Fa La La La La......

Does this look like holiday fun to you? Christmas time, planning gifts, baking treats, making memories. Well, I'll let you in on my little secret....


I'm NOT a crafty mom. If I have a choice, I will avoid the mess, the hassle, the arguments, the tears, the cleanup and as a result - the fun. Aunt Susie sent us this candy making kit, so I "had" to suck it up and get down to the business of having fun. The kids were thrilled to hear the word "project" and before I even had the box open, there were arguments and bickering over who got what first. I threatened, "Are we going to have fun or are we going to fight because I'm not doing both." (Now this is the stressed out, fed up voice - not the patient, sweet warning you may presume). Of course to kids who don't get crafts that often, they weren't going to miss out. :) Then my perfectionist (I'll refrain from identifying the one) was in tears about 60 seconds into the project. It was immediately becoming clear that theirs was not going to look exactly like the one on the box. When attempts at reasoning were exhausted, I threw the empty box into the kitchen and declared, "it's never going to look like the box, it isn't supposed to look like the box, you are supposed to use your IMAGINATION! Now stop crying and just do your best or we're done having fun!" There you have it, my secret is out but it feels so good to admit my own flaws.

OK, so today was not one of my better days but it does sadden me to think of what I miss out on when I'm focused on myself. Instead of enjoying the moments with my kids, sometimes I just endure them while my mind is on my own "to do" list. As I pick up countless scraps of paper, I miss the joy on my kids faces at wrapping presents for their friends and imaginary friends and teddy bears. I mentally bemoan that they have covered the table (that I just cleared off) with all their art supplies so they can make Christmas Cards for their friends. They ask if we can go carrolling and I think to myself, "it's cold and that's just one more thing to fit into our schedule before Christmas." As we sit down on the couch to watch "The Grinch that Stole Christmas", I'm annoyed with my chatterbox who asks non-stop questions (ie. what is a grinch? why does he look like that? Is he a monster or a person? Dr. Suess?) when I just want to sit and and enjoy 30 minutes of quiet (hmmm, that does sound pretty Grinch-ish of me now ....). Is there any hope for me?

So now that I'm out of the shadows as the one home schooling mom who hates crafts, I'm committing to myself that I will force myself to look beyond my own wants ( peace and quiet, nothing sticky on my floor, etc.). I do want to share the wonder with my children at this magical time of year. They love Jesus and are excited to count down the days til we celebrate his birthday party. They can't wait til next week when they get to go to the Dollar Tree and buy Christmas gifts for each other with the money they earned themselves. They pray nightly for the boy we sponsor at Esperanza Viva to have a merry Christmas and not be lonely. Their hearts are in the right place, I'm working on getting mine there. I'm understanding in a new way today about "the kingdom of heaven" being made up of children like these. I'm trying to learn from their example.