It Ain't Easy Being Greene: I know, I'm so silly but happy

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I know, I'm so silly but happy

I didn't know if I should blog about this because it's somewhat personal, but I wanted to record it. And it's my blog, so ... I will :)
I've been feeling really humbly proud this last week. Is that even possible? Humble pride? It is, and here is how.

See, last year I was struggling over the whole Santa aspect of Christmas and how it seemed to usurp the celebration on the birth of our Savior. I mean, this is the Savior, of the whole wide world, and he was finally born! To start the work of saving us! And it's for real! And instead, the first thing we think about is a fat guy with a white beard bringing us junk! I had some dismaying conversations with my children about what Christmas was all about, and it was making me sad.

This was on my mind as I prayed and went to bed one night. I had been feeling like Santa was not good enough for my family. He was hiding what was really important and we needed to know better than that. I considered (somewhat - but I don't think Dave would have let me) spilling the beans completely so we could focus. And then as I got one leg under the covers, this idea came to my mind, and a list started forming. The covers were pretty enticing and I was content to snuggle down and ponder, but I just knew I would forget. So I grabbed a folder with paper that was on my nightstand and began to scribble. Literally. It was totally dark and I didn't want to walk to turn on a light (bugging a sleeping husband), so I just wrote blindly and hoped it would suffice. As I finally went to sleep I knew this was an answer to prayer and I felt very blessed and humbled to receive such guidance.

I used my idea in Family Home Evening and it turned out beautifully. Then I saw a request for guest writers on a blog I follow, and I was prompted to share our experience. You can read it here:

http://www.latter-dayhomeschooling.com/2010/12/symbols-of-christmas.html

(OK, fine, if you don't want to read it, it was about Santa being a symbol of Jesus. They have so many similarities that I never connected. And I finally understood how to point that out to my kids and emphasize that it all goes back to Christ.)

So that was last year, and I kind of forgot about it. Then this year as I was perusing Pinterest (as I am wont to do), a familiar picture of Jesus knocking on a door (with no outer doorknob) showed up. I happened to notice the caption said, "Santa and Jesus." Curious, I clicked, and sure enough, it was a link to my post! Later that day I was on my Pinterest home page and noticed my very own aunt had posted it too! I was totally wondering if she pinned it on her own or if she had noticed that I wrote it and that's why she did it. And then it just kept popping up! Even my sister pinned it! (not sure if she knew or not)

I was amazed. Because it's not that well-written, which is a little embarassing. Because others were finding value in something I wrote. And because this little prompting not only helped me but was blessing others! I am so happy, because I feel like I have been a tool in the Lord's hands. You don't get that kind of validation every day, and I just feel joyous to have shared. I don't know. It's hard to explain, because I feel like it wasn't me, I just got to be involved. It's really touching. And that is wonderful.

I know, it's silly. It's a really little thing. (I know that every pin I post does not impact my life!) Except I saw this little thing, from someone I don't know, on a Facebook post of a friend I do know:
Tiffany H I should do that. :) We did the Christ/Santa FHE last night. It worked well. We have our 'door' with Christ behind it on display now.

And then this from a dear sis-in-law:

Heather Lynne

Just found this great blog post that I'm using for FHE tonight & commented on it to say thanks for the great idea, I'm using it! Then noticed YOU had commented on it a couple of times last year & this year! THEN I read that YOU wrote it! ha! You are good! Thanks for a great idea (I found it through Google, researching ideas for a talk Talia gave on Sunday, but pinned it to use for FHE tonight!) What a small little internet world! :)

Just ... YAY.

1 comment:

BetsyDecember 15, 2011 at 5:24 PM
That is really awesome! It's a great reminder to be open to the Spirit and willing to follow through! Also, that's a really awesome Christmas FHE idea, and I totally plan on doing it...THIS YEAR. I'm kind of a scrooge when it comes to Santa, so maybe it can help me be more upbeat about him and still have Christ be the center of the season. Thanks!
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Out of the mouths of monkeys

K: There's another one fly!
M: Can you smash it?
K: No. I don't wann smash it. Da fly is NICE! 11/6/12

Mom: Koen, are you stinky?
K: No. I mean, (meekly) Yes, sir. 10/12

Koen, as we left the parking lot ahead of the boys one night: "See ya lata ... (quietly) suckas." 8/29/12

Sitting in church, whispering:
Caden: Wow, are they allowed to be this boring?
Dave: Yes (laughing).
C: And speak this long?
D: Yes.
C: It should be a crime against kids! 8/26/12

Davin, after a comment by Daddy: "So, are only grown-ups allowed to say 'stupid'?" Whoops, caught ya. 7/12

Koen said, "I wanna lay on baby" today. Then he pulled up my shirt and laid his head down on my bulging belly ... and now he's sleeping. First co-nap with the new sib! :) 4/13/12

Caden: "Mom, the Star Wars Darth Maul Lightsaber is the greatest thing since holographic sliced bread." 4/13/12

Tessa: I try not to let Davin play with my glass dolls.
Gummy: Why? Are you afraid he'll drop them on you?
Tessa: No, I'm afraid he'll drop them on the FLOOR!
4/10/12

Dave recently patched several dings, holes and other imperfections in our walls. The next morning Koen went on a treasure hunt, finding the white spackled patches and shouting excitedly, "SNOW!!!"

When we went camping, we were out playing and Tessa called out, "Caden, where are you, my brother-from-the-same-mother?"

Davin stubbed his toe and said, "Dad, I hurt my thumb toe."

Davin: "Mommy, this is the hugest orange anyone could ever eat!"
Mom: "That's a grapefruit."
Davin: "Oranges are the great fruit? I don't think so."

Koen asked me for an "apple peach" one morning, meaning he wanted it whole instead of cut up :) Way to communicate, 22-month-old!

Tessa was outside with Dad on a chilly morning. She was getting cold and said, "Dad, I think I'm turning into a big Tessacle!" lol

Mom: "Koko, do you need a diaper change?"
Caden: "What about me?" (Granted, he had just asked me for something, but the timing was great.)

Caden: (looking at the map)"Dad, is there such place as Zealand?" Because where does the "New" come from if there is no original?

Mom pours shampoo on Tessa's head. "OK Tessa, rub it in." (High, whiny voice) "'Ha ha, I have shampoo and you don't.' You mean that kind of rubbing in?"

Davin: "I'm leaving da rest of my celery on da floor so da ants can eat it."
Tessa: "Or the mice."
Thanks a million, kids. So helpful.

Dave told Tessa he'd give her a penny if she'd wipe Davin's behind. She said, "Every penny counts!" and did it! They each got 3 pennies for it :) Later Davin wanted more money and Dave said maybe tomorrow Tessa could wipe him again. He said, "Heh. Nah, dat was kinda weird for me."

I was giving Davin a bath and told him to lay down to get his hair wet. Then he said, "Now should I lay up?"

Davin passed some noisy gas and I said, "Heeeeey, tootie!" He looks at me, shrugs, and says, "Dat's just what it do!"

Tessa tells the baby, "Awww, you're so cute! I just can't exist you!" (means 'resist')

I was lecturing Davin about how he doesn't listen to me until I yell, when he mutters under his breath, "Mama, Jesus don't love you." Hiding a smirk, I asked why he would say that, and he said, "'Cuz, you so cwazy! I don't even know what you sayin!"

Davin was marching around in a circle and said, "Look ma! I following the prophet! Like Jesus say!"

Tessa calls her bare feet her "plain old feet."

I was frustrated one night getting the rowdy kids to focus and put on their pajamas. During his bedtime prayer, Caden included: "Oh, and God, here's a little secret: (whisper) Mom's beautiful when she's angry." He later told me I look beautiful and Dad looks cool when we're angry. What a smart kid - dispell the anger with kindess!

Me: "Tessa, do you want a banana?"
T: "Tessa do you want a banana who? ... bwaaa haa haa"

Caden was watching the end of "NeverEnding Story" where the luck dragon chases down the bullies. He got really excited and said, "Yeah! He's giving them a taste of their own medicine! And not the fruity kind ... the hurtin' kind!"

Caden asks lots of questions that I don't have great answers for: "Why is my Slappy Hand sticky? Why is clay hard?" Tessa has figured out the best response: "Because Jesus made your Slappy Hand sticky. Right Mom?" What do you say to that?

During family prayer one night Caden decided to do a rap version of "Let Us Gather In A Circle." At the end he crosses his arms gangsta style and says, "Respect!" We were laughing, and he was annoyed. He said, "What, I'm just trying to make a catch phrase!"

For some reason, Caden and Aunt Betsy were talking about bats. And Caden mentioned fruit bats (heaven knows why). So Betsy said, "Oh, is that from Anastasia?" Caden said, "No ... no, that's not from any country."

Caden had been calling Mom and Tessa his "step-sisters" all day. Later Tessa said, "I am Caden's ... tip-toe sister!"

Tessa: "Mom, you are Dad's life." (She meant wife ... but I like it her way.)

Tessa was trying to come in while I was in the bathroom, and I said, "Tessa, please go out. Mommy needs her privacy." She said "oh" and closed the door. A few seconds later I hear her say, "I can't find it! Dad, do you know where Mom's privacy is?"

Grandma was telling the grandchildren on her birthday that they were her best present. As we were later driving to her house to give her a gift, Caden insisted that he was her present. Over and over. Then he said, "But I'M HER PRESENT! Wrap me up, baby!"

Tessa was horrified to learn where dogs go to the bathroom and occasionally mutters to herself, "Remember when Jake (friend's dog) go'd poopy on the ground?"

A few years ago we were at the grandparents' house and Grandpa was blessing the food. During his prayer Caden said in a loud whisper, "Grandpa! It's too long! That's too long Grandpa!"

It Ain't Easy Being Greene

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

I know, I'm so silly but happy

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Out of the mouths of monkeys

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