Gift for God

At this year's MOPS Christmas party we chose a gift that is going to make it on to our list of family traditions. What God Wants For Christmas is a neat Nativity lesson that can be enjoyed by the entire family. It comes with a pop-up manger, a book and 7 boxes that you open each day for 7 days. The first six represent those who witnessed Christ entry into the world. Day 7 reveals what God wants for Christmas.

It shouldn't be a surprise that what God wants is us, but as we talked about it the days leading up to the final day, Jillian was convinced that God wants a camel.

In addition to reinforcing the story of Christ's birth, the set is a fun little play toy for Jillian. She lays in the floor each night and has the figures act out her version of the first Christmas. The dialog that goes along with the production is quite entertaining as she makes sure the shepherd and the wise man speak nicely to one another and that they don't talk too loudly to wake up Baby Jesus.

Generational Bond

It's interesting that I tend to use certain cooking utensils for certain tasks and can never change over to something else. For example, I only allow my dough to rise in a particular glass bowl. I have one specific pan that I use for baking/roasting fish. I will only use the heavy aluminum pot my mom used to make fudge for sauce, chili and other hearty foods. And the only thing I will cook cornbread in is the iron skillet that belonged to my Grandmother Robbins.

There were only two things I wanted of my Grandmother's when she died nearly 10 years ago: her Bible and this skillet. Sadly we were unable to find the Bible she made notations in for much of her Christian life, but luckily I was able to use this.

My Grandmother was a product of the south and that means she was a great cook. As a kid I remember her making potato cakes and fried okra and fried corn in this skillet. I can smell it by just thinking about it. Needless to say the skillet is well seasoned, which probably accounts for the reason things I make in it taste so good. I have used this skillet to make fried chicken and pecan crusted catfish, but it is primarily used for cornbread. I am so thankful for this time of the year because it is when I make cornbread more frequently as an accompaniment to stew and chili, which we had for dinner Sunday night.

My Grandmother was also a woman of very strong faith. I recall waking up early in the mornings, before the sun had peeked up over the horizon, to the sound of her voice tearfully calling out to God. It was not a plea of desperation or a cry for help; rather it was her desperate cry to be closer to Him. I used to think she was sad but instead it was a joy filled cry thanking Him for all that she had and for always being with her - in good times and in bad. It was a passionate cry to her God that was more like an overflow of the love she had for him in her heart. It has only been in the past few years that I have truly appreciated that display of love.

Genesis 17:7 says: I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

And as much as I look forward to passing along my Grandmother's skillet to my daughter, my prayer is that the seed of faith that she planted grows even stronger through the years.

Yes, We are Still Here

So my big plan to document the Christmas season fell by the wayside thanks to everyday life. Then, like in the past, I got to a point where I hadn't posted in so long that it got harder and harder to make myself get back in here.

This post is simply a photo recap of Christmas, which took place exactly a month ago today.

Jilly and I saw the Rockettes at the John Paul Jones Arena. It is a show that I have been wanting to see since I was a teenager. I have always loved the Rockettes and their Christmas show did not disappoint me. Jilly enjoyed it, as well. She sat in her seat and was excited by all of the spectacular dancing, music, costumes and decor. It was an event that I hope we can continue as a holiday tradition.

One of the holiday craft projects JillyBean and I did this year was to make these cute Christmas trees using styrofoam cones and candy. This one was made of gumdrops and we did another using mini candy canes and one with round peppermint candy. We placed the trees throughout the house.
And, of course, we had our regular Christmas tree, times three. The tree we placed in our living room (the "official" tree) ended up being filled with some older ornaments that mom gave me last year. These were glass ornaments that we used on our trees as a kid. I tied silver, red, green and gold bows on them to spice them up a bit. Also on the tree were the brass ornaments that BeanieDad received each year as a child. It was fun looking at the years that were engraved on each one. Then we included all of the special ornaments that Jilly has received. This year her Auntie Pam in New Mexico started a 12 Days of Christmas ornament collection for her. It will be wonderful to add a new one to the tree the next 11 years. By the time these "family" ornaments had been added, I was left was a crate full of ornaments that needed a home. Most were Santas. Not being able to stand the thought of an unused ornament, I decided to get another tree and place it in the dining room. I am happy with my decision. And finally, I bought a pre-lit, 2-foot tall pink tree to put on Jilly's night stand. We decorated it with silver glittery bulbs and tied sparkly green ribbon to them. It was super cute. I actually haven't taken it down. Right now it's covered with Valentine hearts and next we'll put Easter eggs and bunnies on it for spring.
We traveled to Tennessee the week before Christmas and got to see Nana, Auntie April, Ma, Granddad, PawPaw, Sweetie and a lot of other family. While we were gone, a major snow storm hit home. While we missed the loveliness of watching the snow fall, there was plenty left for Jilly to enjoy.
Jilly tromped through the massive piles of snow, made snow angels and a snow man. It was fun and perfect for our first Christmas at home.
Grandma and Uncle Jimmy came for Christmas. On Christmas Eve Jimmy dressed up like Ol' Saint Nick and he and Jilly delivered cookies to our neighbors. The kids were a bit surprised to see Santa so early.
Christmas morning was a whirlwind. Santa brought Jilly a baby stroller, a baby high chair and a horse barn with horses. In addition, she got an Olivia doll, Olivia DVD, and lip gloss since she is no longer wearing diapers and doing a great job going potty by herself.
One of Jilly's favorite gifts was an Elmo plane given to her by Uncle Sean and Aunt Casie. She actually got three toy planes. Maybe she'll take after her grandpa and be a pilot some day.
Naturally, no major event would be complete in the Beanie household without Jilly's bestest bud and his family who came over for Christmas dinner. We set up a kids' table in the kitchen while the adults enjoyed ham, butternut squash, corn pudding, broccoli, and a bunch more good stuff in the dining room.

It was great being able wake up in our own home on Christmas morning and have Jilly walk down the stairs to see all of her gifts. And now we're just trying to get back to normal but have a third birthday to look forward to soon. Yes, planning has already begun...

Yes, Virginia

I enjoy the classic Christmas shows that are sprinkled among the network stations this time of year. I can't decide on a favorite, but it may have to be How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I am always amazed each year that A Charlie Brown Christmas is still on, expecting any time now that it be forced of the airwaves since it quotes scripture. There are very few of the newer shows that I enjoy. I don't see the Shrek Christmas show being a classic nor the one with the Madagascar characters. However, a new show that aired on CBS last week has won a special place in my heart, and I've only watched it once.

Yes, Virginia is based on the true story of a little girl who wrote a letter to the New York Sun asking the editor if there really is a Santa Claus. The editor wrote a reply that was printed on the paper's front page. The TV show is simply adorable, sweet, uplifting and everything that is good about Christmas. It is very fitting for me right now because I am reading about and coming in contact with more and more people who don't want their children to believe in Santa because they consider it lying to them. First off, if these parents get through their entire relationship with their children without lying, well, more power to them. Bravo! Some people may simply choose not to celebrate the Santa side of the season because of religious reasons. I can respect that as long as they don't do anything else secular during this time of year. But to exclude Santa thinking that it's lying or because their child will be devastated when they learn the "truth" is sad to me. I challenge them to think back on their childhood and point to the tragedy they experienced by believing in Santa. I have a hard time believing there are many. Any child devastated when they learn about Santa probably has bigger problems in their lives.

The whole Santa experience is among my most cherished childhood memories. Even in the years when doubt began to fill my head, it was still exciting to believe that just maybe he was real. There is no way I want to deny my child, or any child, that feeling.

I don't recall being traumatized when I learned the truth. In fact, I don't think I ever really learned about Santa, it just sort of faded away. It returned, though, as I got older and realized that Santa needs helpers to make sure that his love and generosity are shared with others, especially children who come from families who have a hard time providing a magical Christmas. That is why we participate in programs like the Angel Tree mission, Toys for Tots and why we find a family to adopt this time of the year. The thought of a child waking up without a gift from Santa breaks my heart. And I know there are thousands of children like that due financial woes and not because their parents don't want to "mess" with explaining Santa to them.

And, of course, now with a child of my own, Santa is more real than ever. It is so much fun to view this holiday season through her eyes. Things that I found irritating about Christmas, like those dogs who bark Jingle Bells, are now fun when I hear JillyBean laughing at singing dogs. In my opinion, belief in Santa is the simplest form of building faith. And as the conductor says in The Polar Express, "Sometimes seeing is believing and sometimes the most real things are those we cannot see."

So for anyone who does not want to believe in Santa or who doesn't want their child to experience his magic, following is a reprint of the 1897 reply to Virginia's question of whether or not Santa exists:

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge. Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished. Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world. You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Sleepless

It's nearly 1 a.m. and I can't sleep because Christmas is two-and-a-half weeks away and I haven't finalized my dinner menu. Crazy, huh? I have been lying in bed the past hour with my head spinning. I figure that the only way to calm it down is to come here and type out my thoughts.

Last year I was inspired by an episode of Food Network host Nigella Lawson. Her entire menu for a holiday menu looked scrumptious and I swore that was what I was going to make for Christmas dinner. It is still my plan, for the most part but I feel that I need to add more. My mother gave me the latest edition of Southern Living's Christmas Cookbook and it has a couple of recipes in it that I plan to use as well. So, in order for me to get my head straight and feel better about a dinner that is more than two weeks away, here's my menu, or at least my menu at this point in time.

• Cream of Curried Peanut Soup

• some sort of salad with pomegranate or cranberry in it to give me something "red"

• Ginger Glazed Ham

• Spiced Peaches

• Butternut Squash with Pecans and Blue Cheese (I actually made this last year and it was delish) OR

• Sweet Potato Casserole (can I have both?)

• Garlic Green Beans (my own recipe)

• Yeast Rolls (not homemade since we have a fabulous Mennonite community here and they make better bread than I could ever dream of making)

• Individual Fudge Cakes

My dilemma: for some reason this doesn't seem like enough. Maybe there needs to be another vegetable or I'm thinking too much of dressing that normally accompanies a turkey dinner. Maybe some broccoli spears? That is something my grandmother always had for Christmas dinner, with her fabulous cheese sauce, which I have yet to master.

Obviously there isn't much that I can do about this tonight. It's 1:01 a.m. and I really need to try to sleep. Hopefully getting all of this down will help - for now.

'Tis the Season to Be Baking

JillyBean and I will spend most of this week in the kitchen baking cookies. I feel pretty safe doing this with her since she's not really into eating cookies, so there should be plenty for us as well as friends and family.

Today's creation was Snickerdoodles. I used a recipe that a good friend gave me and they have been a Christmas mainstay for the past six years. I remember when I added them to the lineup - I wanted something with cinnamon. Jilly had the most important job in making Snickerdoodles - rolling them in the cinnamon/sugar mix. She did a great job.

Tomorrow we are going to make a ginger/chocolate chip cookie that I made for the first time last year after finding it in Real Simple. Wednesday will be spent making cut-out cookies and hopefully on Thursday we'll make something out the raspberry chocolate chips that I found this afternoon.

I really enjoy making cookies at Christmas time. It reminds me of when I was a kid and made them with my Grandmother. We would sit at her kitchen table and roll out the dough then cut out Santas, trees, stars, bells, angels and other Christmas shapes then sprinkle them with colored sugar. It was something that I always looked forward to so I hope that I can create the same sort of memory with Jilly.

Editor's Note: The hat Jilly is wearing in the photo is her red snow hat, but she calls it her Santa hat. She insisted on wearing it today and kept saying, "ho ho ho" all afternoon.

Jingles

Last Christmas we started a little tradition with Elf on the Shelf. It's a cute little character and book that serves as a gentle reminder to stay extra nice during the Christmas season. Jillian named him Jingles and each morning he shows up somewhere in the house. Today he was sitting atop a bowl of ornaments on our kitchen table. His job is to keep an eye on Jilly during the day then reports to Santa each night on her behavior. Most days Jingles has a good report, but he had a fairly naughty report last week. A note from Jingles in Jilly's advent calendar seemed to help adjust her attitude the next day. He simply reminded her that she is a very good and sweet girl, but acted up a bit too much the previous day.

I really love having Jingles around and think that maybe we should keep him year round.