December 7 - “Decisions”

We were a little late getting on the road yesterday. Our goal was 9 a.m.  Nineteen minutes behind. Not a bad start. Of course we still had to pick up Josiah. He had arranged with Caleb to hang out over the weekend. 

We arrived in Waco in plenty of time to scarf down some pizza and watch a little of one of the Harry Potter movies. Then we had the first of our big decisions. Caleb had a basketball game, so I was definitely in for that. So was Josiah. In fact, Chris came, too. The decision came because Lindsay was dancing at the downtown tree lighting. And it’s cold at night in Waco. 

As it turned out we split up into two cars. Chris and I joined Christi and Linda and AnnaGrace and headed downtown. The rest of the boys went back to the house. We tried two different parking places. The first one, we realized after about twelve steps, was restricted. The second was clearly a public lot, though. We piled out of the car a second time and … it started raining. Back into the car we dove. Not to be completely deterred, however, Christi drove in circles, and we actually saw (from the car) Lindsay’s team dancing on stage. Not sure which one was her, but Hey, Lindsay! We saw you in your cute Santa outfit!  

The second big decision happens today. Caleb has a basketball tournament. Josh is his coach. His games are at 12:30, then 3:15, then either 4:30 or 5:45 (or we’re done if we lose both games). Problem. Caleb has rehearsals for the musical he is in all day. Josh has to be at the production at 6 to speak. Not sure yet if an assistant coach is available. Zak has agreed to step in if needed to coach. He is recruiting me to be his assistant. Hence … decision. 

Now.  Back to Caleb’s game last night. The opponent was a varsity team. Score was 50-45 good guys. Woohoo!

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬ ‭ says, And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

Father, thank you for the safe trip for us and the safe game for the boys. Amen. 

December 6 - “Breaking in the new guy”

Yesterday was Thursday. I guess you knew that. I mention it only in the context of our usual Thursday task: Cleaning house. The usual sweeping and vacuuming and dusting was made a bit more … interesting … by all the decorating going on. Any time you look at any patch of garland - fake or not - it sheds. So “the season” means tiny green slivers all over the floor for a month or so. 

But I don’t care. It’s Christmas. We decorated our tree more: candy canes and travel souvenir ornaments. We have so many travel souvenir ornaments that they are nowhere near all on the tree. Now Chris is lobbying for a bigger tree - or a second one. We could definitely fill it up. But we have no place to put it. 

Back to the decorating process. The last task involved finding places to put our collection of crèches - nativity scenes from cultures all over the world. They are fascinating to me. And with those in place, we are pretty much done. 

Next we left to be on time for my doctor visit. Just a follow up. No new aches and pains that I haven’t had for the last few years. 

I did have to break in a new guy, though. My guy left the system for greener pastures, I suppose. I like the new guy. He actually sat down and chatted with us. That’s what endeared me to the last guy. Makes it seem like he cares. He let us ask whatever we wanted. He was knowledgeable (well, I certainly hope so). He chuckled in all the appropriate places at my observations and comments. But most of all, he speaks really good English. I can understand him. 

From there we went in our errands run. First stop was Academy to return the pair of shoes Chris ordered online and try a different pair. She was tentatively successful in that pursuit. We’ll see how these new ones hold up. 

Next was Walmart (of course) for a wreath holder, batteries, and toilet paper. Believe it or not, that’s just what we left with. We must be slacking in our old age. 

Then came Randall’s for prescription, aspirin, turmeric (as prescribed by my new doc), and no less than four cartons of Blue Bell. On sale, of course. Try out the new peppermint bark flavor. Good stuff. 

‭‭John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭ says, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die — ever. Do you believe this? ”

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Father, please ride with to Waco today. And help us to stay warm! Amen. 

December 5 - “Lunch with Jachin”

Prospects for any outdoor activities looked quite bleak at yesterday’s start. The weather report issued a 90% chance of rain throughout the day. Fortunately, our external plans only included a trip to Randall’s to pick up a prescription, and then a trip to Houston to treat Jachin to lunch for his birthday. 

That is, until Chris woke up and announced her intention to walk … rain or shine. As it turned out, we hit no rain. We hit no shine either. Just cloudy and somewhat cool. Check off on the hike. 

Our trip to Houston was relatively uneventful. Well, until that one car in front of us stopped right in the middle of the freeway just as Chris was changing lanes a few cars behind him. Seems he wanted to take that exit. Almost missed it. That’s not all that “almost.” The two cars directly behind him almost rear-ended  him. Fortunately, Chris has great reflexes. She managed to swerve back into the other lane effortlessly. 

We took Jachin to lunch at Chipotle. It was our first experience there. I had the burrito. Pretty good, actually. Then we went to Whataburger for dessert. Then Jachin gave us the grand tour of his dorm room. Brave kid, taking his grandma into a guy’s college dorm room. 

Last night we did some more decorating. It’s an arduous task. We are getting closer. Maybe another day or two. 

John‬ ‭6‬:‭35‬ says, “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again.”

Father, thank you for Jachin. Bless him. Walk with him as he finishes up this semester. Amen. 

December 4 - “BDD”

I fully expected to be outside walking our prescribed route yesterday. Big nope. I’m pretty sure the wind chill of 44 degrees had something to do with that decision. 

Well, that and the fact that we had some work to do. It was BDD, “Begin Decorating Day.”  The tree was already up, so we just had to dig into boxes and hang up ornaments. Well, “just” may not come across in the way it was intended. Unloading those boxes was its own kind of challenge. And we didn’t even finish. Chris was also washing clothes and doing some baking. My back started tightening up. So … it’s a break. “Just” taking a break. More to come later today. 

Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭21‬ says, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Father, thanks so much for the Christmas season. Love it. Amen. 

December 3 - “Walmart Wonder”

Cyber Monday. The day for doing all your shopping online. And we started out strong. Yes, we did. Had one order done just after 9 a.m. 

But then we kind of slacked off a bit. Oh, our intentions were good, but we just couldn’t help ourselves. We went to Walmart. The grocery portion was pretty high. Replenishing after the Thanksgiving hordes. We also grabbed a few Christmas gifts. ‘Tis the season and all. 

We did stumble across one amazing deal. We were walking down the ice cream aisle when a lady in front of us began animatedly talking to anyone anywhere nearby. Since that included us, we were, sort of, captured. Seems she had been to the check out counter and had discovered one of those quirky little mistakes of Walmart Wonder. Entire boxes of those ice cream cones dipped in chocolate and peanut particles on top were ringing up for only two dollars. The lady had become quite the evangelist. Certainly reached us. We picked up a few boxes, too. 

Oh, back to our earlier purchases. The funny thing about those gifts, though. We found out that one of them was available online for seven dollars less. OK. Not that rare a find. But get this. Back home we ordered it from Walmart.com, and indicated that we would pick it up at the store. An hour or so later I got a text. “Your order is ready for pickup.”  I drove back over and got it - at the store - for the lower price. Weird. But welcome. 

Well, I didn’t get a chance to finish the shopping I wanted to do for Chris, but we still have a day or two before Christmas. 

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭57‬ says, But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Father, thank you for the fun we had on our shopping excursion yesterday. Amen. 

December 2 - “Lights!”

Another great day at church. And as a bonus, there was an entire table full of leftover Thanksgiving sweets. And that’s in addition to the donuts someone thoughtfully brought. Major sugar overload possibilities. 

After church the LaMarque crew agreed to come over to help us put up our outside lights. We paid them in leftovers (of the last Thursday kind) and sno cones. Kel and Jachin got the icicle lights up. Josiah hauled out the wooden cutout nativity. Noa and Ezra helped Christina with the Precious Moments nativity. Oh, and Kel and Josiah pulled the old tree down from the attic. They took it with them to donate. Thanks, guys!

John‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ says, That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.

Father, thank you for the joy of anticipation. Amen. 

December 1 - “Turkey Bowl Day Again”

Yesterday was AnnaGrace‘s birthday. Eight years old. And her gifts were incredibly varied. Goober showed up. That’s the imaginary friend that she colored a picture of and asked Nani to recreate in stuffed form. Chris did an eerily excellent job. 

She also got a hologram. Not sure about that. Maybe a pet?

And speaking of pets, there was also a talking stuffed Yoga Goat from the LaMarque gang. Yep. You heard right. Yoga Goat. It was a little scary. 

Oh, and there was also the Precious Moments figurine from Nani and DadDad. Always a treat. 

Zak and Lindsay had to leave early to go to her family’s Thanksgiving celebration. I guess they needed to see her sometime this weekend. Imagine that. 

There was a rousing game of kid’s monopoly that went on up until the LaMarque cousins came around 11:30 for lunch.  Turkey enchilada pie. Say no more. Definitely one of Nana’s best. 

Uncle Josh and Uncle Kel set up a jigsaw puzzle on the table that’s been outside. Star Wars. It’ll take me a while to finish this one. 

Aunt Christina went to the bathroom at one point. Why is that such a big deal? Well, the rest of us gathered at the door and sang Christmas carols until she came out. 

The ever-popular Turkey Bowl happened yet again. We found a large, open, grassy area at the airport. It was a seesaw battle all the way. So much so that I couldn’t keep track. Didn’t matter anyway.  We had a really fun time. 

Nominees for The Trophy were numerous and varied. Here’s a list:

1. Zak and Lindsay for strategically avoiding the game altogether and absconding into the frozen northlands with a truck full of furniture. 
2. Noa’s blood
3. DadDad’s 72 year old trick play touchdown - previous record by Uncle Jerry at 60 something 
4. Josiah’s back flip.  Almost
5. Micah’s back flip. Almost 
6. Uncle Nathan’s phantom plays
7. AnnaGrace’s touchdown 
8. Ezra’s “unique” touchdown celebration. 

It was a close vote. Uncle Nathan probably would have won - in the spirit of the original Dee Clements Memorial Trophy - but, well, he wasn’t there (he had to work. We missed April and Cailyn, too). So instead, the award went to DadDad and the new record for oldest person to ever record a touchdown, even though it WAS on a somewhat questionable trick play. 

After a presentation by last year’s winner, Ezra, and a victory speech sadly cut way too short by the house supervisor (AKA Nana), and a resounding chorus of Happy Birthday to AnnaGrace, the out of town families made their way to their respective homes, ready to return and do it all over again in a few short weeks for Christmas.

Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ says, Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.

Father, keep those out-of-town Vaughan’s safe and secure until we can see them again. Amen.