I started off slow and restful and then finished our weekend in high speed!!! Things like this seem to always happen in this sort of pattern. On Friday, I posted a short writing on Instagram about "rest". I was inspired by this because right before Mike headed off to work on Friday, he said to me, "Do nothing today." Nothing? I chuckled and asked him if he was staying home because if I do nothing he should stay home and do my work?! :))) It was his time to chuckle and he was off to work. I sat and thought about that for a minute or so and then reflected on our how my devotional that very 30 minutes before Mike said this to me, was on the topic of "rest". I had laundry to do but nothing marked on my calendar that I "had to do". I would actually hate if that was a real command to "do nothing!" I like to get things done. It's how I enjoy life but I guess I needed this reminder because in my devotions this morning it also spoke of rest. "Also, I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy." Ezekiel 20:12 In my devotional book it read, "Has this season typically become one of frenetic activity? Why not take a day off? When you do, you'll feel refreshed, alive, new and ready for the week." That's sounds lovely!!! It's a choice to make, I know this! But this is a busy time of year and it can be a time of much hustle and bustle but today, I'm going to take a break! I don't mean to "do nothing" but to just chill out! Sip my coffee a bit slower. Turn on some soft Christmas music! Fold my laundry like its the only house chore I have to do today! Spend extra moments in the Word and pray! I just love December weekends and we are getting ready for more fun festivities! This really is the best season! I want to enjoy every single moment more, make more treasured memories and enjoy the season with my whole heart!
Ashlyn has been fighting against a headache/bellyache the past few days! She made it through her Christmas Program Thursday afternoon but I took her late that morning to school. Austin and I went to watch the good program and the minute it was over in the afternoon, Ashlyn came up to me and I knew she wasn't well! We went straight home and she flopped on the couch. I did give her some Motrin that morning but this time she just needed some good rest! She slept on the couch for a few hours and I still wasn't sure if she would be well enough to attend the evening program! When Mike got home, Ashlyn was already in her PJ's but feeling a bit better. We did decide to go to the program and Ashlyn did good. The program was really cute and I love how the younger grades just stepped up a notch and still did a program this year. This was the first year that 7th and 8th grade are moved over to Houston Run with the High School students and they all had their program last week. This left the K - 6th grades with the elementary program! Great job kids!!! Ashlyn was tired when we got home and went straight to bed.
She woke up Friday morning still not feeling 100%. I decided to keep her home from school and get that rest she needed! We are doing something new this season with books. Melonie Fisher sells Usborne books and offered a bundle of books that came delivered to my door and already all wrapped up. It's a bundle of 12 books and we started our "12 days until Christmas book opening" on Thursday! Ashlyn needs to read every day for school and I thought this would be a fun way to add some new books to our family library! Ashlyn and Austin are really loving this small daily event! Part of it is that they can open a gift and the other part is that they get to read new books!!!
(Austin found a baseball helmet at Fashion Cents the other day and he's been wearing all the time!)
I needed some icing the other day for something I baked and I asked Mike to swing by the store and grab some for me! He came home with a huge container of white icing! All I needed was a little container. So, now I have this big container to use up. I decided to try the Ginger Whoppies in the Magnolia Magazine. But the thing is, the whoopie part turned into more like a fat tiny cookie. They didn't make the nicest pies so now I still have this big container of icing to use up plus yummy cookies!
Back to the Friday/Rest Day … I did end up cleaning the basement really good because it just needed it! Mike's still working on finishing up the new part of the basement that was added three years ago when we remodeled our home but I just couldn't stand it anymore with all the dirt and dust! Ashlyn asked me if this is always what I do when she is normally in school. :) I think sometimes she thinks I don't do much while they are in school. Heehee. I also had a few stops to make like go for milk, pick something up at Mom Lapps and stop at a store for more toothpaste that Mike likes. I then dropped Austin off at Adrian's house because we had tickets to go watch the First Noel show at the American Music Theater. It was our first time to go their to watch a show and we were looking forward to it!
Ashlyn was still not feeling the greatest and so it was hard to really enjoy the show! Hadassah and Matthew liked it but not loved it! It was song after song but Mike and I were enjoying all the Christmas carols and songs really much!!!
Hadassah left right after the show so she could still go to her volleyball practice! The rest of us grabbed quick burger at DJ's Diner while Ashlyn sipped on Sprite and ate oyster crackers. Her belly was not feeling well! We picked up Austin again and it was good to be back home and jump in our PJ's and relax together on the couch!!!
I loved this quote I found on Pinterest!!! :))))
We got our church permits this week to finally have our very first Sunday Church Service on Sunday!!! Wednesday night, Mike and I went to the 'sermon of yesteryears' that the elders are doing for whoever wants to attend! These are sermons that were preached years and years ago and we sit and listen to the recording while reading the script on the overhead! It's powerful even though the sermons are years old! While I was sitting in the new church sanctuary on Wednesday evening, it was beautiful but something was missing!!! Here we were are getting ready for the very first Sunday morning service in this brand new building built this year and we are only two weeks away from Christmas!!! What an incredible gift from God!!! But I sat there and dreamed of some Christmas décor!!! Wreaths on the windows and fresh greens and poinsettias!!!! Could it happen in such a last minute wish???
I mentioned my wish to Mike and he was all into it!!! I texted two friends from church to see if they wanted to help me but both of them had Christmas family gatherings on Saturday! So, off I went. All by myself. I my own little world! Jamming on Christmas music the whole way to Produce Junction in Exton!!! I was loving my little outing!!! Meanwhile, Mike and Matthew went to the gun shop and finally was able to pick up a gun that Matthew won at a hunting event months ago! They were excited! Ashlyn was a birthday party for a girl in her class. Hadassah and Austin were hanging out together!!!
The GPS took me a different way to Produce Junction and as I turned on the turnpike I had a slight panic attack. I only had $2 in cash and I would need to pay toll when it was time to turn off the turnpike! I prayed that it would be enough! As I pulled off the highway and pulled up to the toll booth, I put my window down and told the toll lady that I hope and pray I have enough cash to pay! She chuckled and said it's "$2.10"!!! Oh, that's perfect!!! Thank you Jesus!
I again turned up the Christmas music and pulled into Produce Junction! This is a fruit and vegetable market but they always have seasonal flowers too! This time of year they are selling Christmas trees, fresh wreaths, poinsettias, etc.. For a really good price! That's why I came here to buy ten wreaths for the church sanctuary! I was on a mission. I grabbed the fresh wreaths, red bows, some fruits and veggies for our family and four huge poinsettias! I paid and off I went right next door to the Dollar General to buy some red ribbon! They were sold out of red so I went looking for gold ribbon! And guess what I found? Exactly ten rolls of gold ribbon! That's all they had left and I took this as another gift from God!!! I paid and off I went for a quick lunch!
I was back at church by 1:30 and ready to decorate! The Yukon smelled amazing with all those fresh wreaths in the back!!! Mike and Matthew met me at church and Mike helped me hang all ten wreaths! It looked so pretty! Dave and Darlene met us there a little later to help me finish up some décor in the foyer/coffee rooms. I was just having a blast and really hopped that this would add some Christmas Spirit to our first church service the next morning!!!
We came back home tired but fulfilled!!! This is totally my thing and I couldn't wait for people to come into the new, beautiful church sanctuary and take in the Christmas feels! We decided to make a quick trip to the local shop yet that night for some peppermint hot chocolate and listen to Lee sing. We were only there for an hour before coming home and get ready for bed!
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Our Sunday Service was so heavenly!!!! Mike had to leave early because he had an extended leadership meeting before the morning service. I told the kids that if we hurry and get to church a bit earlier, they could each eat a donut before the service. They did good at hurrying but Austin was whining the whole way to church! And the whole church service. And the whole way back home. Nothing seemed to be right in his little eyes! All I wanted was to sit and take in the Holy Spirit's presence and sing the extra Christmas songs at the top of my lungs because the worship team did such a great job!!! The music sounded so good in the new church!!!! There was no Sunday School but a commissioning service for the new building. The sermon was really good!!! We finished the service with prayer requests and then the whole congregation gathered around the front stage singing, "He Is Here"!!! It was so wonderful!!! The only little problem was that our two youngest were having a really hard time sitting still and being content! I just know that one day, hopefully soon, Mike and I will sit through a whole church service without needing to give those "you better straighten up eyes" to our little ones!!!
I drove home with Austin still not happy and I was frustrated! Mike came home (we had to drive separate because of his early meeting) and I said, "We are not going to do anything else today if this whining doesn't stop!!!" He talked to the kids, did some attitude adjustments, while I finished up lunch! We had plans to go with the youth on a big bus to watch a live nativity in NJ but I was ready to give that up if the whining didn't stop! I just had enough of it!
Mike was looking forward to the bus trip and so we all gathered ourselves together again, put on a smile and headed right back to Honeybrook! We got there to hear that the nativity did get canceled again because of the rain but there was a back up plan! A bunch of youth, some church families and us boarded on the big bus and headed for Hershey to go see the "Sweet Lights". This is a 2 mile drive through lights display! We made a first, quick stop for some hot drinks and fries and then Ashlyn and Austin loved the all the lights!!!
We ended up going to the Chocolate World too and the kids loved that too!!! The group of youth had a blast and we all ended back at church for a snack! We were again tired and ready for beds!
Our weekend was full with fun, new activities!!! It now feels really good to have a new week begin and with it being now the week before Christmas, I am happy to say that we actually have a few evenings without anything planned!!! We always seem to have that one crazy week with something planned every night before Christmas but this year seemed a bit more spaced out!!! I like it that way!
There are only 8 more days until Christmas!!! It's time to finish up any shopping, gift wrapping and cookie baking!!! It's time to enjoy more Christmas music!!! It's time to reflect on why we really do celebrate this holiday … because of Jesus' birth!!!
Have a great week!!! Celebrate Jesus!!! Bless someone today!
