I'm sure that you are all expecting an inspirational post about New Years Resolutions, pep-talks, and git-r-done kind of stuff but... since I am just a bit too rebellious to do something I "should" do...you won't catch me involved in those...:) I'm not one that thinks it is necessary to wait until Valentines day to be romantic...saving chocolate till Easter is a shame and giving gifts to those who would other wise have none should not be saved till Christmas.  Green beer should be consumed on more than just St. Patricks day (ok bad example) and lastly, I do not want to wait to make important life resolutions until the calendar says to.  But before I loose any of you, I want to say that if you have a New Years resolution...go for it, and I truly hope you succeed!!!  That being said...I like real change, deep change, meaningful change, attainable change.  I think fad diets are good for loosing 28lbs then gaining it back, self help seminars are great until you have to drive out of the parking lot and discipline books work wonders until your toddler breaks your grandmothers antique vase or your teen wrecks your car!   My babbling is being prompted by one of the most "life changing" books that I am in the middle of reading and I just have to pass it on...

     I want to look back over my life and be able to say that I succeeded in the most important things that I committed to doing.  For me, this is having a successful marriage (I'm on #2 and will not have a #3!!) and raising my kids to be generous, caring, compassionate, productive adults!!!   I do, of course have a long list of other important things I want to accomplish, but these top it.  I need to admit that lately I have been struggling in both of these areas.  I know what I want them to look like, but have been at a loss of what to do to improve either.  Let me just say that I have read almost every marriage, and raising children type books, I have talked to wise friends, and even a counselor...but up until reading this week, nothing prompted real change.

     I want to say that I am not doing some fancy schmacy advertising for this book, I just think that I am doing a disservice to us all if I dont pass it along.  My post today will end with the one "punched me in the gut statement" and I hope that you take a minute to let it sink in and take hold.  I think will change everything that you do, just like it's done for me!!!

     The book is called "The 10 greatest gifts I give my children".  I'm not going to go into what it's about, you're just going to have to trust me and read it for yourself...I do want to mention in one chapter though, the author talks about just how much kids are shaped by their parents and how they learn directly by watching (and hearing) us...take for instance yesterday when my 2 year old said to me "mommy mad!" I said "no honey, mommy not mad" to which he responded "mommy mad, mommy say "holy crap!"oops....but also about 15 times a day he says "I love you sooooo much! It's a beautiful day!"  Thats the point...they learn to be just like us!  Take just a minute to think about you, your spouse, or your best friend and see how many of their traits are identical to their parents.....It's scary actually!!!  (Just a thought...if your not married, you might want to do a little "home visit" before you say "I do"!)

     I'm going to leave you with the simple, (and if you let it be)"life changing" statement the author concluded one chapter with. Please comment below and tell us what this means to you.  If you have trouble commenting, please click the link to our facebook page and post it on our wall there.  Here we go...

Oh what a lovely night...I just got both kids down (in their own beds...miracle) and I'm sitting here in the silence (except for the t.v., the drier, and the dishwasher) just me (and the dog, and the husband) typing.   O.K. so it's only a little glamorous.  The beautiful part is the shimmery Christmas tree beside me, not to mention the chuga chuga choo choo train (named by my 2 year old) lying in pieces underneath the for-mentioned shimmery Christmas tree.   None the less, it's pretty.  What makes it even better is that I can gaze at it through my peripheral vision (fancy word), (O.K. I'll stop using parenthesis now, I know its annoying!!!) and completely ignore the massive pile of boxes, stockings, wreathes, lights, snowmen, and other decor behind me...you get the picture right?  You see, my decorating has just begun...2 days ago!  I have had time to accomplish nothing other than the tree and the mess!  I am not complaining.  I love Christmas and all most of what it brings, but sometimes, it's all just a bit too much.  Here are just a few things I am trying to accomplish (along with my normal job, kids, house, company, volunteer work, nose and butt wiping, driving, etc, etc, etc...)

I did not wrap this!

Christmas cards

Decorating

Baking

Christmas parties

This is NOT my house!

Shopping (No I was NOT out there with you crazies on black friday, or I guess it's thursday now!)

Wrapping presents like Martha

Making the perfect Christmas CD

Lights outside that could rival Clark Griswold!

Lights inside

  putting out Christmas dishes...and on, and on...

I know that a lot of you could fill in about a dozen more things you are wanting to do in the next month, but here is my thought for all of us.  First of all if you love the chaos, you go girl, but if you are like me and you don't, I think you will appreciate the words that our pastor gave us today.

He said (I may not be getting this exactly right but here goes)



"I want to make MORE of Christmas, by making LESS of Christmas".



Read that again...

"I want to make MORE of Christmas, by making LESS of Christmas".



I LOVE THIS!!!!  Because I love Christmas, I am going to make LESS of it this year.  What I love, is that for every one of us that chooses to do this, it will mean something different.  For me, here is what it means.



I will not buy every toy that my kids say they need.

I will not make my own bows for each package.

I will not bake.  Nope not even once!  I hate baking people, and I'm the only one that will eat it any way!

I will not host a party, or shop for a new outfit for any that I go to.

I will not care if I don't get wreaths put up just so, or if the stupid train spends more time on the floor than it does on the track.









And I will go back to what Christmas means to me and my family.  We will celebrate Jesus birthday.  We will remember why celebrate, and focus on the magnitude of what He did for us.







So thats it.  Simple.  I am making more of Christmas this year by making less of Christmas this year!





MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!