Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

The Gallery Pics are of the third (and final) tree in our home this season. This is our "kid" tree, and placed on the top is Santa's hat so he'll always know where to leave the gifts. (Heaven forbid he leaves all the gifts under Roxie's tree!) This tree is full of handmade ornaments, as well as the ornaments the kids receive each year which represent something major that has happened in their life during the past 12 months (dance, football, graduation, first fish, etc.). My friend, Lori Burrows, does this with her children, too. (I read that on Facebook, Lori!) It's a fun tradition for the moms.

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! The Contest winners celebrating my 300th post of A Simple Life will be awarded their very own Mystery Bag Party. That's right! We had such a good time in October, I have decided to have another Mystery Bag Party in January... and the six women who will accompany me on this "journey" will be selected from the women who enter the contest.

Just leave your name under my Comment Section, on Facebook or my e-mail with the word "CONTEST" beside it, and I will put your name in the bowl. I will draw SIX NAMES December 18... the day of my 300th post. You have less than two weeks to enter. It will be a very fun party! I've also changed things a little from the first party, so it will be an unique event. I'll be reminding you once a week or so until December 18, so go ahead and get your name in today! A good time will be had by all who win!

CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY IN DECEMBER

DAY 9

12. Take a little time and go to a "girly" place for tea or lunch with friends, family or just your daughter. Most tea rooms are decorated with twinkly lights and have wonderful Christmas music playing in the background this time of year. It doesn't have to be a "gift exchange" or anything elaborate. It can be a time when you sit back and enjoy being with a loved one... stress-free! (You don't hear those words often during the month of December, do you?)

13. Bake a birthday cake for Jesus for your dessert some time during the month. Let the kids help decorate and make it very festive. Use plenty of candles and enjoy singing, "Happy Birthday To You" before letting the kids blow out the candles. While everyone is enjoying a piece of cake, take this opportunity to read one of your Christmas books around the dinner table. (The Crippled Lamb, Small One, etc.) Simple, simple, simple!

TOPIC OF THE WEEK (FINALLY!) - JOSEPH

Yes, Christmas always makes me think about Mary and how she must have felt because I'm a mom... but having two sons definitely makes me think about Joseph and the kind of man he must have been.

No one is really sure how old Joseph was when Jesus was born. He could have been anywhere between 25 and 90, but the majority of people in the know put him in the 25 to 30 year-old range. If he was indeed in his late 20s or 30s, he was an older, more mature man. By that age, he may have thought his life was pretty much planned out. He may have been "set in his ways" a bit. So when he received the news of what was going to happen instead of turning and walking away, he stepped up. He did the right thing. No one in his social circle would have blamed him if he had turned his back on Mary. In fact, when he stood by his commitment to become her husband I'm sure most were shocked.

He was protective and faithful. He was supportive. He was a man of good character. But do you ever wonder how frustrated he must have been that night in Bethlehem when he couldn't provide for his wife and the child she was carrying the very basic necessities... a bed, a clean environment? Do you ever wonder if he was frightened when Mary began having contractions? I don't care if you're 20 or 90, childbirth can be more than a little scary. (Mikie would probably admit to at least being nervous, and we had doctors and nurses doing all the hard work.) How intimidating would it be to know you were going to be the earthly father of the Son of God? (Again, no matter how old you were, this was huge.) I cannot begin to imagine.

I want to be a mother of sons who are protective, faithful and supportive. I want to be a mother of sons of good character. But I think of all the things I admire about Joseph, the one trait that stands out above the rest is his willingness to follow God's plan for his life. And let's face it. Could Joseph have ever imagined the journey God had planned for him? His journey changed in such a miraculous, extraordinary manner, and as far as we know, Joseph was a very ordinary man.

I want to be a mother of sons who follow God's plan for their lives, whatever the plans may be. (And being a control freak of a mother, that was not an easy sentence for me to type.)

But I truly do want that for them... because if I could pick an earthly man from the Bible for them to emulate, what I know about Joseph would definitely make me want to put him on the list.

ABCs of Christmas Scrapbook

If you're just joining us, go back two posts to see the beginning of the ABCs of Christmas Scrapbook instructions. Today, I'll be giving you S through Z.

S is for Shepherds
who first saw the star,
over Bethlehem manger
and followed it far.
(Shepherds)

T is for Trees
we decorate so gay,
then wait for old Santa
to hurry our way.
(Christmas Trees)

U is for Universe,
the whole wide world,
where Christmas brings joy
to each girl and boy.
(Globes, World Maps, Children Around the World)

V is for Vixen,
another reindeer,
he also helps Santa
deliver each year.
(Deer Scenes)

W is for Wise Men
who came from afar,
and worshipped the Christ Child
born under the star.
(Wise Men)

X is for X-Mas
a short way to say,
Merry, Merry Christmas,
but I like to say it this way!
(Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays, etc.)

Y is for Yule Logs
that burn so bright,
and give a warm welcome
to all in the night.
(Old-Fashioned Fireplaces, Logs Pulled Behind Sled, etc.)

Z is the last of the letters and yet
it's the only one in the whole alphabet
that doesn't stand for something you see
and usually find on a green Christmas tree.
But as old Santa said as he drove out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all... "
(Santa in Sleigh with Reindeer Flying Away)

LAST PAGE
"...and to all a
Good Night!"
(Bed Pictures)

Start collecting old Christmas cards from anyone and everyone who will share, and make an ABC book for your children, grandchildren, great-nephews, etc.

Weekend Happenings

I'm not really sure what has happened this year, but so far we haven't had any event overlap with another event. Highly unusual. Many of our Christmas happenings have occurred during the week (Christmas Band Concert, Christmas Parade, etc.), so the weekends have been pleasantly uncrowded... so far.

Tonight, Austin will be on date with Miss Melia, and I think the rest of the Faulkners will curl up and relax a little bit after a busy week to watch a Christmas movie and drink some hot chocolate... with thousands of marshmallows. (It sounds good in theory. Let's see if it really happens!)

Saturday, Austin will be working at the Chick, Josh will be working with his group finishing his Geometry project and Roxie's plans are still up in the air. (That can be very dangerous!)

Sunday, we're planning on attending the Gardendale First Baptist Christmas Program as a family. See! It's almost eerie. That's why Monday's segment is always called Monday Mayhem, because even the calmest of plans can get a little crazy as the weekend progresses.

Have a wonderful weekend! Reach out to someone who is hurting today, tomorrow and every day. The time it takes will not hinder your enjoyment of the Christmas season... it will enhance it, I'm sure. Next week, I have several new ideas to share. As always, I'd LOVE for you to share your ideas, traditions, recipes, etc. (Sharing is a very good thing!)

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting and Merry Belinda