a sobering reality

even the big guy likes our cookies!

as the old gospel song says, "Christmas time's a-coming!"

that means plans have already been underway for a couple of months planning the menu for our annual christmas open house. this event is one of the highlights of our holiday traditions. it's our way to use our gifts (of food & cooking) to say "merry christmas" to our family, friends, students, etc. we've been doing it for 7 years now and we can hardly wait to do it this year.

but...

(everyone has a "but...")

this year perspectives have changed.

it's very difficult to make so many cookies when you're keeping one eye on the crawling baby. he'll only stay in the pack-n-play for so long.

it's very difficult to do baking times when you're helping your teenager with homework and then taking her to work (and then pick her up from work).

we'll we're still committed to having, continuing our tradition. but, we warn you now--even though i'm sure we'll have plenty of cookies for all to enjoy, this year may be the year to do "adamson open house greatest hits". instead of variety, we're just going for volume.

but, as stated before, we'll have plenty of cookies for the 200+ guests we anticipate this year.

mark your calendars for saturday, december 8, 2-10pm.

a christmas perspective already

those who know me well know that my secret addiction is christmas CDs. i listen to them year 'round. they are familiar friends to me; they are my drug of choice.
so, even though it's mid-october, i just received my first two new purchases of the year (not counting january post-christmas 2006 clearance rack great deals). one is of an incredibly talented vocalist in contemporary christian music. i love his voice and his interpretations. i feel connected to him because he was "discovered" while working as a music minister in texas. i'm not in texas, but i'm sure that someday i'll be discovered. (that's a topic for a different blog.)
but, the other is a new recording from a well-established pop-duo of the 70s-80s (rhonda was a big fan of theirs. in fact, i think she still has a cassette of them).
both albums are really well done. i like them both alot. i wouldn't go so far as to say that i like them equally, but once you get above a certain level of "good" then it's not really a contest anymore.
but, one song from the pop-duo has struck me oddly. please understand that i'm not criticizing the song for i see many different ways to interpret the lyrics. however, Truth is not vague. therefore, let me offer this christmas perspective.
no child should cry at christmas is the title and an oft repeated lyric in this song. i'm guessing they are referring to the joy and peace that comes at christmas and how good will and charity helps to provide comfort to many who are less fortunate.

• but, what if kids were allowed to cry at christmas?
• what if a bratty attitude was denied a gift?
• what if a squabble of selfishness was dealt with appropriately and not smoothed over because it's a holiday?
• how sad is it that we celebrate the birth of Christ be justifing anti-Christ behavior just because it's a warm and fuzzy day?

because we are too often too prosperous, our gift giving is too much. we don't actually believe that it's the thought that counts, but rather the volume that counts.

i know i'm new to this parenting thing and that we've got inside scoop on an oddly formed family. but, let me challenge you to let your kids learn lessons that sometimes involve tears. let me challenge you to give love instead of tanglible things.

it's just my opinion, but some kids should cry at christmas.

for your entertainment

these people may not approve of this posting, but many have requested it, so here it is: