Javadawn’s Holiday Survival Guide – Part I

The other night when we were out, I noticed, standing in line, that everyone has a holiday survival guide, so I, too, would like to offer MY 10 tips for entering and exiting the holidays in one peace.

RALP!!!

This post is a cross between a rant and a cry for help to understand what in the world is going on………….

Jumbled Javaspeak

It’s a dangerous thing to let a non-communicative Javadawn back at her computer after several days weeks AGES away – there are SO many things rattling around in my blond brain – they just all are fighting to get out first.  (Please don’t try to psychoanalyze that statement – it’s simply too frightening – for both you and I!)   

To the mommy of three, in Target

Oh honey, PLEASE, let me take that huge diaper bag for you.  Here, sit down.  You need to get off your feet.  You look like you’re ready to drop. You know,  I heard what that woman said.  I must say, glaring at you and telling you to keep your son under control was….well, it was rude.

To the Mommy of the little red-headed guy with the guitar in his backpack

Hi, you don’t know me, but I was watching you so closely yesterday. Nice fuzzy pink slippers, by the way.  Do you mind if I just pull up a seat here…..I brought some hot tea, thought maybe we could natter (thank you Michele W, that’s a phrase I have kept as my own!!) a bit. AND could I just share a bit of information – as an older mommy??

No Ordinary Home Chap 12 – Pentecost

1982.  April, to be specific.  I was working, as a switchboard operator (does this date me or WHAT?) for Indiana University.  My “office” was really the theatre dept’s Box Office.  It was sized accordingly.  At best, the room was 6 x 8 with a large plate glass window across the front opening.  I was sick.  VERY sick.  In order to have sufficient voice to answer the phone, I was drinking Halls cough drops, dissolved in boiling water.  Furthermore, I pulled my sweater up over my head and breathed the fumes in, as the cough drops were melting.  Then HE walked in.

Getting from there to here

Growing up, Christmas was an EVENT.  It meant killing ourselves making cookies.  It meant 18′ trees, decorated to the nth degree.  It meant gifts stacked higher and taller than some of the children that were opening them.  It meant too much, too often and WAY too expensive.  In the midst of all this excess, what was birthed in my heart was greed and discontentment. 

Christ in Christmas – Our Advent Calendar

This week we’re finishing off our Advent calendar. It will be the tool we use to help us sail through the potentially choppy waters of life in December AND it will help us keep our focus.

No Ordinary Home Chapter 11 – Holy Week

Ok, so my idea of later in the morning and reality just didn’t quite meld, did they??

Today, I’m going to post an abbreviated version of the overview and also post the discussion, as we really did a goodly amount of discussion about this last week, when we were talking about Lent.  Come along – let’s unpack this chapter, shall we?

Mid-afternoon, can’t-find-my-chocolate-bar blues…

Mid-afternoon and I’m dragging. I even popped in a good work out, right before lunch. It just wasn’t enough today, I guess. So, now, I’m sitting here thinking how delightful 1/2 square of that Dagoba bar would taste, but can I find it? NO! So, I’m sitting at my computer singing my can’t-find-my-chocolate-bar blues. (Or maybe I should say muse?)