A Change of Heart

Very recently, I've had a change of heart regarding Santa Clause, as well as the general celebration of Christmas. First of all, let me say that the arguments I've heard against incorporating Santa Clause into Christmas celebration had no affect on my decision. I've heard people say that they don't want to lie to their children. I'm pretty sure that we don't really have to lie to them in order to include Santa in some way. I'm also pretty sure that most parents who use this argument lie to their children about other things. The idea that we shouldn't lead our children to believe that Santa brought the presents on Christmas Eve because we want the credit for the gifts that we spent so much time and money acquiring just seems selfish, though I understand the sentiment better than I like to admit. These aren't bad arguments, but I could skirt them if I wanted.

No, none of these points made it into my internal struggle. In fact, I was driving to Louisville for a doctor's appointment on Wednesday when it hit me. I was listening to the BarlowGirl Christmas cd. (If you don't have it yet, make sure to hit LifeWay tomorrow.) In the midst of the sleigh bells jingling in the background and familiar harmonies in the foreground, I had an epiphany. That's right, an epiphany.

I remembered a story that B.Wal told me about her son, Woodstock (no, that isn't his real name. She's no sadist.). He was looking through the magazines and catalogs that fill our children's' brains with pro-toy propaganda every year, apparently beginning in September these days. He kept seeing pictures of Santa Clause, but he didn't understand. (I'm unsure of the exact wording of the conversation, but I'm fairly confident of the content.)
Woodstock: "Why is he in so many pictures?"
B. Wal: "Because it's a Christmas magazine."
Woodstock: (rummaging through pages frantically) "Christmas is about Jesus, right? Where's baby Jesus?"

This tells me a few things. First off, my friend is doing a great job in teaching her kids the actual meaning of Christmas. Secondly, focusing on Santa just doesn't make sense, even to a 3 year-old, in light of the miraculous Gospel of Christ. Finally, it reminds me of how much I love that Woodstock, and how much I will miss him, but that's beside the point.

Here is my epiphany: When Santa Clause becomes more than a symbol of the infinitely gracious gift that we receive from God the Father through His Son, he becomes a stumbling block. When lights become more than a reminder that the Light of the World entered humanity in the form of a baby, they become useless. When a tree is more than a way of pointing to Christ as the Giver of Eternal Life, it loses its value. These things are great, but only as long as they point to the eternal meaning of Christmas.

Christ came that we would no longer be separated from the Father. He emptied Himself of His rightful glory and took on the humiliating and helpless form of an infant. He came to die for us, and to defeat death on our behalf. He came to free us from the bondage of sin!

And yet, we turn our focus, and the focus of our children, to an imaginary old man who brings... toys. Seriously? Does anyone else feel swindled? The greatness of the free grace of God has been overshadowed by a game of pretend. What a tragedy.

I'm not saying that Santa Clause should be outlawed in the Christian home. He can have a place in the celebration of the birth of Christ, but a little one. If anything, Santa should only play supporting role, if not a walk-on role, in the traditions of Christmas. To make him more than that is to rob our children of the greatest joy of Christmas. It is to lead them to believe that the grace of God that is poured over us in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ is less impressive than an RC car, doll, or video game system.

I have to say, this realization has brought joy already. I can't wait to share the true wonder of Christmas. I am anxious to use the Christmas tree, lights, and gifts as a way to point to Christ. I hope that I can use this opportunity to draw my babies closer to the throne of God. The greatest gift that I can give my girls this holiday is to help them understand the joy and power made available to us through the Son of God. What a privilege!

The Day Hath Come

Today is the most important of unofficial Alabama state holidays (and let me tell you, that's a stiff competition). That's right, today is the day of the Iron Bowl. The Iron Bowl, for those of you who aren't affiliated with Alabama, (or worse, don't care for football [gasp!]), is the title given to the Alabama vs. Auburn game.

I've heard some people say that there are other rivalries that are just as intense, but these people have never experienced the phenomenon that is the state of Alabama the week of the Iron Bowl. Everything centers around this one game. Coaches have lost their jobs, Mike Shula most recently, due to an inability to win this single game. Even in the midst of Alabama's currently undefeated season, it just isn't good enough until we see a "W" representing the defeat of mighty Auburn.

Allow me to say that my best friend is an Auburn fan. More than that, she and her husband graduated from Auburn. He even received his Master's degree from Auburn. For them it is a moral battle. I can understand where they're coming from, but I just can't cheer for the orange and blue.

I'm an Alabama fan. I have no good reason. My uncle is an alumnus, and Edwin's brother attended for a time before transferring. That's as closely related to either school as I get. For whatever reason, Alabama Crimson is simply a part of me. My dad's an Alabama fan. Edwin's an Alabama fan. After years of cheering for Auburn, my mom is an Alabama fan, as is my brother. Nicholas, who just joined the family, is still cheering for the dark side, but he'll come around.

We're getting a pizza. I've made nacho cheese sauce and cookies. I hope that it will be a good game, a close game. But at the end of the day, I hope that this ridiculous losing streak to our arch rivals will come to a close.

Oh, and ROLL TIDE!

A Very Attaway Thanksgiving

So what does a family do when trapped at home on Thanksgiving, six hours away from the nearest family members? The short answer is, "nothing". This, however, is a blog. A blog could easily be defined as a lot of nothing turned into something. Therefore I will indulge my long-winded soul and expound upon our day. 'Cause I can.

DeLaynie played in her box of rice. Yes, it's a large Rubbermaid box full of rice. It's sort of akin to a sandbox, but with rice inside, and much smaller. You may be confused by this particular choice for playtime, but she loves it. It's messy, but nothing that a broom can't fix. She sat in her rice box and watched the parade. Isn't that what most kids do on Thanksgiving Day? Probably not.

She was a little wacky today. We've had her on medication, including Benadryl, due to her cold. She would randomly start talking about cows. She likes cows. We are about five minutes from a dairy farm, and we pass dozens of cows on the way, so she's familiar with them.

Ella tried to eat the rice. Edwin made a wise decision to put away the magical box of rice, which was an outrage to DeLaynie, who had been doing an excellent job playing with it nicely. This led to a desperate need for the bubble blower, whose batteries appeared to be dead. After a few minutes of begging the bubble blower to work, a few more minutes of begging God to perform a miracle and resurrect the batteries in the bubble blower, and a trip to the gas station for overpriced batteries due to a lack of faith in God to perform said miracle, the bubble blower was back in operation, much to everyone's glee.

This was when Edwin and I ate our lunch. Ravioli lasagna (a much easier version than traditional lasanga), salad, Sister Shubert rolls with honey and butter brushed on the tops (yummy), and derby pie filled our plates and our bellies. It's not a traditional Turkey Day feast, I admit, but we enjoyed it.

Then was nap time, during which Edwin and I played games, and I won. All of them. Every. Last. One. Don't worry. He got me back by making me watch football involving teams that I could not care less about. I like football, but I have to at least know where the team is located and recognize the QB's name in order to get into it.

After the kids woke up from naps, we watched A Muppet Christmas Carol and ate leftovers for dinner. DeLaynie required a lot of holding, cuddling, and sweet talking, as well as a bath, due to a fever and cough. Ella crawled around and begged for our food. She's quite similar to a puppy during dinner time. She can't quite get up to our level, so she sits there, staring at you with pitiful eyes until you give in and give her a bite off your plate.

The kids played well for the rest of the evening, and they went to bed a little earlier than they do when healthy. Edwin and I did some online Christmas shopping and played some more games. He won those. I'm always terrible at night.

That's our Thanksgiving. I know you were on the edge of your seat to know about the menu. It was remarkably pleasant. We didn't have to drag innocent children around, cook excessive food, or even get dolled up. I did make Edwin put on a non-Tshirt, and we put some clothing on the children that wouldn't count as pajamas. That's the highest stress moment we had today. I look forward to Christmas in Alabama, but I'm glad that we had this day for our little family before the craziness of selling and moving things begins. I am quite thankful for a Very Attaway Thanksgiving.

Thankful

I am incredibly thankful for our oldest daughter, DeLaynie. She doesn't follow your typical development chart, so a lot of people don't realize just how much is going on in that head of hers, or her heart. She adds more than she knows to this family, and to the world. She is a nurturer and comforter at heart. She is deeply affectionate, surprisingly patient most of the time, and an absolute joy to our family.

Ella is the baby of the family. She has a smile that, as you can tell, lights the world. She loves to giggle, and loves to be held more than anything. Little Ella keeps us on our toes as she follows us everywhere around the house, including the bathroom. She will eat anything, also pretty evident from the picture. She is a people-person, and she adores her big sister.

I've spoken if Edwin before, but there just aren't enough words to explain how much I love him. He is my best friend, and he understands me better than I ever imagined another person could. It's a joy to know that no matter where we go, I'll always have a great minister with me. (I got pretty used to that privilege growing up.)

Finally, I want to mention a recent development for which I am particularly grateful. Yesterday we found out that we have officially been accepted by the IMB (International Mission Board) to go to Nicaragua to serve the people there. Since the Candidate Conference the first week of November, my heart has become more and more impassioned for the Nica people. We will be learning Spanish in Costa Rica for a few months, following orientation in Richmond, Va, which begins in April. The following months are going to have a lot of bumps, and a few bruises, I'm sure. But what a joy to be bruised for the Gospel! What an honor to endure for the cause of Christ. Yes, I am grateful today. Our King has blessed me and our family richly. I hope that we can share that blessing wherever we go, with everyone we come in contact with.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Healthy Streak Ends

In a biological war zone, known as our MOPs group, where children were falling ill by the moment, my girls had remained strong. Ella has had a runny nose and a little congestion, but for the most part, I've had some healthy kids. I would like to think that it's because I'm such an incredible mom, but I'm thoroughly convinced that it has more to do with the fact that I'm not a big socializer.

Last night, however, our healthy streak came to an end. DeLaynie had been sounding like she'd been a heavy smoker for 30 years around 8 p.m. By 11, she had a fever and a cough. She was pretty pitiful, but not that unhappy.

The good news? This explains her Little Miss Bossy day yesterday as well as the previously unmentioned grumpiness that has plagued our home for a few days.

This also means that Thanksgiving plans have changed... again. I'm debating between Chinese food and ravioli lasagna. What do you think? I'm intentionally going for off-the-wall here. I have to admit that there's a certain charm in staying put, eating food that is completely inappropriate for the occasion, and watching movies or playing games with my hubby while our toddler is medicated. I would have loved spending the day with friends and their families, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. Instead, we'll have a Very Attaway Thanksgiving, which means weird. I love weird!

Little Miss Bossy

I've bragged quite a bit about how well DeLaynie does with Ella. We were pretty worried after DeLaynie first saw the new baby in the hospital. To the right is a picture of her reaction when she laid eyes on the intruder. She became very upset when Daddy picked up Ella. My mother was pretty concerned about the situation, but I was thoroughly convinced that there was no way to rectify the situation at that point, so I just accepted that it wouldn't be as easy as I'd hoped.

Once we got home, however, it was no issue. DeLaynie became intrigued by her little sister, to whom she referred as "so sweet" because that's what we would say whenever she touched her.

Most of the time DeLaynie has been incredibly patient with Baby Ewwa (as she calls her). Even when Ella pulls her hair or takes her coloring sheet, DeLaynie just says "No!" and runs away. She has gotten a little too vigorous in her patting on occasion, but it has never appeared to be intentional, with maybe one or two exceptions... maybe.

Today, however, the older sister in her has come out! All day she has been telling her, "no ma'am!" and "Stop it, now!" She became very posessive of the bubbles when the bubble-blowing machine filled the whole kitchen with them. (This is the best ten dollar investment we have ever made. They sell them at a very popular discount store. It's by the Gazillion Bubbles brand.) Ella has learned to pop them, and DeLaynie wasn't as excited about this new trick as Ella.

As a nice, little tangent: DeLaynie thinks that the bubble wand is an actual, scepter-like wand that you are supposed to wave while the bubbles are being blown out of the blower. She insists on holding it whenever it's on. Just thought I'd share.

In some ways, I'm almost glad she's become so bossy and possessive. From what I've gathered, that's normal and healthy for a two year-old. I'll just choose to see it as healthy development, even as I discipline her when she goes too far or loses her temper. Ah, progress.

Giving In To Christmas

I've finally given up. For a few weeks, I've been ignoring the fact that Christmas is coming. It didn't seem like the time was right yet. Every year I try to keep my Christmas excitement pinned up until Thanksgiving. Yet again, I have failed.

Lifeway was having a sale for loyal customers. A part of it was that you could get the BarlowGirl and Casting Crowns Christmas cd's for $7.99, so we bought them. I made it through Saturday, even with the shrink wrap glistening at me all day. Yesterday, however, I gave in. They were both played... several times. (Incidently, they are very good. I highly recommend them.)

Right now, as I type, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas is spinning rapidly through the DVD player. Last year I started playing it in September, just because I thought that it might make DeLaynie happy and keep her quiet. It worked really well. I was hoping that it would have the same affect on Ella, but not so much... DeLaynie still likes it.

The Wallaway Thanksgiving Special has been pushed back due to an unfortunate event. We'll probably join a kind and merciful family from our church for Thanksgiving, or we may do one of those really off-the-wall celebrations, like eating Chinese food on the floor, watching the first season of 24. Maybe a combination of both.

No matter how, exactly, we celebrate Thanksgiving, we will kick off the official Christmas season with a trip to see the Christmas lights at Freeman Lake in E-town before coming home to watch a Christmas movie on Thanksgiving night. My personal favorite is A Muppet Christmas Carol, at least for the whole family. My favoritey-favorite is It's a Wonderful Life, obviously. I do love me some Jimmy Stewart... but that's beside the point.

Anyone else having Jingle Bells stuck in their head?