We had another busy day today. The good news is END EX....back to normal work schedules.
I had another 2 hour meeting with a local president - I love my "job."
We had Youth group, AWANA and MOCA (Moms of College Aged) tonight....and so tonight we skipped a family circle reading and went right for the clue and gift.
It was Stacia's turn to open the door again. Clue # 5 "I'm learning the old fashioned way."
The gift was hidden in an old school desk...but I was too tired to chase them up the stairs.
Evidently everyone else was too tired to help unwrap. ::grin::
GLOW STICKS...great fun...simple...easy...quicker than a game ::snort::....and we had our own light show. Yuuki wasn't sure what to make of all this.
I'd love to say family circle/devotions always goes swimmingly. It usually doesn't. It usually goes, "ok"....but tonight....we were all tired.
Stacia talks - a lot. She talks a lot first thing in the morning, in PCOC, at lunch with Mommy's friends, when Mommy is trying to Skype, through dinner and then throughout family circle. She drives me to desperately seek solitude every once in awhile. ::grin:: Seriously, though, this is the gal who loves to go with me to the commissary to see how many of Mom's friends we will meet. I love it!
Zander makes noises....he loves to make noises. Tonight he combined the noises with sword play using an empty Christmas paper roll. While I continued to lead a discussion on Jesus being our King. He also loves to quote movie lines, and there is nothing better than YOU knowing the next line and responding....he and Jared could do this for hours. He continually tells us he misses this with Jared. He does this in public and most don't realize he's quoted a movie line. ::snort:: I believe quoting movie lines is his love language. I digress.
Several times, I stopped and calmly corrected both my rabble rousers... I kept trying to make it easy enough for a 7 yo and meaningful enough for a 15 yo as we discussed what it means to have a King etc....and then right there in the middle of devotions....it happened....it wasn't an outburst, I wasn't yelling.... I just stopped mid-sentence and said, "Zander if you don't stop I'm going to kill you!"
He was taken aback. I was taken aback.
Stacia, never at a loss for words, replied, "Well, Zander you'll get to see Jesus faster!"
We all laughed. I apologized. I don't make it a habit to tell my children I am going to do them bodily harm - and certainly not in the middle of family devotions!
But we weren't done. It gets better.
It was time to pray. I asked someone else to PLEASE start us and I'd finish. Stacia jumped to the task. Then she wasn't sure how to start...and as we waited..... Zander remembered the perfect line from a silly youtube clip. A movie line that he deemed appropriate!
"Jeeeesus"
Without a moment's hesitation I added, "Oh, Jesus!"
Zander rebounded, "We thank you and your Dad, Santa Claus!"
We lost it. We laughed until we cried. The older two joined us in laughing. Stacia remained very pious.
We pulled ourselves back together and finished our prayer with a light heart.
What was he quoting? Well - be warned you may find this offensive. I found this when I was looking for clips for a workshop. Some of his episodes are very funny, some are inappropriate...but this one cracked us up...and we used it to talk about how people think of God in a previous family circle.
There you have it - don't imagine we're a stellar family with all of this figured out. We muddle along. We are blessed to find humor along the way.
We read Zech 9:9 and discussed the role of a King, prophecy and how it all pertains to Jesus.
Arielle picked Clue number 4, "Where monsters sleep!" I'll have to talk with the cluemiester....this one was not our best clue...Three of the kids had never worried about monsters and had no clue where they would sleep....one of them is now worried about where ELSE monsters may sleep. ::snort:: After checking out various closets, nooks and crannies - they finally found it!
Excuse the room - at least I blurred the background
I was going to skip the following photo and possibly use it if I blog our devotions...but I want to be authentic...it's only fair. Yes, we have days like this. "I don't know where monsters sleep! I don't know what thermal pletion is!" Humph. After a quick hug, encouragement and parenting on the fly.....
Smiles are back - tonight's gift...Guesstures.
Of course the point of these gifts are making time for family....and so we played...I have no clue how THIS is supposed to say "burp" but there you have it!
Hoola Hoop
Tail
Winner
We ended the night with a round of pick up sticks. Stacia loves this game....all in all a good night...you just take the ruffled feathers, deal with them, repent where necessary and move on.
Yes, today is Tuesday - PWOC/PCOC day. We love to see what the kids will do each week with the nativity. We had all boys and one girl today....no sweet cuddly family for Baby Jesus, no extra panda bears or dolls....TRUCKS in Bethlehem - lots of em...and a DINOSAUR...and Baby Jesus? Did you spot him? One moved him to the top of the roof to be safe from the trucks. Another added the dinosaur.
This was an incredibly full day. Michael is working the night shift in the exercise. We snuck out of the house for PWOC early. The kids were full of energy today - and I wasn't so much. The kids and I had lunch with Mary and Marvie. Mary and her family just returned from a trip to the Philippines. Marvie and her family are planning to go over Christmas. Fun talk, fun memories.
We managed a flying trip to the commissary.
I got home just in time for a 1 1/2 hour ministry Skype. Good things afoot in PWOC Japan/Guam Region.
We got dinner on the table, tried to get the older Gherkins Christmas packages ready (forgot to put in the gift cards and have to re-do tomorrow), and then it was time for family circle....um....that is another post.
Godzilla....is he worshiping? Is there a baby there? Has he already devoured the nativity characters? I have no idea....but it IS Christmas in Japan. This was taken at Aqua City in Odaiba. Apparently, Godzilla blows smoke as well.
This, our fourth Christmas in Japan, I continue to reflect on how strange it is to celebrate the birth of Christ in a nation with little understanding of the incarnation of Christ as savior. BUT - they love the cultural aspects of Americanism.....and so are very friendly and willing to hear about why WE celebrate Christmas.
We got a late start on family circle as I was trying to get all the laminating done so the girls could help me cut and punch for our pre-schoolers tomorrow while I read. ::grin:: Michael is working noon - midnight for the current exercise.
Yuuki loves family circle
We had a great discussion as we continued our look at names - why they are significant and specifically the names of Jesus. Tonight....
We discussed what we look for in a friend, what makes a good friend and a not-so-good friend...and how Jesus is the perfect friend...in fact Matt. 11 says he was the "friend of sinners"... we love that. Isn't it comforting to know that even if you really blow it with Jesus, He is a friend who will forgive and stick close by, He's there when you move and there is no one nearby to befriend.... Nolan pulled out clue number 3, "Let sleeping dogs lie." How did Michael KNOW Yuuki would be sleeping there as we read the clue. Arielle and Nolan wanted to go right for Yuuki's chair....but I wouldn't let them and so the younger two raced up the stairs to check out all of Yuuki's favorite sleeping spots..... They finally zeroed in on the princess chair in the living room - but Yuuki didn't really want to get up for them!
Pick Up Sticks
We had a fun time playing "just two" games....I have never seen such concentration during this game.....I promised to play again tomorrow.
