Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Musings while Stuck on the Couch

This has been an interesting week. First I had an awful sore throat and incredible achyness that kicked my butt for a couple of days. (I thought I had strep!) I'm still in the process of getting over that. Then this morning, as I was holding Anna in my left arm, I reached over to get something off of the end table with my right hand and something popped in my rib area and was so painful! I recalled what my chiropractor said about how it feels when a rib pops out of place, like an ice pick stabbing you in the side, and sure enough that is about what it felt like. I couldn't take a breath without a sharp pain stabbing my right side. Oh, it was awful! So I called Stephanie and begged to come over because well, I was having trouble breathing. And well, breathing is important. So, out go my plans to actually get out of the house and buy Christmas presents and here I sit with an ice pack on my back. So, for those of you who were going to get presents, my plan was to buy them, wrap them up nice this year and mail them. Now it looks like I will be doing what I usually do, ordering online with a "Merry Christmas" in the notes area. :) It IS easier to do that, but I wanted to do something a little more special this year. Ah well, it's not about the presents anyways, is it? It's about taking extra time to remember our Lord during this season. 

You know, I'm really enjoying Christmas this year with the kids. We already went to see a play, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer". I have to admit, I got teary during the performance, not because of the play itself, but because I was so glad to be sharing it with my kids! I didn't get to participate and enjoy the Christmas season as a kid, and I'm finding that my kids love it! And therefore I love it! They love the decorations, the lights, the Christmas songs, and of course they are looking forward to the presents. :) We watched the movie 'Elf' the other night and it was great! It was about Santa Claus (someone who I have had issues with in the past), but my kids know that he is not real and they still enjoy watching shows about him. It's just like Frosty the Snowman or even Transformers. Just one more character. I used to not want my kids to get hung up on Santa, but you know, even if they did it means no more to them than Blue from Blue's Clues. It's been a liberating Christmas season so far this year and I am thoroughly enjoying it! So long as they remember what Christmas really represents I don't mind all the extras that go along with it. And that will be my mission, to make sure I develop fun traditions around Jesus. So, if anyone has any ideas I would welcome them.

Merry Christmas!

3 comments:

Amanda said...

I'm sorry you're in pain -- is there anything I can do to help?

Also, I'm so glad you're enjoying the holiday season with your kids. I am too! I love how you described your kid's relationship to Santa -- he's just another character. My kids also know that Santa's not real, and I think sometimes that makes people think of me as some religious zealot. :) Silly...

In His Grip said...

I am so sorry about your rib. I hope you are back to normal soon. Online shopping is not so bad. You do have four remember?

Randi~Dukes and Duchesses said...

Sorry about the rib - hope it's feeling better.

I'm glad you're having fun and enjoying the special season with your kids. Our take on Santa is exactly the same as yours ... he's a character like any other character they know. We don't pretend he comes in our house and delivers gifts but we do allow them to have fun and enjoy the tradition of St. Nick.