We had a great Christmas. Here's a few of the fun pictures.
Papa always come Christmas Eve and spends the night so he can help Santa out of the fire place when he gets here.
Papa brought 8 bikes!
Surprise!
Christmas morning.
Papa got a sling shot and duck calls (so he can talk to his duck Wally)
Alex got "A BOX!"
Lunch time brought Grandmother and Mr. Rick
Supper time brought GrandMaMa and Granddad.
And here's the sweet pictures
My card from Alex. Gene got one very similar - but mine was heart shaped.
Gene and I got necklaces for the kids from Jumping Turtles. We also wrote a letter to go with them and made each part meaningful.
For the girls: Santana Hope (my step-daughter from my 1st marriage), Ava Love, Autumn Alesia Faith, Lora Joy, and Jorja Grace
The meaning: 1) middle name. A virtuous name. A name to bond you to
your sisters. Hope, Love, Faith, Joy, Grace.
A
good name is rather to be to be chosen than great riches,
and
favor is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs
22:1
2) it is a sign of the unity of our family. A circle which has no
beginning and no end.
3) it bears a single pearl. Our girl. Our jewel. We pray you guard
yourself, your heart, your mind, your body as the priceless jewel you
are. That you let no fowl thought, deed, lifestyle, or person trample
you.
“Do
not give dogs what is holy,
and
do not throw your pearls
before pigs,
lest
they trample them underfoot
and
turn to attack you.”
Matthew
7:6
For the boys: Elijah Eugene, Joseph Alexander, Jacob Nathaniel, and Elry Josiah
The meaning:
1) "Man of VALOR." To remind you to be a manly man. A man
of courage and action. A man prepared for war, whether spiritually or
physically. A reminder to stay on guard. Guard your heart, guard your
mind, guard your eyes and ears, guard your body. Keep yourself pure.
We also
trust you to guard your family, your sisters, your mother, your
elders. One day you'll guard your wife and children. Practice now.
Be
strong, and show yourself a man,
and
keep the charge of the Lord
your
God,
walking
in his ways and keeping his statutes,
his
commandments, his rules, and his testimonies,
as
it is written in the Law of Moses,
that
you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,
1
Kings 2:2b-3
Furthermore,
and most importantly, be a guard of the truth. You will have
opportunities all your life to defend God's word and to share it with
a world filled with darkness.
Share
in suffering as a good soldier
of Christ Jesus.
No
soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits,
since
his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
Sunday evening the little 4 were to perform the the church Christmas to-do. They've practiced for weeks and weeks. Sunday morning the big 4 were also asked to be a part, they just had to walk in and stand there dressed up.
Three Wise guys - Alex, Elijah & Morgan
Mary - Autumn
Gabriel - Ava
To began, everyone (the kids) had to walk in. First the Angel, then Mary and Joseph, then the wise men, then the singers, then the shepherds. It's wasn't historically accurate but it look fine.
On the way to Bethlehem
King 1
King 3
The littles did a GREAT job singing.
Jacob followed all the motions and sang and seemed to really pay attention (he was in tears Saturday night because he didn't want to practice the songs with his sister).
Josiah followed along and did his version of most of the motions and moved his mouth a little sometimes. He found something in his pocket about half way through the show - so he was a little distracted after that. But he stayed up there! He may have been the star of the show because he is SO cute!
Jorja did great. Of course she's the most dramatic and was ready to do her thang.
Lora was a little nervous. But she sang her best and loudest. I love to her sing.
Jorja, Lora and Josiah
Jacob and Alex are in this one.
Jacob is standing next to our sweet friend Jules.
A group of 5 little girls sang a special - Happy Birthday Jesus. Lora and Jorja were two of those little girls.
*While beginning to eat a sour sucker, Autumn exclaimed, "Ooo! I got wiffles!"
*Frequently heard from the Mama, "If you don't run they can't chase you."
* Some sweet child was tempting the Mama to do something when she rebuked them and said, "Get thee behind me Satan." Jacob, who was sitting on her pondered this saying for several minutes then, turning to his mother asked, "Are you Satan?"
*We have no need of the GPS when we have children.
While turning left, GPJacob announced, "Turn right at 18-42." Thank goodness, had we gone left we may have actually made it home.
As we came close to where we'd stop, GPLora proclaimed, "You have touched your destination."
*Ava has been taking Health as an elective for "high school." It is self-contained and self-directed. Unfortunately, pronunciation helps only go so far. For example, "Nice-a-tine" = nicotine (and it will kill you).
* Jacob: I just called my PapaKid from the store.
Mama: Oh, wonderful. How is he?
Jacob: He's good.
Mama: Well, what is he up to?
Jacob: He is on his way to Mexico.
Mama: Mexico! Good. What will he be doing down there?
Jacob: He's going to Mexico to celebrate his birthday. His birthday is this Saturday.
So, Mama went and wrote on the calendar, December 21, 2013, PapaKid's 5th Birthday. We shall have cake. (PapaKid is Jacob's 5 year old teenager who has lots of kids, drives big trucks and travels all over the world. We have yet to meet PapaKid in person, but we often speak with him on the phone [the one with no batteries] and we love to hear about all his travels).
*The children have been playing "money." The game where they print out some paper money and set up business establishments and send bills. There are MILLIONS and MILLIONS of dollars floating around my house. I find 1's, 10's and 100's littered on the floor and at least 6 children are carrying around large envelopes fat with cash. This is day three of this game. They are making a mess all over the house. But they are having fun.
The bank and store
the open linen closet/ tax office
the tax man - sitting on a pile of blankets inside the linen closet
Often some child will come running to the comfort of my mother arms with tear stained face.
"Mama, I don't have anyone to play with," they sob.
Bless their little hearts. (eye roll)
the Mama when she was a little Davis baby
My children don't realize that I was an only child. I loved to have others to play with but reality was that I often did not. I was very good at entertaining myself for a LONG time. I would play the same "game" for days on end. I can still entertain myself. I can sit for a long time entertained watching other people. I don't understand this always having to have something to do. I'm an expert do-nothing.
There is NO sympathy for this poor little children who are surrounded by playmates day and night.
So, I kiss them. "Then go play by yourself."
the Daddy
They sob some more. I have to send them away to play alone (or pester some sibling into playing with them) just to prove my point. Entertain yourself!
No sympathy.
Bless their little hearts.
The Daddy was an only till he was six years old. So, he doesn't have much sympathy either - but he will tackle them. They don't complain to much to him.
There is a rumor going that this could be Cheeks last year in the Christmas Tree business.
We are deeply saddened. Their trees have been hit pretty hard and they've had to take many of them down.
Going to Cheeks has become a tradition for our untraditional family. And we desperately needed some new traditions.
Saturday we loaded everybody (plus 2) in Bob and The Thing (that's the Daddy's "car"). We need the Thing to haul back the tree with.
Everyone get to help pick the right tree but Mama winds up with the final say.
Look at those down there!
Jorja picked a nice one. (It came in second place).
Watching the tree shake is fun. All the kids and adults from several families stood and laughed at watching them shake the trees.
Whatever made most of the tress sick didn't bother the Blue Spruce or Blue Sapphires or Blue something kind of tree. So, we got one of those. $15 not a bad price. The others, if you found one you liked were only $5. These blue things are usually way more than that.
So, we've began to decorate.
The stockings are hung on the dresser with care.
This tree smells. It's growing on us.
More to come!
We've cleaned and swept. We've bought the tree, hung the lights and are waiting for the children's newest christmasy, crafty, cute creations to adorn the branches. There are bows and wreaths and candles. Every evening there are verses to help us understand Who this season is about.
And we sweep the pine needles off the floor, hide the big boxes that guard our once a year treasures, replace the burned out candles. Wonder if we'll get used to the smell of this of this tree.
Our advent wreath next to the salt and pepper.
And I'm disconnected.
I'm enjoying the candle light more this year. The daily reminders of His names. I'm singing along with the well known, well loved songs of the season.
But I'm disconnected. It's not real. It's too clean.
Clean, happy, plastic nativity from my childhood.
When I was younger I enjoyed the angels. I love angels. I used to have a nice collection of angel stuff. But you can't have nice stuff and children if you want to live a happy life. So my quiet angel collection was replaced with loud, breathing sinning little blessings, who are not only nice to look at but fill my life with a new joy (most days).
Now, each year, for several years, and maybe because I'm a mother, I've thought of Mary more and more. Her belief, her hardship, her obedience, her love, her devotion, her grief. And this year Joseph joins in my thoughts.
Mary, a young Jewish girl, an obedient daughter, a quiet young lady is one day alone minding her own business when SHAZAM! There's this angel!
“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
But she was greatly troubled at the saying,
and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall call his name Jesus.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Annunciation by Henry Ossawa Tanner 1898
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?"
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
What was that conception like?
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word.”
Immediate obedience. If only that angel could have stuck around.
I believe that Mary ran-away to Elizabeth and Zechariah for safety. How to you tell your parents and friends that your expecting and no mortal man was involved, but you were "visited" by God, in a society that not only won't believe you but will start picking up rocks to hurl at your head?
Joseph must have been nearby. Respected yet embarrassed. Compassionate yet firm. The strength of a carpenter and yet humble. The way God made him.
His words saved her physical life. And then I see him turn his back and walk away.
Mary, the "O favored one," lived with shame she did not deserve. Someone always had a rock handy.
So, this same angel who announced her "condition" had also planted a seed about sweet, OLD cousin Elizabeth.
"And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Mary just showed up and said "Hello Elizabeth." Not knowing what to expect from this old woman whose somewhat larger backside was turned towards her.
Surprise again, Mary!
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary,
the baby leaped in her womb.
Painting by Corby Eisbachercorbysart.blogspot.com#sthash.yvNQ50fK.dpuf
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
and she exclaimed with a loud cry,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,
the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfillment
of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
God sent her there. Who better to love on this young mother than one who had so longed for a child and believed that the Messiah was coming, one also willing to be used by God, one who was experiencing a miracle, and the Holy Spirit that filled her little miracle, well, of course as part of the triune God He recognized Himself. Whatever Zechariah thought he had to keep to himself.
Mary stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Old-parents-of-John for three months. Elizabeth was six months along when Mary showed up. So, I believe that Mary was present when John was delivered and took in the message of of Zechariah about the "horn of Salvation." His eyes looked from his new son to her growing form during those words. And she took it in. And remembered that God was her refuge and nothing was impossible for Him. She needed to go back home. She, like most new mothers, needed to see her mother.
Scene shift:
Joseph's mind is racked by thoughts of Mary. How could she do this to him? Who did this to her? Why? How? Blame and remorse fought. He had to turn his back on her. He had to end their betrothal. His sleep was fitful at best.
Picture from Goodsalt.com
But as he considered these things,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife,
for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means, God with us).
When Joseph woke from sleep,
Was it real? Mary is a virgin? The Holy Spirit. A son . . . Jesus? He prayed for Mary, he prayed for wisdom. He had to see her. But she was gone . . . or so he thought.
He anxiously waited till morning. He HAD to see her father. But when he knocked who should answer but that lovely young girl, her face glowing. They had no words that could relieve the flood of emotion in both hearts and minds. They just looked at each other.
Her parents came upon the two as they tripped together into the house and began in unity to explain. Slowly, joyfully, they began to find the common. Angels, Holy Spirit, son, Jesus . . .
Joseph
did as the angel of the Lord commanded him:
he took his wife,
but knew her not
He moved her in. He took her for his wife in all ways but that fun one. It was nice to have her happily around the house. But the well meaning people of Nazareth still found stones. Finding work was hard.
Pastor mentioned last week that perhaps Joseph became Mary's protector. When he was called away to be registered he took her with him. Why else would such a woman travel at such a time in her life. She couldn't be without him.
In my mind, together they are traveling. Oh, to have met them on the journey! Would they share the story? Surely not. Not without my earning MUCH trust. For their story, on the surface, was vile and dangerous.
So, they were just two, newly wed, crazy kids. Young people. . . Humph.
I love their story. I love them. They were brave. How hard it must have been to continue to remind themselves that they were indeed doing God's will, that angel was real, God was providing. It was just messy.
"The Road to Bethlehem" by Joseph Brickey
About 93 miles. Four days to a week With a pregnant woman. With an emotional woman. With no restrooms. With swollen ankles. Hot, tired, dusty. Rocks continue to plague their path and now rivers and wilderness and uncertainty.
She could have been anywhere from 4 to 9 months when they traveled. I think she may have been pretty far along. There is no mention of a donkey, although it would have been fitting. Mostly it was on foot.
And as they make camp for the night, perhaps hungry, they bow their heads and Joseph leads them in giving thanks for all things. Perhaps he questioned God, perhaps he complained, perhaps he begged, then thanked God for their very lives.
And they slept. Tucked away somewhere. Close enough to other travelers for safety, far enough away to whisper privately of their future. Self-controlled. Barely touching. Did he dare kiss her forehead goodnight?
So much love. So much restrained.
And the group of travelers whispered then forgot. And the stars twinkled above. And they were safe for now.
Bethlehem was crowded, they had little in their pocket book. Perhaps Joseph had relatives there but there was no lodging in an inn or guest chamber. They sought refuge in the barn. A bed of soft hay would seem a luxury after nights spent traveling rough terrain.
And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.
There was no baby shower for Mary. Hopefully, someone sent them a midwife.
Joseph was delighted. Mary was tired.
They may have been in a barn but they had all they needed.
They wrapped their little son in rags. Wrapped him in bandages used for the dead.
Mary cried.
They rested. A star shone brightly and they remembered that "Theheavensdeclarethe glory of God."
They sang softly into the creators tiny ears, lullabies He wrote, praises to His Father.
The King of Kings became the Lamb of God born in a barn.
Quietly, slowly, timidly a group of dirty, rapturous shepherds came to this little stall where the young family rested.
Mary knew. They were sent, just as she had been, for such a time as this.
They came, comforted by the familiar stink of animals and hay, they looked and knelt.
A chance for young parents to show off their baby. A chance for a forgotten group of believers to worship.
They shared their story of angels, the young parents smiled and sighed and told their own story.
They lingered under the starlight in the presence of this little Lamb. Wonderment! Glory!
But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.
That's what mother's do. Until their hearts are full. Mary did it until hers broke.
Light began to dawn.
And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
as it had been told them.
And the story continued for this young family. They encouraged one another with rememberings from Mary's heart. They were good Jewish parents. They remained obedient.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised,
he was called Jesus,
the name given by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
Serenade of Angels by Corrine Layton
God continued to provide. He continued for sometime to remind the parents that what they knew was true.
And life went on.
They couldn't keep him little.
They just couldn't keep him.
It wasn't happy lights and ribbons and
candles and feasting.
It was dirty, smelly, hard, messy, unclean.
It was praise the Lord anyway for He has done a VERY GREAT thing. Come and See!
Come and See!
He came for me. Hard. Messy. Unclean.
He came for WHOSOEVER.
That's you too.
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace
among those with whom he is pleased!”
"for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
Painting and photos credited in photo caption.
Bible verses from ESV Matthew 1 and Luke 1 & 2
Random thoughts, vivid imagination, courtesy of yours truly.
