Project 365 - Day 4

Christmas cards are heading out!

25 Days of Christmas – December 9th

Shopping and errands and baking and cleaning. Gifts and cards and invites and letters. Photos and dresses and egg nog and tinsel. The month of December can really end up being busy and trying to keep up can turn your holiday cheer into a holiday sneer.

Today, I’m trying to remember that peace isn’t something I’m going to find at the bottom of a pretty package, or in the lights of a tree. It’s not something that will come after I’ve sent all my Christmas cards or finished my shopping list. It’s not even something that I will find at midnight mass or Sunday morning worship. True peace, peace that lasts, comes only from God. It’s not dependent on quiet snow-filled mornings, or stress-free family parties. It’s a peace that you can have no matter what hectic times are raging about you, a peace that can fill your soul and keep you content no matter what gifts you get this season. It’s a gift that God is generously willing to give, all you need is to ask.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

25 Days of Christmas – December 8th

Feliz Navidad! Maligayang Pasko! Nadolig Llawen! There are a lot of ways to say Merry Christmas across the world and I love learning about them. One of my favorite things about going to Bronners Christmas store in Frankenmuth was seeing all the different countries and how to say Merry Christmas in their native language.

This website here gives a long list of ways to say Merry Christmas. You should try a few!

Mele Kalikimaka! Joyeux Noel! Merry Christmas!

Project 365 - Day 3

Project 365 - Day 2

I really wanted to take a picture of my mis-matched socks but for some reason none of those pictures turned out very well. I guess my socks are just not photogenic.


On the other hand, my Christmas tree is very photogenic! I love squinting my eyes at Christmas trees to make the lights blurry.

25 Days of Christmas – December 7th

What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift wrapper?

Ribbon Hood!

Why does Santa have 3 gardens?

So he can ho-ho-ho!

How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas?

Fleece Navidad!

Project 365 - Day 1

Some may remember that I did Project 365 in 2008 (blog over here) and I really enjoyed the experience. My friend, Megan, asked me to do the project again with her this year and I'm so pumped to begin again!


While out looking at Christmas lights tonight, I noticed that at some point when she was in town, Megan had written her name on the car window. I haven't seen Megan in months, but tonight it was like she was right there. Which is just a perfect way to start out this project with her.

25 Days of Christmas – December 6th

We all celebrate Christmas in our own special ways and it’s very interesting to look at other cultures and see how they celebrate the holiday.

Festa Dei Sette Pesci or Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian tradition where you eat only seafood dishes on Christmas Eve. While the origins of the tradition start in southern Italy, mostly it’s celebrated by Catholic families and communities here in the United States. The original tradition was born out of the Catholic requirement to not eat red meat on specific holy days and families would feast on fish dishes before they would head to church for midnight mass.

Today in the United States the Feast of the Seven Fishes isn’t just a family dinner on Christmas Eve. The diversity of ways to celebrate this Christmas tradition is matched by the diversity of the people celebrating. Catholic churches and community halls hold ‘seven fish’ dinners throughout the month of December. There are festivals that offer not only a wide variety of seafood options but gifts and classes and decorations; all with an Italian flavor. Restaurants offer special ‘seven fish’ dinners and TV chefs devote whole programs to recipes for the celebration.

I may not be a huge fan of all things fishy, but if I find a Feast of the Seven Fishes locally, I might just check it out.

25 Days of Christmas – December 5th

Last week at church my pastor talked about holiday traditions. People raised their hand about when they opened presents. Some opened them all on Christmas Eve, while others were allowed to open one that night. Most everyone raised their hand to say they opened presents on Christmas morning. Some before breakfast, some after, some even before dawn!

M y family opens their presents in the morning, after we’ve read Luke 2. When we were younger, we would all get together upstairs, clad in pajamas and fairly bouncing with excitement over what presents were waiting downstairs. My brother and sister and I would listen as Mom would read from the bible and then we’d make a break for it.

As we’ve gotten older and people have moved out of the house, we still wait to open presents after the story of Jesus’ birth has been read. Now, we sit around the living room, with the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling over the gifts. My brother usually has a cup of coffee in his hands and my stepdad will be sitting close to my mom, my sister will be perched as close as she can be to the tree and her husband will be huddled in warm clothes. Lately I’ve read the story on Christmas morning, and as I finish there’s a moment of stillness as we all take in the moment. Not only remembering the gift that God gave us so long ago, but the gift of family and traditions that he blessed us with as well.

25 Days of Christmas – December 4th

Not really in a Christmassy mood tonight, so just a picture of Lansing’s Christmas decorations. I love the giant ornaments.

25 Days of Christmas – December 3rd

A few years ago I got a book from my aunt called “May Christ be the center of your Christmas” which I have to admit, I never really read. It’s one of those little half-size books that you get stuffed into your stocking that talk about a carol or baking or friendship and more times than not, you end up just forgetting about them. This book is one that I should have paid closer attention to, because it is actually pretty cool. It’s 101 suggestions on how to have a Christ-centered Christmas, simple things that you can do that are all backed-up by bible verses. Some of them are simple ideas that just remind you to pray for those around you, others involve telling others about Christ or ministering to your community.

#26 – Play and teach your children Christmas carols which tell the true meaning of the season. “O come, let’s sing joyfully to the Lord. Let’s shout happily to the rock of our salvation.” Psalm 95:1

#90 – Volunteer to babysit for a friend so she can shop, bake, or clean for the holidays. “A friend is loving at all times.” Proverbs 17:17

#5 – Speak softly to the harried clerk behind the counter. “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Proverbs 15:1

#80 – Keep your mind centered on Christ. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21

I think that I’m going to carry this book around for a bit. I may not be able to do do everything the book suggests, but at least it will focus my heart on what’s really important this season.

The goodness of others

There are times when you think that people in the world are all horrible. That they are selfish and greedy and cruel. Then God reminds you that there is still kindness in the world.

Thank you for all the people that paid attention to my frantic waving and dodged the gentleman lying in the road at my feet. Thanks to the lady who pulled out of busy traffic to run across the road and help. Thank you to the man who came up to ask if we were safe. Thank you for the fireman who saw us while he was pulling out of the post office and came to help and gave us his thanks.

And thank you mostly to God who showed me that once again, there are people who will surprise you with how kind, loving and awesome they are!

Navigation Error

Have you heard the saying about someone not being able to find their way out of a paper bag?

Yeah, that saying is about me. I have a horrible directional sense. Or maybe the better thing to say would be that I have no directional sense. Put me in the middle of a warren of suburban streets that I’ve lived all my life and I’ll have no idea on which way to go. Don’t even think about dropping me in a forest…I’d probably be too focused on repeating “Never Eat Soggy Waffles” and accidentally run into a bear. And despite learning the points on a compass through that cute mnemonic trick, I can’t for the life of me make a compass work. Maps foul me up with regularity, and the only reason I’m able to be of any help on road trips is the step-by-step directions from AAA. Thank you, AAA for inventing the trip tik!

Despite my apparent handicap when it comes to directions, I still get asked for them on occasion. To help the pizza delivery guy, to guide someone to a local landmark, to tell someone how to get to the highway. I might be unable to find my way out of a paper bag, but I’ve got a great memory, so some of those tasks are easy. I just remember how someone told me how to get to a location and repeat the instructions. Of course, that doesn’t always work. A couple once asked me how to get to the highway and because I knew I would muck up my own retelling, I repeated the instructions my aunt had told me on our last road trip. If that couple followed my instructions, they had to drive through the country for 45 minutes before they came upon the highway. I sort of always hoped they clued into my lack of confidence and stopped at a gas station for some real help.

Today my brother called for directions to the cable company’s payment office. I had been there a few times but since no one had given me directions…I wasn’t sure how to direct my brother. I still don’t know how I could have made it easier…but I know that I didn’t help at all.

“It’s across from Sears, but not across from the parking lot where the strip mall is, it’s across from the building on the side but sort of near the front. It used to be a little bank that was on the hill and Oh! That’s right! There’s a little hill that you go up but not until you get into the parking lot so the street is not hilly it’s just a regular street. And it goes north, I think. I think it’s north. The other street goes east…or at least it heads towards the college which I think is east. Is that east? It doesn’t matter, that’s the bad street. You don’t want that street. You want the one that is across from Sears but not across from Sears by the strip mall and it’s not a hill and it might go north. Good luck!” 

Thankfully, my brother was blessed with enough directional sense that despite my directions he’ll probably be able to find his way home.

25 Days of Christmas – December 2nd

Dealing with a headache today has made me walk around with things on my head. Some things, like hats and hoods are normal headwear. Other things like washcloths and scarves and pillows are a little odd. The newspaper currently resting on the top of my head is just weird. For some reason I think my head feels better when there is something on top of it, and while it’s probably just in my head…(ha!) that hasn’t helped me kick the habit.

Interestingly enough, I don’t need a headache to put weird things on my head. I’ve had boxes and pots and stuffed animals and even an occasional hat or two. Looking back at old Christmas photos, it seems I’ve worn my fair share of wrapping paper, ribbons and bows.

This photo of me here is very typical of Christmas at my house during my childhood (and pretty typical of my adulthood Christmas mornings as well). Pajama’s and presents and me with a bag full of bows on my head.

25 Days of Christmas – December 1st

Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and Child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light;
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.

Silent night, holy night
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
With the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!

This has always been my favorite Christmas carol…and possibly my favorite hymn. Every Sunday night when I was a kid, the congregation got to suggest hymns to sing for worship. We were a small church and I was very outgoing, so I tried every week to suggest we sing ‘Silent Night’ – no matter if was snowing or summer outside. To be honest, I don’t remember them letting me choose all that often, but that certainly didn’t stop me from suggesting it or from humming it all year round.

A couple of versions for your listening pleasure this holiday – First, Bing Crosby because he is awesome, always.

Here’s The Temptations singing Silent Night during the Motown Merry Christmas special. It’s like being in Detroit for Christmas!

Finally, a really pretty guitar version. I could listen to this all night!