Peace in Chaos

If you are a reader of this blog, you probably know that Christmas is a favorite time of year for us.  I have written many a blog post over this season, the traditions we have, the joy we find in celebrating.  However, in true transparency, I must share that finding joy in the holiday season has not always been easy.

Last year, for example, was such a challenge.  It was the first year that we weren't with family for Christmas Eve.  It was also the first year that Zach had to work on Christmas Eve.  I really struggled with finding balance for our family with all the obligations we had.  I had a list a mile long of things I wanted to do as a family, activities and memory makers for our children.  I was so consumed with making Christmas as memorable as possible for our family, I was sucking the joy out of the entire season.  I broke one day, when all my well thought out plans went awry.  I was so focused on my ideas of what Christmas could and should be, that I forgot to even consider what my family wanted and needed out of this time of advent.

This year I vowed to not allow that to happen again.  However, now I find myself, two weeks from Christmas, and not at all in the holiday spirit.  Something is missing and I haven't quite been able to put my finger on what it is.

I smile to myself just now, reflecting on the ways God speaks to us.

Many of my friends and family know that my husband, the incorrigible Zach Bechtold, has a podcast with his good friend, Matt Franks, known as the Bearded Theologians.  Again, in true transparency, I admit that I am not a faithful listener to this podcast. (Sorry guys)  It's not because of anything other than I live with Zach and I listen to him all the time.  I mean, I have to hear his sermon twice on Sundays.  I love the guy and think he has thought provoking things to say, usually, but putting on their podcast isn't usually at the top of my to do list.  Today, however, in the midst of dealing with finishing Christmas shopping and tending to two sick and pitiful children, I pulled up a couple of podcasts and gave them a listen.

God finds ways to speak to us, even using our husbands.

The podcast I listened to came from last week and was about peace.  Finding peace. Finding peace within our self and through the gift of Jesus Christ.  There is no amount of decorating, baking, caroling, gifting, or cups of hot chocolate that can bring peace to this time of chaos and busyness.  Peace comes from one place, God, and we are responsible for allowing that peace to work in our own lives.  When we welcome peace into our own lives, that peace will be poured out into everything we do.  The chores of Christmas will become joyful, and that joy will seep into all that we do.

Welcome the peace.  Encourage others to find peace.  Take joy in the quiet times, realizing that we need those moments to hear what God is calling us to be, in that moment, and in the days to come.  Listen to who God is calling you to bring joy, happiness, and peace during the season of highs and lows.  Take the time to remember what is truly important, during this Christmas holiday and throughout the new year.

May peace be with you.

Take a listen to the Bearded Theologians podcast on peace below or at the Bearded Theologian website, where you can catch all their content: https://beardedtheologians.com

and give them a follow on facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/BeardedTheologians/?fref=ts

Christmas Traditions

It's that time again!  Christmas season has begun.  My Christmas countdown gives us 27 days to go.

As we work to prepare for this holiday, I have been giving a lot of thought towards traditions.  Christmas traditions have always meant so much to me.  Each little act that my family would do would help get me into the Christmas spirit.  There were some traditions from my childhood that I couldn't wait to continue on with my family.  One of these is decorating the tree.  We crank out the Christmas songs, fight with the strands of lights, wondering why only half the strand is working, the kids fight over who gets to put up the Christmas star, and we pull out the ornaments, remembering where and when we got each one, as we take turns hanging them on the tree.  Each year we let the kids pick out new ornaments for the tree.  We also try to get a new ornament from our travels.

I love seeing other people's Christmas trees.  Each family does this in a different way.  Some are like my family, you have a collection of mismatched ornaments that are meaningful in some way to you.  Some families have a tree theme, maybe you have many trees, all with different themes.  Some people have beautifully put together trees with ribbons and balls.  It's all wonderful, no matter how you choose to decorate.

One thing that I didn't anticipate in my youth was that as we get older, as new people are added into the mix, and as things change, traditions will need to be changed as well.  I don't fear change, generally, but messing with my traditions is something different all together.

This year marks the first time in my entire life that I am not sitting at my parents for Christmas dinner.  Our little family of five will be by ourselves this Christmas day and I don't even know what to do.  I tell the kids that we will develop new traditions, a new way of doing Christmas, but as of right now I do not know what that looks like.  I do know, as I have learned from experience, that I can not force new traditions on my kids.  There will be things we do, that I feel like the kids should love, but really I'm doing it more for me than them.

So, help me out friends!  What are somethings that your family does, or has done, that you love, that really put you in the spirit of Christmas?  How have you handled change to your Christmas routine?  How have you explained those changes to your children?

This holiday season will be full of change, full of memories, and full of new experiences, of that I am sure.

I'll leave you with a few pictures of our ornament collection.

Nativity star from Vatican City

Zach and mine's first ornament and Ryann's first ornament.

Penguin family I got when I knew our family was complete.

I love our little handmade ornaments!

I had a picture ornament made this year.  I love how it's nestled between
Iron Man and a bell from the Polar Express!

Zach and I received this little tree on our first Christmas as a married couple.  Zach's grandmother gave it to us as a gift and it has fit perfectly in every home we have shared together, 6 houses!

Rejoice

Negativity.  It's all around us.  Somedays I feel as if I'm drowning in negative thoughts, both my own and those belonging to others.  It's difficult at times to find something that we can truly be joyful about.  When we do, there are always those who try to take that joy away from you.  As Taylor Swift reminds us, "Haters gonna hate."  

What do you do to find joy?

I love Christmas.  This holiday evokes a sense of peace and happiness within me that few other things can duplicate.  Celebrating Christmas brings me joy.  It provides moments that I can enjoy with my family.  Christmas gives us opportunity to create traditions, to create memories.   Yet, people are trying to tell me how I can celebrate.  They are trying to tell me there are rules to be followed.  Love Christmas, but only this way, at this time.  They are trying to steal my joy.

Why?  Why do we let ourselves be bothered by things that aren't doing others harm?  My choosing to celebrate Christmas for more than 25 days does not hurt anyone.  Putting up our Christmas tree a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving does not rob you of that holiday.  Instead, for us, it gives just one more thing to be thankful for.  What a great gift we were given, why can't that be included in our Thanks giving?

This is just one example.  There are many ways, many times throughout the year, that we are faced with a decision.  Do we choose to let little things we don't particularly understand or care for bother us?  Bother us to the point where we steal another's joy?

Finding times and ways to rejoice is hard enough.  Don't let yourself be the reason somebody else's joyful heart is extinguished.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. - Philippians 4:4-9

Let's try together to be a light to all in this dark, dark world.

From my family, to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas.

I realize that there are many of you that have reasons that make this holiday a particularly difficult time.  Please take no offense to this rant of mine.

Yep, it's the Spirit Bus, Folks!

It's been a while since I've last written.  It's not for the lack of things going on, that's for sure, but more from the lack of energy or coherent thoughts.  The other day I seriously had trouble remembering my own address.   To say the least, life has been crazy lately.

Of course, everyone's life is a little crazy it seems.  It seems that around here everyone is a little more stressed, a little more exhausted, and a little more frustrated.   There are times I wish to shut my family in the house and hope for the world, and the people in it, to return to normal by morning.  Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way and we have to learn to cope.

So, how do you handle the chaos of life?  What helps you deal with the people around you that are just driving you batty?  For me, it's my family.  Interesting that one of my biggest stress makers can also be salvation.  I've been trying really hard to be very conscious of how I react to situations in front of my children.  I'm very intentional about practicing not raising my voice or over reacting in front of my children.  To pat myself on my back I am making great strides in this area.  I'm not completely there yet, but every day I can go without losing it is a victory.

I'm also trying to make every day, especially for Noah, who doesn't get to go out much, something special.  It doesn't always happen, some days I feel we are just trying to survive, but that's my intention anyway.  I want to make the most out of these precious days I have with my kids, because, I know, the time will go by too quickly.

It's in this spirit that we have already begun to celebrate the Christmas season.  Yes, we have already put out some lights on the house, our tree is up and lit (though still awaiting ornaments) and, yes, I have already begun listening to Christmas songs in the car.   We know, with our past experience, that this season passes too fast, and often will come and go without us truly enjoying it.  Every year I have a list of projects and activities to do as a family, and every year the season comes and goes with several of them left undone.  So, we start a little earlier and enjoy it a little longer.

Crazy thing is, people have actually given us criticism for it.  Or, if not us specifically, anyone who gets in the "spirit" a little earlier than is deemed appropriate.  Why does it bother people?  Lately, and I attribute this to those things I said above, people seem to be more negative about things.   I've seen those memes that make fun of those doing the "30 days of Thanksgiving" by accusing them of only being thankful in November.  Why would anyone let the fact that someone chooses to be intentionally thankful bother them??  Shouldn't we be glad that some are choosing to see good things, even if it may only be for 30 days? Isn't one month better than never?

So why get upset about Christmas being seen earlier than Thanksgiving?  Who cares if stores may be doing it to increase profits?  Shouldn't we instead be thankful that, despite intention of others, that some people are going to be a little happier, a little more in the Christmas spirit, a little longer than the month of December?  Why do we let what we perceive to be the intention of others bother us, and instead focus on our reactions?

I guess that's my rant for the day.  Lets worry more about how we act, and less about the motive of others.  Only one of those things do we have any control over.

Now, for a random bit of cuteness, here is little Ryann.  She is six months old already.  Today was her first time riding in the cart like a big girl.  She is growing way too fast!!

And yes, we are in the Christmas aisle....

Taking Back Christmas

Last year I wrote a blog about how difficult it can be to actually enjoy the Christmas season (take a gander here if you want).  Life was so busy and hectic with all the commitments we had made for ourselves that joy was hard to find.  This year I made a vow to myself that this family would simplify things and give ourselves the gift of time.  Time to relax and enjoy one another as a family and time to appreciate the holiday.

Things became a little derailed when I became sick for three weeks but I am on the mend now and back on track.  I'm thankful now more than ever that we opted out of some activities we would normally of done.  I have found that by choosing only the most important activities to be a part of or to host, that those things we are doing have more meaning.  I appreciate the holiday parties we have chosen to do more than last year because it's not "just another thing on the list." 

This year we have already watched several Christmas movies as a family.  We are able to do our advent calendar everyday.  We have days that are free coming up to make Christmas cookies and ornaments as a family.  Those school Christmas programs are actually anticipated because they are not conflicting with other activities.  We find that even with all the things we have planned to do, we still have time for Zach to go play golf or for me to enjoy some quiet time.  By simplifying our Christmas we have freed up funds to give to those in need.  Yes people, we have found a way to take back Christmas!

Things aren't perfect.  We will always have our obligations around this time and I know that I have been judged by some by opting our family out of some activities, but, in the end what really matters is that we have had the opportunity to enjoy what we have without longing for what we don't.

What are you doing to take back Christmas this year? 

From our family to yours, have yourself a very merry Christmas.

Finding your joy...

When I was young I remember December being the longest month of the year.  It seemed as if Christmas would never make it, and then on Christmas night I would feel a sense of mourning for the season that was now over.  Now, as an adult, I find that the month passes so quickly I struggle finding time to actually enjoy it.  We rush around, trying to fit in all of our various obligations, finish our shopping, bake untold amounts of cookies for parties and before we know it, it's Christmas night and once again I mourn for the season I didn't get to find much joy in.  I love Christmas, always have.  It's not the gifts I love but everything else the holiday encompasses.  I enjoy giving to others but our tight budget and long list of people to buy for have replaced the joy with stress.   I miss the childish anticipation of the day that I felt in my youth.

Last year I instigated a new tradition of watching Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol with the kids.  This year I'm trying to figure out a time in our schedule to fit it in, along with other Christmas activities to do with the kids.  I have my house decorated, I've seen Santa, I've read Zoe the Christmas story, and yet it doesn't feel like Christmas.  How do you get yourself in the spirit?  What brings you joy this holiday season?

The closest I've felt to being in the Christmas spirit this year was last weekend when my parents came to visit.  We went to eat supper and then drove around to look at Christmas lights.  When we returned home we lit a fire in the backyard and roasted marshmallows and drank hot chocolate.  There were a few moments of peace that I was able to just sit back and enjoy.

My mission for the next week is to enjoy this holiday, the season and everything about it, not only for me, but for my children.  I want them to look back to their childhood with fond memories of traditions with their family.  I want them to know the true joy of the Christmas story.  I love Zoe's excitement everytime she sees a nativity scene, "Mom, that's Mary! She's Jesus' mom and Joseph was his dad, well, God is his dad, but Jesus is God, too."   I don't want her to lose that excitement.

Below is a picture of Zoe having a chat with Santa at church last night.  It's a little blurry (our nice camera is broken so I'm having to resort to using our cheap one) but I still love it.

Here's hoping you feel overwhelmingly blessed this season.

Traditions and such

I love family traditions.  My mother loves them too, I guess that's where I get it.  Christmas was always an important time for our family because of all the traditions we had.  It was important to me, when Zach and I started our own family, to incorporate traditions into our holidays.  One thing that I always enjoyed doing, and still do for that matter, is decorating the Christmas tree.  I know so many who see this activity as a chore instead of a treat and that makes me sad for them.  I am so thankful that I married a man who can find the joy in performing this task.

Since we are traveling over the Thanksgiving holidays we have begun putting our tree up before we leave to visit family.  We put on Christmas music and enjoy looking at all the ornaments we have collected over the years.  Zoe loved pulling out an ornament from the box and asking who's it is. Noah kept pointing to the tree and saying "Wow."  Even Zach got into the spirit, singing along and putting his ornaments up.

Zoe helps to string the lights.

Putting up the star.

Noah helps put ornaments on the tree.

This year we instituted another tradition by having a Harry Potter themed family night.  Zoe and I made and decorated cookies and Zach inflated the air mattress in front of the t.v.  After supper we put on a Harry Potter movie and enjoyed homemade Butterbeer and our cookies.  It was, admittedly, a lot of sugar to ingest before bedtime, but it was a good night.

Yummy Butterbeer!

We look forward to repeating this experience next year and seeing how it evolves as the kids get older.

Would love to hear some of your favorite traditions!