Deck the Halls!

I realize that it's only the end of September, but I have to say something. I am so ready for Christmas. It is my favorite holiday of the entire year. I love it! And I'm not even talking about all the cool gifts I get each year. I'm talking about just the holiday itself. One of many things that is so cool about Christmas is that it starts about a month ahead of time. This is how the holiday typically happens in my family. On Thanksgiving Day, we celebrate Thanksgiving (you know, pig out, watch football, etc.) and then either that evening or the next day we put up the Christmas tree and watch White Christmas. It's a tradition. Mom and Dad have gotten real trees the past few years so I don't think they do the Thanksgiving Day tree decorating anymore. Oh well.

When I was in the youth group at church, we had the "Hanging of the Green". A boy and a girl from the youth group would carry out a wreath (actually, I think he carried it and I held on to his arm) and hang it on the wall. Then we'd each have to tell some story about the greenery or something like that. It was really neat. I got to do it two years in a row. How cool am I? Our church doesn't do that anymore. I wonder why. Now we do candle lighting services. Just as cool but more dangerous. I'll admit it. I'm a klutz. You probably don't want me holding a candle for long periods of time.

Anyway, after that, it's just an entire month of baking, caroling, getting ready for the church Christmas musical, hanging greenery on everything, driving around looking at Christmas lights, convincing children that if they're not good, Santa won't bring them any presents for Christmas. I cannot believe how much parents lie to their children! Okay, so aunts and uncles get brought in on it too, but that's just because it's fun to mess with the little darlings. I love being around my niece at Christmas. If ever a child would make me want to have children more than I already do, it's my niece at Christmas time (not that she doesn't do a pretty good job the rest of the year). She loves singing and looking at Christmas lights and decorating the house and playing out in the snow...you know, all the cool stuff. And she's just a happy kid in general. She and my little cousin Ashton are both so much fun to be around when they're happy. When they laugh, you just can't help but join in...but I digress.

My favorite part of Christmas, though is being able to sing about and talk about Jesus without so many people turning their noses up at you. Granted, we should do this throughout the year and carry on no matter what others do or say, but it just doesn't happen and that's sad. I realize that to some people it is just a commercial holiday and a time to give gifts, but it's so much more than that to me and a good portion of the people I know and love. One of my most favorite parts of Christmas is when most of the family (if not all) gets together at G-ma and G-dad's house to eat, fellowship and open presents. G-ma gets us all sat down in the living room (which is quite a feat considering the number of us and the size of the living room) and reads the story of Jesus' birth. The story in and of itself is precious to me, but what makes it that much more special is when G-ma starts to cry. I know that sounds callous, but an explanation is soon to follow. Stick with me. G-ma and G-dad love to have their family around them. G-ma is the heart of our family and loves each one of us in her own special way. Long story, short....G-ma rocks. Anyway, she gets so worked up to have so many of her family around her that her heart just overflows and she starts to cry. We tease her, of course, because that's our job as her grandchildren, but we all know how important we are to her and we love her all the more for it. So, rarely does a Christmas go by that we don't nudge each other when G-ma starts to tear up.

I know this is getting long, but I can't help it. My whole point of this story is that I want to start Christmas right now. Who says we can't celebrate for almost three months? We don't have to have presents until Christmas day, but it should be okay to sing Christmas carols now. Just don't play them on the radio because even I think they overdo that. I want to put up my Christmas tree without being made fun of. Well, that and I feel that's pushing it just a touch. I want to Fa La La La La the day away and make people smile while doing so (no, not that oh-yeah-she's-lost-it smile). Oh, and one more thing.....I want a white Christmas in Oklahoma. Is that too much to ask? I think not.

Me Me Me Me Me

I went to my first ever Singing Churchwomen retreat this past weekend. It was so much fun. We sang our little hearts out. Cari (my identical cousin) talked me in to joining and I'm glad she did. The music is amazing. I'm so excited. Our first concert is in October. The only drawback to the whole thing is that I don't get along with very many women. SOOOOOO!!!! I guess it's time for an attitude adjustment. I auditioned for a solo (which terrifies me). I know I won't get chosen, but I pretty much knew that when I auditioned. I was happy with just getting up the courage to do it.

After we got back from the retreat on Saturday, I was able to take a nap for about an hour and then it was out to Bricktown for Light the Night. For those of you who don't know about Light the Night, it's a walk done at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Everyone who participates gets a lighted balloon to carry while they walk. A bunch of people from church got together to support a couple of church members who have Leukemia. There was quite a crowd. I love doing stuff like that.

I'm still working towards my marathon to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma. It's just so hard to get out and run. People keep telling me that one day I'll get to the point where I like it. I can't wait for that day to get here.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Okay, have you ever really, REALLY disliked someone? To the point that just hearing them speak drives you up a wall? When you can't even hear their name without spewing some hate filled commentary on why they shouldn't even be inhabiting the planet? I have been going through this for the past couple of years about someone at church. AT MY CHURCH!!! Yes, I've prayed and asked God to help me not hate this person anymore, but you can all guess how much heart I put in to that section of my prayer. You know, those prayers where you think you should say something like that, knowing that God knows your heart, but saying it anyway without meaning it? Why do we do that? Prayer should be the most honest aspect of your life. It's not like you can lie to God or just fudge a little. He knows it all.

So, I've said these prayers and then felt guilty because I just LIED TO GOD!!! Why on earth did I just ask for help that I didn't really want? I was wallowing in my hatred toward this person who, at the most, deserved my pity, not anger. Not that the anger wasn't justified. But, it was completely unnecessary.

What finally stopped this almost two year long hatred was the very hard slap in the face that said that while I profess to be a Christian, I was showing those outside the church that they don't need to become Christians because I was acting worse than a lot of non-believers. Why should anyone go to church if they feel like that is the atmosphere into which they're going to walk? And, even though this person pretty much figured out that I couldn't stand to be in their presence, they didn't know why. Other people were seeing my attitude also since I do not now, nor will I ever, have a poker face. But, at the same time, I was pitying non-believers because they don't know my God. How arrogant am I?

So, I am working on my feelings toward this person and, lo and behold, I'm starting to feel better about myself. I'm not constantly griping and when I do start feeling ill towards this person, I remind myself that I most assuredly would NOT want someone to feel that way about me. Just let it go! If I walk out of the room with a heavy heart, I'm going to affect those around me. I don't want anyone's one and only thought of me to be, "Boy, is that woman cranky!"

I would love to someday be spoken of the way in which most people mention Miss Beth (if you go to my church, you know who she is). To be in Beth's presence is to be the most important person on the planet. You can be talking to her in the middle of a crowd and she doesn't seem to notice that there is anyone in the room, but you. Whatever you are saying to her is of great importance no matter how light or heavy the subject. She never NEVER makes anyone feel less than anyone else. We are all her grandkids and she has room in her heart for all of us. She is my model Christian. If I acted more like her, the people around me would never have to question whether or not it is a good thing to be a Christian. They'd want to "join the club".

Yes, I went off on a tangent, but that's what happens this late at night. My point is, I need to get off my high horse and realize that I am no better and no worse than any other person on this planet. I also need to get off my tuckus and stop expecting people to believe something that I'm not daily proving. It's late and I must stop before this becomes an all night rant. God bless. Oh! And be nice to people. You never know when you may need them as a character witness.