Here’s hoping Christmas brought the joy of Jesus! I worked hard to stay focused on the holiday as a Holy Day and credit my Advent study with Ann Voskamp and Kim Hyland at Winsome Woman for keeping me on track spiritually.
The Advent study birthed a season of creativity. Ann beautifully described his coming as an intertwining of the life process. Christ in the gestation period. Organic, cellular, spiritual…CREATION. CREATIVITY. So we made Christmas ornaments and baked. We drew. A lot. I gave them crafty gifts as presents. I was drawn to the concept of creation and God’s creativity. I looked for it everywhere and worked on practically applying the concept to our home school and business adventures.
This year, the Lovelies created original art work for our home school craft fair. They were so proud to receive compliments on the Christmas cards they designed and happy to go on a spending spree (after tithing) with their earnings at Target.
They inspired me.
I went on an archival hunt a few weeks ago to find inspiration for their work. And I began with a box full of drawings by my husband. I found a few that I shared on Facebook and got really nice feedback. He generally sketches for fun but we’ve toyed around with the idea of starting a card and stationery business. His sketches are whimsical and raw, fun and imaginative. I love him but I really do love them.
As my ideas develop I thought I’d offer one as a free printable. The one I chose is the first of a series. You all know my deep love of all things dance …particularly ballet. This ballerina printable is perfect for your daughter’s room or for a moment of pensive reflection as you sit at your desk to make plans for the coming year.
And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people ; for today a Saviour has been born to you in David’s city, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)
Love. Light. Joy. Peace. Health….
This Holy Day…may every blessing be yours.
Merry Christmas!I’ll be away from the blog but on Facebook and Instagram for the next few days…follow me there. I’ll be looking for you.
with love from the Eppersons – holy day 2013
How did you prepare for and how will you celebrate Christmas? Share your pictures and fun craft results with me on Facebook and Instagram.
answering the call for comfort… Somebody needs you lord come by here, oh lord come by here – by Walter Hawkins
Somebody needs you lord come by here, oh lord come by here – by Walter Hawkins
I left a little later than usual. In a hurry and at least 15 mama minutes behind schedule, 4 breathless children trotted along behind me. I was still half asleep when we opened the door. But I was happy. We planned to get our Christmas tree that evening. All the holiday concerts and engagements had been crossed off the list. I welcomed the feeling of Christmas because I hadn’t felt it until then. I’d been too busy.
I felt the cool air hit my face as the gate “securing” our building, slammed behind me. The wind and sound striking in unison…forced me awake. I noticed the warmer weather had begun to melt the snow on my car. But first I saw her.
She was standing at the curb. Circles of smoke from a cigarette veiled her pretty face. She was young. At her feet, a gathering of plastic trash bags – holding the everything and nothing of a life.
She was a daughter and sister. She was a friend. She’d also recently become a mother. One summer she lost all her baby fat and a voluptuous woman appeared. She was ripe. Maybe 16 at the time. Tender and sweet with the promise of forever, she’d given her heart to a boy.
You could tell. She’d outgrown her Barbies and baby dolls. Begun the dance that leads to a lullaby. Another life would come. And that life would change everything.
They welcomed the baby with a shower and all the good things the potential of such beauty brings. Roughly seven pounds of love and hope in the form of a baby. A helpless baby built her forever around an unprepared mama in a hard situation. It wasn’t hopeless but everything had changed.
Motherhood. A live-in boy friend. Life at home with teen-aged brothers and her single mother. Beyond sleep deprivation, stress and fear – how do you plan for the future? How do you crawl from under the weight? the pressure and promise of a new life? The life, only a few months ago everyone said was a blessing. What is Christmas like for her this year?
Today she stood in front of the building and tears streamed down her face. The boy…friend… was moving out. Looking sad and relieved he hailed a cab as she turned away.
I saw all this happening and had to step out of my comfort this Christmas – to hug a little girl burning in a big girls game.
I thought of that song again, Mary Did You Know? I thought of Advent. How I’ve longed for Christ to show up. Read and prepared for His coming. I know Advent is within reach, just outside the gates and I want to grab it and place it at her feet. Whisper it in hear ear as the good news of the season. Give to her, the Greatest Gift. This situation needs a savior and right now He is the only gift.
And her story is not the only one.
They’re all around…the needs, so great. I can barely walk down a block without stories of brokenness spilling…tumbling out of buildings onto sidewalks and into hearts. Life choices gone bad, hurt and abuse. Poverty and hunger. I’d love to serve on a missions team again, but right now, I’m praying for a little piece of heaven to visit my own backyard.
Before getting in the car I walked back to where she stood. I knew all I needed to, and offered the only comfort of Christmas I could manage. I reached forward to wrap my arms around her and she fell into my embrace with a fresh brew of bitter tears. I prayed as we wept.
Somebody’s in despair….Somebody feels like no one cares….I know You’ll make a way Yes, God will make a way.
On Day 18 in “The Greatest Gift” by Ann Voskamp, we’re asked how we might use our position within the gates to help those outside? Knowledge of his love usually keeps me in the comfort of His court, but today, I saw a girl living dangerously outside His protection. I had to move. He positioned me at “the gate” to see. Have you had a moment like this? Where God called you to step out of your comfort zone? To open your eyes. To see the needs around you? To help another? What happened? Please share any ideas on how I might be a blessing to girls like her?
So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? – Romans 8:31 The Message
The figure skater and I fought today. I’m not sure why. She’s a lot like the picture above – a brilliant Degas masterpiece. She’s soft muted pastels, a study in grace….but she’s also a crazy cosmic creation – a fire-ball of emotions. She’s a roughly molded sculpture crying out for resurfacing. I duck and dive all day trying to manage the blades of her “feelings” and want nothing more than to help her smooth over the jagged edges.
We’re doing a dance that requires we each trust the other. As much as she wants to lead, I want her to follow. It feels like we’re re-negotiating the terms of our mother daughter contract – and it isn’t going well.
Some say to expect the fights, try to be her best friend and walk the line just so…because what we’re striving for is cool. I should be a cool mama. But that isn’t me. And I won’t do the standard Disney version either. Distant, dumb… passive.
But our constant collisions are throwing me. I want her to feel secure in knowing we’re on the same team – God is for us. When she wins, I win – but I feel worn down by tears and confusion. I pray for communication and connection.
I watched a segment on the news the other day that featured a middle-aged mom and her daughter. The focus of the piece was the unique bond they’ve developed by partying and hanging out together in clubs. Mothers in pieces like this also throw and attend parties for their children where drinking and smoking are allowed. Certainly motherhood is hard and we all have to do it in a way that works for us (no judgement) but “that” won’t be Ila and I (a little judgement). I’m her mother and I believe in boundaries.
She’s 11 and I feel the lines blurring and bleeding all over the page. The margins expanding. She’s mature and self-assured in many ways. But she’s still a girl. I don’t want to coddle her into a helpless, unmotivated 30-year-old but I do want her to enjoy the simplicity of youth. I want her to feel the support and guidance of parents who love her enough to build and maintain the walls.
It’s been like this a lot lately. Me offering advice, a suggestion, a comment. Anything really. Anything I say can unleash the crocodile tears. They come from nowhere, crawling down her cheeks before I can know whats happened.
I’m trying. Really I am. I know she’s going through a sensitive time. I’m aware the world inadvertently silences tween girls. They should stay quiet, concede the pursuit of math and science to men. Lose themselves and all their gorgeous God-given girl grip – trying to emulate the artificial beauty of video vixens who seem powerful but aren’t. I know. I also know I’m a pre-menapausal mama of young children. Something about that might factor into our dilemma. I don’t assume the problem is hers alone. I’ve got issues and emotions too.
So while I’m learning to speak my name above a whisper, imprint its relevance in a world that tells me otherwise – I teach her to scream hers..at the top of her lungs if needed. I want her to know…I’m on her side.
I told her that the other day. In the middle of the drama. I shut it down with “You know what? I’m on your side. No matter what it look likes or feels like. I’m on your side.”
And in a flash I felt the words double back , headed straight for my heart. “I’m on your side.” Because He’s told me that a zillion times in the past few years. I’ve been annoyed and comforted by those words. I’ve lived those words. In that moment I heard myself as a parent sounding like – a parent. I was living the lessons I’d learned and reminded of the stream of words my Fathers repeated to me. Sometimes over and over before I got it.
I won’t stop saying it. I’m sticking with you through the restructuring of our relationship . I won’t quit on you. I’m on your side. God is for you Ila, and so am I.
Do you have any tips for raising a Godly tween-aged girl? How did you assure her of your allegiance without sacrificing your core beliefs? When did you realize – God is for you?
