Rebekah's Insights

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...And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice You
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter...

Lyrics from Every Season by Nichole Nordeman

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I hope everyone reading enjoyed a blessed Christmas! We created precious memories with our young ones, despite the fact that I came down with a fever the Tuesday prior to and through 'til a few days after Christmas. Not exactly how I'd hoped to spend my Darling's holiday leave, but it WAS nice that he let me sleep in and rest so I could recover. I am still a bit congested but fully on the mend now and eager to spend my days in a slightly more active fashion! :) In keeping with our affinity for movie marathons over the New Year's holiday, we will begin our three-evening journey through the Lord of the Rings trilogy tonight after the little ones are safely snugged into their beds. We will dine upon cheeses, crackers, olives, and prawns--I cannot tell you how glad I am to have my sense of taste back again! And just in time! :) Anyone have any exciting plans???

Not My Home

The curtains may be mine just now,
And pictures on the wall.
But I’ll not be the only one
Who’ll whisper in this hall.

The rooms are lit by visages:
Both wide-eyed looks and smiles.
But we will take them with us,
When we travel other miles.

So I’ll display my memories
From all the lands I roam.
In case I should forget one day…
This house is not my home.

This hair is brown. Or is it gray?
These eyes—a speckled green.
The features show the young and old
Which I am caught between.

A quiet transformation taking
Place throughout the years.
The fresh replaced with something worn
Through laughter, pain, and tears.

Recount the change of which You speak
Within Your Sacred Tome.
In case I should forget one day…
This frame is not my home.

Oh, the things I dearly love
So many can be found
On skies, and seas, and held in hands,
And faces scattered ‘round.

I thank You for the gifts You give
And bless You when you take.
Though I may writhe within Your Hands
I know there’s no mistake.

Grant glimpses of Your Haven midst
My time here on this loam.
In case I should forget one day…
This world is not my home.

RJS, 12/30/2008

O come, O come Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Has come to thee, O Israel!

by John M. Neal & Henry Sloane Coffin

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While our winter wonderland melted away outside, inside we read an illustrated version of the "Winter Wonderland" song lyrics and created our own wonderland scenes using blue construction paper and white crayons. We also decided to replace the melted snow with our own snowflakes to adorn the house. Liam was quite impressed with what a few carefully placed cuts with scissors could create! Aine was impressed that she was ALLOWED to use scissors SUPERVISED! (Scissors are her favorite at this stage, though she is rarely allowed to use them.)

Come Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear Desire of every nation
Joy of every longing heart.

from Come Thou Long Expected Jesus music by Rowland H. Pritchard and lyrics by Charles Wesley

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We awakened to fallen snow again this Tuesday morning! Perfect for reading a book about making snowmen--and then after dinner, creating a snowman with vanilla ice cream. Liam and I used chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, an orange m&m for a nose, and red fruit by the foot for a scarf. His favorite was the hat made by topping a vanilla wafer with a mini Reece's cup. It was a lot of fun. :)

We are focusing on Christmas Around the World in Social Studies this month, and began the week with a look at German traditions. We even learned that "Away in a Manger" and "O Christmas Tree" are two songs associated with Christmas which originated in Germany.

Preparations are under way for Liam's fourth birthday party on Saturday afternoon. Originlly, we were just going to celebrate this birthday as a family, as we did with Aine's last birthday. However, last year the day after his party he began asking about a Spiderman party and we promised him that if he became fULLY potty-trained, we would throw him a super Spidey party for his fourth birthday. Wow! That clinched that one quickly! :)

On Sunday, after setting the tone for the reason for the season, we took the opportunity to deck our halls with holiday decor! Since prior to moving here, we always traveled for the Christmas season, we were too busy and exhausted to put up the tree or decorate much, so as a family, we have greatly enjoyed choosing and creating our own holiday traditions. This was the second year we watched the excitement dance upon the faces of our little ones as they unwrapped beloved ornaments and placed them on the tree. Liam loves to spread them all around, but Aine chooses one branch which she feels is particularly nice, and tries to hang ALL of her chosen ornaments THERE. :) This year they hung candy canes on the tree to share with others when they come to visit, and learned about the Legend of the Candy Cane. The children enjoyed helping me light some tin lanterns I bought for them this year, and created the perfect chance to review what they learned earlier in the day about the Light of the World.

Monday, being the first of December, was a lovely day to awaken to snow again! We read our new December poem and the children opened the first window in their Chocolate Advent Calendars. These advent calendars seem to be a staple here in England for celebrating Christmas, though I had never before heard of them. They are made by a variety of candy companies, i.e., Cadbury, Nestle, etc., but are all basically a box with numbered windows which hide a chocolate behind. Never being ones to turn down chocolate, the children LOVED it! (It was a thoughtful Thanksgiving gift from a dear English guest, who celebrated her first Thanksgiving ever with us on Thursday.) We also continued the Advent Scripture Reading Calendar, which we began reading yesterday. This particular calendar, which I made myself, offers the added benefit of teaching how to count backwards, which as one would expect, Aine finds highly abstract and Liam, highly exciting! We completed our decorating, so we can begin on cookies tomorrow.

Did any one else do anything special? Do you have a traditional way of counting down the days and/or celebrating advent? I have decided to type up a mini-curriculum plan as I go, so I have something to reference in subsequent years. Undoubtedly, each year will be unique as the LORD leads us in teaching these young ones about Himself, but I do like the idea of a common thread, and there is no use in reinventing the wheel each year, is there?

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Celebrate the Child
Who is the Light
Now the darkness is over
No more wandering
In the night
Celebrate the Child
Who is the Light

from Celebrate the Child, music & lyrics by Michael Card