Monday

Arielle continues to run a fever as the Tylenol wears off. She has a sore throat. No flu symptoms. This seems to happen about every 3 weeks. They couldn't get her in today, but she will be seen at 8:45 a.m. tomorrow.

I saw the dentist again today. An hour last week for "cleaning"... they had to do x-rays three times and then the dentist saw me but they didn't clean. We can only see the dentist once a year. They asked me to come back today for the cleaning. I have no cavities. Nolan and Arielle have none. Jared has one and needs his wisdom teeth pulled. Arielle has an ortho consult. When did the dentists become the age of my children????

It worked out so well. Mike met the little ones and Jared and took them for lunch and to the Weasel's Den, while I went to the dentist. I picked them up and took Jared to the library. He'll stay in until after Cross Training (PYOC). I only had to make ONE trip in, the kids got to see Dad (he'll be home after their bedtime tonight - probably 8:30 - 9:00), and Jared gets to spend the afternoon working at the library. Our kids discovered years ago that this is a rare treat - total quiet to study in.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Noisey Discovery

From 09 December

We discovered last night that Japanese "poppers" are not filled with confetti. They do, in fact, POP and spark and make a terrifically loud noise. We set off four. We saved one. I think we'll buy more. This may be a nice substitution for Christmas Crackers which we can't find around here and I didn't think to order. ::snort::

From 09 December

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Week that Nearly Did Us In

Wow - haven't blogged for four days.

This was a hectic week. A great week though. Let's see what we've done since Wednesday.....

Thursday a.m. was MOPS. I enjoy this group of young moms. Arielle enjoys volunteering for Moppettes. Thursday afternoon was Bible study. Thursday night was PWOC Dinner and Movie. We watched, "One Night with the King" - hmmmm.....I liked the book better. ::snort::

From 09 December

Everyone continued to work on the triangular puzzle. We had devotions.....found a gift....stapled an ornament on our Jesse Tree.

Friday a.m. began with a 5 a.m. call to the states for PWOC stuff. We did school. The kids worked on more fish books. Stacia worked on Jesse Tree Ornaments.

From 09 December

I had a dental appointment. It was supposed to be for a cleaning. The tech doing xrays was new. It took THREE TIMES for them to get it right. Then the dentist said, "Why is the roof of your mouth all cut up?" Um.... ::snort:: They also told me my blood pressure was high and they should refer me for daily readings (um....20 min for a reading? I don't think so). Then the dentist came in and said, "Your blood pressure looks good!" ::snort:: THEN they asked me to come back on Monday for a cleaning. OK.....so all that for xrays and to meet the dentist. They apologized but they were running behind schedule.

A nice side trip when going to dental appointments is the post office. The kids were happy to see what had arrived.

From 09 December

Ahlaska! Hot Chocolate is really not the best tasting hot chocolate around...but when your mom won't let you have artifical flavors or colors....it's exciting to have a case of Ahlaska "Chocolate". LOL

Zander got to pick the clue Thursday night....

From 09 December

He led the hunt to find the nights gifts - yoyos. This led to a demonstration by papa.

From 09 December

Friday afternoon we picked up Gracie and went back to the base to meet up with other PWOC ladies and their children. We visited a local Senior Citizens Center, took tanjobi (birthday) gifts, sang Happy Birthday, sang a Christmas carol in Japanese, gave Christmas cookies to the employees and a gift to our translator....fun afternoon. I want to have a best friend like this in the nursing home with me when I'm 104 years old....

From 09 December

Twyla had put tinsel in the gift bags. The ladies were trying to put it on the tree but it was in clumps...another lady and I asked if we could decorate it the "American way". They all got a kick out of watching, we had fun, it did look nice...they said it looked like "yuki" - snow. Jared did the top for us. I'd show the photo of us ladies spreading Christmas cheer but the photographer got a rather unflattering view of my bohonkus.

From 09 December

Friday night Nolan found the gift on the top of our tankless water heater.

From 09 December

We wanted a couple of movies which I slept through.

Saturday a.m. began with an earlyish, 3 hour conference call, with our PWOC Asia Region board. Arielle woke up with a high fever and sore throat. Everyone was dragging. We sort of sat around most the day.

Mike and Nolan finished up the puzzle. Stacia likes counting the various animals in the puzzle. I have another puzzle in my stash...wonder if I dare sneak it into the advent gift line up. LOL

From 09 December

Arielle is still sick today. I stayed home with her and kept the little ones home. I made a yummy lunch. I made a salad for the staff party. Mike, Jared and Nolan went to the party. We had tea, visited, and now they are all watching a movie.

I also Skyped with Mom and Dad, Krista and Breanne.


Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Travelers

From 09 December

Evidently, Mary and Joseph had to travel far, far away to Japan.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

GOD GESTATES!

WOW....am I living a God moment tonight or what?

I knew what I wanted to say tomorrow at MOPS. I was having trouble with organization but sort of got it to fit....and made a hand out and typed up my notes....but still wasn't 100% happy with the "format".

The topic I was given is Keeping Christ in Christmas.....and I was thinking in terms of birthdays and preparing for birthdays....but it hit me as we sat down for our Advent Devotions.....

Before every birth comes a pregnancy. God was pregnant...but I like alliteration - God Gestates.

As the family waited for me to begin reading about Rahab, my outline "popped" into place..... when our family waits for a baby....we count down the days, we think of a name for him, we dream of what he'll be like and try to picture his story, we prepare gifts for him, and we celebrate with a birthday party at his arrival (the nurses love this). ::snort:: All the things I planned to share fit those points..... I could hardly wait for devotions and the hunt to be over so I could rewrite my notes and handout.

I came back to retype my notes.....google reader was on the screen. The laptop had been moved. I glanced down to see "Holy Experience" at the top of my reader and her subject is "4 Ways to Celebrate Christ in Christmas. " I could see the first words...God Gestates. I finished my notes. I read her entry. WOW. Four of the five points are the same, though she says it much better...I'm me and will be me. Though I did find a quote, I'll use. ::snort::

I'm thrilled that God "zinged" my outline.... and I think this "coincidence" has to be confirmation. My outline is no longer awkward...same information but I think it will be easier to follow. I love how God steps in and does things like this to me as I prepare. He knows what it takes to energize me!

Off to remake a handout and make my notes pretty as I scribbled a new thesis and 5 new sub-points on them.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Jesus Birthday Cake

We've done various things for the CAKE part of our Birthday Party for Jesus....but I realize I have no recipes or clear instructions on the blog. Here we go.

First there are many things you COULD do with a birthday party for Jesus. It could be part of an RE celebration, it could be held the last week of RE, it could be held at your home with children invited (each guest bringing a donation for a charity)....but what we've done the last few years is simpler still. Sometime on Christmas Afternoon or Evening.....after dinner..... we have a party. We sing Happy Birthday, we blow out candles, we eat, we share what we have most loved or appreciated about the birthday boy (much like we do for human members of our family) and then we give our gifts to Jesus. The last few years this has consisted of us reading our "Jesus Stocking" entries. This year, with the stocking MIA and young ones who are old enough to celebrate Christmas but not quite old enough to write out messages for the stocking....I'm coming up with a new plan..... That's what we do. Hmmm...with Bre home we could attempt some of the Christmas hymns of the church around the cake....

As for the cake....we've made a simple cake, frosted it and treated it like any birthday. You'll note above we don't DO a devotional - we simply celebrate a birth. BUT you can take a few moments and discuss the colors of the cake etc. Last year I BOUGHT a cake at walmart, and I asked them to write "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it. The clerk said, "Do you mean Happy Holidays," and I said, "No".

Then she asked, "Oh, Merry Christmas?"

I said, "No."

Stacia, then 3, piped up with, "It's a BIRTHDAY for Jesus."

The clerk gave me a strange look and wrote Happy Birthday Jesus on our cake. ::snort::

Here are some Jesus Birthday Cake ideas/recipes....in case you'd rather something with a bit more symbolism.

Variation 1: from cooks.com

Make a round cake - chocolate to symbolize our sin.
Cover with white frosting - white to symbolize His purity that covers our sins.
Decorate with a star and an angel - they symbolize the bearers of the first glad tidings.
Add 12 red candles - 12 candles symbolize that Christ is our light through the 12 months and the color red stands for his blood sheet for us.
Encircle the cake with green frosting - symbolized everlasting life.

Variation 2: from cooks.com

Purity: One round white cake with white frosting.
Bethlehem: Topped with yellow sugar star.
Tidings of Great Joy: Figure of angel.
Christ our Light Thru the Year: Encircled by 12 red candles.
Everlasting Life: Greens around base of cake.

Variation 3: symbolism from, "The ADVENTure of Christmas", by Lisa Welchel

1 box of white cake mix - divide batter in 1/2
Add red food coloring to 1/2 - blood of Jesus
Add green food coloring to other 1/2 (eternal life)
Bake according to directions.
Add yellow coloring to white frosting (birthday of the Son of Righteousness)
Fill and frost red and green layers with yellow frosting.
Large white taper candle (Jesus center of our lives) in the middle of the cake.
Each family member places a small birthday candle around the cake (our lives revolving around Jesus, let our light shine before all)

Close to this idea, but adding stars, hearts and such is this cake from Christianity Today.

Variation 4 - The Grand Poohbah of Jesus' Birthday Cakes (This one is similar to the one I first saw).

Mary Rice Hopkins has provided us with instructions and a talk to give as we decorate the cake....all telling the Christmas/salvation story.

Some use ANGEL food cake (get it), Red Velvet Cake, but never Devil Food's cake. Make a "theme" cake - a normal cake but decorated with the theme of stars, nativity, gifts, birthday, gift box...

Visit my Advent Index for more ideas, stories and tips.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Stacia's View

Stacia loves to take pictures....incessantly. I enjoy her unique perspective on the world.

From 09 December

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...