IKEALuciaKazoo

No, it’s not one of those cell phone commercials. The ones who combine the city names in one word. And no, it’s not a typo. Though when I titled my Advent Photo #18 last night, I separated the three words with a space. But today I re-thought that. Because it was such a surreal funny experience, it just felt all mushed together.

Jim and I were at IKEA yesterday. Jo Ann drove out and met us for lunch, on a study break. Jim went to visit a friend at a nursing facility in Carol Stream. When he returned, and after Jo Ann left, Jim and I did a quick walk-through of IKEA. As we were heading down the escalator from Level 2 to Level 1, these two elderly ladies–obviously sisters–somehow caught Jim’s attention, then showed him their shopping carts, each of which held about 5-7 circular candelabras. Jim said they looked like Lucia crowns, and that now these two ladies could have their own Lucia celebration. I actually thought Jim knew these ladies, the way they were talking to him. It was funny. Then I realized they didn’t.

“Lucia!” they said.. oh, they added. We know Lucia.. We’re half Swedish, half Italian.. both sides have Lucia. Jim suggested they sing the Lucia song… and so he began to sing. But as he started, one of the ladies said, “wait! wait!” and began rummaging in her purse. We looked at each other wondering what was going on. And the other sister said to the one rummaging, “Do you have it? Oh dear! Don’t encourage her!”

Then the first one pulled a kazoo out of her purse. And began playing the tune of “Santa Lucia”. So Jim began singing. They were side-hugging, while singing/playing… passersby staring at them, some laughing, some smiling, some just looking puzzled. And, of course, Jim was singing in Swedish.

Quite funny. And fun…

Self Portrait, Sans makeup

and I’ve only been awake for less than an hour. Good things the dogs are so dang cute. I just wanted to take, and post, my Advent photo #14 earlier than midnight! And I did it!

I might be going to hell…

if the phrase, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” is true. Thankfully, though it may be partially true, I realize there’s more to it than that. But, just for a split second today, I realized that my “good intentions” list has been growing and growing… and my actual productivity level has not been growing in proportion. So, here are some of the many things I fully intended to do this week or last week or last month or even today:

send a Thanksgiving letter

write a Thanksgiving letter

catch up on work I’m behind on (church work)

reply to all those emails that came in that I’ve forgotten about, yet need a response

send a Christmas letter

write a Christmas letter

send Christmas gifts to friends and family

buy Christmas gifts for friends and family

post today’s Advent photo before noon

take today’s Advent photo before noon

respond to hard words rather than react

go to bed earlier than 12:30 am

walk the dogs today

forgive someone hard to forgive

ask for forgiveness

write a letter of appreciation for someone who is leaving his position

clean the house

move the home office downstairs

organize my winter clothes

start our child’s nursery

call friends and family

start sermon early

finish my list of “necessary phone calls” yesterday

Advent devotions today

call youth to see how they’re doing

read a book

read several books

play in the snow with the dogs

blog several times in the past week

read the newspaper

play the geography games online that help me learn world geography

check our adoption paperwork to see if it’s all good (might need to be fingerprinted again… joy)

call my Mom

spend less time on the computer

exercise

do my laundry

clean my church office

finish my Guatemala ‘06 scrapbook

and many many more things….

ah, well… such is life. Good intentions are great, but now I need to work on some of these items. Thank goodness–no, thank God–for grace.

Waiting…

Advent is about waiting…

I waited for a long time to get this photo. (I tried to post it here, but had problems…) It was active waiting. The icicle dripped constantly. And I took many photos. Of the same shot. And only caught the cool drip twice. This is one of the photos I got.

If only everything else about life… having a baby (and no, waiting for 9 months is not the same as more than 5 years…), adopting, work, having an uncluttered home, being fibro-free and able to go through a day without wanting to take a nap… and many other things… if only the waiting for these other things only took about 6 minutes and 50+ photography shots.

At least I got an icicle drip.

Today’s photo:Advent 10

and explanation… This is Advent Photo #10. It’s for Donna, because when we lived in NJ, Donna stopped by one day before Christmas, and I had my Christmas mugs box out… Every year I unpack my Christmas mugs, and pack my “rest of the year mugs” in the Christmas mugs box for the season. Donna got nervous, thinking that I was packing to move somewhere… We laughed about that, and still do, each Christmas season. We weren’t moving then… though obviously we did at some point.

So, Donna, this photo is for you!

p.s. Notice the dogs outside the window.. so cute, hey? They love the snow.

Adoption…getting closer?

It’s getting closer. But I can’t get excited yet, because it’s still a ways off… but, we are now three-LID-groups away from our referral!!!! it’s time for me to write another “adoption primer” about what these acronyms, dates, etc. mean. But not today. For today, suffice it to say that we are a little closer. On December 23rd of this month, it will be 2 years since we sent our paperwork to the agency/to China. Unbelievable. But I’m not going to go down that road now, of bemoaning how long it’s been. For now, for this moment, for this day, I’m going to celebrate a little Advent hope: that we’re closer.

Stumps and Hope

“A shoot shall come out of the stump of Jesse…and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” This is the first verse of Isaiah 11. The first verse in the Old Testament lesson for this coming Sunday. The verse that promises hope, where there seems to be none. I can visualize this verse because I have seen life growing out of stumps in the ground: literally. I think I have also seen it figuratively, though not so much recently.

I want to see it. I want to hope. I want to let go of my cynicism and doubts, and cling to hope. It’s hard, but that doesn’t mean impossible.

So today I try to hope. I hope that we will have a child. I hope for reconciliation in strained relationships. I hope that my single friends find spouses. These are selfish hopes, I realize. Of course I also hope for peace in the world, an end to poverty, racism, sexism, abuse, corruption, etc. But today, I am hoping for the things close to home that are on my mind and heart.

And, I hope that today, and this season, I continue to seek the One who brings hope: Jesus Christ, the shoot that came out of the stump of Jesse.

Advent Guilt

I have it every year: Advent guilt. Guilt that I didn’t get my Advent candles and wreath set up… (I know, I still have time); guilt that I’m more excited about my house being decorated and my 1500 white Christmas tree lights than I am about preparing for this Sunday’s sermon; guilt that I love having the secular part of the Christmas season despite efforts to focus, focus, focus.. on the real reason for the season. I’m a pastor-shouldn’t a desire for Advent and all its’ true meanings come naturally?

It’s not that simple, I’ve discovered. Fortunately I have never been one of those people who thinks that by becoming a pastor (I’m an MK=Missionary Kid and a PK=Pastor’s Kid…I know better) this Advent desire comes naturally. But I still hope that each year will be different for me. It’s not that I don’t have joy for the coming of Christ. It’s not that I don’t feel overwhelming gratitude for Christ’s birth and entrance into our world as human flesh-yet-divine…. It’s simply that I like the Christmas celebrations. And, it’s not-so-simply that I am still waiting for the hopes and dreams of my life to be fulfilled. Some of them.

So this Advent, I’m going to try and not add to the pressure of the season… I’m going to try and focus on Christ’s first coming. I’m going to enjoy the Christmas season that I love so much, while also taking time each day to center my heart on Christ Jesus. Jesus the babe in the manger, Jesus the one who calls for change of heart, Jesus the Savior.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

p.s. to “Advent Challenge”

So, the website for my Advent photos seems to be having some issues. If, when you click on the link and the photo doesn’t show up, then click on the dotted line where the photo should be, and then you should be able to see it. If not, let me know.

And, by the way, if you also want to take a photo a day during Advent and post them somewhere, let me know. I’d love to see them.

Advent Challenge

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Hard to believe. Things have been so crazy here, with lots going on. Mainly our annual Open House, and prepping for that.

But today I’m starting an Advent photo challenge much like the Lenten one I did earlier this year: a photo a day. So, we’ll see what happens.

Anyhow, here is the link to my Advent Photos. Today’s is of a Guatemala glass pitcher I bought in 2006, and some Christmas lights. Part of my table decor at the Open House.

More later… and I’ll have to see when “later” is. In the meantime, Blessed Advent.