the holidays

I feel like an unfaithful friend. I’ve neglected blogging for a few weeks and it feels good to be back again. There’s one simple reason I’ve been delinquent: Rich has monopolized use of our laptop lately since he is deep into his design of the church website. I am patiently waiting for the time (spent on the church website) to lessen so that I, too, can again share in the joys of having a laptop.

On that topic, the site looks soooooo good. He is one talented man. I keep telling him I can’t wait for him to “go live” with the website so that everyone else can see and enjoy it, too! When it is up, check it out at http://www.calvarychatt.com. Right now, it’s just a temp site for basic info while he designs the permanent site. I’m so proud of him.

Well, I think we are officially in the “holiday season”. I guess it all begins with Thanksgiving Day (which is tomorrow!) and continues on through Christmas and ends with New Years Day. I always thoroughly enjoy this time of year, as many others do, but I always have that sinking feeling when it’s all over. When I have to take down the decorations I put up just a month or so earlier, when the food isn’t quite so elaborate or delicious, when the radio stations cease their incessant playing of Christmas tunes, when the tree comes down, and (sniff, sniff) when my family and I have to say goodbye.

It’s a bit funny to think about, really. Growing up, we all have expectations about marriage, based on what traditions our family always had. And inevitably, some of those things are our “ideal”. For example, a real Christmas Tree. Ya, you know, the kind that has to be cut down from a tree farm and needs water to live, and the pine needles smell wonderful. Going shopping to pick out the “perfect one” with fun-loving dad was always an exciting adventure in itself. Getting the tree home to decorate was the other half of the fun. Well, I was unaware when I got married that my husband has a different (slightly more pragmatic) perspective on the whole Christmas tree issue. He doesn’t see the need for a real tree. In fact, he prefers a fake one since it only costs money once, it doesn’t shed pine needles everywhere, and it is easy to put up and take down. Ha.

My family has (as long as I can remember) a tradition in which, on Christmas Eve, we all open one gift. It must be chosen by mom, as there are certain gifts she wouldn’t want to be opened until Christmas Day. I don’t know why that got started, and it doesn’t have any real significance. But that doesn’t matter. It is a fun, family-bonding tradition. Rich and I haven’t started any of our own traditions yet. I wonder what ones we will eventually establish, what our kids will always remember about growing up in our home. It’s fun to think about. Leave me comments about your most memorable traditions. I love to hear about friends’ experiences. I’d love to have both fun and meaningful traditions in our home, you know?

One thing that we want to emphasize when we have kids (Lord willing) is to serve the needy at Christmastime. Whether it’s serving food at the Community Kitchen, taking meals to poor families, or visiting orphans with Christmas gifts, Rich and I deeply desire for our kids to have a solid foundation of gratitude and of servanthood.

Anyway, those are my random thoughts on the holidays.

May God bless you this holiday season, and make His face to shine upon you. May each of you know Him more intimately because of the holidays and pondering God’s gift to us in His Son!!!