My Grown-Up Christmas List

If you've never checked out the book The Five Love Languages, you should.  It's interesting reading.  My love language is actually receiving gifts (though, I do take much pleasure in finding the perfect gift for someone else, too) so Christmas is totally my love language.

(None of this undercuts the true meaning of Christmas for me.  It doesn't overshadow Christ's birth.)

My first real gift was having my family in one place.  We missed NutMeg on Christmas day, but I have this weird need to know that everyone is together in one place.  I would actually give up every single present for that to happen.

Of course, there were presents.  Beautiful, shiny, glorious presents.

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This gorgeous handbag is every bit as beautiful in person.  Actually, it may be a little more glorious than I had imagined.  It fits everything.  It looks classy.  I'm hoping it rubs off on me.



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 The Nook Tablet is a lot cooler than I imagined.  I didn't realize it worked as a web browser in addition to an ereader, so I've been getting Favorite's moneys worth out of the product.  One of my first purchases?  The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.  I've heard about it for years.  I'm finally going to decide for myself.

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You should hear Favorite sing the opening song from The Lion King.  This is one of my Favorite Disney movies, and I'm glad to finally be able to watch it on DVD.

Pretty soon, I'll take a picture of what I received from LilBro and NutMeg.  They made me a "Welcome" sign to go in front of my house, but since they know me so well, they also added a removable "not" sign to put in front of the welcome.

Don't judge me.  You know not every person is welcome at your house.  The same is true at mine, but we all buy outdoor mats that indicate otherwise.  It's a farce...and I'm bringing honesty back.

I was also blessed to receive gift cards and money--some of which I will be spending on upgrades around my house.  First order of business?  Picture frames in the hallway.  I have to lay out the order, and then I'll get them up and get you pictures.  I'll upload pictures of the pinterest project then, too.

The Season

I knew you all would be waiting with baited breath to learn the winner of our little "Weight Loss Wager."  Well, hold on to your pants:  Me.  Turns out, I was only one good flu away from victory.  I lost no less than seven pounds in three days.  Favorite, who had gotten a little lax in his eating and exercise since he was suuuure it was in the bag, lost a little over two pounds.

My comment?  God bless us...but especially God bless the flu.  (Because I'm not too good to know where my bread is buttered.)

Despite Favorite's devastating loss, he still managed to have a great Christmas.  I did, too.  Our families are really generous, and generosity is a lifestyle.

Sunday morning, our pastor didn't preach a message about a baby laid in a manger.  He didn't talk about a pregnant virgin and her uncomfortable trip to Bethlehem.  Instead, he lovingly read from a passage in Matthew 11:

When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”


Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Who are you?  John asked.  I Am, Jesus replied.

At Christmas or St. Patrick's Day, He is.  On the fourth of July or Halloween, He is.  He is.  He binds up the broken hearted.  He sets the captive free.  He heals the blind.  And there's something in the present tense of "He Is" that breaks my heart wide open. 

God with us.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,

Christ behind me, Christ before me,

Christ beside me, Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,

Christ in hearts of all that love me,

Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Minor Updates

A few updates of minor importance...

1.  Favorite finished the Pinterest project in the pantry, and it looks great.  I'll try to get pictures up soon.

2.  I have developed some sort of stomach flu.  Guess when it happened?  If you guessed the moment I stepped out of my classroom, you would be correct.  Lovely.

3.  I'm trying to wrap a present or two in between sitting down.  But both brothers, Sheena and NutMeg will be home by tomorrow...and that's worth smiling about :)

Merry Christmas.

Wednesday Hodgepodge 12/21

 

 

1. Are you cooking Christmas dinner? How many will be round your table this year? What are we having?

 

I do not typically cook Christmas dinner; Mom and Gloria usually take that job.  Occasionally, I contribute, but Christmas dinner is much lower-key at our house than Thanksgiving.  We may have sandwiches or something, but I haven't heard the menu this year.

2. What is one must-have Christmas cookie in your house?

 

Shortbread.  Always.  It's an easy cookie to make, and it's something I do fairly well.

3. Santa likes a glass of milk with his cookies. Do you? What kind of milk is on tap at your house-skim? almond? soy? full fat (Gasp!)

 

It's full fat, vitamin D milk at our house, but we aren't really milk-drinkers.  I keep the full fat version around because it's lower in carbs and better for women with PCOS.

4. Time magazine recently named their 'Person of the Year' for 2011. This is the person the editors believe had the greatest impact, for better or worse, in the past year. This year they chose 'The Protester'. Your thoughts? Who would you name Person of the Year for 2011?

Oh, I don't know.  According to their list, I guess The Princess, but those people don't really impact my community or my family.  Around here, I think The Soldier would be high on the list--there are several coming home, and one in particular whose parents can't wait to see him.  (Happy to have you home, Sawyer!)  In my life, I guess anyone would be labeled an Encourager or a Prayer.  The list is longer and more distinguished this year than in years past.

5. December 21st is National Flashlight Day... when was the last time you needed a flashlight and did you know right where to find one? 

 

I needed one when I put my sideboard together last week.  Luckily, I have one on my phone :)

6. candy canes...yum or yuck?

 

Love 'em in their own right.  Don't care for them chopped over my chocolate.

7. What Christmas carol lyric means the most to you? 

 

I've always been partial to "Oh come let us adore Him."  It's haunting to me...and six short words fill me completely.  Odd how that happens, eh?

8. Insert your own random thought here.

 

One last gift to buy.  Grades are entered.  I got an A in my grad class.  Sleep in heavenly peace, indeed.

Weight Loss Wagers with Favorite

In "what's-going-on-around-my-house" news, Favorite and I are competing against each other in a weight loss wager.  We are both fairly competitive people, and I thought that might give me the push I need to make a concentrated effort to focus on cardio every day.  Don't get me wrong:  I hate being fat.  But I hate the idea of losing a competition more than I hate my size *yeahlikeI'mevergoingtopostthat* jeans.

And that was my first mistake. 

You see, competitive or not, you shouldn't ever wager with your husband...or any man for that matter.  Especially when it comes to weight loss competitions.  Because boys?  Will visit the little boys' room and lose 15 lbs.  Women add a spray of perfume and gain seven.

So what did I do when I learned that Favorite dropped 8 lbs in four days?  (Yep.  Eight.  It would take me three months to lose eight pounds.  Plus, you should see what he's eaten in those four days.)  I stopped competing.  I'm still going to have to pay up, but for two or three days, I just thought it didn't matter. And I acted like it.

That was my second mistake.

After 31 years on this planet, I finally starting to get that it's never going to be about "eating right" or exercising a certain number of minutes a week.  Not for me.  Instead, it's about doing something.  About living.  About enjoying.  And it's not about dread or resignation.

See, I don't really enjoy food.  For the last seven or eight years, it's become the solace that isn't really comforting.  I felt I deserved to eat a doughnut because I wasn't as thin-pretty-capable-fill-in-your-own-issue-here.  I should be allowed to avoid the gym, because things didn't come easy to me.  I shouldn't have to count calories, because I wasn't able to get pregnant.  All of it boiled down to a sense of entitlement that said, "If I'm deprived here, then I shouldn't have to complete x."  But I wouldn't call anything of that particularly fulfilling.  Replacement never is.

But then I read about these people who love to eat and cook and still manage to lose weight.  And I think, "I'm doing something wrong here."  Truthfully, I should've said, "I'm thinking something wrong here."  Perhaps that's the bottom line issue for a lot of people.  I want...  I deserve...  I should have...

None of those thoughts make us better people.  I've perfected that thinking process, and it sure hasn't made me a thinner human being.  (I'm not more magnanimous, either, in case you were wondering.)  But a resolution to enjoy, to do, to be a part of...  I wonder how that would change me...

Favorite and I weigh at the end of the week, and we'll fulfill our wagers at that time.  Then, we'll start over.  For my do-over, I'm resolving to enjoy my break and live.  It's probably going to require me to get off my rear end and do something.  (That might be the definition of living.)  But there are people to enjoy, and events to attend and things to do.  The funny thing is, for the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to it.

My New Favorite Blog...

www.canyoustayfordinner.com

Check her out.  Read her story.  Love her recipes.  Pray this for me.

Midweek Confessions: Volume 1

Click on the button to join E in Midweek Confessions (she's seriously one of my favorite bloggers!).

*  I still have 60% of my Christmas shopping to do.  I haven't wrapped anything, and I am just now starting to care.  I guess I had to get my paper and most of my grading out of the way before it mattered.  I also need help getting Favorite's gift, so I'm going to have to get on that.

*  I don't put up a Christmas tree, and nothing you say will make me sorry.  Christmas happens at our house whether it's decorated or not.

*  I just bought a nice sideboard to go in my kitchen/dining room area, and I'm really pumped about it.  I'm actually embarrassed to share how excited I am to spend some of my break decorating my house or getting it more put together.  I may actually put pictures on the walls.  (In frames!  With mats!  In a prescribed layout!)  I also have a little Pinterest project for my husband to complete.  I know we've been in this house for a year, but it takes me a while to get to stuff.  Does anyone else get ridiculously pumped about organization?

*  I got a pregnancy announcement this week and I didn't cry.  I was so proud of myself.  I didn't even feel jealous (not lying).  And that made me feel relieved.

*  My brothers and their significant others will be home in just over a week, and I'm far more excited about that than any Christmas present I could open.  Christmas just seems so homey to me.

*  My husband and I are in a weight loss competition.  So far, he's lost 8 lbs since Sunday.  I've lost three that I gain back and lose and gain back and lose.  Sometimes, being a girl sucks.