because the water is SO low in the hot tub, the motor will burn out. Did we not know winter was coming? Could we maybe have prepared for this?

Anyway, sometimes I think I give the impression that it is hunky dory around here, and in one way that is true, those of us who are old enough, and know better, do know how to take things right, and don't get all angry and yelling about things. But the little ones have their fights, messes are made, things are lost.....clothes continually pile on the couch, matched socks are scarce, and the clutter on the counters is something that is a continuous battle. Continuous. That is the word to describe the messes around here.

Today I put my foot down a bit and made the kids wait until I was finished in the kitchen to have their lunch. They are having all sorts of things. We have to leave for my brother's house in 2 hours. Camille and Charlotte Claire are napping. I would like a nap too, but I would be too excited to sleep.

Any-any-anyway, Merry Christmas! And never ever underestimate the power of God, to help and give victory. He can do anything, and He hears our prayers. He wants us to live a happy victorious life. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find....