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Making December Count – Personally and as a Family

December

Happy December 1st!

If you have been holding off on declaring it Christmas time, there is no more waiting allowed! It is December, time to decorate the house, buy some gifts, plan for parties and events, and get STRESSED OUT with all you wish you could do but can’t… Wait, did I just write that? I did! Let’s just be honest, many of us get stressed about the holidays and one of the reasons is because we see it as yet another time we will fail at having life all together and running smoothly like we assume every one elses lives run. Let me just dismiss the myth, no one has it all together…no one! Not even the mom you know who looks like she has got it all under control. She doesn’t!

I love quick simple ideas that I can put into practice with my family. Sometimes I have time to embellish them, sometimes I don’t; but I love getting ideas. I thought I would share a few with you this December. A few ideas that do not take a lot of time or prep, but just might provide a wonderful Christmas family moment! I will post a new idea each Monday in December, and we will all see if we can put them into practice this holiday season.

The first idea comes from YouVersion, a Bible reading website where you can find all different Bible reading plans. After signing in and getting a user name you can access tons of reading plans. I found a December plan called “Rediscovering Christmas” that lays out a plan for December 1- 25 that takes you through the Christmas story. If you have an iPhone grab the free App, select the plan and read it at the breakfast table with your kids each morning. If the breakfast table does not work out, hand the phone to one of your kids and ask them to read it out loud in the car. No iPhone, no problem…stop by the website during the day and grab the reference, place a Bible on the dinner table and ask one of the kids to read each evening. Is your home computer located in the same room as your fireplace, ours is , gather everyone around a warm fire in the fireplace, hit the website each night find out the reference then go back to the home page and select the option for the audio drama and listen to the passage being read. The options are endless. Don’t try to make it big and glorious, just try to make it happen! There is time for embellishing once it is happening! Ideal this plan starts today, so sign up and start reading

Mandy’s Monday next week will feature idea #2. These are simple and doable ideas that I hope you and your family can put into practice with the result of turning your hearts toward Christ this Christmas with out getting stressed.

Merry Christmas!

Category: christmas, Family Life, Mandy's Mondays, Websites Tags: Christmas Leave a Comment

Mandy’s Monday – Giving Thanks!

November

written by:mandy | One Comment

It is Monday morning the week of Thanksgiving, what wonderful memories I have of Thanksgivings from my past.

The majority of Thanksgivings I had growing up were spent at my Grandparents home in South Texas. The day was always filled with family fun. My Dad always made the fruit salad. My Grandmother slaved away in the kitchen over the turkey, dressing and fresh home grow green beans. When we awoke Thanksgiving morning there was usually some turkey story that happened in the wee hours of the morning as my Grandmother and other helpers put the bird in the oven. To know my family is to know that we are story tellers, I come by it naturally! My Mom is one of the best story tellers around, although the stories always grow a little bit with each new telling!

I was blessed to know three of Great Grandparents, and even one of my Great Great Grandparents, but that is a story for another time. Every holiday my Great Grandfather would do the same thing. He would walk up to me as I sat on the stool pulled up to the kitchen counter breathing in the sights and sounds of my family preparing the meal with bursts of laughter; and he would say “Mandy, do you think you can count the money I have in my wallet?” “Sure, Great Granddad I can!” Then he would pull out a wad of cash and hand it over to me. I would count it out carefully usually arriving at some amount around fifty dollars. “There is $52 here!” I would say with a smile and anticipation, and every year it was the same thing “Well here you go Mandy”…and he would hand me one dollar bill! Even though it was only a dollar, I loved him for it!

I must say the best part of Thanksgiving was always my Grandmothers cornbread dressing!! I could eat two plates full and if I didn’t watch out my cousin Brandon would steal it all! No one makes dressing like my Grandmother, even though many, including myself, have tried repeatedly. Her dressing may well be the best food I have ever eaten, partly because it tastes great but mostly because my Grandma made it and that is enough for me.

These days I have my own family and we have done many different things on Thanksgiving. Driving across the country has become one of our family traditions. There is nothing like the kids watching Sound of Music in the back while Brian and I listen to one of John Eldrige’s books on CD. We have had some great conversations on those long rides, as well as some horrible “we must be crazy to do this” moments when all the kids are falling apart and Brian and I are worn out! However, we have always made it to our destination and once there get to enjoy time with family members we don’t see enough of.

The first year we could not go home we decided to head to New York to see the Macy’s Day parade. We cooked the turkey early and I made turkey sandwiches to take along. It was just Addie and Emma those days and seeing the parade was wonderful. Brian had Addie in a back pack carrier, I had Emma in a front carrier and there we stood on a sidewalk in New York city watching the parade go by. It was so great we did it another year as well, adding Brian’s Aunt Kathy into the mix.

I am thankful for the wonderful Thanksgiving memories the Lord has blessed me with! I did not grow up with long talks at the table about what everyone was thankful for, that just was not my families way of doing things. But I grew up with Thanksgiving being about being together…family…one of the things I am most thankful for. So even though the only people I will be with on Thanksgiving day this year who I am related to will be my imidiate family, I will be thanking the Lord for wonderful Thanksgiving pasts and the amazing family I have who live in my home and those who live dotted across the country.

May the Lord bless your Thanksgiving Day and fill your heart with gratitude for the great things He has done!

Category: Family Life, Mandy's Mondays One Comment

Mandy’s Monday – Watch the Movie and Skip the Book

May

written by:mandy | One Comment

If you have not figured it out by now I need to tell you I LOVE to READ!! This year (2010) we made it a goal to each read 20 books. I have been reading and enjoying it but I need to pick up the pace if I am going to get 20 in before 2011! Right now I am trying to finish books number six and seven.

My first book of the year was Julie Powell’s Julie & Julia which I found while roaming around WalMart at Christmas time. I had recently seen the movie based on the book and thought it would be a story I would like to read. It is possible that it should have stayed on the shelf at WalMart, which I will explain soon. I just loved the movie, you can see my earlier post about it if you like. Almost from the first page I discovered maybe the movie is better than the book… “It had been happening for a couple of years now, ever since I’d sold some of my eggs (ovarian eggs) for $7,500 in order to pay off credit card debt.” I was thinking “what did I just read? I don’t know that I am comfortable with that!” And that was only the beginning!

Julie is harsh in her language to say it nicely, OK she cusses throughout the book and I did not enjoy that! Julie is very different than myself in not only life experiences but values and core convictions. So after a chapter or two I questioned if I should just stop reading and choose another book. The movie portrays Julie more in the light of a sweet young girl trying to make something of herself instead of the book which reveals a character who is brash, sarcastic, and able to see sexual innuendos in everything, especially cooking. Two things compelled me to continue 1. I hate to not finish something and 2. Maybe this would be a good experience in seeing what women’s lives are like who are very different than me. So I continued on, although I will admit I learned to race my eyes over all the curse words and at one point I took a week or two break from reading.

There were a few things I liked about the book. Reading it gave me a desire to try cooking new things. I enjoy cooking and this just spurred me on. I decided to give Julia Child’s Potage Parmentier a try and yes it was simple and delicious, as described. I enjoyed reading about blogging, which I am found of doing myself! I loved the way Julie set a goal and then worked like crazy to accomplish it, never giving up till it was complete. I loved reading about a young woman wanting more from her life and striving to get it. I appreciated seeing a glimpse into lives that are lived by convictions very different than my own. I found it very eye opening!

From time to time Julie starts to reveal her own spiritual views “I have never looked to religion for comfort-belief is just not in my genes. But reading Mastering the Art of French Cooking-childishly simple and dauntingly complex, incantatory and comforting- I thought this was what prayer must feel like. Sustenance bound up with anticipation and want. Reading MtAoFC was like reading pornographic Bible verses.” (pg 15) Interesting! I wonder if she has ever read Song of Solomon, it might be shocking to her! Song of Solomon is not pornographic but it is not PG either. Julie refers to a woman at work who wears a What Would Jesus Do bracelet as a “loon”, directly implied because she wears the bracelet. I have never worn one of the bracelets, but I have read the book which this was inspired by and at times live by the principle; and I must say it is rather helpful and convicting at the same time. I don’t think that makes me a loon. Near the end of the book she compares Buffy the Vampire slayer to the Bible. After a description of the Buffy story line (teen vampire slayer and only one who can save the world) she writes, “In all this is not so unlike the Bible, except with stunt doubles and better jokes. Those of you who are offended by this can take some comfort in knowing that I am far from the first person to have made this observation. Also like the Bible, Buffy got a little bloated and Revelations-y toward the end…you don’t skip out of Revelations, no matter how kind of weird and lame it is. Or maybe you do. But not the last episode of Buffy.” (pg 248-9) I don’t find this offensive, the Bible is an amazing true narrative and many story-lines have mirrored it’s genius! The Lord is the perfect story weaver and amazingly His is reality!

Overall, I am glad I read through Julie & Julia, but I would not go so far as to recommend it. If you read it and I know that you know that I read it…well I just might blush and try to deny it all.

Category: Book Reviews, culture, Mandy, Mandy's Mondays, The Blog World Tags: book review, Julie & Julia One Comment

Mandy’s Monday – Count Down

January

written by:mandy | Leave a Comment

I love Valentines day! I love all that comes with Valentine’s Day: the cards, the hearts, the pink and red everywhere, the CHOCOLATE!! I just enjoy the focus being on love itself! It does not have to be romantic love, although I am thankful for my wonderful husband in ways that no words can describe, to me the day brings the chance to celebrate love in many different forms. My girls always want to make tons of cards and will spend days doing so. Last year we made heart cookies and really enjoyed them as well as giving them away.

Why in the world am I writing about Valentine’s Day on January 25th? One week from today will be February 1st and I have plans I want to tell you about

This year I will make a count down blog to Valentine’s Day and it will start February 1st. Each day I will post three quotes on love. The first category will be a Scripture passage or quote about the love of the Lord. He is the BEST @ love, that is for sure! What better example and encouragement can we have than the Lord himself. The second quote will be from Jane Austen and one of her beloved novels. If you have not figured it out by now I have a small obsession with Jane Austen novels! The final category will be motherhood. A mother’s love is constant!

So check back and count down with me as we are together encouraged by the Lord’s love, touched by love seen in fictional characters and reminded of our own mother’s love or our need to BE a loving Mom.

Category: Mandy's Mondays, marriage, Motherhood Leave a Comment

Mandy’s Monday – Mandy is NOT a fan of Twilight!

January

written by:mandy | 3 Comments

A few weeks back I decided to dive into the madness and read Twilight! I was drawn by the scores of teenage girls I know who love this book, one even referred to it as her “Bible” (she carries it with her everywhere). It is not only teens that love it, there are millions of adult ladies who are right in the middle of the craze as well. To my disbelief, Addie has fourth grade friends who have read it, and even Emma’s second grade friends pretend to be vampires (Twilight was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Children’s Books of 2005). I realize I am telling you nothing that you do not already know! So I thought “Maybe, I should read this so I can talk to the girls in my small group who have read it, a mere twenty some times!” I borrowed a copy from another Student Ministry leader at Calvary and started in.
I must say it is a page turner and I finished it with in a few days. I found myself trying to figure out how I could work my schedule and parenting so that I could read more. Reminds me of when I read Davinci Code while my kids ate cracker after cracker and I put off lunch till the chapter ended. Besides being a page turner there is not much that I liked about the book. I found it to be dangerous and therefore I am officially NOT a fan of Twilight! Let me explain.
My first problem with this story, and the huge following it has, is the deception Bella the main character is comfortable living in. This is a subtle flaw in her character but is there none the less, and I would go so far as to say it is promoted through the story. Bella tells half truths or twists things to protect her parents or keep them in the dark about her Vampire boyfriend. “Dad, I spent the day outside.” Not the truth “I went hiking with a vampire who was either kissing me or working hard to prevent himself from sucking all my blood and leaving me dead in the middle of the forest.” What is a little white lie or two, you might ask. And why should I make a big deal about it. I believe truth is drastically IMPORTANT! The Lord is truth himself and he asks the same of us. A lie or even a half lie are not acceptable, and therefore I did not enjoy reading Bella’s half truths that continued through out the end of the book. Strike One!
Secondly, I found if unwise and distasteful, (a pun when referring to a vampire novel) that Bella pulled away from all her friends as her friendship/romance developed with Edward. She became more and more withdrawn from other relationships in her life while Edward became her entire purpose. Dangerous in deed! Bella’s total abandonment for Edward leaves her willing to end her own life rather than go on without him. Strike two!
Finally, and I could go on with other reasons but three will do, the main theme throughout the book disturbs me the most. Bella reasons something like this- “I know he is a vampire, I know he thirsts for my blood, I know he could kill me at any moment, but it just does not matter! I love him!” “It just does not matter”, runs through the book constantly! And here is where I find the most dangerous aspect of this story. If you fall in love with someone who is not good for you, it just does not matter. If he has a drinking problem, it does not matter. If he is abusive, it does not matter. If he is not a Christian and you are, it just does not matter. If he continually treats you horribly, it just does not matter. I realized that Stephanie Meyer was most likely not trying to write a novel to promote women into relationships or marriage with abusive men, however I find the story doing just that. Strike three…you are out!
I would not recommend this book be read by anyone who is under 18! That is my opinion, you may not like it. Young girls are forming what they want in a life partner and what they think about dating. Deciding who to marry is the second most important decision in life. Twilight does not promote Godly wise patterns, instead it captures you with a love story and makes you think “it just does not matter”.
I decided not to read the next three books in the series, I have read enough and Bella can make it on her own with out me – game over!

Category: Book Reviews, Mandy's Mondays, Student Ministry Tags: Bella, Books, Edward, Twilight, Vampire 3 Comments

Mandy’s Monday – A New Reason to LOVE Pride & Prejudice

January

written by:mandy | Leave a Comment

I was first introduced to Jane Austin’s novel Pride & Prejudice as a senior in high school. It was one of the senior research papers that were pages and pages long that I was to write. With this assignment I had to compare two novels by one author. I chose Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice (now referred to as P&P for the remainder of this blog) and Emma. I must admit I completed maybe 80% of P&P and just enough Emma to get the paper written. It was in college where I picked up P&P again and read it completely just for the fun of it. I had enjoyed the first “reading”, but it was most definitely the second complete reading where I feel in love with this story!

Elizabeth Bennete is such an amazing character! I love her strength, determination, witty comments and resolve to only marry for love. Her disregard for money is refreshing. I think it was she that first drew me to the book. Mr. Darcy is so consumed with appearance and control of his own life, that it rocks his world to discover he is falling in love with someone beneath him in society. She has such “fine eyes!” I love reading his transformation to become worthy of Elizabeth, his decision to abandon all that is “proper” to serve her and rescue her family name. “You must know, it was all for you!” And then there is the humbling transformation that Elizabeth herself goes through. Since college I have read the book three times or so. I reread it every few years just because I enjoy it and always find something new to appreciate. Brian loves to tease me “What are you reading? Are you really reading P&P again?” I compare it to watching a good movie over and over. “How many times have you seen Gladiator or Brave Heart Brian?”

Over the Christmas break Melinda, a senior in high school and Calvary Student Ministry member, and I decided to watch the A&E five and a half hour version of P&P. I own this movie as well as the more recent 2006 version. I love them both, each for different reasons. The five plus hour version is the closest to the book that I have seen, hence the five hours! It is a bit of a commitment to decide to watch it, especially if you decide to do so in one sitting. Melinda and I decided we were up for the hours of watching enjoyment while comfortably seated on my living room couch. What I did not expect was that my two oldest daughters, Addie and Emma, were also up for the challenge! I assumed the girls would get board and give up on the movie, but they did not.
Through Addie and Emma’s eyes I discovered a new reason to love P&P!

As the story unfolded I was bombarded with questions from my 9 and 8 year olds, but most of the questions had to do with Lydia Bennete. Lydia, the youngest of the Bennete’s five daughters, is a foolish flirt who abandons all reason and falls prey to the self seeking Wickham. I have always loathed her character, and the shame she so uncaringly brought on her family! “Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted!”

I watched my girls as confusion came to their minds and faces:
“What is wrong with that girl, Mom?”
“Well girls, she is foolish! She is a flirt and is chasing after boys, any boy.”

And to my delight as the story unfolded Addie and Emma were disgusted in deed! How wonderful! Tucked in this story that I have loved for years was a painful picture my girls could grab hold of – being a foolish girl brings ruin in the end! We talked the movie over and over as the girls had questions and I was thankful they had decided to hang out with Melinda and I while we watched. Hopefully, it placed in their minds and hearts the desire to seek wisdom in life, especially in the area of finding that perfect someone to spend their lives with!
I just love P&P, and now so do Addie and Emma

(By the way my Emma was not specifically named after Jane Austin’s Emma, but it was the first introduction I had to the beautiful name!)