Merriest Christmas!

"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-11

God is Faithful

If our family waved a banner over 2013, it would say: "God is faithful."

Our Advent calendar has been a reminder of this . I am supposed to fill a cubbyhole each day with a treat (dark chocolate candy cane truffles, yum!), a note promising something fun, a prayer or a poem. But I took out the calendar a few days late. And in the flurry of our busy life, some days I forgot to fill the cubbyhole.

My kids are forgiving, and I'm thankful. The sun rises with another chance for redemption. We keep opening doors...12, 13, 14, 15...each day marching towards the culmination of Christmas. When we finally open the last door, we will proclaim: Jesus is here! The Door of Heaven! Despite my unfaithfulness, He is here. 

Because of my unfaithfulness, He is here.

"God is faithful." At the end of next year, I am sure we will be waving the same banner again.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

Christmases, Then and Now

Christmas then  (7 years ago)..

Christmas then (last year with Grandpa)...

And Christmas this year...

Elizabeth lamented, "This Christmas, we have no Grandpas left."

With the loss of beloved family members, and the realization that my kids are growing up at warp speed, I am holding tight to the memories of all the Christmases past.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Welcome to Our World

Last night, I was so blessed to hear Amy Grant sing one of my most favorite Christmas songs ever. She was heartbroken over the tragedy in Connecticut, and as she sung, the poignant lyrics pierced my soul. 

Father, have mercy on us. 

The original Chris Rice version

Welcome to Our World

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking

How we need to hear from God
You've been promised, we've been waiting
Welcome, Holy Child
Welcome, Holy Child

Hope that You don't mind our manger
How I wish we would have known
But long-awaited, Holy Stranger
Make Yourself at home
Please make Yourself at home

Bring Your peace into our violence
Bid our hungry souls be filled
Word now breaking heaven's silence
Welcome to our world
Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born
Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sin and make us holy
Perfect Son of God
Perfect Son of God
Welcome to our world

Comfort: John Piper on "How Does Jesus Come to Newton?"

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68

Advent: Preparing Our Hearts

Advent officially begins on Sunday, December 1st, but we couldn't wait to start preparing our hearts for Christmas, so we began early. As we focus on that which is true, good, and beautiful, the Lord is drawing us to Himself, for He is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.



We are listening to Handel's Messiah, a little at a time every morning, just as Cindy at Ordo Amoris does with her kids. It takes less than 10 minutes a day, but it brings such richness to our Morning Time.

We are memorizing the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-14 and Psalm 8, which is such a beautiful passage of praise, as is Isaiah 9:6.

I would also like to memorize a new poem for Christmas, but I haven't decided on which one yet. Any ideas? (We are still working on The Charge of the Light Brigade by Tennyson and a couple of shorter pieces.) Years ago we memorized Christina Rossetti's My Gift, and it is a simple but lovely poem for Christmas.

My Gift
~Christina Rossetti

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part,-
Yet what can I give Him,
Give my heart.

My friend Julee shared some her family's favorite Christmas books, and we have loved many of the same titles. I am currently reading aloud A Christmas Carol by Dickens, and after that is done we'll enjoy The Birds' Christmas Carol and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which is absolutely hilarious and quite endearing.

We are listening again to The Hobbit audio book in preparation for the movie release. Although it's technically not a Christmas book, there are lots of feasts and singing and, well, Tolkien's writing and Rob Inglis' narration are both such gifts. :-)

Because of our nursing home ministry, the kids have learned many hymns and Christmas carols over the years, for which I'm thankful. I've just realized, though, that they haven't learned O Come, O Come Emmanuel yet, so this will be the year I will remedy that.

We are looking forward to setting up our Nativity scene this weekend!

Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us." Matthew 1:23

Happy Independence Day!

From Abe Lincoln and our family....



Have a Happy Independence Day!


"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' John 8:31-32

Happy Thanksgiving

What can I say on this Thanksgiving morn, 
To the One who saved me from judgment and scorn; 
Thank You, Jesus, my beautiful Lord; 
Your grace has transformed me forever more.

 "In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah" Psalm 44:8

At the Close of a Year

At the Close of the Year

Let hearts and tongues unite,
And loud thanksgivings raise:
'Tis duty, mingled with delight,
To sing the Saviour's praise.

To him we owe our breath,
He took us from the womb,
Which else had shut us up in death,
And prov'd an early tomb.

When on the breast we hung,
Our help was in the Lord;
'Twas he first taught our infant tongue
To form the lisping word.

When in our blood we lay,
He would not let us die,
Because his love had fix'd a day
To bring salvation nigh.

In childhood and in youth,
His eye was on us still:
Though strangers to his love and truth,
And prone to cross his will.

And since his name we knew,
How gracious has he been:
What dangers has he led us through,
What mercies have we seen!

Now through another year,
Supported by his care,
We raise our Ebenezer here,
"The Lord has help'd thus far."

Our lot in future years
Unable to foresee,
He kindly, to prevent our fears,
Says, "Leave it all to me."

Yea, Lord, we wish to cast
Our cares upon thy breast!
Help us to praise thee for the past,
And trust thee for the rest.

~John Newton

Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness in the past year. Thank You for Your promise of grace in the year ahead. May our lips sing a new song, and may our souls ring with praise. May we live each day ablaze with faith. We devote ourselves afresh to You.

"I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

Costumes

Decked out for the annual Hallelujah Night at church!


The Hawaiian Tourist

Mahalo to Grandpa & Grandma for sending the lei!


The Black Cat

Nutmeg tried to chew off her tail.


The Native American Chief.

Took over a dozen shots to catch him looking "fierce and warlike."

He kept laughing and breaking into a war dance.

Thank you, Lord, for filling our lives with moments of joy.

"Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy." Psalm 33:3

Mother's Day Blessings

My family has been treating me like a queen all week. What a blessing!

My favorite gifts are these handmade coupons redeemable for massages and hugs. Elizabeth informed me that they are non-expiring and renewable. Gotta love that!

Daniel, not to be outdone, added coupons for such treats as "not bickering" and "clean up room without asking."

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of my children. They are my joy and delight!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

Happy Easter!

From our family to yours, have a blessed day celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

He is risen!

"Then the angel spoke to the women. 'Don’t be afraid!' he said. 'I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen.' Matthew 28:5

Happy New Year!

Here's some sashimi to go with your ozoni.

May Matthew Henry's New Year prayer be mine:
"Lord grant that this year I may be more holy, and walk more closely than ever in all holy conversation; I earnestly desire to be filled with thy holy thoughts, to be carried out in holy affections, determined by holy aims and intentions, and governed in all my words and actions by holy principles. O that a golden thread of holiness may run through the whole web of this year."

"One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippins 3:13-14

Ho Ho Ho! Furry Girls Rule!

We furry girls think it is a travesty of justice to be left out of the family photo this year. So while Mom is busy wrapping gifts, I (Shadow) have decided to take command of her blog in order to get some deserved equal time.

It's quite noisy here during the holidays. Christmas music is usually playing in the background. My favorite is A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack. Every time I hear the theme song I see Snoopy dancing, ears flopping around. I like that Snoopy kid.

Here are a couple of shots Mom took of us recently. Elizabeth dressed us up in bows for the occasion. I'm in my favorite pose--about to take a snooze.

Here's my pesky sidekick. Don't let that innocent grin fool you. Naughty or nice? Definitely naughty, for at least 15 minutes a day. Nutmeg has chewed up at least four of Mom's favorite shoes, Dad's computer cable, vintage childhood ornaments, and countless underwear, socks, and what nots.

But who's counting? Love keeps no record of wrongs, and Christmas is all about love.

Christmas time is our favorite time of year next to Easter. At Christmas, we get all kinds of unexpected treats--gingerbread arms and legs, leftover egg nog french toast, and the creme de la creme, meaty bones from the standing rib roast. My mouth waters just thinking of it.

Easter is slightly better on the food scale because in addition to yummy treats we also get lots of boiled eggs. Some theologian once said that if it weren't for Easter, we wouldn 't be celebrating Christmas. It's all about Jesus, no matter what those retailers say.

Well, I hear Mom putting the finishing touches on the gift, so I'd better duck out before I'm busted.

To all our furry friends out in the blogosphere, Mele Kalikimaka!

Shadow & Nutmeg

"But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!" Psalm 40:16

Shooting Christmas Photos

Going through the holidays while grieving is tough. Simple things like getting photos and cards done seem like monumental tasks.

If it were not for God's grace, I would not have the strength to get through each day.

Instead of hiring a photographer, I decided to shoot our Christmas photos myself this year. I chose two locations. The first was outside Macaroni Grill. A bit unconventional, but I love the lighting there at dusk. I brought along kitchen stools for the kids to sit on.

Occasionally a car would pass by, and the driver would do a double take and then smile at us. Crazy mom.

This was one of my favorite shots:



The next day we headed over to South Coast Plaza. The kids rode the merry-go-round, which sports reindeers for the Christmas season.

The kids didn't complain when I asked them to ride it for the second time so I could keep shooting. :-)

Lighting was a bit more challenging, and the photos weren't as sharp, but I like things a bit offbeat so these ended up as my picks for our cards.







The kids had a blast and I didn't have to coax any smiles from them. Next time I might jump on and go for a spin myself.

"You have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy." Psalm 63:7

Happy Thanksgiving

O My God, Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects, my heart admires, adores, loves thee, for my little vessel is as full as it can be, and I would pour out all that fullness before thee in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created, for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barrens soil; for the body thou has given me, for preserving its strength and vigour, for providing sense to enjoy delights, for the ease and freedom of my limbs, for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding; for thy royal bounty providing my daily support, for a full table and overflowing cup, for appetite, taste, sweetness, for social joys of relatives and friends, for ability to serve others, for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities, for a mind to care for my fellow-men, for opportunities of spreading happiness around, for loved ones in the joys of heaven, for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language to express, for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

~from The Valley of Vision

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Psalm 100:4

Costumes

...for Hallelujah Night at church.


UH Warrior: "I don't want a girly girl costume.
I want to be a football player."


Secret Service Agent: aka last minute brainstorm


NASA Engineer: from the Air & Space Museum in DC.

"The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty." Psalm 93:1

Happy Birthday, Shadow! (America, too!)

Our sweet gal Shadow is 12 years old today! She shares her birthday with our country, which turned 233. This morning she donned her red, white, and blue birthday bandana.

Daniel: I like Shadow because she is sweet and calm.
Elizabeth: Shadow only eats and sleeps. That's all she does.
Jonathan: Shadow is wide.
Linda: Jon!
Jonathan: (giggles)
Elizabeth: She's soft and cuddly.
Daniel: Shadow is a very, very, very good guard dog. And she eats popcorn.
Alan: Happy Birthday!
All: Happy Birthday, Shadow!

And Happy Fourth of July!

"I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me." Psalm 13:6

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Love never ends." 1 Corinthians 13:8

Happy New Year!

or, as the Japanese say it, Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!

If you haven't had your traditional bowl of Ozoni yet, here's some for your viewing pleasure.



For the uninitiated, Ozoni is the first meal Japanese traditionally eat in the New Year. It is a soup made with various ingredients, the most important being rice cakes.

This is the first year since we've been married that I did not make the Ozoni. I am still recovering and can't stand for long periods of time. I spoke to Grandma H. last night and told her Alan would be making it with my coaching.

She sounded doubtful. "Are you sure he can do it?" She's a stickler for authenticity.

I replied, "Yes, he'll do a great job."

And he did. There are no leftovers. I think even Alan was suprised by how yummy it turned out. :-)

Surprise someone this year, especially yourself.

"Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19

O Come, Let Us Adore Him

O come, all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

O Sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.
Give to our Father glory in the Highest;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning,
O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

May the Lord bless your Christmas with His joy and peace!

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." 1 John 4:9