Anticipation Amid Aspirin

I write in a very quiet house while the two men I love most in the world sleep. They are sick. Fevering, coughing, no eating, grumpy kind of sick. I pray that their bodies heal by Christmas as I try my best to avoid any "sharing" of those germs.

The quiet has given me time to reflect. Packing has taken a break as I am too afraid  the squeaky floor will wake either of them. In this moment of rest I find my heart grateful for many things. I am thankful for the steaming cup of coffee beside me. For the access to internet to connect with family and friends farther away. For the new friendships we have made in Edmonton. For the blanket of white snow that covers this city. I am thankful that we are soon to be heading home. First to Abbotsford, then Regina, and then finally our little home in Saskatoon.

I am thankful for the family that is waiting to greet us. That they are excited to welcome us home, to share Christmas with us. To share life with us. I am grateful for the family to which I was born and the family that I have married into. I am thankful for the way they embrace us, support us, and love us. I am so thankful that my son has been born into such a loving extended family, on both sides.

As I think about family I am thankful for the way our family is growing. Both in babies and in engagements! The Lord has truly blessed us as a family of three. While we fight sickness in our house today I am excited about what the next few weeks hold. So looking forward to family games night with the cousins, Christmas Eve fun and games, Christmas morning with individually wrapped socks (I am gifted with a very creative mom who loves to wrap and open presents!), a restful time in Regina and finally a homecoming to the friends and community in Saskatoon that we've missed. How blessed we are!

Warm Winter Wear

Our little family has been attending a church just down the road from us during our stay in Edmonton. This past weekend the congregation sent off three families on missions work. Two families with young children. Four each to be exact. One going long term, learning a new language, engaging in a new culture, leaving their friends and community behind to start anew. The other planning to spend their Christmas holidays ministering to the children at a residential school in China. Prayer requests were made for language learning, safety, visas....and jackets.

These Chinese children had no jackets, no snow pants, now toques and mitts, no boots to walk home for their weekend visits. Nothing to shield them from the winter elements. To protect them from the biting cold. I thought about this during our afternoon walk today. Jacob at the ripe age of 15 months owns two pairs of boots (previously three until I decided this was ridiculous and gave the third pair away), two pairs of mitts, four toques, one pair of snow pants and two winter jackets (with a third and a fourth waiting for him at home). What plenty! Our baby boy has enough winter gear to outfit at least two of him. Tim and I are also abounding in winter gear. Yet these children have nothing.

I find myself at a crossroads of sorts. In recognition of my abundance of provision for my basic needs I possess gratitude. Yet, in response to cultural pressures and selfish motives I continue to desire more. More fashionable winter wear, newer clothing for the Christmas season, new home decorations, different sweaters, shoes, boots, jewelry....the list goes on.

I receive a daily blog entry from Ann Voskamp....if you haven't figured it out yet, I am a bit of a fan. Last week she sent out a simple question. In light of Christmas being the celebration of Jesus' birth.....what are you planning on getting Jesus for His birthday? This Christmas I have decided that Jesus doesn't need another new outfit for me. Despite me being in the Mecca of shopping bliss (well Saskatoon's shopping mecca) I have chosen to be thankful for what I already have. Buying new clothing for the Christmas Season is great. A way to enjoy the blessings God has given you. But for me, for this Christmas Season, new clothing dangerously teeters on evoking a sense entitlement rather than gratitude. Examining my heart and truly seeking to celebrate Jesus' birthday I ask myself instead......what will I get for Jesus this Christmas. Perhaps a nice winter jacket in China might be fitting.