Worth a read

For a beautiful and realistic telling of the birth and death of our Lord, check out this post.

Giveaway with a Christmas Twist

Tis the Season and I'm in the mood for some gift givin'!

The prize - a Seeds Family Worship CD! I've mentioned them a few times before, and recently ordered 2 more (now we have the whole set!) using a discount code from Jessica's blog (I'm not sure how long it was valid for, but you could try using it and see what happens - enter code PJMORRIS09 to get 20% off your order). And since they come in packages of 2 cd's each, I happen to have some extras to giveaway!

The winner will have their choice of 3 CD's - Seeds of Praise, Seeds of Purpose and The Power of Encouragement).










And what do you have to do to win? Why, you have to enter my Christmas Traditions Blog hop, that's what! Blog about one or more of your favourite family traditions, or about one you've heard of and would like to start, add yourself to the MckLinky - and voila! You are entered.

Oh, and maybe comment on this post that you've done so, as it'll be easier to me to random.org the comments.

Since the Christmas Traditions Blog Hop is open until Dec 31st, so is this contest.

Christmas Traditions Blog Hop

As a follow up to my previous post, I'd love to hear about your favourite Advent/Christmas traditions, especially those that encourage you to focus on celebrating the birth of Jesus.

So, I created my own blog hop for the first time! How it works is, you publish a post about this topic on your blog and enter the link to that particular post in the MckLinky section below. Then you can add the code so that the blog hop also shows up on your blog. This lets readers hop from blog to blog - thus the title blog hop. There are instructions below on exactly what to do - it's not hard, I promise! If you do have any questions, feel free to ask me.

Feel free to link up more than one post if you do a few relating to this topic. Thank you for participating and I look forward to hearing some new ideas!

I've set the blog hop to stay open until New Year's, just in case you come up with new ideas throughout the season.

Advent/Christmas traditions

What are your favourite Christmas traditions? Either ones that your family did when you were little, or ones you have started (or continued!) doing with your own children.

As I previously posted, one of my favourites is participating in Operation Christmas Child. Unfortunately it's seems so far away from Christmas so it hardly feels like a Christmas tradition.

We always attend our church's Christmas Eve service done by our choir. Often the children sing in it as well. We also normally go out for supper afterwards, and it often takes a few phone calls to find a restaurant open Christmas Eve!

We try to drive around one evening in December just to go look at Christmas lights.

But, I'd like some more ideas.

My friend Chelsea is going to be posting her ideas of celebrating Advent with littles - you can check that out Part 1 here. I'm definitely going to be rounding up all our Christmas books!

I also found a blog dedicated to Christmas Traditions so I'm going to have to review that a bit.

One thing I'd like us to try doing this year - there is a church that sets up a live nativity "play" that you walk through. I've heard really good things about it, so maybe we'll try that this year.

If you have any ideas to share, please let me know! I'm especially looking for new ways to focus the kids towards the real meaning of Christmas (celebrating the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ), and away from the secular meaning of Christmas (presents, presents, and more presents).

Operation Christmas Child!

I love the ministry of Operation Christmas Child.

Filling shoeboxes with gifts for children living in desparate situations - what a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!

Though it still feels like Christmas is a long way off, this is definitely one of my favourite family traditions.

Our church generally donates the Sunday School offering from Sept - Nov to Operation Christmas Child as well, so our kids are well familiar with this project!

Each year we pack one shoebox per child (Jacob isn't quite old enough to understand this, we'll do one for him starting next year).

I already purchased a bunch of school supplies to put in the boxes when we shopped for school in the States - such good deals!

Today I took all 4 kids (yes, another day off school - craziness!) to Dollarama to pick up the last of the items. It definitely would've been easier for me to pick them up when I was at Dollarama on Tuesday with just 2 kids, but I wanted the girls to be able to pick out the stuff themselves - they're much more invested in it that way, and they love doing it!

We pack for kids the "same" as our kids - so we have boxes for 3 girls ages 4, 6, 8. They all got virtually the same items. After I assembled the boxes (which I picked up from our church - very handy that they're doing the same project), each girl got to pack their own box. I had to help rearrange them so everything would fit - those stuffed animals can create some problems! LOL

Here's what we packed in each box....

markers
crayons
pencil crayons
paint set
pencils
pencil sharpener
erasers
writing booklet with cute butterflies on the cover
bag of marbles
small bouncy ball
stuffed animal or animal puppet (depending on what our girls picked)
hair ties
toothbrush
a homemade Christmas card from the girls

I think that's it - a lot of practical stuff, and a few fun things thrown in too. Hopefully they'll enjoy them! I know we had a blast putting it together.

True Treasure

Sometimes when going through times of difficulty, we need to be reminded that God has not abandoned us and that He cares about our hurts - personally.

During some recent blog reading I found an idea for a treasure chest full of personalized treasured verses, and I decided to put one together for a best friend of mine who is going through a really tough time right now.

I typed out some 2x4 cards with the paraphrase of the verse including my friend's name in large cursive letters (like a note written to her personally from God), followed by the exact verse and reference from the NIV. I put them into a little treasure chest box I picked up at the dollar store.

I found a great website with 365 promises of God and all together I filled my friend's treasure box with 59 personalized treasured verses.

Here are some samples if you're interested in making one of these for yourself or for a friend.

If you feel like receiving a "hug" from God - substitute your own name as your read through these verses....

Tammy, I will heal your broken heart and mend all your wounds.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3

Not one of My promises will ever fail you, Tammy.
You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. Joshua 23:14

The good things I have planned for you, Tammy, are too many to count.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. Psalm 40:5

You can trust in Me, Tammy, for I am your strength and your song.
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

I will be the voice behind you, Tammy, guiding you in the way you should go.
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

I will protect and carry you, Tammy, all the days of your life.
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4

For you, Tammy, are honoured in My eyes. I, your God, am your strength.
For I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has been my strength. Isaiah 49:5b

If you wait for me, Tammy, I will work on your behalf.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

My plan for your future, Tammy, is filled with hope.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Tammy, I will bless your life and keep watch over you always. I will be gracious to you and give you My peace.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Tammy, I will give you peace at all times and in every situation.
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

I will never abandon you, Tammy.
God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5b

Come close to Me, Tammy, and I will come close to you.
Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8a

Cast all your worries on Me, Tammy, for I really care about you.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Tammy, I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

You can trust in My faithfulness, Tammy, because My Word is true.
For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4

Tammy, I will restore and refresh your weary soul.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:3

Even when you are weak in your faith, Tammy, I will remain faithful to you.
If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

One day, Tammy, I will wipe away every tear and take away all your pain.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

I see all your hardships, Tammy, and I care about your suffering.
I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:7

Tammy, I will turn your mourning into dancing and surround you with joy.
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothes me with joy. Psalm 30:11

Call out to Me, Tammy, and I will show you wonderful things you do not know.
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

I know what you need before you even ask, Tammy.
For your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8b

Be courageous, Tammy, for I am with you and I will never fail you.
Be strong and courageous....for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

God loves you so much!!

Until that Glorious Day

Last week I attended the burial service of an elderly friend of my mom's.

The burial service happened to take place in the same cemetary as the one my first dad was buried in on October 7th, exactly 30 years ago. For the full story see my previous post about my confusing family tree here.

I had never been to see where he was buried and so my mom took me to find his grave site.

It was rather strange. Due to my Christian faith and personal relationship with Jesus, and my knowledge of my dad's same faith - I know that he is in heaven with Jesus right now. I know that he is a grandfather to our two babies that I lost early on in pregnancy. I know that they, and many other family and friends, are waiting for the return of Christ to earth, and that all of our bodies are like a veiled image of what our glorious resurrected bodies will be. And yet, our earthly bodies - flawed as they are/will be until that day - are still such a personal and important part of who we are. It's how we relate to each other, how we interact with each other, how we know each other, how we show love to each other.
And this is the place where his earthly body was laid to rest, the place where the memory of his earthly life is etched in stone. And so, it is special. Important, yet eternally insignificant at the same time. For there will come a day when we will meet face to face in our glorious resurrection bodies. Our bodies will be unmarred by sickness, death or pain, the lack of any memories on my part will be irrelevant, and our reunion will be joyful and complete. Perhaps he will even get to introduce me to my children. Who knows? The details we may not know. But this we do know - it will be glorious indeed!

What a Day That Will Be - words and music by Jim Hill

There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come
No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.
All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

There'll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Chorus
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
What a day, glorious day that will be!

And until that day comes, I will rejoice in my many blessings. Including the blessing of having two earthly fathers to love me, invest in me and teach me to love my heavenly Father.

Until Then
But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

Thankful

This Thanksgiving weekend I am thankful for....

- a wonderful husband, a servant leader, involved and dedicated father, my best friend, someone who can always make me laugh, my teammate, my soulmate, the love of my life
- 4 amazing children whose energy wears mine out, but whose characters are each unfolding, individually, into beautiful works of art - the responsibility the Potter has given us to help Him shape them is frightening, humbling and exhilarating
- a Saviour whose love overwhelms, whose patience never ends, whose strength never wearies, whose faithfulness reaches to the skies, whose forgiveness is ever merciful, whose justice is sure, whose mercy is indiscriminate, whose power is infinite, whose passion and love for each and every one of us despite His intimate knowledge of our deepest thoughts and feelings is unfathomable and yet gloriously true
- the health of my family
- having a heritage of faith in God
- our house, van, truck, Nathan's job, all the things we've been blessed with
- a wonderful church family to encourage us, uplift us, and hold us accountable

and much, much more!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Friday Faves - TV Shows

I'm participating in Friday Faves over at It's Almost Naptime again today and the topic is favourite TV shows.

You better pour yourself a coffee cause this could get long!

Yep, I admit it - I like TV. Actually, I probably love TV. It's true. TV/computer time - one of my vices. I think it's my only vice, but maybe there's another one I'm just in denial about, who knows?!

And I let my kids watch TV too. Though admittedly I was able to crack down on the time allowed to watch tv over the summer, and so far have been doing great at keeping that up with our school-age children. But with Olivia? I admit to letting her watch tv during the day - trust me, I need my sanity.

So, my favourite shows...

Reality TV
We LOVE reality TV in this house. Here's the ones we watch regularly...

Amazing Race - probably my all time favourite reality show. I'd LOVE to be ON this show - might have to wait awhile though, pretty sure nobody's taking my 4 kids for 6 weeks so I can travel the world. But I digress...

Survivor - faithful followers since mid-way through season one, we're still going strong. I could NOT be on this show, if only because of the gross eating challenges.

Apprentice - I think I actually like the Celebrity Apprentice version better than the regular one - there's a whole lot of fireworks because all of these people are so full of themselves.could never be on this show - mainly because I can't stand Donald Trump. Working for him would likely top my list of things I'd like to do least, and I doubt I'd be able to keep my opinion of his hair to myself, and I would likely vomit after witnessing all the brown-nosing in person.

Dancing with the Stars - this one we don't watch religiously, but if we happen to catch it, we like it. I obviously couldn't be in this one - since I'm not a professional dancer (trust me, not sure you want to witness that) and I'm obviously not a celebrity - not even a B Z list celebrity.

Battle of the Blades - this is a brand new one that has ex-professional hockey players teaming up with professional figure skaters and competing against each other as teams - Dancing with the Stars on ice basically. This looks like it'll be really good.

Non-Reality Shows
The Office - LOVE it! Think it's hilarious - don't miss an episode!!

Criminal Minds - this one probably tops my list of favourite shows in any category. We only started watching it sometime during last season, but we've been doing some major catchup with all the reruns they've been showing on A&E (sometimes 8 episodes per weekend!). We're into 2007 now so we're almost caught up - which will be a little disappointing actually, we've been enjoying watching an episode almost every evening before bed (perhaps not the best time of day to watch some of those episodes!) After being very frustrated trying to figure out who Hotch was, I was relieved when my friend Pam told me that he was Greg in Dharma & Greg.

Law & Order - the original only. We used to watch SVU, but it was getting too political and we needed to cut some shows off of our list!

The Unusuals - we only caught a few episodes last year, and I think they may have pulled the plug on this one - which is too bad as it was very entertaining as well as unusual!

And then of course, there's sports. I like watching hockey and CFL football. I will watch NFL football if it's an important game. That's about it. I may be Canadian but I just can't get into watching curling on TV (or in person for that matter). And, of course, with the Olympics coming up soon that'll up our TV watching quota significantly!!

So there ya have it. Now you know how we waste spend our time once the kiddos are in bed. (though we do admit to letting the kids watch Amazing Race - they love it :)

Can I just say - we heart our PVR!!

Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot one of our all time favourite shows - SEINFELD!! We love watching the reruns, over and over again. And I bet not a week goes by that something doesn't remind me of a Seinfeld episode - just shows that it definitely was a show about "nothing" and everything at the same time.

I did it!!!

Pssst - check it out!