Saturday, December 20, 2008

We're Getting Ready for the Christmas Program!

Well, true to my word, we have been absolutely swamped this week: at the church every day for program practice, making 45 angel costumes which involve about 4 main steps each, making beards, "thinking" about packing for leaving on Sunday, etc. Whew! This picture was taken last night around midnight! The three older kids were helping me make beards for the Christmas program for the major prophets and Moses to wear. Doesn't this one look so nice? I just hope they actually stay on the children's faces.


Chad was going to wake the boys up at 7:30 to go to the church to work with him. They share a bed, and this is how they were when he went in to wake them up! So hilarious.

From Monday's post, most people voted for numbers 1 and 6. My personal favorites were numbers 4 and 6. #1 - Mine (probably shouldn't have included it, though) #2 - Budge #3 - Chad #4 - Brian #5 - Elisabeth #6 - Meagan. Wasn't Meagan's just adorable?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The last two weeks have been crazy around here - Christmas program decorations, school parties, Christmas parties, program practices, issues at the church and school. Life has been anything but calm, and I'm a big fan of peace and calm. In fact, I was analyzing myself the other day and made a discovery. I am a perfectionist (that's not the discovery); you can't really tell in my house right now, but I like for things to be "just right." (They haven't been "just right" for the last 5 years! Ha, ha!) Being a perfectionist isn't really the bad part because that part of me compels me to do my best at everything that I do, i.e. Christmas program. The bad part is that if things are not exactly right, I get very upset. Any job done by anyone less than perfectly upsets me. Something happens beyond my control to throw a wrench in my day, and I am cranky. This is not good.

I am not a calm person, to say the least. However, in my very soul, I am pursuing peace (sometimes more actively than others). Today, I am claiming several verses that speak to my heart about peace:

Psalm 72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psalm 119:165 ¶ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
This one hurts. "Nothing" shall offend them. Not even the hurtful things that some people might say. Not even the fact that hubby was too busy to kiss me goodbye (that didn't happen today!).

Psalm 122:7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. This is my prayer for all of you who read this today.

Proverbs 3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. Referring to wisdom, of course, but I would love for my paths to be peaceful and pleasant.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

I Peter 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
I am going to seek peace today. How about you?

3 comments:

  1. I've got you beat. Things haven't been "right" in my house for the past 12 years, LOL. When I had just three babies, life was sooo busy, but I did it all, so it was all done right. Then as my children grew in age and number, I had to let go because I couldn't keep up and also because I was training little ones who weren't capable of doing it 100% correctly. I could either accept a partially correct job or it let it go undone. I think that the main thing God has taught this perfectionist mommy is flexibility. I'm still learning the peace part of it along with you. It takes a lot of practice and yielding.

    Hope your program goes well tonight! I LOVED the picture of your boys. Glad mine aren't the only ones who get away with sleeping with all their clothes still on. What is it about boys? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Amanda. Proverbs 3: 17 is one I like to use for "me" too. I guess I figure if I am using the wisdom I have been given then my ways will be pleasant & peaceful. Oh to use it only more often!
    My perfectionism isn't being tested by the children. Not usually anyway. It is being tested by moving into a very decrepit old house and then having to wait five years to do anything. (I have always lived where you move in & put up the decorations and start living)My five years are finished and we are starting the remodel, However I am not entirely sure I have learned the lessons I was supposed to learn from it. I really don't want to have to repeat them! I think the hardest part of mothering is trying to teach the children the lessons I am still struggling so hard with. But its a fun part of life and I wouldn't change it for the world.
    I hope your program will go "perfectly" ;). Those beards look great.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jen,
    I agree with the fact that one of the hardest parts of mothering is trying to teach the lessons I still struggle with. I feel like there's not much "punch" behind the "watch your tone with your brother" when I have just had a less-than-perfect tone with one of them. Hope your remodel goes as planned. :) (I've had a gaping crater in my kitchen ceiling for about 3 years -- part of a remodeling project! ;)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a message!