Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Yukisan - 001

We were told the Japanese word for  "snowman" was "yukisan" (YOU KEY SAN).  Akiksosan has since corrected us numerous times. The correct word for snowman is "yukidaruma" (YOU KEY DA DLU MA).  Try as I might I can never remember yukidaruma without looking it up. ::snort::  Yukisan is sweet....and so we name our snowmen - Yukisan. This year in an effort to keep them straight I will number them throughout the winter/spring. LOL

Three families of neighborhood kids worked together to construct Yuikisan 001. Our children are the constants,  others came and went as they could.  (We find our  Christmas traditions make us much less stressed than the typical family this time of year - we have more time to play in the snow). ::grin::  See our First Japanese Christmas here and if you're a new reader you can read our thoughts about our  "Quirky Christmas Celebrations" too.

Nolan, Arielle, Zander and family A add finishing touches

Our kids and Family B pose with Yukisan

Yukisan 001
God continues to speak sweet thoughts to me about how to live a life that says WELCOME to those around me, especially to strangers, those outside His family.  As the kids moved their play around the block to the "sledding hill" our "Farmer who is really a Veterinarian" creates for them each year, I moved inside.
GREAT MELODRAMA

Sledding Hill will grow as the season continues

 I know the kids thought wimpy, tropically raised mom was COLD...and I WAS.....but an idea was also stirring in my heart. Family A had come inside yesterday for hot chocolate, snacks and games.  We don't know Family B and C well enough today to invite the kids in (one we don't know parents; the other isn't comfortable with their children coming inside)......I looked for a thermos and couldn't find it. I couldn't find hot cups either.  I was going to bake cookies but feared I'd miss the opportunity. I found a Polish Pottery tea pot, made a big pot of hot chocolate, grabbed some plastic cups and joined the kids.  I told them to stick the cups in the snow when they got hot. ::snort:: It worked. I'd best go buy some "supplies" and not risk my one  Polish Pottery pot outside very often.

Hot Chocolate Break
I've deleted lots of  words....and am debating what to say.  I have an insider view of interaction in the neighborhood and I'm seeing that we have a very rough pack of gals bullying tween boys. I noted trouble earlier but thought it was all Zander's perceptions. He IS socially awkward and his perceptions are usually "off" (it's a spectrum thing)....but it's not only Zander. There's another boy obviously targeted. This winter I plan lots of love and relationship building. Maybe some sort of segregated clubs....not sure....maybe Arielle would be willing to head up some sort of "nice young lady" club or mentoring program...since the roughest are younger than she. Certainly not ALL the young ladies in our neighborhood are like this - but several (5) are.  We want to use the opportunity we've been graced with to show a different type of family interaction. We want to live His love for these kids...be His hands and feet....and I want to see results NOW. ::snort:: 

I am deleting the rest of this post. ::snort:: But to be clear, I am NOT saying young women should be second class or doormats,  or give in to male aggression etc ....I am saying it is not good to teach young boys to hit aggressive girls and girls it's o.k. to bully younger boys (as is the case) Honestly - parents raised in a pack mentality, raising young children will end up with this sort of thing. Why would we expect anything different? Why would I expect Christian values from non-Christian families?  I see the power of legacy as I watch the various legacies being lived out in these families.   I'm asking God to show us how we can impact these families and children....how we can be used to show a new norm. We ALL should be showing more grace and kindness - male or female.  It was atypical 20 years ago, when we began parenting, to worry  a girl would beat up your child (either gender) while they were playing.  Enough said - praying about how God will use our family in this setting...as HE placed us here.  I would love insight or suggestions of ideas to reach out...while protecting the hearts of our children as well.

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Strange Sighting

G'ma strikes again! ::snort:: 
Can you tell what it is? It's a straw!!!! that wraps around your face and makes glasses....Stacia reports it to be a strange feeling to drink from it. ::snort::

And Deja, WOW.....you WARNED me. I put the seasoning into a glass jar for safer keeping as you warned me it was potent.....and I sniffed a bit...began to cough, sneeze, sinus' cleared all afternoon.....must have gotten some on my fingers which led to flushing my eyes. The boys were in the room and now have cleared sinus' too. What a WONDER....we can make turkey sausage AND clear our sinus' all winter. Thank you, my friend! We'll think of you with joy each time we use it.  I'm wondering if HEB ships. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

How Many Kings?

This has been around for awhile.  I'm not sure how I missed it.....but I'm listening to it now.



Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?
Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior
All that we have whether costly or meek
Because we believe
Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure
And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer
Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?
It’s who we’ve waited for
How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me
All for me
All for you
All for me
All for you
Single Song Words by Artist / Band : DOWNHERE
Lyrics Title : How Many Kings
Taken from Album : -
Single Released : 2007
Music Genre : Christian rock



Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Life

Yep - snow....lots of it. The kids spent several hours playing in it, reconnecting with friends in the neighborhood. Eventually, they were ready to come inside.  They invited a sibling group from down the road inside with them. Hot chocolate, snacks and games. 


Monoply

Apples to Apples
 I continued unpacking bags (about 1/2 of Michael's and mine are done).  I joked early in the a.m. that I was donning haz mat and chem gear to clean out our fridge. I found ingredients for turkey/rice/veggie soup, which I put on to simmer while I continued on the fridge.  It turned into an ALL DAY chore...but it was NICE to have it done when Michael brought home  milk and produce.  No before photos as it was too terribly frightening. BreAnne I DID find two bottles of Mountain Dew in there from your visit last summer. ::snort::  

Michael was home late and so the kids and I ate dinner and then played a few rousing rounds of "Hello Kitty Bingo," while waiting for him. ::snort::

Unfortunately, the clean fridge was calling to me and I was up at 1:30 a.m. It's 3:00 a.m. now and I hear kids stirring...maybe jet lag in reverse is visiting.....





Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...