Christmas Recap

Micah and I started Christmas last weekend. We braved the northern Indiana ice storm and went to my sister's Friday night bearing Hot Box Pizza breadsticks. Saturday we spent with Ma and Pa Bell eating wonderful food, experiencing great company and conversation, opening blessed presents, and laughing hysterically while playing euchre (Micah and I dominated 2 of 3 games...woot).

Sunday we took a drive to admire the ice storm, got coffee at Micah's favorite coffee place in the Fort, played video games with Cassie and Trevor, went on a date for lunch, the visited with my family for Christmas. Again we had great company...I love my sisters, got to see the newest niece, and just got to "be" with my side of the family. We were blessed abundantly through food, gifts, and conversation.

Yesterday we got to have our very own special Christmas. It is the only one we will have to focus on each other. So we did just that (minus the trip to pick up our escape artist), we had the world famous Schaab Christmas breakfast, opened presents for Christmas, had snacks, opened Micah's birthday presents, ate lunch and cake, watched Ironman, and had pizza for dinner. The gifts we each received were a mixed of "necessities" (each of us functions off of 4-5 work shirts and don't always keep up on the laundry well enough) as well as blessings.

I really love to bake and cook, so Micah got me some fancy schmancy kitchen stuff (I got the sifter I asked for) as well as the Buffy Season 8 comics and the Decemberists vinyl singles. I got Micah a few movies, Settlers of Catan, some lounging pants, and Ron Paul's manifesto.

I had a moment during the day where I realized I hadn't really taken the time to reflect on Jesus. I also realized that I wrote about the exact same ocurrence last year. And I even think I came to the same conclusion...

Jesus should be central in every moment of this life. Most days, He is. Some days He ranks right with doing the dishes in the aspect of maintaining my relationship with Him. But for the most part, He is the reason for this life and my pursuit of attempting to live as He calls us to.

It's the every day living that gets tangled for me...how do I react the person who cuts me off on my 5 block drive to work? Does the class that constantly tests my patience know that I'm really trying to love them? Am I supposed to work once Baby Bell comes? Am I OK if Micah stays home with the baby? We live fairly minimally as is, but am I OK letting the people we support know that we may have to cut their support so one of us can stay home with Baby? Is my family really my first ministry? If they are, why do I feel guilty about that?

You know, simple things...like how to live like Jesus.

So, I take December 25th to enjoy the blessings He has given...my family and my husband. A few gifts and a great meal. Time spent together. And I trust God still loves me-even if I forget to read Luke 2.

peace&love.