As a Christian woman, I have left cursing, the use of offensive and uneducated word choices in my unrefined and secular past. There are however, a few instances where colorful curse words will be forced from my lips reflecting the true feelings of my heart. They are, almost without fail, when I stub my toe and when trying to free a child’s toy from theft deterrent packaging.

 

Never is my frustration level as high as when I am doggedly trying to make my way through an unending stream of well intentioned gifts that contain fuzzy little animals or plastic toys imprisoned by wire ties coated in thick plastic, twisted so many times or in such a way that it is impossible to undo without wire cutters. Why is this necessary? Is there a major conspiracy underway that deems the ownership of a $5.00 toy so attractive that the theft of it is a certainty? Are they in danger of being resold in dark alleys behind liquor stores? Some wacky Barbie enthusiast has surely been put out of business by his inability to free his beautiful prize from her cardboard prison held hostage in the middle of aisle 12 in Toys R Us.

 

Next to the barbaric wire ties on the frustration meter are the jewel cases containing Compact Discs that are taped so viciously they may as well be super glued shut. What is the point? Is Raffi really in that much demand? The tape doesn’t come off easily in one long strip, that I might actually enjoy, one long smooth movement freeing the music from its plastic home. It comes of in tiny little fragments no bigger than your pinkie nail making it a long and arduous process to set free. It took me 20 minutes and a steak knife to get the experience behind me.

 

It must be some kind of a joke. Like pantyhose. Let me know when we get to the punch line.

Today is Christmas Eve. December 24. I have 2.5 hours until dinner is to be served.  I spent the morning cleaning up after the Holiday Open House we hosted yesterday. Floors to mop, gifts to organize and put away.

 

Oh my, its 12:30, maybe I can squeeze in a 42 minute nap before I need to shower and pump for the baby, warm the ham, prepare the potatoes, ready the appetizers and wrap gifts for the guests that are coming.

 

I doze, but don’t really sleep because princess Bella is snoozing next to me and has left me to teeter on 4 inches of mattress. I finally give up and hop in the shower. Seannie starts to squall. I pause mid disrobe to get him out of bed and deposit him in front of the telly when Stevie starts hollering. I swing open the door and tell him to join his brother.

 

15 minutes left for my shower. I hop in the stall. Only time enough to wash my face, spin around under the jet for a couple of revolutions. Zip zip, I run the razor over the front of my legs (knee down) and under my arms making a mental note to myself to get the rest next time I’m in the shower (hopefully before the week is out).

 

I get out and dry off quickly and notice that my toenails are in a sorry state. I can’t even recall the last time I have trimmed them. The big toes each have the tiniest remnants of the polish that I received at my last pedicure in June. They are long and grotesque. I glance at the clock, no time to deal with them today…ah well, maybe if I leave them long enough I will qualify for the top spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

 

I grab the two gifts that need wrapping from their hiding place. Glancing around the living room I notice a lovely gift bag from a present I have just received. I dump its contents and shove in my own.

 

2:05 time to pump. The guests are due any minute, I sit down to write down my thoughts while my Medela sucks the life from me yet again.

 

2:26 and I’m done writing, Hey maybe I have time enough to trim my bangs which are obstructing my field of vision, if I could only remember how the girl at the Cut/Sip and Lube managed to get them straight when she did it 6 months ago.

 

Got to run and prepare a meal fit for a king, with 3 squalling babies, may hair in my eyes and laundry waiting for my attention….oh yeah, and Santa hasn’t gotten around to wrapping any gifts yet….15 hours left…Merry Christmas.

 

 

Well here it is, the curtains are closing on the final act and another year is behind us. Are you satisfied by what you accomplished? What have you done to make the world a better place in the last year? If you want to make a difference in 2007 you might consider “Paying it back”.

 

One of the best gifts God has given us is the gift of service, the practice of giving aid to your fellow man. Some have given this act the fancy new term of “paying it forward”. 

“Paying it forward” means to commit a random act of kindness in the hopes that the recipient of said act would then “pay it forward” and then so on and so forth.

 

The differences as I see it between the two are that “paying it forward” is a solitary act made in isolation from your daily living. To be a servant is to be characterized as someone who is living to serve others as a lifestyle. Also paying forward is a thought out proposition. You plan your act of kindness and carry it through.  When you are living your life as a servant God presents the opportunities for you. All you do is recognize the need and then act upon it, no planning necessary!

 

Now that I think about it, I don’t believe there is any such thing as “paying it forward”. If you consider all the blessings God has given you in your lifetime and all the acts of kindness you have received, you are probably still in the process of paying it BACK.

 

Maybe instead of trying to pay it forward you should concentrate on fine tuning your life in such a way that when God thinks of you He says “Now there is someone I can count on!” Just think friends, I don’t believe you will ever hear sweeter words said to you here on earth then those our heavenly father will pronounce upon you if He considers your lifetime spent to His glory.

 

You’ll know you lived up to His expectations when you come before His presence and He says “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)  I want you to hear that! My challenge to you then, is to recommit yourself each morning to pleasing God and facing each opportunity to serve as Jesus would, as a blessing to your heavenly Father. It will feel good, I promise, both immediately AND when you find yourself gazing upon the most beautiful face you will ever see.

 

Much love and blessings to all of you in 2007!

 

Cyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legend has it that the coffee bean was discovered by a wandering goat, escaped from his flock. The young goatherd found him prancing joyously next to a green plant nibbling small red beans. There, in a small village outside of Arabia the love of coffee was born.

 

The first known abuse of the caffeine drug is said to have been committed by monks in an effort to stay awake for long hours devoted to prayer and meditation. This same misuse of the aromatic beverage is now shared amongst students, housewives, long distant drivers and night shift workers worldwide.

 

The act of buying, preparing, serving and ingesting coffee has become an obsession by some. The very thought of the next cup brings goose bumps of anticipation to  cultivated business women and has otherwise mature businessmen giggling like school girls in excitement. Coffee establishments have appeared on corners and in mini malls around the country quicker than a lice infestation spreads in an elementary school.

 

I bring this up because I have been quite slow to join this, the new culture of coffee connoisseurs. I’ve believed coffee to be a somewhat stuffy grown up drink.  A crutch necessary for my grandparents to indulge in and something your parents insist on having in a restaurant long after the novelty of “eating out” has worn off for a ten year old.

 

My belief that I am too young and energetic to benefit from this magic elixir of immediate energy has been replaced by the realization that I am now 38 years old. Ten years past the age I previously considered ancient. This enlightenment coupled with the late night cuddle sessions with darling Bella has driven me to the early morning carafe.

 

Glory be! What took me so long? Every morning Kory leaves me ½ a pot of coffee that I guzzle down before the sun peaks over the horizon and BAM! Instant energy. My morning chores are done before 9:00 am, the kids are dressed and dinner is planned. I scoot through the morning with a caffeine induced smile on my face and the children wonder what happened to the “other” mama. The laundry is folded, the bathroom is clean, my early morning writing is out of my head and into the lap top and I’ve actually brushed my teeth and hair and put on deodorant before lunchtime!

 

Thank you to the naughty little goat for finding and eating the coffee beans. Thank you to the monks that first taught us to abuse the beverage. Thank you most of all to my darling husband who always makes sure I have coffee before the light of day arrives!

 

You can learn more about coffee at: http://researchcoffee.org if you are so inclined.

 

 

 

 

Dear Santa,

 

Here is my Christmas list this year:

 

1) A full night of sleep

2) 10 extra minutes every 24 hours to fit in a shower

3) Alice, from the “Brady Bunch”

4) If I can’t have Alice, then I’ll take Rosie from “The Jetson’s” along with their            

     fully automated kitchen.

5) Cab service to pick up the kids from school

6) I would like to trade hair with Sean bon

7) Lose 30 lbs over night

8) Disposable laundry

9) 1 “get out of jail free” card (just in case)

10) Extra set of arms

 

 

      Also Santa, I want to thank you for all the wishes you granted me last year:

   

1) Finalized Sean’s adoption

2) Finalized Steve’s adoption

3) Got my baby girl!!!!

4) became a “stay at home mom”

5) Realized my dream of becoming a published writer

6) Casey returned safely from his European tour

7) Ryan enjoyed Rock N Roll summer camp

8) Kory and I enjoyed our 12^th year of marriage

 

 

 

Christmas has become a time of extravagant decorations, expensive electronics, office parties, the giving and receiving of gifts and the hustle and bustle of shopping. Sometimes the true meaning of the day gets lost amongst the “stuff” going on around us.

 

 Instead of participating in the race to obtain the “perfect” season we should reflect on the birth of our savior. The commercialism of the day has taken the heart of our country in a ferocious grip…all in the name of promoting the economy.

 

We have had Christmas’ of plenty and a few that some people may consider more anemic. This year is going to be one of the “lesser” years at the Peterson Posse household. Transitioning from 2 incomes to 1 has been a character building experience for all of us. The fact that the number of gifts under the tree will be fewer than we’ve had in the past has no impact on the grandeur of the holiday. The “things” we delight in are constant.

 

The love we have for each other, the joy in the face of a young child, fine smells of Christmas dinner cooking in our oven, good friends and beloved family dropping in and the best gift of all…the birth, life and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without this, the very best God could give; there would be no hope for life beyond death.

 

If you find this holiday season that you are feeling overwhelmed, under appreciated, over worked and forgotten recall that the BEST gift has already been given!