Pick a Carol Devotion

Good Monday morning!

Today's Showcase Pic is of Mikie and Roxie after the Pageant. Pageants obviously wear her out, but Dad's shoulder was very, very comfortable.

The Gallery Pics are from our church's Christmas Pageant last night. It was excellent, uplifting, celebratory... in a word "GOOD."

CONTEST! - Okay. We're down to the last week. I will draw SIX names this Friday, December 18. These women will be accompanying me on Mystery Bag Party 2 in January. If you haven't entered, please do not put it off any longer. Hark! The time is nigh! (For those of you counting... that's TWO Christmas words in one paragraph.)

Just leave your name and the word "CONTEST" in my Comment Section of the blog, my e-mail OR on Facebook. I will let you know when I receive your name so you will know you are entered. Don't miss out on a fun party. (It's such a bonding experience, the Mystery Bag Party 1 Girls are planning a cruise together! Just kidding. At least I think I'm kidding. I haven't been invited yet. Hey, Girls! Call me! Okay?)

CHRISTMAS CARD COUNT - My calls are working! I'm up to 26 Christmas Cards received. I even had some hand delivered, and I picked up a few while I was driving by some of the homes this weekend. (NOTE: It's not stalking if you give the kids a couple of candy canes while you're waiting for Mom to bring your card to you at the door!) I'm expecting 50 this week alone! Or people were just trying to get me off the phone. I can't be sure until my last mail delivery next Saturday. Stay tuned.

CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY IN DECEMBER

DAY 10

14. For teachers' gifts this year, bake cookies with your child. If baked goods aren't enough, attach a gift card to Chick-Fil-A or Movie Gallery. Always, always let your child participate as much as possible in the Christmas festivities. I have the world's simplest cookie recipe I'm going to share with you on a Monday (not the usual Tuesday). I found this recipe on Becky Higgins' blog months ago, and it never fails.

Cake Box Cookies

1 box favorite cake mix (Red Devil's Food, Funfetti, Yellow, Chocolate, etc.)
1 cup chips
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make sure to match the chips with the cake mix. For example, Red Devil's Food - white chocolate chips; Funfetti - white chocolate chips; Yellow - milk chocolate chips; Chocolate - peanut butter chips; etc.

3. Mix all ingredients.

4. Use a melon ball scooper (I don't know the official name) to place cookie dough on greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes.

6. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies... and they are delicious.

Bag 'em, tag 'em and let the child deliver his/her homemade (and useful) gift to the teacher!

Monday Mayhem

I'm going to have to change the name of this segment to "Sunday Mayhem." We had the quietest Friday and Saturday in the history of mankind, but Sunday kind of fell apart. (But I didn't! Thanks to my Austin is in College, Josh is Driving and Roxie is a Teenager medication, I was amazing!)

Mike had to spend the weekend at work (even Sunday) so we had late night suppers, watched movies, etc. But Sunday... Well, Sunday was a whole different story.

Mikie took my van to work at 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning. Austin drove his truck, and Roxie and I were left in what will soon become Josh's truck. After church, it broke down in front of The Dollar Tree. (NOTE: Broken down cars and trucks are usually my downfall, but I think I handled it fairly well.)

For once, Austin's phone was actually on vibrate! Hallelujah! (By the way, that's my third Christmas word in this post alone. I'm doing great!) He rescued us, we ordered pizza, and the four of us shared Austin's truck for the remainder of Sunday afternoon.

Josh went to a study group from 3:00 to 4:00, and then went to a friend's house to study until I picked him up for the Pageant. While I had the street name, I did not have the house number. And, TOTALLY UNLIKE JOSH, his phone was turned OFF. I had to stop and knock on doors looking for him. (I found him in the third house... but I also met two new nice families and got a couple of Christmas cards out of the deal.)

I picked him up and off we flew to save seats at the Pageant for the rest of the family.

But first, let's back up a little. When I left the house to pick up Josh, I walked outside to find the lovely Melia standing in my yard staring at my neighbor's van... which was stuck in the mud next to my mailbox. There appeared to be someone helping my neighbor, so I told Melia to come inside out of the mist. (For the record, it is very UNLIKE Melia to stand and stare at someone's misfortune. She's not that kind of chick. On the other hand, Roxie and I are definitely those kinds of chicks, but we were on a time clock to get to the church to save seats for the Pageant!)

"What's going on?" I asked when she came inside.

"Your neighbor is trying to get her little girl to the doctor and she's stuck."

"But someone is helping her, right?" I asked.

"Yes. Austin's out there and someone is coming to pick her up to take her to the doctor. They'll be here in a minute."

"Okay." That made me feel much better. For one thing, it explained why she was standing outside staring at my poor neighbor. She was watching Austin's futile attempts to get the van out of the mud. Secondly, it explained why Austin wouldn't answer when I kept telling him we had to leave. He was outside in the mud.

This changed my plans a little, so I asked her if she could use her car and bring Austin and Roxie to the church where Josh and I would meet them. She agreed.

I started out the door again, and in the dark I could make out another figure trying to help... Mikie was home! It would be a matter of minutes before the van was out of the mud. GLORY! (That's the fourth Christmas word used in proper context... kind of.)

As I was leaving, I opened my window and talked to the young mother with the crying baby who needed to go to the doctor. "Can I take you to the doctor right now?" I asked, since it was obvious her ride hadn't arrived.

And then, out of the mist and fog, a car appeared... the ride! And a host of heavenly... Okay, I know I'm pushing it now.

Five out of seven of us arrived at church in time to save seats for Grandmother and Mikie... which is excellent for the Faulkner Five!

And as the Christmas Pageant began, I could feel the tension of the day drain out of my body. I watched the Christmas story (again), and loved it (again), and reminded myself (again) of what the month of December and especially, December 25, is really all about... the birthday of our King!

So for this Half-Empty Glass Gal, I left the building last night with my glass pretty full. And I can say... Sunday was a good day!

Pick a Carol Devotion

Pick a carol... any carol. (Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; Away in a Manger; Silent Night; The First Noel; etc.) Take a little time to research the words you may not know how to explain to your child or children.

Sit down with the kids under the Christmas tree and read the hymn (all of the verses), and explain to them how the carol tells either a part or all of the Christmas story. After you have read and explained the meaning of the carol, sing the song with the kids. If they don't already know the song by memory, make it a goal to know the carol (at least the first verse and the chorus) by the end of the week.

It will be another way to make the Christmas story come alive to your child. And while I am a huge proponent of AWANAs and children (and adults) knowing as much scripture as possible, I believe the old hymns and carols offer Biblical truths and comfort at different times in our lives, too.

You can never know TOO much about God.

Have a glorious Monday (if there is such a thing)! Tomorrow's recipe is a beverage, so it's a little different from the normal recipe shared on A Simple Life, but it is perfect for this time of year. I'll have two more CHEAP Christmas activities to do with the family, and maybe a musing or two. We'll see. We'll see.

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

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda