christmas in july

Yep. I'm jumping on the bandwagon. Trying to get ahead of the game. I have friends on facebook who have started counting down already. The crafts stores have supplies lining the shelves. And many DIY blogs have featured projects to prepare for the Christmas season. I have been trying to resist, but to fight is futile. One night this past week, Lovey and I made a late night trip to walmart, and yesterday, I made Chex Mix! I don't know about y'all, but around here Chex Mix is a holiday staple. From just around Thanksgiving until the supplies run out in January, we make and eat A LOT of it. Once that first batch comes out of the oven, we graze on the stuff almost constantly. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, bedtime snack - we eat it all day knowing that once I go back to work in January the holiday cooking and the Chex Mix comes to an end. I have been craving the stuff for several weeks now. Why do we only make it during the holidays? I'm no nutritionist, but I would think that it would be better for us than eating potato chips. I also think that if I have access to something throughout the year then maybe I won't feel the need to founder myself on it during the holidays (I can rationalize almost anything if need be). So in the "Christmas in July" spirit, yesterday just before lunch I started mixing. And I decided that since it was so close to lunch that I would have eat Chex Mix as soon as it came from the oven. And Lovey came in just as I was stirring for the last time - he decided to wait for it too. I made a giant batch. And maybe I realized why we don't make things that require the oven to be on during for hours on the hottest day of the summer. But I had Chex Mix and I was happy. And the not foundering myself theory? I didn't eat any for breakfast this morning, but I did eat three bowls of the stuff yesterday. I'm going to take a bag of it to Brooke today. You might think sharing it goes along with the whole Christmas in July thing, and that it part of it. She loves Chex Mix as much as we do, and if I don't take her some I will feel guilty. But honestly, it's more about sharing the calories - if my butt's going to get bigger then someone else's should too.

counting my blessings

This has been a busy week. I've been running early every morning, going to workshops during the day, and teaching at Bible school each night. And I haven't done any of it witih a willing and happy heart. Especially the VBS part. Isn't that sad to admit! I know, I should be embarassed to own up to it. But there's no use in pretending. I have grumbled and griped all summer long about it. But I knew that I needed to adjust my attitude. How can I do a good job of teaching God's message when I have such a bad attitude about it? I'm telling you, I was worried about it. But I just couldn't get in the right frame of mind. Until tonight. Tonight's lesson was about Jesus and John the Baptist. In the lesson I had to do the introduction and then pretend to be John the Baptist at the River Jordan. After telling about baptising Jesus I asked the kids "What would you give to have Jesus in your life?" And before I even finished the question, Layla (going into first grade) gets big eyes and breathes a very sincere "Everything!" And I felt a chink in my hardened heart just fall away. The kids discussed that they would do anything needed to be close to Jesus. And then I said "Well you all are telling me all sorts of things that you would do - even that you would give everything that you have to know Jesus, but what's the only thing that you HAVE to do?" And again before I had finished to question good, seven-year-old Austin whispered, "Ask. All you have to do is ask." I'm telling you, I heard that hardened heart of mine just crack wide open. When I had finished the lessons, I went into the sanctuary where the groups were gathering for the night's closing. Each year we group the kids and the UMY teenagers serve as team leaders. I sat there and watched as those teenagers danced and chased and laughed and witnessed to these kids. No grownups were forcing them to dance. No one said "You have to hug the kids in your team." It's a rule that each teenager is responsible for the safety of the kids on his or her team, but these leaders do so much more than make sure the team members are safe. They help with check-in. They clean up messes. They help with snacks. They sing and dance. They tie shoes and replace hairbows. They hug. They laugh. They play games. They chase and chase. They listen. They praise. They love. And again, I felt my heart just burst. If you are one of those parents who have brought or sent your kids to VBS this week, I thank you for allowing me to share my nights with your babies. And if you are the parent of one of those UMY teenagers, I just can't tell you how much those kids impress me on a daily basis. They are amazing. It is an honor to watch God work in them and through them.