Where It's At

I know you have missed us the last few weeks. Nothing new or exciting, just the usual Christmas stuff.

I have to tell you that I am in a bit over my head. Or at least I have been. Today (I know, Friday, what's that all about??) is the first day I feel almost back to normal. Everyone at my house for the holidays got sick, except for me and my brother. I am not sure how my brother avoided it, except for maybe that he didn't stay long enough. But it started with Randy, went through the boys, my sister and brother-in-law, and then my mom. And it finished with a vengeance with my mom. I spent yesterday in the ER with her. She was severely dehydrated and had the end of a virus, beginning of an infection. Whew! You know how days don't go how they are planned? And then with kids there are always the unplanned things that are still somewhat expected? Well, this wasn't on my radar at all. Randy came home last night to the trash that I has taken to the back door at 8 am and still hadn't gotten outside into the can. I have been feeling behind the eight ball, trying to keep my head above water, and any other cliches that cross your mind. My one huge prayer of thanksgiving has been for the stellar immune system I have developed while being a flight attendant. It's kind of like being a kindergarten teacher.


It's the new year, but last year hasn't finished yet with thank-you notes, gift exchanges, remnant decorations and leftover turkey still in the freezer. There is a song by Amy Grant that really says it all. I think it's called something like "In a Little While" or something like that (I am eternally bad with song titles and artists, but lyrics, I can do.) In it she talks about all the things that are happening and how overwhelmed she is and then she gets a letter that reminds her that "in a little while we'll be with the Father (can't you see him smile?) In a little while we'll be home forever. We're just here to learn to love Him; we'll be home, in just a little while."

This Christmas I learned more about how to love Him. And to anticipate what is coming. Hearing it come from Travis' mouth about the angels and wise men and baby Jesus has been like hearing it the first time. And seeing him excited about the gift of a savior. He regularly says, "Mommy, if Jesus didn't die on the cross, then we would have to die on the cross." It takes a bit of explaining to clarify things a bit, but really on some level, he is right: If Jesus didn't die, we would die. Not necessarily on the cross, but death would be the end. We listen to CDs when we drive in the car, and I changed them to Christmas CDs for the month of December. One of them has the Nativity story read from the Bible, and expanded and explained a bit. It goes through Elizabeth and Zacharias, all the way to explaining what happened to John and Jesus after their births. The last part of it says, "What an amazing gift! What an amazing story!" Travis can recite things we listen to in the car with uncanny accuracy. So I love that the person reading this story actually gets excited when he tells what happens later. Why Christmas is so special. Travis gets excited too! I want to have that same uncontrolled enthusiasm when I talk about Jesus. It is the most amazing story!

One of my New Year's resolutions this year has been to practice praise. Praising God in all ways, times, and circumstances. I am starting by learning about praise by reading the very best book of praise, Psalms. Already it has lifted me up and touched me. I am hoping to attain that same unabashed, truthful, and heartfelt hope that David expressed. It's a year that I expect will make me a different person. Another song lyric that comes to mind is "Our God inhabits praise." If that is true, and I believe it to be, then praising him will bring me closer to the one who made me, and open me up to change from the inside out. What an amazing gift!