My fellow HSAers, Amber and Angela Covington, are doing a giveaway in their business!

Here's the link:  http://twintasticcreations.blogspot.com/

Pass it on!!

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The Jost Family was able to come to our house on their way back to Alberta! We got to spend a wonderful weekend together, filled with long talks, much laughter, bonding of friends, telling of jokes and stories, an awesome concert, even more awesome friends, dancing, whiffle ball and Capture the Flag, food, late nights, a bonfire, the creation of a language, the counting of Cheerios, more laughter, good natured teasing, non-stop conversation, much good wit, even more laughter… :sigh:

And I’m really sorry if this post seems vague and non-descriptive, because many of the little vignettes, inside jokes, conversations, etc., only make sense and are funny and meaningful to those that were there, and would probably sound really stupid to those who weren't. :P 

It started out with about two weeks of planning, emailing and anticipation (cleaning, shopping, baking, excitement…). Finally, Saturday came! The Peters family stopped by on the way to their hotel, since they came down for the concert too. They arrived at about 9pm, and about fifteen minutes later, Jesse and Heidi pulled in, followed a minute later by the Josts. The fun began immediately.

Most of us “kids” stayed up till about 1am talking and laughing. Gordie and Joel stayed up till 2:30am, however!

The next morning began with breakfast, a few of us getting showers, visiting and RAIN!!! Yep, it started to rain! This wasn’t good, seeing as we wanted to have the concert outdoors. The Josts decided that if the rain didn’t stop by one o’clock, we would set up everything in the house. So while we waited, Mr. Jost gathered his family for devotions, which he graciously allowed my family and the Peters family to sit in on. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and worship that I personally will cherish forever. We sang Great is Thy Faithfulness together and spent a good deal of time in prayer as we went around the room and each person that wanted to said their own prayer. Most of us prayed that, if it was God’s will, we’d like the rain to stop. And, lo and behold…the rain stopped literally by the time we were done praying!!! That was a huge praise!

So with the rain stopped, we began the set up. The Ferrars arrived during that time! It was SO great to see Michaela, Anna and Mrs. Ferrar again and get to meet their three precious little sisters and Mr. Ferrar.

The Josts did an excellent job of getting their things set up on our back porch. The guys set up a big umbrella over Joel’s soundboard in case the water dripped off the trees. Joel and Emily taught me how to set up microphones. Everything went entirely well!

People arrived for the concert, and we had a pretty good turnout. We got chairs set up and people sitting and everything done hunky-dory!

My dad introduced the Josties, and they began their concert. As usual, they did an AWESOME job! I laughed, I felt like crying several times, and totally enjoyed every bit of it!! Except for the part about half way through when my chair broke and refused to stay back together, so I ended up sitting on the ground. :) Mrs. Jost got hilariously into the end of their song “Don’t Go Moping Around”, which she said was especially for Pennsylvania. It was super! I completely love that lady.

After the concert, we ate snacks, visited, danced, played whiffle ball and Capture the Flag, sat in a circle, talked a lot, and did other homeschooler-ish stuff. :) We helped the Josts pack up their equipment. Emily taught me how to put away microphone stands, and I passed Joel’s cable wrapping test! :D

The Peters family had to leave that night, so we bid them goodbye with lots of hugs and farewells. It was so great to have them down here!

The Ferrars left too, about ten o’clock, after one last round of Mairi’s Wedding and listening to/singing “The Parting Glass” together. There were many hugs and much fast talking in the last few minutes of our visit.

After that, the boys built a fire and we toted our chairs out and sat in a circle around that. We like circles. :) We swapped stories, and jokes, Emily told a “scary story”, Emily and Joel came up with a “rap” song about our visit, and so much more! Finally about midnight, the younger people needed to go to bed, so we all tromped inside. Josiah, Joel, Emily, Gordie, Charlie and I stayed up till about 1:00 in the dining room talking, until Heidi “the ghost” came out and said we were being a little loud, so we moved into the kitchen for about another half hour. :) Such good times!

The next morning, the Josts packed up their things (minus the things they accidentally honored us by leaving behind! ;) ), and ate breakfast. The culmination of our incredible visit consisted of Joel and Gordie counting Cheerios. Yes, folks…this is what homeschoolers do. The question came up: How many Cheerios are in an average box? So Joel and Gordie split one cup of Cheerios and simultaneously counted them on foam plates. Joel then did the math on his iPod, and found out that there is approximately 6,660 Cheerios per box. They also found out that there are approximately 3 Cheerios per one calorie. Take a bow guys. :)

We all gathered for prayer before the Josts left. Jesse and Heidi were heading to a different area than the rest, so there were special goodbyes and prayers for them. After much hugging and handshaking, and with many Josties hands waving from the van windows, we said farewell to our dear friends.

My family is now trying to figure out a way to get up to Alberta sometime. :)

Pictures to follow soon!!!

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Finally, I have enough pictures uploaded to make a decent blog post! :)

Okay...so we ended up having Dance Day on the 13th instead of the 14th, because it was supposed to rain. It worked out really good...sunny, pretty windy, but cool and not rainy. YAY! We had so much fun! Homeschoolers are so awesome. :P

Mairi's Wedding:

The Virginia Reel (Hannah G. and Gracie were so adorable dancing together.):

I think this was Hole in the Wall:

The group:

On the 17th, we went to the most amazing concert in Canada, and in the process got to meet some awesome new friends! The Jost Family. www.josties.com Their music is beautiful, their fellowship is encouraging, and their movie ("Little Jake and Harry", www.hagiazofilms.com) is incredible!

 The Jost Family (minus Joel, who was running sound):

The Jost Family (plus Joel, and minus Jesse and Hiedi):

Left to right- Katie H, a very blurry Josiah :), Kayla H, Sandra P, Hannah (Me!), Emily P, Katie P, and Janet P. :)

Joel giving Gordie a cord wrapping lesson, one of the many things which intrigued us and made us laugh during over five hours of visiting time:    :)

(Sorry the pictures are blurry!)

Needless to say, we had a wonderful time, which ended far too soon. Hopefully we will get to fellowship again soon, Lord willing!

Meanwhile, our Shampy is due to have her puppies tomorrow, and looks like she will probably be right on her due date. So if you don't hear from me for a while...I'm in the kennel. :P

Love, Hannah

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Well, I guess you could say I have been a little lax on my bloggingness around here. :( But to bring everyone up to speed on what's been happening in my world, here's a quick update:

~ On March 28, Gordie and I went to our local homeschool fair. We were able to set up a Homeschool Alumni.org vendor table, and even better, my very sweet friend, Emilie C. was able to come up and lend her charm and expertise to us for the day! It was so wonderful getting to meet her and part of her family! I was so blessed getting to spend several hours talking with her and her mom. We gave out a lot of HSA cards and had a blast!

~ Our Lab, Shampy, is (I think) going to have puppies! If she is indeed pregnant, we should have puppies about the end of May.

~ Most importantly and exciting of all, Gordie and I are going the Homeschool Alumni National Reunion in August!!!!! It is in Colorado, and I am so entirely happy! I have wanted to go for a couple years now, and have finally gotten my chance.  YIPPEEEEEE!!!!!

~ I am writing another novel, and have still yet to polish the one I wrote for NaNoWriMo. I think it scares me a little bit. Yeah...long explanation for that one. :P

~I am coordinating a homeschool dance day, in which we will be doinga bunch of English Country Dancing, Swing and Polka. Ever since the HSA get together up here, I have completely fallen in love with dancing. SoI am getting a group together to do some! I'm excited! It should be a whole lot of fun! Now I just have to practice calling ECD and memorize the steps toabout three or four dances. :)

~ My dear friend Michaela blessed my socks off by sending me a copy of the amazing "The High Kings" CD! I have listened to it nearly non stop, and have danced to Mairi's Wedding about twenty times! Thank you dearest friend!!!

~On a sad note, my kitty Ollie died last week. :( I'm still not quite used to looking at the back door and not seeing him sitting on the step.

Well, that is about all that I can think of that is interesting. Or perhaps it wasn't all that interesting? Okay...if it wasn't I shall try to find some other things more interesting to post.

God bless!

Love, Hannah 

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Hey, everyone! Check out Amanda's blog! It's her 3 year anniversary of blogging, and she's doing a super collassal totally amazing giveaway!!!

Update of my life shall follow soon....  :)

Love, Hannah

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(This is the blog post I wrote for my HSA blog. If you want to see that post, go here: http://www.homeschoolalumni.org/weblog_entry.php?e=28357 )

(pictures in banner courtesy of Michaela F., and myself. Graphic created by me, Hannah M.)

"Are not all lifelong friendships born at the moment when at last you meet another human being who has some inkling (but faint and uncertain even in the best) of that something which you were born desiring, and which, beneath the flux of other desires and in all the momentary silences between the louder passions, night and day, year by year, from childhood to old age, you are looking for, watching for, listening for?"   C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

I woke up Monday morning with a smile on my face, and thought, “Was it all just a wonderful dream?”

No. It wasn’t.

It was so incredibly real.

I’m talking about the HomeschoolAlumni get together that I was privileged to attend on February 21-22, 2009.

Nearly 30 HSAers from Ohio, Massachusetts, Texas, Kansas, Virginia, and other states, and even Germany, all gathered at Kayla’s house in Pennsylvania for four days of good fellowship, singing, games, dancing, sledding, skating, eating, and laughing.

I debated over the best way to write this post, whether to take you into a fully detailed account and bore you with a million word novel that really only goers of the gathering would appreciate (and then again, they were there, so why tell them?), or simply to do a “highlights/lowlights” post and save you my rambling. I chose the latter, because I really do want to stay in everyone’s good graces!

So here you go:

HIGHLIGHT: Getting to Kayla’s house. Sitting in her living room, with no one really talking, and just enjoying being in the same room with all those HSAers.

HIGHLIGHT: Meeting my dears, Michaela and Anna F., when they finally arrived!!! It was so wonderful to finally get to meet them after a few months of trying to figure out a way to!

HIGHLIGHT: Riding to the archery club where we sledded and danced with Michaela, Anna, their mom, Samson, Marissa, Anna, and Annie. Getting to show them where my house is!

HIGHLIGHT: Sledding!

LOWLIGHT: Having to clear out some sticks and things in order to not get slapped or impaled on the way on the cliff…er, hill.

LOW-ISH HIGHLIGHT: Samson chucking Michaela and I down the hill backwards on our sled. We never did find something revengeful enough to do to him.

LOW-ISH HIGHLIGHT: Avoiding snowballs from Klaus. Watching Klaus and Mike (G.) wrestle in the snow and come up hugging, finding each other’s hats, and brushing the snow off each other.

HIGHLIGHT: Seeing how many girls we could fit on one sled! I think we got five on the biggest toboggan.

LOWLIGHT: Having to go home for a minute. We had to change from sledding clothes to dancing clothes.

HIGHLIGHT: Learning English Country Dancing, swing, a little rumba, and polka! Charlyn, Michael and Bekah were amazing teachers with unbelievable patience.

HIGHLIGHT: Learning Mairi’s Wedding!!! My favorite by far!

LOWLIGHT: Having to leave to take my mom back home. But thankfully we got to come back for a couple more hours!

HIGHLIGHT: Arriving back at the get together at the end of everyone doing the Virginia Reel. That was hilarious to watch and twice as fun to do!

HIGHLIGHT: Watching Michael teach the guys to do the “skip skip hop” motion of the polka. He had them get in a circle, and do the steps without their partners. It was even more humorous when Kim let out an Indian war whoop! So then Michael had us all war whoop at the same time. (I hope somebody got a video of that!)

HIGHLIGHT: Getting to do Mairi’s Wedding and the Virginia Reel before we all left.

HIGHLIGHT: After the last dance, while everyone was getting ready to leave and drinking gallons of water, we gave Michael and Bekah and Charlyn a couple rounds of applause. Someone yelled “speech!” so Michael said “We came. We saw. We danced.”

LOWLIGHT: Being so very sore!

HIGHLIGHT: Sunday morning home church! Mark lead us for about an hour and half of singing, worship, and sharing from God’s Word and our hearts. Kayla had suggested we all share about the believer’s walk. I thought it incredible how nearly thirty people, being given only a very loose theme to speak about, could all have had amazingly similar things on their hearts! There was a consistent idea in everyone’s words about finding our purpose and meaning in life, and focusing on God. It was so refreshing and I left feeling completely full in my heart.

HIGHLIGHT: Michaela, Anna and I begged to do Mairi’s Wedding one last time before we left to go ice skating, and we did! We nearly ran out of time, and everyone was sore and tired, but they did it anyways, smiling and skipping with gusto the whole time. A hearty applause followed and it felt like the perfect way to end the morning.

LOWLIGHT: Gordie and I had to go home to change clothes, and since the snow was picking up, and I was acting a little crazy, my Dad decided to drive us to the ice arena. When he dropped us off, none of our group was there! I panicked, thinking maybe they had decided to go to a different ice arena. To make matters worse, my Dad had left already, and I don’t have a cell phone. I didn’t even have anyone’s phone numbers to try to call them from the place! So Gordie and I paced outside until we finally saw them all pull in! I was so relieved! They had had to stop and get gas first, so that’s why they were a few minutes late.

HIGHLIGHT: Getting to ice skate for the first time in my life! Jason guided me for the first few times around the rink, Michaela gave me lots of pointers and she and Marissa held my hands and pulled me around for a little while. I only fell about four times, which was pretty good!

HIGHLIGHT: Marissa, Michaela, Anna and I did the steps to Mairi’s Wedding on the ice! (What do you think…perhaps we like that dance?)

LOWLIGHT: Some of our party had to leave right after skating; first Calvin and Heather, then Michaela, Anna, Samson, Marissa, and Annie. There were lots of hugs, handshakes and promises of future get togethers!

HIGHLIGHT: Gordie and I were able to hitch a ride back to Kayla’s house and stay for the rest of the afternoon. We rode with Klaus, Jason and Tim, which turned out to be one of the most interesting cars rides I have ever been on. Like I said afterwards, it was like the Roundtable LIVE, with discussions of politics and creation versus evolution flying through the air. I was speechless for most of it, pretty much just enjoying watching the guys talk back and forth. It’s one thing to watch a forum discussion, but its another thing to actually get to hear the voices behind the words, and see the facial expressions of the people in the discussion.

HIGHLIGHT: Back as Kayla’s house, her parents got dinner ready, while several people got online, checking emails and FB’s and whatnot. It was hilarious watching a few of them, still sitting the same room and often right next to each other, chatting on the internet! Susan played the piano, which was so very enjoyable to listen to! After dinner, I sat with sleepy Kayla for a while, watching her zoom around on her computer (DSL is so fast!), listening to Jake watch a movie and other people talk.

HIGHLIGHT: This gets its own highlight! I saw a game of Dutch Blitz get started, and since I hadn’t played the game in a really long time, I decided to go see if I could join in. There was already Mark, Anna, Susan, Mike and Carrie playing, but I asked if I could play because I had seen them get another set of cards. And I was literally pulled into the game! I barely had to ask to play, and Carrie was moving Mike over to make a spot for me, while Mark got me a set of cards. I know that may not seem like something very interesting, but it was for me, because with any other kind of group, I may not have been so welcomed. These people pulled me in and welcomed me, even though none of them knew me very well, and that was so encouraging! In truth, that was how it was that whole weekend. People I had never known before suddenly became my fastest friends.

HIGHLIGHT: We played several heated rounds of Dutch Blitz, entwined with discussions about numbers in the Bible (in which I learned that five is the number of grace), my screen name (in which Mark and I realized that we knew each other), Jimmy Stewart (after I called blitz rather quietly, and Mike told me I needed to yell it!), the size of fast food and how it has changed (in which Carrie “woke up” just when Mike was talking about the size of Cracker Barrel jelly containers, and was thoroughly confused!) and such other sophisticated HSAer topics! ;) We also got to listen to Jason play the piano, and, after they stole Susan from us, Klaus, Gordie, Jason and Susan singing. It was beautiful!

LOWLIGHT: My dad came to pick us up, so I had to say goodbye to everyone. I went around getting hugs and handshakes, and when I got to the last person, I wished I could have done it again without seeming totally weird! It all went far too fast, and I simply can’t wait to see everyone again!

There simply aren’t enough words in the English language to express how much I was blessed and how full my heart was after the time that I got to spend with these incredible people. Sure, I know they are all normal human beings, with all their glorious imperfections and beautiful scars. But they held something far better than flawless personalities; something I find hard to even begin to explain. It was like an invisible bond that tied us all together, almost before being introduced.

Like I told my family afterwards, I find it truly incredible how I can meet all these people that I have never met before, spend just two short days with them, and bond with them so fast and hard that I miss them dreadfully before I have even finished saying goodbye!

So once again, THANK YOU all for such a wonderful experience! You are all such dear people, and I pray we all get to meet again this side of Heaven.

It started out a feeling

Which then grew into a hope

Which then turned into a quiet thought

Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder

Till it was a battle cry

I’ll come back when you call me

No need to say goodbye

Just because everything’s changing

Doesn’t mean that its never been this way before

All you can do is try to know who your friends are

As you head off to the war

Pick a star on the dark horizon

And follow the light

You’ll come back when it’s over

No need to say goodbye

Now we’re back to the beginning

It’s just a feeling and no one knows yet

But just because they can feel it too

Doesn’t mean that you have to forget

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger

Till they’re before your eyes

You’ll come back when they call you

No need to say goodbye

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Well, seeing that I have not blogged in almost a month, I think I am due.

So...let's see...

I am not quite sure where January went. I think we spent most of that month recooperating from Christmas. We did stay up on New Years Eve until midnight, watching "WALL-E" and "Prince Caspian". And we celebrated my Dad's birthday on the 28th...well we started to celebrate it anyways. That day, before we could do much celebrating, five out of seven of us got sick with the stomach flu. And Gracie had already gotten it two days before, so that made six of us down. Dad did end up getting it minorly a couple days later. So it was a full house for almost a week. During that time, because of the nature of our sickness, we let our stomachs heal by fasting for about two days. So us five kids all played "What's in your Fridge?", deleriously naming all the foods we wished we could eat. It was ridiculous.

This month, we had Gracie's birthday on the 6th, and we were, thankfully, over our sickness and I was able to satisfy my terrible pizza craving. I'm sure I was driving my HSA friends nuts with my moaning about pizza, and even "singing" Larry the Cucumber's "Pizza Angel" song to one of them. :P  I made Gracie a really cute birthday crown this year. It's a family tradition that every person gets a paper crown on their birthday, and I was tired of the plain, boring ones we always make. So this is what  I came up with:

It's made entirely out of paper. (She's taking to Dad on the phone...he called from work while she was opening her presents. :D )

Next week, I am going to attend an official Homeschool Alumni get together!! And I am thrilled to bits! I've never gone to an HSA event before, and I am going to get to meet at least three of my online friends, plus a whole bunch of other people!  We're going to have lots of fellowship time, go sledding, ice skating, do some English Country Dancing (!!!yippee!!!), eat good food, and lots more!

In March, I am volunteering at a local homeschool curriculum fair and setting up an HSA booth. One of the girls from HSA, Emilie C., is going to come up and help me with it! I'm really excited about that! I love book fairs of any kind, and this is the first one that I have actually been able to help out with.

So it's been crazy around here, though fun as always! We lost our electric all day yesterday, not that that was fun...more like crazy. We still don't have hot water, because our basement flodded and our water heater got wet,  but we probably will tomorrow.

Plus, I finished an article for a friend's magazine, am working on another novel, and got to watch "Fireproof" last week! Talk about a totally awesome movie! That is definitely going down as the best movie I have seen all year, even though the year pretty much just started, because I doubt I will see a better one. "Facing the Giants" was last years best movie.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm sure I will have more later!

Love, Hannah

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We can cry with hope

We can say goodbye with hope

Cause we know that goodbye is not the end

And we can breathe with hope

Cause we believe with hope

There’s a place where we’ll see your face

Again

("With Hope" by Steven Curtis Chapman)

*In Memory of Nate Zdarko, 10/9/89-1/25/07*

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My dear friend "J" (yes, I know who you are!) gave me my 300th comment!!!!

Woot!!

Thank you bunches everyone!!!

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Hoping you all are enjoying 2009 so far! And hope that everyone had a good Christmas season as well!

Everything is going good for me. We are all keeping busy and enjoying life! I will probably have a bigger post here sometime soon.

I would love to know what you all thought os my 12 Days of Christmas posts. Good? Bad? Terrible? :)

Have a beautiful day!!!

Love, Hannah

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“It’s Christmas night.

The midnight has chimed and I should be asleep, but I’m awake. I’m kept awake by one stunning thought. The world was different this week. It was temporarily transformed.

            The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we were intended to be. We forgot our compulsion with winning, wooing, and warring. We put away our ladders and ledgers, we hung up our stopwatches and weapons. We stepped off our racetracks and roller coasters and looked outward toward the star of Bethlehem.

            It’s the season to be jolly because, more than at any other time, we think of him. More than in any other season, his name is on our lips.

            And the result? For a few precious hours our heavenly yearnings intermesh and we become a chorus. A ragtag chorus of longshoremen, Boston lawyers, illegal immigrants, housewives and a thousand other peculiar persons who are banking that Bethlehem’s mystery is in reality, a reality. ‘Come and behold him’ we sing, stirring even the sleepiest of shepherds and pointing them to the Christ-child.

            For a few precious hours, he is beheld. Christ the Lord. Those who pass the year without seeing him, suddenly see him. People who have been accustomed to using his name in vain, pause to use it in praise. Eyes, now free of the blinders of self, marvel at his majesty.

            All of a sudden he’s everywhere.

            In the grin of the policeman as he drives the paddy wagon full of presents to the orphanage.

            In the twinkle in the eyes of the Taiwanese waiter as he tells of his upcoming Christmas trip to see his children.

            In the emotion of the father who is too thankful to finish the dinner table prayer.

            He’s in the tears of a mother as she welcomes home her son from overseas.

            He’s in the heart of the man who spent Christmas morning on skid row giving away cold baloney sandwiches and warm wishes.

            And he’s in the solemn silence of the crowd of shopping mall shoppers as the elementary school chorus sings ‘Away in a Manger’.

            Emmanuel. He is with us. God came near.

            Its Christmas night. In a few hours, the cleanup will begin---lights will come down, trees will be thrown out. Size 36 will be exchanged for size 40, eggnog will be on sale for half price. Soon life will be normal again, December’s generosity will become January’s payments and the magic will begin to fade.

            But for the moment, the magic is still in the air. Maybe that’s why I’m still awake. I want to savor the spirit just a bit more. I want to pray that those who beheld him today will look for him again next August. And I can’t help but linger on one fanciful thought: If he can do so much with such timid prayers lamely offered in December, how much more could he do if we thought of him every day?”

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“Merry Christmas, Marilla! Merry Christmas, Matthew! Isn’t it a lovely Christmas? I’m so glad it’s white. Any other kind of Christmas doesn’t seem real, does it? I don’t like green Christmases. They’re not green ---they’re just nasty faded browns and greys. What makes people call them green?” (Anne Shirley, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery)

“They moved to the sitting room and Clark took Missie on his knee and opened up the Bible. He first read of the angel appearing to the virgin girl, Mary, telling her that she had been chosen as the mother of the Christ-child. He went on to read of Joseph’s and Mary’s trip to Bethlehem where no room was found in the inn, so that night the infant Jesus was born in a stable. The shepherds heard the good news from the angels and rushed to see the new-born King. Then the wisemen came, following the star and bearing their gifts to the child, going home a different way for the protection of the baby.

            “Marty thought that she had never heard anything so beautiful. She couldn’t remember ever hearing the complete story before as it was given in the Scriptures. A little baby born in a stable was God’s Son. She placed a handover her own little one.

            “‘Wouldn’t be a carin’ fer my son to be born in a barn. Don’t suppose thet God was wanting it thet way either, but no one had room for a wee baby. Still --- God did watch over Him, sendin’ angels to tell the shepherds an’ all. An’ the wisemen too, with their rich gifts. Yes, God was a carin’ ‘bout his Son.’” (Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke)

            “In the morning they all woke up almost at the same moment. They looked at their stockings, and something was in them. Santa Claus had been there. Alice and Ella and Laura in their red flannel nightgowns, and Peter in his red flannel nightshirt, all ran shouting to see what he had brought.

            “In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens, there was a long, flat stick of red-and-white-striped peppermint candy, all beautifully notched along each side.

            “They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first. They just looked with shining eyes at those lovely Christmas presents.” (Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder)

            “The familiar Christmas carols had never meant as much to me as they did on that night, As I recited the words, I pictured the young Mary, her hour having come, with no one to care for her ---no warm bed, no private room, no skilled midwife---only straw, a stable, and an anxious husband nearby. She herself cared for the newborn Son of God, the baby Jesus.

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Okay. I am going to admit it. I ran out of thing to post. Who would think that with the vastness of Christmasy things out there that I could possibly run out of things to post during a twelve day blogging celebration? Anyways, I did. I had just this one day to fill up, and not only couldn’t find something I really liked, but also ran out of time to find something. I thought of something one day, but failed to write it down, and forgot it. But as I was trying frantically to think of it again, or come up with something else, I thought of this: I’m working too hard. I’m making this too difficult.

I seem to do that with a lot of things. I get into discussions about the Bible on the HomeschoolAlumni.org forums quite often, and always get rather caught up in them. And it always somewhere in the midst of it, or after the discussion as dies down, that I realize just how deep I had gotten in studying. In my vigorous studies and debates, I had left behind one very special thing. I had forgotten the simplicity. The beauty.

That seems to happen a lot around the Christmas season. We forget why we are celebrating in the first place. We get so caught up in the preparation of food, gifts and making everybody happy, that we loose sight of what is really important.

One of my most favorite things in the whole world is the way Christmas lights look in the dark. To me, there isn’t a whole lot that is more enchanting and satisfying than looking at them, all glowing and beautiful. But I don’t think that I would find as much charm in them if I didn’t have a foundation for the happiness they create in me.

That foundation is my relationship with the One who created me.

As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, and enter into a brand new year, may I challenge you all to take your gaze away from the things of this world that will not last, and set your eyes on the only thing that does…the love of our Lord God. The love that caused Him to sacrifice His only begotten Son for our sakes. The love that we need to strive to remember to spread to all those around us.

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Listen to the song. Read the book. Watch the movie. And expect your view of Christmas and family to never be the same.

I’m talking about “The Christmas Shoes”. It stared as a song by Newsong. Then a lady name Donna VanLiere wrote the song into a book. Then they made a movie about it. I choked back a few tears when I first heard the song, and sobbed when I read the book (I’ll have you know that it was the first book I ever really cried to!). The only reason I didn’t cry when I watched the movie was because I was at my cousin’s house and I don’t like to cry in front of people if I don’t have to. But I sure could have.

“The Christmas Shoes” is one of the most wonderfully inspiring stories I have ever heard. I could tell you all about it, but instead I am going to post the word to the song here, and encourage you to read the book and watch the movie. You won’t regret it!

The Christmas Shoes

Writers: Eddie Carswell & Leonard Ahlstrom © 2000 Sony/ATV Lowery Songs/BMI; WB Music Corp./Jerry’ Haven Music/ASCAP.

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The poem I am about to share is one that brings back a lot of memories for me. I remember one time, I think I was about seven or eight years old, I read this poem for the Christmas program at church. Being that I was shorter than the rest of the people doing the program (don’t laugh), I had to pull the microphone down to my level, and in the process, switched it off! I read my poem and everyone clapped, but half the people couldn’t hear me. I was very careful the next time I had to do a reading with the microphone to not click that switch!

Ready for Christmas by Myrtle Haynes

“Ready for Christmas,” she

said with a sigh

As she gave a last touch

to the gifts piled high.

Then wearily sat for a

moment to read

Till soon, very soon she

was nodding her head.

Then quietly spoke a voice

in her dream

“Ready for Christmas,

what do you mean?

“Ready for Christmas

When only last week

you wouldn’t acknowledge

your friend on the street?

Then ready for Christmas

while holding a grudge?

Perhaps you’d better

let God be the Judge.”

She woke with a start

and a cry of despair.

“There’s so little time and

I’ve still to prepare.

O Father! Forgive me,

I see what you mean!

To be ready means more

than a house swept clean.”

Yes, more than the giving

of gifts and a tree.

It’s the heart swept

clean that He wanted to

see, a heart that is

free from bitterness and sin.

So be ready for

Christmas---and

ready for Him.

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“Peace”: The Song that changed the way I look at forgiveness

I was eleven years old when one of my friends teased me. I remember the day as clearly as if it had happened moments ago. He had teased me before, and I knew that it was just his character. But that particular time pushed me over the edge and I began telling myself not to like him. Soon this dislike grew into a very real, fiery hate. I didn't like hating him, but my pride told me not to forgive him. So I didn't. For three years. And I can tell you this...even three short years is an infinitely long time when you go around hating someone down to your very toes. All that time, in my young and immature way, I prayed to God to make him come and seek my forgiveness, because deep down in my heart, I was tired of making myself hate him. Little did I realize that our families were slowly drifting apart into our own worlds. Even less did I realize that he had most likely forgotten the incident, and had no idea that I possessed such a distasteful feeling for him. I struggled for some time between wanting to forgive him and wanting to hate him. My ever maturing heart knew that the right thing to do was forgive. But my stubborn girlish mind said the opposite. I didn't know at the time how close I really was to learning a series of valuable lessons in forgiveness.

            It all began one evening, doing dishes with my mom in the kitchen. It was close to Christmas, and we were listening to our favorite CD, a collection of Christmas songs by Jim Brickman. As the magical, glorious music floated around me, my heart was consumed by the battle it had been fighting between hate and love. Then the song “Peace (Where the Heart is)” began playing. I had heard it before, but this time, I really listened to it and let it sink in. And right there, the words of the song hit me like a two-ton truck. I realized fully how much time I had wasted being angry at someone who had no idea that they had hurt me. In that moment, I forgave him. Yes, my heart still hurt, but now it was the hurt of seeing how many years I had missed out on by being mad. A tremendous peace flooded over me and I began to learn how to love in spite of hurt.

            Several years later, I found myself in numerous other relationships with friends and various people. A few of those friendships caused me heart breaking pain. But I discovered something while dealing with the pain of ruined friendships, people letting me down, and people that I loved being taken away from me. I learned that I could not hate. I couldn’t hate anyone, even if I tried. When one of my friends was killed in a car accident, I found that I could not blame or hate the driver of the car who had survived, nor could I blame God. When a friend broke my heart, no matter how disappointed and hurt I was, I could not find true hate in my heart. This revelation was amazing! In spite of all crushing my heart would ever endure, my faith in God was so rooted that hate could not enter my heart. I’m sure if I truly let hate settle and fester, and then fed it daily, it would grow inside me. But with a faith that turns my shattered heart to God each and every time, and says “Not my will, but Thine”, I am healed by His touch and by letting Him take my hurt and feel it Himself.

Nothing is impossible with God. Even the most broken of hearts can be restored in His love. Take it from those who have experience such a miracle. And let me share with you the words of the song that taught me such a grand lesson about true forgiveness.

On a city street somewhere,
Someone shoots a gun
In the midnight air.
And I don't know why.
Somebody lives, somebody dies;
Somebody wrongs and a mother cries.
And I don't know why.

Some things we'll never understand;
Other things you change if you can.

Chorus:
Peace, you'll find it where the heart is,
And the heart is right where love lives,
And love can always find a way.
Hope is something that reminds us,
It's not too late to find us.
One day we may be in peace.

Haven't spoken in thirty years
After angry words and bitter tears.
And I don't know why.
Best of brothers and best of friends;
One mistake and their story ends.
And I don't know why.

Some things we'll never understand;
Other things you change if you can.

Chorus

It's all about forgiveness;
With God as my witness
I wanna live to see peace.

Chorus

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The Greatest Gift

God…the greatest lover

So loved…the greatest degree

The world…the greatest number

That He gave…the greatest act

His only begotten Son…the greatest Gift

That whosoever…the greatest invitation

Believeth…the greatest simplicity

In Him…the greatest Person

Should not perish…the greatest deliverance

But…the greatest difference

Have…the greatest certainty

Everlasting life…the greatest possession.

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Oh little town of Bethlehem, looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep, a giant star lights up the sky

And while your lying in the dark, there shines an everlasting light

For the King has left His throne, and is sleeping in a manger tonight, tonight

Oh, Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man, and stepped into your world today

Oh, Bethlehem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

While you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem, looks like another silent night

The Father gave His only Son, the way, the truth, the life had come

But there was no room for Him, in the world He came to save

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

The Savior of the world, is dying on your cross today

Jerusalem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

While you were sleeping

United States of America, looks like another silent night

As we’re sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children

And while we’re lying in the dark, there’s a shout across the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned and has carried his bride away in the night, in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again, and leave us slumbering where we lay

America, will we go down in history

As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping?

Will we be sleeping?

United States of America, looks like another silent night

(“While You Were Sleeping” by Casting Crowns, from the album “Lifesong”, Copyright 2005)

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Stressed Spelled Backwards

by Marilyn Nutter

My daughter Katie recently accepted a teaching job and moved out of state.  As I helped decorate her apartment and she settled in, our “To Do” list for Tuesday included shopping for classroom items, including a picket fence to be placed at the base of the bulletin board. It seemed like a reasonable project given it was August. Reasonable that is, until we began to shop.

“I’m sorry,” a store clerk answered when we asked where the garden supplies and fences were located. “We put them away last week to make room for Christmas.” We tried three other stores only to find the same answer. Katie and I looked at each other and checked our calendars. Yes, it was August, but summer had vanished and Christmas appeared.  ‘Back to school’ supplies were intermingled with harvest, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. What a picture--- rushing the season and Christmas intermingled with everything else!  It’s also a winning backdrop for stress.

Rushing Christmas

Christmas seems to appear earlier each year. We rush the season, rush to get things done and fall short of expectations to make the season the perfect Hallmark commercial for ourselves and our family. But with planning and determination, we can reduce stress, slow down instead of rush, and keep Christmas as a focal point rather than have it get lost with competing demands, unrealistic expectations and an overload of events.

D:  Determine, decide, and decline.  Take out your calendar the first week of November or December and plan what you must do and when you can do it during the holiday season.  Do the same with what you can’t do. We can’t do everything.  Know your limits and those of your family and respond to them.

Schedule and learn to say “no”.  Avoid planning a week with too many activities, late hours, or projects to complete. Decide what can be postponed or eliminated. Determine what is non-negotiable. Give yourself permission to decline activities and invitations.

E: Every day take a few moments for you.  Maybe you want to read for a few minutes, exercise, or sit quietly and have a cup of tea.  Whatever suits your needs, personality, and schedule, take time everyday for you.  You can best take care of others when you have taken care of yourself. You, your family and co-workers will appreciate it.

S:  Simplify. Think of the things that must be done, those than can be done and those that can be eliminated.  I once worked for a company that told us to work smarter rather than harder. That turned out to be great advice for the workplace and my home. 

In our family, we bake several different kinds of Christmas cookies.  We deliver them to friends and neighbors and of course, we also eat them! But last year, with our children grown, I cut back on the variety and made double recipes of some.  I still made my deliveries and kept my tradition, but I didn’t spend the same amount of time baking.

A gift wrapping station is another area where we can simplify.  By creating a station, you can inventory your gift wrap essentials early and know what you need to purchase. Keep the materials out on a card table in your basement and wrap when you find a spare moment. You won’t have to take out all of the materials each time and you won’t run out of supplies because you’ve already assessed your needs.

Perhaps purchasing on-line instead of heading to a crowded mall is another way to alleviate stress and simplify shopping. E-mail Christmas letters may be a solution to addressing and mailing letters to some on your list. Think of what contributed to your stress last year.  How can you be proactive and simplify that area so that it is not repeated?

S: Savor the moments.  What special moments do you want to capture during the holiday season?  Is it a special family meal, reading a Christmas book with your children, visiting an elderly couple who can’t get out, hosting an open house, driving to see elaborate Christmas displays, attending a concert or special church program, or making a gingerbread house? 

Pause and take stock of what is important to you and your family during the Christmas season.  What is it that you value and appreciate?  Discuss priorities with your family. Make time for them and plan ahead. You may discover that activities done for years are not as significant now as your family enters a new life season. 

E: Enjoy people and extend hospitality.  Today we are busier than ever and seem to have less time for people. We procrastinate and think that we can’t invite anyone to our home unless we have a fancy meal, a picture perfect home and entertain. We can extend hospitality rather than entertain. Invite people over for cookies and hot chocolate instead of a meal. Or, ask your guests to share in the meal, each bringing a particular course. You might ask them to bring something that is a family favorite or has a special significance to them -- an ethnic dish or one that is traditional.  Sharing stories about their choice will allow for sharing of lives and getting to know people. It’s not about entertainment, but hospitality and enjoying people.

R  Refresh. Take time to refresh.  Read the Christmas story with new eyes.  Pause quietly and imagine the events. Read a Christmas classic, like the Gift of the Magi or A Christmas Carol.  Set aside some time for prayer.  Play refreshing and uplifting music during the day.  Eat nutritiously.  For years, I got sick around January 2nd.  I finally came to realize that sugar and too much activity had taken its toll on my body.  I was stressed and failed to refresh.

T: Take one day at a time. If you’ve planned, then you know when you look at your calendar, that you will eventually get to making cutout cookies, wrapping gifts, writing Christmas cards, and finishing handmade gifts.  Separate the urgent from the important. Do today’s tasks today; don’t waste energy thinking about tomorrow’s list. What’s important will get done because you have planned.

S: Sit back.  With planning, simplifying, and scheduling refreshment, you can sit back and experience joy. 

Stressed spelled backwards?  Why it’s desserts of course! Sweet and satisfying.  Sit back and savor the season. You will have captured joy as a focal point instead of a stressful backdrop.

 Marilyn Nutter and her husband are the parents of three daughters and three grandchildren who live in various parts of the US.  They continue to learn how important it is to "de-stress" holidays. The author of Dressed up Moms' Devotions to Go and Tea Lovers' Devotions to Go, Marilyn enjoys speaking to groups about finding extraordinary treasures in every day. Visit her website at www.marilynnutter.com .

From www.christianwomentoday.com .

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His Star: A Biblical look at the Shekinah Glory and its relationship to the Bethlehem Star

By Evangelist S. Lee Homoki

Matthew 2:2, “…Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship Him.”

Since the beginning of time, the starry heavens have held the fascination of men. Some of the earliest writings of men have been on the subject of stars. It is extremely interesting to note that the Bible book of Job, which is believed to e the oldest book in the Bible, contains an abundance of references to the starry heavens. We are not surprised, therefore, to find that the Star of Bethlehem…“His Star”…attracts a great deal of attention and interest.

BIBLICAL STARS

            In the Old Testament, a literal star of the heavens was called a “kokawb” (Genesis 1:16, Isaiah 13:10, Joel 3:15) and means a “rolling or round blaze in the heavens”; hence, a star. In the New Testament, the general term “aster” is used to identify all heavenly bodies or astral phenomena, except for the sun and moon (1 Cor. 15:41, Rev. 6:13).

            However, the name star, is symbolically attached to other objects, for example: angels (both fallen and elect) are called “star” (Job 38:7, Rev. 8:10-11, 9:1,11); messengers are called “stars” (Rev. 1:20); and Jesus Christ is called a “star” at His glorious revelation (2 Peter 1:19, Rev. 22:16)

            Since the term “star” is used so loosely and generally, it will simplify our task of properly identifying “His Star”…the Star of Bethlehem.

THE PURPOSE OF BIBLICAL STARS

            God created the stars first of all in order that there might be a distinction between “days and years” and “seasons” (Gen. 1:14), but secondly in order to “show knowledge” (Psalm 19:2). God wanted the stars to be for signs. This is, no doubt, the reason that God gave the stars names (Isa. 40:26, Ps. 147:4). Many of these names are recorded in the Bible, such as: Arcturus (“The Bear”, Job 9:9), Orion (Amos 5:8), Pleiades (“Seven Stars”, Job 9:9), the Mazzaroth (“The Zodiac” or “12 Signs”, Job 38:31-32, 2 Kings 23:5), Castor and Pollux (“Gemini, the Twins”, Acts 28:11), and the Crooked Serpent (“Draco the Dragon”, Job 26:13).

            I believe that God uses the stars to show knowledge or to be a sign in at least five areas: (1) As a sign to the Jews concerning their indestructibility and the faithfulness of God to His covenants (Jer. 31:35-37). (2) As a sign of the great glory and power of their creator (Ps. 19:1 with Rom. 1:19-20). (3) As a sign of Christ’s Second Advent (Book of Revelation, Luke 21:25, Matt. 24:29, Rev. 6:12-14). (4) As a sign or testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Ps. 19:2-4 with Rom. 10:18). (5) As a sign of Immanuel’s birth (Numbers 24:17, Isa. 59:20-60:3, Matt.2:2).

“STAR”SUPERSTITION AND CONJECTURE

            Inasmuch as a star was clearly to be a sign of the Savior’s birth, just about everybody (the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, agnostic, newsman, preacher and pope) has a theory and just about everything that has ever flashed across the sky has been called the Star of Bethlehem. For example: (1) Origen of Alexandria said in 200 A.D., “I am of the opinion that the star which appeared to the wisemen in the east was a new star which had nothing in common with those stars which appear either in the firmament or in the lower levels of the atmosphere. It belonged to the category of those celestial fires which appear from time to time and to which the Greeks have given names according to their shapes; such as comets, fiery beams, starry hosts, starry tails or vessels or some such name.” (2) In 1910, Halley’s Comet was thought to be the reappearance of the Star of Bethlehem, and that its reappearance meant the end of the world. (3) A traditional Eastern prophecy said that “a new star would appear in the Constellation of Coma (The Desired One), when He whom is foretold should be born.” (4) Kepler, a 17^th century astronomer, presented the theory that the Star of Bethlehem was a conjunction of the planets Jupiter and Saturn. (5) As recently as 1973, the Comet Kohoutek caused speculation to run high that this was indeed the Star of Bethlehem which would also mark the Second Coming of Christ.

            Such conjecture obscures the true of “His Star”, the Star of Bethlehem, and reveals a gross amount of ignorance of Scripture and a total lack of logic in putting together the recorded facts about the star as found in the book of Matthew.

A STAR WITH A SPECIFIC PURPOSE

            According to Matthew chapter 2, we learn that this is a star with an identity. It is “His Star”! When the wisemen saw it, they immediately knew that it belonged to Jesus Christ. It was a star that could not be misinterpreted as belonging to another. Also we learn that is was a star with a purpose. The wisemen came looking for the promised King, asking “Where is He?”

            Which star, comet, shooting star, conjunction of planets or any other astral phenomena could, by any stretch of the imagination, unmistakenly have either this identification or purpose?

AN ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN STAR

            The Star of Bethlehem first appeared in Matthew 2:2 (compare Luke 2:9) and then apparently disappeared only to reappear approximately two years later (see Matt. 2:7, 16). Again, which star, comet, shooting star, conjunction of planets of any other astral phenomena could appear, disappear, and reappear in such a manner as this amazing star?

A GUIDING STAR

            “His Star”, the Star of Bethlehem “went before them, ‘til it came and stood over where the young child was.” The Greek word for “went” is “proago” which means “to lead the way” or “to move along before”, and the Greek word for “stood” is “histeme” which means “to stop”.

            Now, it would be impossible for a star (as we would normally think of it) to both “go before (being on the horizon) and to “stop over” a house at one and the same time! Besides, a star standing over Bethlehem would also be standing over Jerusalem.

            A shooting star might be able to point the direction but it could never “stop over”. Neither could a star “stop over” a specific house close enough to point out that house without consuming it in flames. Nor could a conjunction of planets in outer space move down the winding, twisting, dusty roads to Bethlehem and hover over a single house! I submit that none of these theories of ancient or modern times, concerning the Star of Bethlehem, stand the Bible test.

THE STAR IDENTIFIED

            There is only one thing in all the Bible which fits the description of the Star of Bethlehem. This on thing is a star both in the literal sense (a round or rolling blaze in the heavens) and in the symbolic sense (a sign identifying the Messiah’s presence). This one thing is the Shekinah Glory (a theological term taken from the Hebrew words “shaken” and “mishkam” meaning “to dwell” or ”tabernacle”). The Shekinah Glory was a literal, visible manifestation of God’s presence in a cloudy pillar of fire!

            The earliest account of the Shekinah glory was a sword like flame between the Cherubims at the gate of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24). The Shekinah Glory was, no doubt, the altar at which Adam worshipped and the “presence of the Lord” from which Cain departed (Gen. 4:16).

            The Shekinah Glory later burst forth as a glorious fiery light by night and a pillar of cloud by day from between the cherubims and over the Mercy Seat of the Ark. (Ex. 16:7-10, 13:21-22, 40:34-38).

            It is of special interest to note that this Shekinah Star did not consume the goat hair and linen covering of the Tabernacle or the burning bush. This Shekinah Star has always identified God’s presence with man.

            The Shekinah Star departed from Israel in the time of Eli (1 Sam. 4:21, Ezek. 8:4, 9:3, 10:19, 11:22-23), “Icabod…the glory is departed from Israel”. The Jews longed for its return.

            The Shekinah Star did return at the time of the Savior’s birth, “The glory of the Lord shown round about them” (Luke 2:9). The “glory of the Lord” in the New Testament corresponded to the cloudy pillar of fire in the Old Testament. In my opinion, there is no doubt that this is the appearance of the Star that the wisemen saw two years before they came to Jerusalem.

            I believe that the Shekinah Star will yet return again as the “sign of the Son of man” (Matt. 24:30) to announce Jesus Christ’s second advent (Matt. 25:31, 26:64, Luke 21:27).

CONCLUSION

1.      The Shekinah Glory is the only star that has ever been peculiarly identified with God…hence “His Star”.

2.      The Shekinah Glory is the only star ever used to announce God’s presence with men…hence, the Shekinah Star announced Immanuel’s (God with us) birth.

3.      The Shekinah Glory is the only star to consistently appear, disappear, and reappear repeatedly and still be unmistakably identified.

4.      The Shekinah Glory has, on a number of occasions, led the weary travelers thro the deserts (Ex. 13:21-22)…and also the wisemen.

5.      The Shekinah Glory did not burn to a crisp the combustible goat hair and wooden Tabernacle or the bush in the Midian Desert. Hence, the Shekinah Star is the only Star that could have stopped over the house close enough to identify it as a specific dwelling place and not consume it.

The Prophet Isaiah has said: “Behold, a virgin shall be with Child, and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call His Name Immanuel, which being interpreted is GOD WITH US” (Matt. 1:23). That’s what Christmas is!

                        Jesus Christ has come to earth to save people from their sins and God has taken care to call attention to His presence. What a shame that so very few modern day “wise men” ever take notice and come to the Savior. Will you come?

            “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matt. 11:28

            “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Rom. 10:13

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