An Evening at the Theater: A Christmas Carol

One of the "Ebeneazers" of 2014 came about in the summer months.

It revolved around how we school our children.

I had been begging God for an intervention for me as I felt I was drowning in our homeschooling.

But more about that later.
In the summer, the Lord blew a door of opportunity wide open for us to get our children involved in a brand new "Homeschool Assistance Program."
One of the caveats for making that a reality for our family was my willingness to help in the classroom 2 mornings a week and teach a speech/theater class elective for the high school students.
I have absolutely loved it (more about that later as well!!!)!
This semester, I wanted to expose my 5 students to a live theater production and I found one about an hour from our home.
So, we made it a field trip and enjoyed a delightful evening watching A Christmas Carol.

We all dressed up semi-formally, and piled into vans on a chilly Monday evening.
We loved the theater and how personal it was because of the "theater-in-the-round" lay out.
We were right up close to all the action and music, and we will definitely be traveling here again.

My 5 high school students pre-show.

My lovlies and I.

December Busyness

Just to give a little perspective on things here, this post highlights all the events that took place

during the daytime hours before we took our trip to Bethlehem.
You can view that post here.

In the morning hours, I ran two of my children to their final rehearsal at church for their

junior choir presentation that was to be held the following Sunday evening.

They had been practicing this program for months and worked so hard learning their solos!

After they were finished, we raced home to pick up their siblings for a Christmas party

held at our former church where they are now attending a wonderful school program.

(More on THAT later)

They had so much fun with their friends sharing pizza, games, gifts, and a re-enactment

of the Christmas story!!

When that party was over, most of them climbed into vans and went caroling to some shut-ins!

They got home from caroling just in time to have some dinner and off we went to Bethlehem!!

The following evening, the second Sunday evening in December, these two had their Junior Choir Program.  I wish I had gotten more pictures of them during the program, but we were focused on video recording their solos.  The lighting was also very dim which made for poor quality pictures.

These two truly did such a beautiful job.
They were nervous, but  glorified their Savior in their sweet spirits and in ministering

to the hearts of those there with their songs.

Bethlehem Revisited 2014

Ever since we discovered this amazing event during the Christmas season of 2005, our family has made an {almost} annual journey to "Bethlehem."

Last year, we had a paralyzing ice storm that caused nearly every outdoor event during the first week of December in North Texas to be cancelled, so we missed last year.

We couldn't WAIT to go back this year.
Because we've been so much, and they have "Bethlehem" set-up nearly the same way every year, we know exactly what we want to see and all the short-cuts to get to those spots.

This year it worked best for our schedule to go during the second weekend of the month.

Volunteers in a quaint small town not far from us transform some land behind a large church into what you might imagine Bethlehem might have looked like thousands of years ago.
You can watch actors in period costume play the part of King Herod and send off the wise men to find the young child prophesied of.
As you enter the "town" there are massive Roman guards in costume speaking gruffly to the townspeople.
You can go through the different "shops" and buildings there that have been transformed into a glimpse of Jewish life in that day.

One of our favorite stops is in the Jewish temple.

There you'll find a "rabbi" demonstrating some of the rituals of that day and the meaning and symbolism behind everything.
You can see my Abby at the bottom corner of the picture as she listened to the horn being blown.

We ran into our sweet friends from church in this building and had to grab a photo op!!

The children are always encouraged to participate in each period activity.

There are sheep and chickens to pet, garments to try on, bread and honey to sample, camels to watch, different period craftsmen to observe, and of course........

........Mary and Joseph to follow.

They come through "town" on a donkey and make a stop at the local inn.
You get to follow them to the little stable at the back of the property.

As you stand there with the crowd quietly watching this sweet, simple nativity scene....you begin to get it.

That what we're remembering during the Christmas season has nothing to do with Christmas trees, sparkly lights, blingy presents, and Santa.
We are simply remembering the humble, ordinary birth of our extraordinary Savior.
That He didn't arrive with parades and parties and fanfare.

In fact, it seemed so common to everyone at the time, that they didn't even realize this birth was the one they had been waiting for for so many years.

It was the simple arrival of "Emmanuel".......God with us.
The great  I am had pulled on skin and bones and arrived earthside to be the final sacrifice, the last perfect satisfying Lamb offered to cover the sin of the world.
To show us what grace and love and joy really looked like.
It always sets my perspective straight.....every year.

As we were preparing for our trip this year, I reminded my children that we needed to stop in and visit the flute player.

This guy just loved His Savior and playing the part of a Jewish musician.
He was a comedian extraordinaire and demonstrated all sorts of handmade wooden instruments.
We especially loved it when he would play the flutes with his nose!!!
But unbeknownst to us,last year after the final evening, he told his fellow interpreters that that would be his last performance.
That he had cancer and would not be with them in 2014.
And he wasn't.
We were all so sad to find this in his little booth.

As we wrap up our annual to this favorite family activity, we always stop to get a free cup of hot chocolate or hot cider.
We found our friends again and took a minute to snap a fun group photo!!!!

A Magical Evening

In the fall, my husband and I had the wonderful opportunity of attending a concert of The Piano Guys in our local {very} big city.

During intermission, as we were standing on the outdoor balcony overlooking the sparkling downtown skyline, he pointed out the other big concert venue not far away.

I casually mentioned to him that there was going to be an AMAZING Christmas concert there featuring their extraordinary pipe organ and the brass section of the orchestra.
I also casually mentioned that wouldn't it be awesome to hear that and to double date with some very dear friends of ours who we knew would equally enjoy such a concert!
I mentioned it VERY casually to him because I had already checked out the ticket prices, and they were {gulp} waaaaaaaay out of our price range.
But if you know my husband, he loves to give great gifts....especially those he knows the receiver will love!
So, imagine my surprise when he came charging in from work one day and made the declaration that he had made an "executive decision," had already called and made the arrangements with our friends, and had already ordered the tickets!!!  {gulp}
Plus, he already had a plan on how to make it financially feasible for us as well!!!

How could I NOT be excited!!!!!

He planned and planned, and even researched a brand new restaurant for us that evening.

It was an amazing little Italian place that had such a lovely atmosphere and delicious food!

He even planned for valet parking.

Something we have NEVER done before (and after it was all over may not ever do again.)
After taking pictures together.........

......we made our way to our seats.

The view was spectacular!!!

The entire concert was just stunning, and literally blew us away!!!

At one point in the program, several of the instrumentalists spread out around the concert hall to give an echo effect in the music, and we ended up with the principal french horn right smack in our box!!
He even graciously autographed our programs!!

The entire evening was just magical with all the beauty of Christmas around us.

The final piece was the most amazingly beautiful arrangement of O, Come All Ye Faithful that I've ever heard.

When it was all over, we strolled back to where we had dropped off our vehicle at valet parking.
We were told that we now needed to walk to the back of the building to retrieve our ride.
On the way over, we were slightly distracted by the gift shop where we chose to browse for a few minutes.
By the time we got back to the pick-up spot, there wasn't a soul in sight.
No one. Nothing. Nada.
After checking in at the service deck not far away, they discovered that the valet parkers had gone home.  Without leaving our keys at the desk.
So that provided us with a couple more silly photo opportunities while we waited for them to high-tail it back to us.

I've never seen a vehicle shoot out of parking garage so fast.
All was well that ended well!!
In more ways than one, it was an evening to not be soon forgotten!!!!

One last time

One of the things we love about our church is the many opportunities for ministry that our children have.

At all ages.

No child is too small to be able to participate in some way of being a blessing and learning to minister to those around them.

From singing "Happy Birthday" to our Pastor in is office on his birthday when they are 2-years old to neighborhood evangelism when they are teenagers!

At Christmas, we look forward to the Children's Choirs presentations.

Each Sunday evening in December a different choir features special carols, recitations, and drama.

The first Sunday of the month always belongs to the very youngest choir.....the primary choir.

For 7 years we've had one or more children from ages 4 to 1st grade participating in this group.

This was the very last year we will have a child as a part of the primary choir.

Next year, she'll be joining her youngest brother and sister in the junior choir!

Aryn worked so very hard to learn her Scripture verses.

She climbed up on that platform wearing the dress that her very oldest sister once wore in a Christmas program many years ago and that has been worn by each sister since then.

She was so very nervous, but did such a happy job!

Sweet, precious memories.

December musings

As we were approaching Thanksgiving recently, I had to take a deep breath and mentally prepare for the next few weeks that were coming toward us at Tsunami-like speed.

December is always a blur.

At the end of it, I often feel frazzled and just d.o.n.e with the whole thing.

But I wanted this year to be a little different.
I've gotten to the point in my life where I don't want to just simply go through the motions.

I knew that the upcoming Christmas season was going to be crazy busy, but I didn't realize HOW much busier it was going to be.

I decided that instead of just going to activities and programs and shopping and wrapping and baking and getting it done and moving on to the next thing, I wanted to intentionally savor the moments.

Enjoy being with my children and husband.

Enjoy the beauty that comes with Christmas.

Look for the sweetness.
Watch for those meaningful times that will become sweet memories for my children.

One of the very first fun events of the season was our local Christmas parade.

We've attended this for years, and it's a little tradition that we so enjoy to kick off the celebrating!

This year I was so excited that my husband could join us.

His work schedule has often prevented him from being able to be with us, so this year was special.

Our neighbors, and special friends, were able to join us, as well as my husband's mother.

Though the parade itself was a bit measly this year, we had so much fun just being with all our friends and family!!  

Here I raise my Ebenezer!

Whoa!!  I don't know about you, but 2014 was amazing!!!!

So amazing, in fact, that I could hardly keep up!
At the end of 2013, a series of events occurred that required my full attention.
I had to seriously scale back on everything but the very most important priorities in my life that demanded my full attention.
One of those things that just fell through the cracks, one of those things that I just couldn't keep juggling, was my blog.
There just wasn't enough time to devote to it.
Plus, my spirit was just so very burdened by the aforementioned events that I simply could not write.
I didn't really want to write.

But today begins a brand new year!
I have missed documenting one of the single most amazing years that I can remember.
I don't want to miss any more time.
I fully intend to get back into blogging, journaling this one life, for my children.
And for those who come behind me.
My grandchildren.
Those new Mom's who like me, will curl up in a corner of your room and wish there was some way to shut out all the noise and chaos.  That someone, anyone, would just knock on the front door and offer to take ALL of your children to the park for a couple hours......just so you can catch up on the piles of laundry and dishes.  Just for 2 measly hours!!!

I don't want to forget the amazing "Ebenezers!"
You know.  From that wonderful hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

"Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
I'll praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thy help I come
And I hope by thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wondering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood"

Still don't know what an "Ebenezer" is?
Here's how the dictionary defines it......and so beautifully, I might add.

eb·e·ne·zer

 noun \ˌebə¦nēzə(r)\

usually capitalized :  a commemoration of divine assistance,
Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I'm come — Robert Robinson>

Origin of EBENEZER

Hebrew ebhen hā-ʽezer stone of help; from the application of this name by Samuel to the stone which he set up in commemoration of God's help to the Israelites in their victory over the Philistines at Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:12)

So that is my goal.

To reflect on and document the Ebenezers of last year as well as update what my children have been up to.

There have been some big changes in our household, and I can't wait to share!!