Oh, to be 8 years old and making a Christmas wish list. Especially if that note is addressed to someone magical for whom nothing is impossible. My daughter drew up this list for the fat man in the red suit: (more…)
Only the weak cry. You cannot be weak and run roundtrip from Madison to Rutledge. (more…)
Last night sitting with my two youngest eating dinner, it was time to bless the food. Or it was time for them to fight about who was going to say grace.
Our daughter declared it her night, closed her eyes and immediately began thanking God for everything that had occurred in her life that day. Then she abruptly stopped, opened her eyes and looked at our six year old.
“Joe. That is very rude. Would you do that if you were eating with God?
It seems while Hannah and I bowed, Joe shoveled macaroni and cheese into his mouth.
This is a big violation. Eating during the prayer. Honestly, I think it is more about a sibling power struggle than insulting our Lord, but I had to agree.
“Joe. You know we don’t eat during the prayer.”
Hannie’s words stuck with me. “That is very rude. Would you do that if you were eating with God?”
Well, if dining with our Lord, I certainly wouldn’t have served mac and cheese out of a box (though Kraft Three Cheese with the shells — is quite yummy) and chicken tenders. If I had advance notice that is.
That got me thinking. Would I be doing _(fill in the blank) if I was hanging out with Jesus? Not the baby Jesus sitting there all pink, snugly and warm in a little car seat contraption. More like the 30 year old adult Jesus. One who could drive, enjoy a chocolate milkshake and pull for the Gators.
This is not about guilt or worry. More like a little check on behavior and thoughts before they become anything I need to feel guilt or worry.
It has the potential to be very freeing. Jesus will be most merciful and forgiving about the dishes that aren’t immediately out of the sink by mid morning, because he too must certainly enjoy getting his run in first.
Jesus is into relationships. And He was into doing the will of his Father.
What is the will of his Father? Funny, the more you invite Jesus into your day ~ the more the will of the Father becomes apparent.
I am writing all this while everyone is asleep and the house is quiet. This seems doable, no sweat.
Time to stick my coffee mug in the microwave one more time. Come on, Jesus. Do you like yours black? Maybe a little Sweet and Low?
No. If Jesus and I are having coffee together this morning let’s get crazy and pull out the Folgers Cinnamon Swirl and make a new pot.
Have a great Friday…. Good Grief. It’s Friday!
Oh btw, how do you think Jesus takes his coffee?
HELP ME was scribbled across the fogged school bus window to my left. How can a parent say “no” when a child begs, “Please come on the field trip with us?”
Easy. “No.” (more…)
It was looking a lot like Christmas in Madison during the Bicentennial Holiday Parade.
Now my family, all except teenage son who was too tired (too kewl) to go, scurried downtown to stand across from the Courthouse to view the festivities.
It was turning dark ~ and I couldn’t really tell what my camera was doing. It wasn’t doing much. But here is some of what I captured.
As always..the parade started with our most excellent fire department.
This is a firetruck, in case you can't tell.
Very cute children from primary school. In case you can't tell.
Local celebrity Burns Warfield driving Chick-fil-A mobile.
Ghostbusters.
Mark Wilson, Morgan County High School Principal
Diana Blanton
If you don’t know her, you are missing way out. Just don’t too many people clamor around her, because that wouldn’t leave any room for me. And my needs are always most important.
Here come the Clydesdales. Just picture them crashing through the snow. See how fast they’re going….
And of course no Christmas Parade would be complete without..
Mr. and Mrs. Claus
I guess I better practice a bit more before Macy’s next Thanksgiving.
So signing off from across from the Courthouse for another year. Too bad I couldn’t capture all the spectacle a bit better….But here’s wishing you a merry season from Madtown, Georgia wherever you are sitting in front of your computer at moment.
Aspiring photojournalist J. Miles.
I grant your name permission to opt out or to break any long standing holiday rule. Whether community, organized-religion or self-imposed. Signed, your signature.
(tear along perforation)
Jack's Creek Christmas Tree Farm
I was going to scream if I heard “Black Friday” one more time!
OVERKILL.
It’s not really merchants’ fault, the media just went on and on…Maybe you can relate if I mention the phrase,
“TIM TEBOW.”
I’m sure some of you screamed, but it’s really not his fault ~ he is truly too good to be human. It’s just the media goes on and on and on about his supernatural goodness.
Joke…”What did Superman dress up as for Halloween?”
“Tim Tebow.”
But this is not about Black Friday or Tebow. This is about “Green Friday.” The day after Thanksgiving when the Miles’ family goes out to Jack’s Creek to buy our tree making beautiful memories for the rest of our lives.
Well, that’s the way it used to be, until our children got older and decided they would rather hang out with visiting cousins than head out to the trees with mom and dad. And our teenager was at Auburn v. Alabama.
So just me and hubby. You would think this would be easy, this would have been fun. Not an epic battle of the wills for the ages.
Now for a number of reasons we buy the pre-cut Frazier Fur. Number one of which handing over a saw to my husband never ends well…(lots of complaining.)
And like it often is with Christmas trees and me, I experienced… LOVE at FIRST SIGHT.
Nestled in amongest the others, he was BOO-TEE-FULL! All mine!!! Then hubby looked at the tree’s stature and price.
“Jamie, it’s way too tall.”
He started pointing out other wanna bees
I held firm. To be fair, I would go and look at the other tree and though they were pretty, they just weren’t like my green firry beloved.
Then I got “the Look.”
See what I was up against.
He kept saying it was too big. We called in MCHS Junior John Dustin Hawkins who was helping out with the Morgan County Baseball team loading up trees. He rounded up one of those measuring sticks which proved that the tree would indeed fit in our hall.
Hubby kept saying, “No.”
John Dustin looked to me.
You're coming home with me...no matter what he says.
I was not going home without him. (The tree ~ my husband, I was not so sure at this point.)
YAY!
Now when we got the tree home and I finished laboring with the lights, hubby agreed. Spectatular. The ornamments aren’t even on yet.
This year, I have thought…what are the three things that matter most to me about the holidays and the rest I promise myself not to stress over.
Number one would be the tree.
So when I saw him, I just knew he was special.
So special, guess what Tim Tebow will be dressed as next year for Halloween?
(Insert photograph of our tree when he’s all decked out.)
Please tell me someone can relate.
