A Time to slow down and Reflect

Here is a few pics from this weekend!

Here is us at my in-laws. Ready to open some gifts.


This is Mark's First time in snow. It was great until he got it on his hands. Then he was done!


Christmas Eve, they get new PJS


Making cookies for Santa


My Nanny, Owen, Mark, and my mom


Here in Oklahoma we got a major blizzard on Christmas Eve. It was beautiful and for once not a lot of ice. Once Nathan got home we were home bound for Christmas. Luckily we didn't have any plans. It was the best Christmas ever. And I think after reading a lot of posts on Facebook unless you were stuck in the snow you had a great Christmas too. I think it made everyone slow down and reflect on what is really important. Your family! Its not about seeing how many places you can go in one day, its not about pleasing others, its not about a mountain of gifts. Its all about spending time with the ones you love and remembering the ultimate gift that was given to all of us! Jesus. I know since we really don't know exactly when Jesus Birthday is some try to avoid making Christmas about Jesus' Birth. They state that we should celebrate all year long. But, when it comes down to it do we? I know I didn't. It was easy to say the words but in reality and looking how others celebrate his birth we fall short. One day we were in the car listening to K-Love. There is a song "Happy Birthday Jesus" sung by a little girl. Owen said "Mommy is she singing Happy Birthday to Jesus?" I told him yes. Then he said, "is today his Birthday?" (This was on Wednesday before Christmas) I told him that the Bible doesn't tell us his exact birthday, but a lot of people choose to celebrate it on Christmas Day. He thought on that and then said, "I think I am going to celebrate on Christmas night!" He had me thinking of the reality that we need to be more vocal about the great gift that was born humbly in a manger. This year we read the story of the Birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve. I had pulled it up on my computer on Biblegateway.com. I was settled in and about to read when Owen said, "Mom, where's the Bible?" I was like it is right here on my computer. No, The actual Bible. Oh, once again he sat me on the right track. So, I went to find my Bible and read to him. It dawnd on me how we have let technology take over. And, I felt like I had lessoned its value by not reading it straight from the Bible. I forget to do that in Bible class. I need to remember that our kids need to know everything comes from the Bible given to us by God. My first graders made paper wreaths that had the nativity scene in the center. We wrapped them in class and they were to give them to someone so they would know the gift we have in Jesus. I found out last week that several of the kids took this very serious and went home and placed them under their trees. I can't wait to find out if they shared the story with their families. I hope everyone was blessed this holidat season!