If you're a bird, I'm a bird

As I get older I'm noticing I do not anticipate Christmas quite like I did as a child, or even a few years ago.  In my opinion, that's not necessarily a bad thing. To me there are so many other priorities that trump decorating the house and sending out Christmas cards. Those things seem trivial compared to salvation and eternity. My mind is thinking about my Chinese friends that are still living in oppression on the other side of the world.   I'm thinking about family members that grew up in the church and know about Jesus, but do not really  know  Him. ...by their fruit you will recognize them.  Matthew 7:20 My heart is filled with compassion for the 18 girls in my class and their families. Praying that I can be "a witness in the silences when words aren't enough".    I'm thinking about the Christians who go to church every week, but go just to see people or chat in the foyer. The people that walk in and out each week witho...

We sold our house in Athens, GA July 2014. We've been renting in Beaufort, SC since July 2013. When we moved here we had intentions of buying eventually. Maybe not right away, but eventually a "forever" home. We tried to buy our neighbor's house in December to help them out because they had already been stationed somewhere else. I had just returned to teaching so my salary had increased. The house appraised for less than what they were asking so we could only get a loan for the appraisal amount. They were asking $200,000. The house is over 2,000 square feet, two story, private back yard, no mature trees, large and open. We ended up renting it from the neighbors since we gave our current landlord a notice so we needed a place to live. We are kind of glad we had the opportunity to "try out" the house before we purchased. We have found that we do not care for two-story houses right now. The kids do fine with stairs so that isn't a concern. We joke abo...

I feel like it is important to have traditions at Christmas time with the kids. They are still young for some of the activities, but at least we can have some ideas in place for us and the kids to look forward to. Christmas movie night and popcorn with the kids Send out Christmas cards and the Hayes Tribune Drive around to look at Christmas lights New ornament for the kids every year Bake sugar cookies Operation Christmas Child or Angel Tree gifts Read Luke 2 December 25 evening with the Hayes' December 23 with the Wersler's Christmas Day with the Lee's Christmas shopping date night Breakfast casserole Christmas morning Go to a Christmas musical/recital Host a Christmas party 4-gift rule for the kids Send Christmas postcards to cousins Have hot chocolate with marshmallows