- The innocence of childhood is a precious gift
- Human nature is to always go astray
It is the Christmas season, and as with most everything this year, 2017, it is unique. The year of our Lord, 2017 really has been different for the world and for the area I live in:
- Houston hosted the Super Bowl
- A solar eclipse
- Hurricane Harvey
- Houston Astros won the World Series
- Donald Trump declared Jerusalem the capital of Israel
- Snow
SNOW! Yes friends, we in South East Texas had snow last week! Thursday night, early Friday morning snow fell in our area. Our house did not get dusted until after 11 pm on Thursday, I know this since I went to bed finally.
Last week was the Singing Christmas Tree put on by my church - the yearly Christmas program. My husband ended up being selected to portray Jesus through the drama, and I was in the choir (row 7 by the start of it). Every night last week my husband was at church, I was there every night but Monday. Through Wednesday we were in rehearsals, then Thursday thru Sunday we had the performances with audiences. Long nights, a crazy week, no true schedule. My kids did awesome. They did get tired, they did get cranky. But they did great. And Friday morning they got a wonderful surprise!
SNOW!
I have never seen my Abigail sprint out of bed so quickly! And sweet Stone, he was so excited. And though they were tired, at 6 am they went outside. Abigail just walked and touched it, before making two snow angels. Stone instinctively made a snowball and threw it at his sister. My husband made a small snow man with the snow on my car. I joyfully documented their expressions, enjoying their joy! And there was still a small amount left when we got home - and is now nicely tucked inside a Tupperware container in my freezer.
Facebook was filled with pictures and videos of everyone's joy and excitement. School wasn't the smoothest last Friday. Honestly, I think us adults were just as excited as the children. And throughout the entire day, as I and others did get to work, my thoughts always went back to my children and how they responded, and the joy I had in their experience that morning.
yenu
It is Christmas, and thankfully I have just a handful of stocking stuffers to purchase. And hope to do so this weekend! We do not go over the top with gifts, we do three gifts, some larger, some small. But very thought out. Abigail is getting a Farmer Barbie (2016 Career's Collection) because the Barbie has a chicken. If you know my Abigail, you know she LOVES the chicken our friends own. I truly believe she will love this Barbie (I will be disappointed if she doesn't). Stone is getting a TNMNT mask and sword -the boy is action and weapons. I have given much thought to the items we have bought them. I have considered personalities, preferences, likes, dislikes, etc. And then God gave my children SNOW! Abigail has asked to see it for a few months now, since a friend of hers moved to Avocado (lol, Colorado) and told her he would see snow. This verse comes to mind:
Matthew 7:7-11
Ask, and It Will Be Given
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
God's gifts are always better than anything I could possibly ever give. He gives eternal life. And that is "dayenu" - that is enough, sufficient. I am not going to stress over the gifts I give, because my Heavenly Father is in control. So I am going to enjoy the memories of the innocence of my children as they played in the snow. The running around, the gasps, the massive (though slightly awkward) snowballs. That morning will always be with me.
All this brings me back to what God is trying to remind me of these days. And it is simply this:
God with us. That right there, is dayenu. That is enough. That is all I need to know. God is with us. He is with me. In my struggles, fears, tears, hopes, frustrations, dreams....He is with us. Oh friend, find comfort. If you are His, He is with you.
I love this time of year due to all the songs. Secular and Religious actually - both have wonder, joy, and spirit to them.The songs we sang at the Singing Christmas Tree were a nice mix. There is one song, that my sweet Abigail almost memorized, that lets you know who the god that is with you is. It is called, "You are Worthy" and here are the names/attributes we lifted up in praise!
HOLY
RIGHTEOUS
ROCK OF AGES
MOST HIGH
SAVIOR
SHEPHERD
FATHER
MY STRONG TOWER
COMFORT
MIGHTY WARRIOR
GREAT JEHOVAH
AWESOME HELPER
MY REDEEMER
HEALER
SOVEREIGN MASTER
MY CREATOR
GOD
That is the God who is with you.
EMMANUEL
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