8 Ways to Pressure-Proof Your Holidays

They're heeeeerrrreeeee!

The holidays.  And all the stress that comes with them.  Read this post on FamilyLife.com by Mary May Larmoyeux to pressure-proof your holidays and focus on the real reason for the season.

Click here.

Thank you, Lord...

used with permission

A Valentine for the Birds

Click here and you too can make this heart shaped bird-feeder with your kids in time for Valentine's Day!

Posted on 5minutesformom.com on 2/8/11.

Songs of Christmas Answers

(click here for Quiz or scroll down)

1. Where do you hear Silver Bells? "And on every street corner you hear", Silver Bells…
2. Who danced with the silk hat on his head? Frosty, of course
3. Where do you find Reindeer Paws? Up on a housetop Reindeer Pause… 4. What did the noisy cattle do to wake the poor baby? The cattle were Lowing
5. When did I see three ships? I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning.
6. What size were the Kings of the Orient? They were tiny little Kings, they were wee…
7. What helps to make the season bright? Some turkey and some mistletoe, help…..
8. Who wants a pair of hop-a-long boots, and a pistol that shoots? That’s the hope of Barney and Ben - cause it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
9. Who still wants a hula-hoop? ALVIN!!! still wants a hula hoop
10. Who kept time to the drum? Along with the drummer boy "The Ox and Lamb kept time" ba rum bum bum bum
11. Who and what color was the animal that gave the hay to pillow his head? I said the cow all white and red , I gave him my hay to pillow his head (from "The Friendly Beasts")
12. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in "Thee" or in the little town of Bethlehem.
13. What would keep me warm all the way home? But if you really hold me tight, all the way home I’ll be warm. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.
14. What does Susie want? Jolly old St Nicholas says "Susie wants a sled"
15. Why does the child want his two front teeth? So he can wish you Merry Christmas or (whistle)
16. What was the other reindeer's name? (she used to laugh and call him names) Olive. "All of the other reindeer"
17. What was the horse in Jingle bells named? Bob "The bells on Bobbed tails rang"
I8. When will I finally go? I’ll wish you a merry Christmas, but I won’t go until I get some, (or figgy pudding)
19. What color is Christmas without you? Elvis said it would be a blue Christmas without you
20. What is the parson in the meadows name? Frosty says that he is Parson Brown. When we're walking in a winter wonderland..

Extra Credit:
Where does one go a wassailing? Here we go a wassailing amongst the leaves so green.
ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ You noticed of course: Noel

Songs of Christmas Quiz

(answers to appear tomorrow)

1. Where would you go to hear Silver Bells?
2. Who was it that danced with the silk hat on his head?
3. Where would you find Reindeer Paws?
4. What did the cattle do to wake the poor baby?
5. When did I see those three ships?
6. What size were those Kings of the Orient?
7. What is it that helps to make the season bright?
8. Who wants a pair of hop-a-long boots, and a pistol that shoots?
9. Who still wants a hula a hoop?
10. Who kept time to the drum?
11. Who and what color was the animal that gave the hay to pillow his head ?
12. Where do the hopes and fears of all the years meet?
13. What would keep me warm all the way home?
14. What does Susie want?
15. Why does the child want his two front teeth?
16. What was the other reindeer's name?? (she used to laugh and call him names)
17. What was the horse in Jingle bells named?
18. When will I finally go?
19. What color is Christmas without you?
20. What is the parson in the meadows name?
Extra Credit:
Where does one go a wassailing?
ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ ?

MOPS, Ministry and Christmas

Merry Christmas! One of our awesome MOPS Mentors, Sandy Joseph, wrote an amazing post on her blog for us MOPS Moms. Click here to read her encouraging words every mom needs to hear during the holidays.


Sandy's Blog: Recognize & Remember www.sandrajo.wordpress.com

Hearts on the Go

(from the December 2010 email from Hearts at Home)

So Christmas is just around the corner. Do you have your baking done? Is your shopping finished? Do you have the house cleaned? Are you packed for traveling? There are so many things to get done to "do" Christmas. Isn't it time to let go of some of the expectations for a "perfect" Christmas and really enjoy this time with our families?

I'm issuing a challenge to myself today, and to you if you want to take it, to drink in my relationships and let go of my "to do" list for this week. No my gifts aren't all wrapped yet, but I've got a few gifts to give that can't be wrapped.

I want to give the gift of listening today. I want to make sure that when my children and my husband speak to me, I look into their eyes. I want them to feel that they are special. I don't want anyone to feel like they are in the way of what I need to do. They are what I need to do. Lord, let me give the gift of listening today.

I want to give the gift of time today. When my 14 year old asks me to play music with him, I'm going to stop what I am doing to play with him. I once heard the convicting response of a young girl when asked what kind of message she would give to parents from a child's point of view. She responded, "Parents have too many tomorrows. Tomorrow I'll play ball with you. Tomorrow we'll bake cookies together. Tomorrow I will play that game. Most of the time tomorrow never comes." Lord, let me give the gift of time today.

I want to give the gift of touch today. Have you ever gone through the day or the week and realized that you really haven't given out any hugs lately? People have the need to touch and be touched. Our children and teens need hugs from mom and dad daily. I'm going to make sure that my husband gets a bear hug today. When my daughter comes in to tell me a story, I will try to remember to touch her as we interact. Lord, let me give the gift of touch today.

I want to give the gift of encouragement today. I want to make sure I tell my 16-year-old son how much I appreciate the responsibility he has been taking on lately. I want my 14-year-old son to know that I think he has been doing well playing guitar on the worship team. I want my husband to know I greatly appreciate how hard he works to support our family. Sometimes the people we live with receive the least verbal encouragement from us. Lord, let me give the gift of encouragement today.

I want to give the gift of grace today. When my teenagers aren't as excited about decorating Christmas cookies as I want them to be, let me give them grace and respond with love instead of anger. When my husband doesn't clean up the kitchen in the way I was hoping he would, let me respond with grace--seeing what he did rather than what he didn't do. Life-giving grace is about allowing others to be human--to make mistakes without the fear of relationship-robbing anger as the response. Lord, let me give the gift of grace today.

I want to give the gift of Jesus today. Since we are celebrating His birthday, I want to make sure that we invite Him to the celebration. When I'm tempted to skip that Christmas Eve service because I still have too much to do, I will resist that temptation, gather the family, and make sure we take time to worship together. Lord, let me give the gift of Jesus today.

Yes, Christmas is days away. The gifts aren't all wrapped, the food isn't all prepared, and my family will arrive soon. Some things need to be accomplished today. But I want to do it with my family, not for them. I want to give them the kinds of gifts that can't be placed in a box and wrapped in red and green paper.

Come on, join me. Fix yourself a cup of hot chocolate, sit down, put your feet up, and gaze at the Christmas tree lights for a few minutes. Think about the incredible blessings God has given to you. Thank Him. Ponder the gifts that can be given today that don't need to be wrapped. Lord, thank you for the gift of family you have given to me.

Merry Christmas,
Jill Savage

Wife of Mark Mom to Anne, Evan, Erica, Kolya, and Austin and Nana to Rilyn

Jill Savage is the Chief Executive Officer for Hearts at Home

Give Thanks

Click here for age-specific ways to help your kids experience the meaning behind the celebration on Thanksgiving Day from Focus on the Family.

And, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

To Santa or Not?

Read this thoughtful and thought-provoking article written by John Piper's wife, Noel, regarding the choice to not "play" Santa with their children. Here she shares the why behind them avoiding pretending to be Santa with their children, and what they did instead.

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to read "Thinking About Santa" click here