Christmas at Our House

Just a typical holiday...

Yeah, really wanted to post photos.  But computer having issues.

Maybe it has a cold too!

Christmas Humming

I was caught this week. Humming. Rather loudly. In Walmart. A kind man was smiling at me when I realized he could hear me. The song in my head had burst out in melodious murmur. Spontaneous. Joyful. I was sharing.

Life would Jesus should be this way!

Knowing our freedom, our salvation, our Hope we burst out in praise to share our good news!!!!

It should be. But it's not.

We don't wish to offend. Or embarrass our children. Or seem foolish.

May I be more willing to be foolish in the eyes of this world if it means I share Hope more this coming year!

Advent Traditions and Calendar

I love traditions!  This week I have been cleaning my house to prepare for Decking the Halls on Saturday.  The cleaning I don't like so  much, but preparing for the red and white and family and friends and feasts - I love!

This year, I want to make the Advent Wreath part of our tradition.  So I did some research - of course!  And I'm posting what I learned as well as a devotional schedule for you to add to your family traditions.

I'm thinking this could be a fun thing for littles as well - make paper candles out of paper and place so they "burn" all week and you can talk about them and their meaning!

Hope you enjoy!

The Meaning of Advent

 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel,”  (Isaiah 7:14)

             "Advent" means “Coming.”

                Our Expectations, Anticipation and Preparation for Christ

 

·         Watching for fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies

·         Watching for His Birth

·         Watching for his Resurrection

·         Watching for His Return

                 

 The Advent Wreath

 “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit,”  (Rom. 15:12-13).

             Traditionally, during the Christmas season we have an "Advent Wreath" in our Churches, and this is remarkably celebrated in all Denominations, including Orthodox, Catholic, liturgical, Mainline and Evangelical. The Advent Wreath is a  tradition that cuts across denominational and theological boundaries. It dates to the beginning of the 19th century in Europe. This Advent Wreath is arranged with 4 or 5 Advent candles, 3 or 4 of which are in a circle, along with one in the center, all on a base of evergreens each has a powerful message for us about our Lord. This has prevailing imagery we should not take for granted or consider just another holiday decoration.

 ·        The Wreath: The wreath itself means "victory" as Christ's victory over sin (Praise God!!) so He can save us. The Advent Wreath has 4 or 5 candles that are arranged in a circle symbolizing Christ's eternity, as a circle has no beginning and has no end, it is a symbol for God, Who is eternal and thus without beginning or end. The evergreens mean He is "ever with us," they are usually pine branches or holly that are used as a base that represents anticipation, newness, renewal and His everlastingness. The red berries of the holly represent the shedding of Christ's blood.

 ·        The Candles: The Advent candles mean the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son. This refers to the significance that Christ is the Light of the world. When they are lit, the illumination is to symbolize the Christ of eternity and His coming as the "Light of the World" and our worship and honor of His most precious gift of His Grace and mercy. These candles also have a color theme too, purple, blue, pink or rose and while. The first two or three are purple meaning royalty and this is also the color of suffering and the darkness of sin, connecting Jesus' birth and crucifixion and His triumph over sin. Blue means sky and life, pink means joy, and white means purity.

 

Meaning of Candles

·            1^st Week – Purple -  "CANDLE OF HOPE" means His promise and hope. We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises He made to us. Our hope comes from God. (Romans 15:12-13)

 

·            2^nd Week – Purple -  "CANDLE OF PREPARATION" means His light and preparation. Preparation means to 'get ready'. "Help us to be ready to welcome YOU, O GOD!" (Luke 3:4-6) (Some traditions combine the first two)

 

·            3^rd Week – Rose -  "CANDLE OF JOY" means the angels sang a message of JOY! (Luke 2:7-15)

 

·            4^th Week – Blue -  "CANDLE OF LOVE" symbolizes Christ love. God sent His only Son to earth to save us, because He loves us! (John 3:16-17) (some traditions omit this one)

 

·            5^th Week – White -  "CHRIST CANDLE" symbolizes the incarnation, the heart and reason of the season, God giving light to the world. Its location is in the center as Christ's light is central and radiant. This reminds us that Jesus is the spotless Lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! (in wreaths that have 4 candles, it is in the circle among the rest of the candles)

 

Sunday, Dec 2.                                                                  Purple                   Candle of Hope

Sunday, Dec. 9                                                                  Purple                   Candle of Preparation

Sunday, Dec. 16                                                                Rose                      Candle of Joy

Sunday, Dec. 23                                                                Blue                       Candle of Love

Wednesday,  December 25,  Christmas Day               White                    Christ Candle

 

·        Each candle is during a family devotional.   Scripture is read that teaches the principle.  Then the previous candles are re-lighted.

Devotional Verses for the Season

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS       November 28- December 1, 2012                

SUNDAY: Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2

MONDAY: Matthew 1:18-24 and Luke 1:26-33

TUESDAY: Luke 2:1-5

WEDNESDAY: Luke 2:6-7

THURSDAY: Luke 2:8-9

FRIDAY: Luke 2:10-12

SATURDAY: Luke 2:13-14

 

THREE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS     December 2-8, 2012                                      

SUNDAY: Luke 2:15-16

MONDAY: Luke 2:17-18

TUESDAY: Luke 2:19

WEDNESDAY: Luke 2:20

THURSDAY: Luke 2:21

FRIDAY: Matthew 2:1-2

SATURDAY: Matthew 2:3-6

 

TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS         December 9-15, 2012                        

SUNDAY: Matthew 2:7-8

MONDAY: Matthew 2:9

TUESDAY: Matthew 2:10-11

WEDNESDAY: Matthew 2:12-15

THURSDAY: Galatians 4:4-5

FRIDAY: Ephesians 2:8-9

SATURDAY: 1 John 4:7-16

 

ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS            December 16-22, 2012                      

SUNDAY: Ephesians 2:12-22

MONDAY: John 7:37-38, and 14:6

TUESDAY: Matthew 28:19-20

WEDNESDAY: John 8:12

THURSDAY: John 9:4-5 and Matthew 5:14-16

FRIDAY: Psalm 98:1-6

SATURDAY: John 1:1-3, 14 and Romans 6:23

 

CHRISTMAS DAY                                         Tuesday, Dec. 25                                                      

Psalm 100, Revelation 3:20-21

 John 1:29 and John 3:1-8 and Psalm 25

We made it!

September 28, 2012

I made it!  I survived August.  I conquered September!

I am only 3 pounds heavier than I was August 3rd.  Considering my stress level, that's a miracle!

 I have not yelled at anyone.  Although, one nurse nearly felt my wrath, I was able to catch myself before unleashing on her a litany of why I homeschool and its benefits for my family and why each family must choose the educational method best for them and for each student, and...

I digress.

In the past 7 weeks, I have been to Denver twice.  Grand Junction once.

I have put my daughter in an operating room - twice.  I have sat with two friends having surgery.  I have watched my husband struggle with a knee problem and then have surgery too.

My in-laws have visited.  A friend has stayed with me.  I have driven to hand therapies and doctor visits.  I

My child has blackedout once and had a minor seizure (like there's such a thing in the eyes of a parent!).

And in my spare time I have arranged lessons for two children.  I have reworked Math problems.  There was the chemistry lessons I've had to watch.  I've ventured into the area video learning.

Then there's my extended family....

Shall we talk about the ills of rabbit brush and allergies in the Four Corners Area?

I also turned 43! 

And celebrated 21 years of marriage.

I'm not known for being able to hold it together this long.  By now I would have yelled at husband and kids alike.  I would have taken to bed for at least one day and hid from the world. 

Maybe I'm maturing.  Maturing in Grace. 

Not everything has been done - laundry still lays folded on the couch downstairs and my bathroom could use a good scrubbing.  Dishes are in the sink.  And a bag of apples needs to be cored and sliced for freezing.  The garden has hot been prepped for the winter and my basil is going to freeze on the vine soon if not taken care of - but that's okay.

I'm sitting in His Word more.  Learning His definition of perfection vs. Mine.

Mostly, I'm realizing this Life is not about me!  Shocker!

It's about Him.  And how I live for Him each day with each struggle. 

Micah 6:8 spells out what God wants:

"What does the Lord require of you?
     To do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with the Lord your God."


That's it.  That's all. 

It's my belief he wans us to this for ourselves too!   He wants us to do justly for ourselves - rest, set reasonable expectations and schedules -  and our family - be there for them, be present in covnersations and each moment - ;  to show ourselves mercy - we can't do it all and it's okay! - and realize in humility we can accomplishing nothing apart from him. 


Do Justly  - for you and your family today.

Love Mercy - His compassion is new every morning!

Walk Humbly - it's all about Him!

Soccer Season 2012

2012 Soccer Season is in full season!

This is Chris's junior year of High School.  And his freshman year at Fort Lewis College where he is taking a class on Introduction to Athletic Training - which he is really enjoying.

It's busy as ever - and we love it!

Pics from Surgery

 Team Ashley!

This was Surgery #9 for Ashley and me.  Surgery #4 for Marilyn.  We suprised Ashley with our rhinestone shirts with more names on them.

Dr. Change and our Favorite Anesthesiologist!

Post op rest time.  Sleeping soundly. 

Little friends to comfort.

No Time Limits

One Week, one day down.

One week, six days to go before she can put weight on her foot.

14 days until her next surgery.

Funny how some people count the passage of time.

We countdown to Holidays, birthdays, parties -  milestone events.  We count how many days, weeks, months, years since the birth of our children.

Time.  

We are prisoners of time.  Constrained by it's limitations.  Bound by it's laws.

For now.

One day, we will be free to walk, run, fly, soar without constraints!  When Jesus comes to take us to be with him forever, there will be no laws of gravity and time and physics!

Titus 2: 11-13
  "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say "NO" to ungodliness, and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!  Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Wow!  God has brought us salvation through Jesus Christ!  We should live our lives free of sin because we are waiting for this - Jesus is coming again!!

Ravi Zacharias said, “Hope is that indispensable element that makes the present so important. Significantly, the absence of future hope has an amazing capacity to reach into the present and eat away at the structure of life, as termites would a giant foundation.”

If you have chosen Jesus as your Savior - not just acknowledged he is God, but chosen to life your life for him - you have this hope too!!

Romans 10:9-13
   That if you confess with your mouth and say, "Jesus Is Lord!" and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame..." for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!"

I love this!!!   

I confess - 

Jesus Is Lord!!!

I believe Jesus died on a cross and was raised from the dead!!

I believe He is coming back for those whom have confessed Him as their Savior!

I want to live my life purposefully.  That others see Jesus in me.

I want to write purposefully so that readers find hope in the written word!

I celebrate my Savior today!   I no matter who difficult this walk for my daughter has been, he will redeem her pain!  No matter the tears I've cried He has seen each one and has cried with me.  I know that my God rejoices in our triumphs and dances over me!

This Time I am prisoner of will one day be broken and I will live forever with my Savior! I will dance in His presence!  I will sing with the angels!  I will run with my daughter!  We will laugh as a family in the presence of our King.  Forever! 

No Time Limits.


(PS - Surgery tale to follow!)

Happy 14th Birthday

Happy Birthday!

Ashley Ruth Wilson Beach

July 24, 1998

1:53 pm

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Smiling

Silly

Family Lovin'

Deeply Rooted

Adored

Inspiration

That's our girl.

We are so pleased and proud to have her as our daughter!

2012 Family Newsletter

Wow!  It took 8 months and 2 hours to put this on my blog!!!!

These lovely pics were taking by Carol Cardwell Photography!

Amazing!!!

 The rest of the pics are mine.

Frustration

Computers

Technology

All I want to do is copy my family newsletter to my blog!!!! 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A little bit of Poetry

I think I've kept a journal since I could write.  Spiral notebooks, slips of paper, books with weird 70's artwork.  Some are thoughts and some are poems.  Some are ramblings.  Thought I'd share a poem today.

Tomorrow

All my failures
    He sees beyond
All my sorrows
    He understands
The tears I've cried, He's cried too.
The disappointment, He has felt.


To love me then,
To love  me now,
It takes a miracle.


But He sees me not then
And He sees me not now
He sees me as I will be Tomorrow. 

October 14, 1987

Kimberly Kay Wilson (Beach)

Memories

Going through my computer files today, I found these adorable pictures of my kids!  They were taken in 2005, just a few months after we had moved here.  My Dad and Momma Mike had come to visit and the kids road back to Oklahoma with them for a visit.

Aren't they adorable?

Lovin' her puppy

Sherman and Annie and the kids

Sleepy much?

Special Friends

David and I have been blessed with so many friends in our homes throughout our marriage - babies, teens, young marrieds, adult singles - sometimes even peers!

David is quiet and steady and doesn't ruffle very often.  I think that's why kids like him. 

One of his current little friends is Somer Joy.  And she is a joy!

They are both quiet and austere.  But she does have more hair!!

Mobile Ministries

Back to LA!

This is the SWAP mobile!  Servants with A Purpose.

This is a mobile clothes ministry.  Amazing!  In a City with so much excess, clothes are a problem?  We shopped at stores in downtown LA that offered name brand and knock-off clothes for $5.00 each. But you must have transportation to get there.  AND, you must have a disposable $5.00!

Excess in clothing is an issue for me.  I love clothes.  I love shoes.

Less than I once did.

But I do like choices.

Right now, I have 6 gray shirts in my closet for Fall and Winter.  There are 3 shade and 2 sleeve lengths to fit my mood.  Wow.

Think about your closet?  What doesn't fit?  What haven't you worn in weeks, months, years?

Someone needs them!

I'm not suggesting a clean-out to just drop off at the local thrift shop.  Be purposeful!  Do you have a local thrift store run by a church who uses profits to help others?  What about a ministry that takes the clothes to give to those who have lost things in fires and disasters?

Give meaningfully!

We recently gave donated clothes to a family who is having a large sale to raise money to adopt children from China.  That's a worthwhile cause!!

In Durango, CO we have a Methodist Thrift store that helps the community - low prices on good merchandise and proceeds to help those in need.  We also have Community Faith Church, a Nazarene church on the Mesa that gives clothes to those in need.  Wow!  In our little community, such opportunity!!

Challenge:  get cleaning!  Someone needs your excess!!

Where Would You Go?

No LA pics last week. I was in the hospital nursing an enlarged liver. Not fun.

No LA pics this week. Trying to finish the school year. Organize soccer team. Attend dance recitals. Read my own books. Look at summer plans.

But I do have a question for you- if Gid said to you, "Now is the time to go!". where would he be sending you?

The poor? The weary? College? Children's ministry? Youth meals? Advocacy? Foster parenting classes? New Zealand? Pregnant teens? Young men?

Where would he be sending you?

LA Dream Center 2012 - Skid Row

2012 LA Dream Center

Skid Row - it's not just a song title from "Little Shop of Horrors" although what you might see is pretty horrible.  It's not a movie prop - this is all too real.  To some it's a short-term situation, to others it's a way of life.  Some are there by choice, some by no choice of their own.

We spent three assignments at Skid  Row - two breakfasts and one lunch.  The Dream Center serves meals every day, the same time, the same corner of Skid Row.  

Relationships have been built with people.  This is Ninya.  She comes for meals every day.  She brought her chair and sat in the sun to stay warm.  She wasn't feeling well.  Her feet were cracked and sore from walking.  Our girls loved on her, listened to her stories and prayed with her.  She couldn't stay long - she had to get back to her place on the sidewalk before her things were stolen.  She brought  her most valued possessions in a child's pull toy.

Prayer is important on Skid Row.  It's touch.  It's life.  It's Hope.  

There are those who have chosen the Street Family way of life. There is a constant battle with law enforcement as people camp in front of businesses and break civil laws.  Prostitutes and drug dealers do business in the open.

There are several outreaches on Skid Row, including the Meals on Jesus Mission.  A Minister deliver the gospel as people stand in line for food.  Some churches make sack lunches and bring down town.  You may be standing on a corner when a truck pulls up and people flock around the bed while food is handed out to people. 

A new suburbia?  These are there homes.  We learned that tarps and tents are very valuable to the homeless.  They may be the difference between life and death.  They are shelter.  They are sunshade.  They "stake a claim" for the night.

The filth can be overwhelming.  The smell of urine.  Feces on the ground.  The City of LA has provided self-cleaning toilets for the homeless - a rather ingenious invention made necessary by the hepatitis outbreak among the transient population.  In the trash you see drug needles, condoms and evidence of life on the street that shouldn't be mentioned.

And then the reality that somewhere there's a child.  You don't see them in the open.  Social Services has taken most of them into protective custody.

In a downtown Park, people catch a nap in the sun.  It had been chilly that morning.  It is estimated that in the LA City Limits 6% of the population is homeless.  Not the county, not the area - just inside the city limits.

The meals delivered are nourishiment to the body.  But the human contact is nourishment to the soul.  It is Hope.

Where have you delivered Hope today?

Time for a Story - Kids Jam

It's taken a bit for me to write about our trip to LA.  Partly because I've just been getting back to into the rhythm of our life - if chaos has a rhythm, and partly because I've had to think about it all.  As I can, I want to share stories of this amazing trip.


Staring with Kid's Jam!

Kid's Jam is an outreach program of the LA Dream Center into the housing projects throughout Los Angeles.  Simply explained, the team goes in and just plays with the kids for about 45 minutes.  Games of Kick Ball and Soccer, Keep Away, some football game I didn't understand and other activities quickly broke out.  The kids are accustomed to different teams coming each week and they really organized the activities - we just played.

The kids are lovely!  They want to play!  They bond so quickly to the team - they just want to be loved.

You don't seem many men around.  Many of the woman are older - maybe raising grandchildren.  Kids have to earn the privilege to come each week.  They call it "Promotion."  It's usually a bit of candy but it says, "I played.  I listened.  I learned.  I get to come back."  It was sad to see a boy who wasn't allowed to play because he had not earned promotion the week before.  I was told that due to the violence of the area, the kids must have strict guidelines so that order is maintained.  It's the structure they need and crave.

This is Isaiah and my Chris. They met when we served in Watts.  They were quite a team!  And Chris instantly fell in love with that smile and before we left he game him a bracelet that says, "God Is Big Enough."  Chris may not touch him again in the natural, but in the spiritual, we are bombarding heaven for Isaiah.

After 45 minutes, it's time for the lesson.  We learned the Rules:
                                STAY ON THE BLUE TARP!  
There's a game and prize and then they present the Gospel.  Very simple.  A memory verse.  Very simple.  Something they can keep all week.

The Dream Center Team was amazing!  We learned so much from them on working with these kids.  It was hard for our team to remember to stay visible;  stay together;  stay within the fence - we feel so safe in Durango.  I could not imagine a child's play center with a locked fence around it and razor wire around the top of the Community Center building.  We would never have the trash in our park that they have in their yards.  But there was a pride and dignity to them.

Their eyes scream one thing:

"Love Me!"

This little fellow I met in Compton.  I don't know his name - his speech was impaired I couldn't understand him.  But we smiled at each other and we became friends.  He didn't play much with the others but when it was Tarp Time - he was there!  Saying the Memory Verse!  Listening to the Story of Easter.

No witty summation.  No Bible verse today.  No great story.

Just look at his eyes.

I am so thankful someone is there every week for him.

And He loves Jesus.

Now What

Today is April 17.

It is the 108th day of the year.

There are 258 days left.

What have I done?  Have I advanced the kingdom of God?  Have I been hope to the hopeless?  Fed the hungry?  Loved the unlovable?

I'm having a hard time being home from LA honestly.  It was a great week.  Great kids. So much laughter.

Today was boring in comparison to what I've been doing.

 Up.  Dressed.  Read.  Cooked.  Taught.  Cleaned.  Taught.  Read.  Took a nap.

Edited pictures from the trip.

Wondered about the kids.

Prayed for Neisha.

Prayed for Niya.

Smiled at the thought of Mickey.  Hoped the Arkansas girls got home okay.

Wondered again at the Swedes who came not believing in God, just social justice yet everywhere they turned the gospel was present.

Prayed for the kids who went.  Read my Bible.

And then it was 4:00 pm.

There is a stirring created in your heart by service.  Don't know where God's taking me.  But I want to go.  I don't want to go back to the same person.  Same ways.

Changed.

And praying, now what?

Our Own Holy Week

Today as we started class we reviewed Christ's week leading to Easter and we took Communion together, praying for each other, for friends and for family.

Holy Week -

     Sunday, Jesus was hailed as the Triumphant Returning King!

     Thursday, He was a member of the crowd going about his business and preparing for the
                Feast of Unleavened Bread.

     Thursday night, He was arrested.

     Friday, He was despised and the crowd called for His death.

Too many times our own spiritual journey can be compared to the Holy Week.  We are saved and filled with joy and then Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday comes - it's all mundane, routine.  Then we are just part of the crowd and soon, our own Friday - we have walked away from God.

Then came Sunday.

   Resurrection.   Life.   Renewal.   Hope.


Where are you living today?  Friday?  or Sunday?

Randol Baby Belly Photos

My Friend Sommer
Baby Four is due this Summer
This is little Micah Ryan's first photo shoot.

The Girls - Momma, Felicity and Caitlin

Love!

Favorite!

Sean is Giving Baby Micah a kiss through her belly button!