Category Archives: Fun Stuff

Fun Stuff

Christmas traditions

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Noel Piper says that “For a Christian, the heart of our traditions, and the heart of our teaching is God, whom we know through his acts and his words. …Traditions are memories, and they are for memory. Our children and grandchildren don’t have to be locked in to the small world of their own experience with God. Traditions give them a whole world’s worth and a whole history’s worth of God.” (Treasuring God in Our Traditions, 32)

Christmas is a great time for traditions that point us back to God. Here are some traditions our family has developed over the years, which we hope draw us closer to our Lord.

  • Advent Calendar. Every night in December leading up to Christmas, we read the Christmas story using the advent calendar designed by Noel Piper. It’s a rustic-looking version of the Christmas story, with plastic farm animals, dowel-rod people, and a velcroed manger on a burlap backing. But Dylan absolutely loves learning the Christmas story this way. (Apparently, the advent calendar is being redesigned by Desiring God and is not available to buy this season.)
  • Memory tree. Decorating the Christmas tree is a family affair, and many of our ornaments are souvenirs from past family vacations. It’s a fun way to reminisce about good times God has given our family over the years.
  • Cookie plates. We try to be a witness to our neighbors and share the love of Christ by giving them a plate of homemade cookies and a Christmas card from our family.
  • Christmas lights. We enjoy walking or driving around to look at homes that are decorated with Christmas lights. There’s nothing too spiritual about this tradition, but it’s a great way to spend time with family. It’s even better with a big cup of hot cider or hot chocolate (complete with whipped cream!).

So, does your family have any special Christmas traditions?

Photo credit: scottfeldstein

Fun Stuff

Is reading a girly activity?

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Is reading a “girly” activity? Not according to Jeff Robinson. See his defense of why reading is also for boys.

I’m so thankful that my son Dylan loves to read. He’s only 3, but he’s already content sitting on the couch, or on the bed, or on Mommy or Daddy’s lap and looking at books for long periods of time.

I hope that Heidi – though already more active than her brother – will find a love for books as well. Last night, she sat on the floor playing with some board books and trying to eat them. I guess that’s a good start for a 9-month old.

Fun Stuff

Vacation

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Things will be quiet around here this next week because our family is taking some vacation. We don’t have much planned – just lots of rest and family time.

We will spend a few nights at a cabin in Big Bear, work on some projects around the house, play games, take walks, catch up on sleep, and do lots of extra reading. It’s been a busy year, and we’re looking forward to some unrushed time — just the four of us!

Culture, Fun Stuff

Home alone

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While my wife and kids are in Colorado visiting my parents, I’m at home. All alone. Things have been awfully quiet around here the past few days. Without my lovely wife, my rambunctious two-year old son, and my energetic 6 month-old daughter (who is usually either laughing or wailing), the house is strangely silent. Tonight, all I hear are the ticking of the clock, the chirping of the crickets, and the distant rattling of our swamp cooler.

With the family gone, I’ve been able to spend some extra time in the Word and in prayer, to tackle some projects in the garage, and do quite a bit of extra reading. Right now, I’m reading up on strategic planning and church growth as I prepare for a Prayer and Planning Retreat with our church leaders next month.

I’ve also watched a little more TV this week than usual: a Monk episode, an old MacGyver episode, a Danger Man episode, and the Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Those were nice times to wind down and relax. Peace and quiet around the house has been nice for a time, but I’m definitely looking forward to having the family back home next Thursday.

Natalie asked me on the phone tonight what I thought of McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin as VP. I told her I’m thrilled by the issues Palin stands for, but must admit I’m cautious about having a wife and mother serve in such a demanding position while she still has several kids at home. Her youngest, Trig, is only four-months old and has Downs Syndrome (Click here to read Al Mohler’s account of this touching story). I guess I have to trust that Sarah and her husband Todd will not let the campaign and the possibility of being vice president get in the way of her even more honorable and God-given duty to her family.

At any rate, I’m sure Palin’s spot on the ticket will help keep the public spotlight on abortion and the pro-life movement. The sanctity of life will no doubt continue to receive a good bit of attention in the upcoming convention and debates. And that, I believe, will be a very good thing. Issues like oil drilling, health care, immigration, and even the war on terror, as important as they all are, still pale in comparison to the tragedy of 40 million unborn children being slaughtered in our country since Roe v. Wade.