Christmastime is here

So yeah, my younger friends kindly reminded me that it's not Christmas after I told them in band practice we would be learning some Christmas Carols ...in fact, they said, it's still November. Well, on that point they are right, but my friends, it is indeed Christmas. I had to laugh when I remember that these guys are still in their teens and time doesn't travel so quickly for them as it does for me. Four weeks plus a few days can still seem like an eternity when one is young, but when one is a mom with three kids who have homework and basketball practice, a job, a somewhat serious commitment to exercise, and about 40 "adopted" teenagers to love and care about, time flies. Literally. Four weeks plus a few days is no time at all, and Christmas, for me at least, is here and pressing on me with all it's might.

Not that I mind. I love Christmas. There is a different feel in the air. I used to think that "Christmas Spirit" was manufactured by traditions celebrated in years past, but now I think that it's a real entity, and that the nearness of God is the reason we feel differently at Christmas. For some, that nearness means hope, love, warmth and acceptance. For others, that nearness means despair. They haven't yet learned that the nearness exists to reach out to give hope to the hopeless, light the those in darkness, forgiveness to the guilty.


There are a lot of things I think about at Christmas, and maybe I'll be commited enough to writing throughout this season to get some of those thoughts on paper (virtual paper). Stay tuned.

Until then, you can enjoy Mr. Hicks unbelievably unique and impressive version of "White Christmas"

Tired

I'm tired of seeing people throw their lives away.
I'm tired of seeing them take the resources that are meant for good and use them up on self destruction
I'm tired of seeing people make mistakes, use bad judgment, and lie about it
I'm tired of brokenness.
Tired of my own and tired of everyone else's
Discouragement seems to be my closest companion lately.
I used to be able to focus on the positive, but today the negative is all that's visible
I'm tired of the things we chase to find pleasure
I'm sick to death of watching people so eagerly be deceived.
I feel like I'm inside a glass jar, yelling and banging on the glass walls. I can be seen, but no one can hear me.

If I hear one more story about how someone I love is screwing up his/her life, I might explode.