Si & Christmas Held Hostage

Theory: Si flies back home, we continue our advent calendar with tidings and comfort of joy. 

Reality: Hostages and ransom notes!

Have you noticed that Si hasn't come back from WV yet?! We didn't want to alarm anyone since Si has a habit of doing his own thing but...

As a Christian mom, the Christmas season has morphed into an "What Would Jesus Do?" boot camp. It sounds silly but any of us can get caught up in it. (Even during other holidays) We become anti-Santa, avoid talking about wish lists and instead we talk bearing gifts and traversing afar (these things aren't bad in themselves). We miss the point sometimes. We should be no more focused on Christ during Christmas than we are the rest of the year! Then we I do crazy things like hold Christmas hostage.

Christ should be everyday!  Every heart should prepare him room! 

I heard a joke about chreastions...Christians who show up on Easter and Christmas. But why? Why are these holidays so much more important than every other day? Why do we feel the need to chastise our children during these seasons so that we ensure they don't become commercialized? Aren't we teaching them to come and adore him every day?

The fact is, if we are living Gods word everyday, we won't have to worry about our kids buying into the commercialism. Santa will be a mere decoration, Santa won't have their hearts-Jesus will! They won't be asking what child is his?

After spending all night on an advent calendar, "knowing" that this was going to change little  hearts in my home...a ransom note showed up."If you don't share these bags with your brother..." Christmas is held hostage!

Two days later, on a not so silent night, two of my boys were wrestling over an ornament from the advent calendar, I started pulling the calendar down. Irrationality, frustration, lack of patience- my flesh had set in! 

Momma (dad), have you been there? 

The thing that was going to teach about the author of mercy, patience (long-suffering) and LOVE; I was tearing down because I had no patience, no mercy, no love.....ouch! Spirits were not being made bright!

Fortunately my boys had learned about Gods mercy and forgiveness and easily extended it to me!

I realized in that moment, that it was not these papers, it was not this season, it was not a specific activity that was going to teach my boys. It was the Holy Spirit and his working through me (and other people/things), that would make the difference. 

My boys won't know God because we amp up learning during Christmas, they won't learn to share by holding Christmas hostage, they will learn who God is everyday by my actions, words and watching the Holy Spirit at work.

I have to ask my boys for forgiveness a lot, and that teaches them about Christ. I am sooo thankful that even in my mistakes, God can use them to build his kingdom up...starting with my boys.

Have you been there?

Disclaimer: Advent calendars are wonderful, focusing on Christ and serving others during the Christmas season is great...the post was merely to point out that it shouldn't end there :)

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Si Heads to West Virginia Day 5 Cont.

Greenbrier West Heads to State Championship!

Si helps see them off!

So since becoming a big star, Uncle Si Elf was able to get Roaming Gnome, over at Travelocity to negotiate him a sweet deal for a red eye flight. He travels surprisingly light. His cup, a gallon of tea and his Bible. The TSA told him he either had to dump his tea out or drink it before he could head through security. Guess what he did?!

"Hey Jack, we can't waste perfectly good tea!"

 
My mom picked him up from the airport and brought him over to J & S, to see the Cavaliers off. Uncle Si got there a little early so he decided to read his Bible for a bit and pray for the team. And of course, Si being Si, he had to take an afternoon nap! He napped for so long, he almost missed seeing them off. 

Si on camera with Local 59!

Uncle Si is long past being camera shy, since the start of the show. Rainelle's local channel 59 had a reporter there. He tried to get an interview. "Boys, these are exciting times! Hey, go get that team, physically and metaphysically! I came here to drink ice tea, and watch ya'll kick butt! You know I like football jack!"

Greenbrier West Heads to State Championship
You can click here to view the boys leaving and see Si!

Uncle Si Gnome hanging out at J & S

Seeing the boys off! Uncle Si Gnome gets on the bus!

Si chatting with the ladies!

Surviving Toddlers & Si Day 5

Life in Theory:
Create wonderful Christmas memories, while keeping a "pretty" house full of Christmas decor!


Life in Reality:

Making a pretend Si elf do things, post them, and have a daily advent calendar means sacrifices! Having a four year old, a two year old, and a newborn is a lot of work! I've read comments about how together I am for creating activities, printouts and a pretty paper advent calendar. But let's look behind hidden doors...

and let's be real... I stayed up until 3 o'clock in the morning and was exhausted for two days, doing that!

I'm learning that surviving toddler hood and babies is all about priorities! You should see what my office looks like. Because I spent an hour on the computer working on Si, my two boys discovered a box of things they've never seen before! I let them because they were occupied. I'm currently using some of the cards as a foot stool!

I chose the advent calendar as a priority instead of the dishes.

I chose to play around with Si and have the boys help me take pictures next to the fireplace, instead of  prepping lunch and getting ready to go. Therefore we split a 20pc nugget, wearing our jammies because it was time to go pick up the milk. Yes, I know that's not in our healthy eating diet but it's about priorities!!

Today the boys made snow angels, Si made one too!

Today they tried to make a snowman... a SnowSi will have to do!

Today we made memories and then I stuck Si on the dishes, and the laundry because I had other priorities!

 There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens:..... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them..... From Ecclesiastes 3

We are laughing, dancing and scattering the stones snow today? What's your family doing today?

Si says, "Go Cavaliers!"

Let's go Cavaliers! Let's Go! Sting like a butterfly, punch like a flea!

F-L-E-A!

Goooo Cavaliers!!!

Si has been scouring the internet, trying to find a great AirMail rate to see these guys off on Friday!

Si on the Shelf Day 4

Last night, Timmi and Daddy completed day 3 of the advent calendar that Si helped me hang. They created our very own fireplace. Here they are chompin' on some grilled cheese in front of it, while daddy read about Jesus' birth in Luke.

 This morning none of us could wait all day to do day 4, so we started early! When Si heard about the marshmallows and hot chocolate, he decided to join us! We all listened to the story about how the Angel Gabriel visited Mary.

Si on the Shelf Day 3

Si dropped by today for the 3rd day of Christmas! He heard I was late in getting our advent calendar up, so he lent me a hand. He also brought the boys a treat- isn't he sweet!

 Day #3 Zeke couldn't keep his eyes open until daddy got home! Stryder and daddy worked hard on the fireplace. Then had some grilled cheeses while reading some of Luke chapter 2.