On the Twelfth Day of January

We're not even two weeks into 2012 but it feels like Christmas was a month ago already. We've been enjoying the mildest Chicago winter in my memory...until today. It started snowing around 9am this morning and hasn't stopped yet. My kids - and more importantly my nephews visiting from Australia who never see temperatures below 45 degrees in winter - were thrilled.

Bonus: the twins had a half day and were able to play outside with their cousins. It was the four kids (twelve and under) against the 18-year-old, six-foot-two brother/cousin in a monster snowball fight. Until two neighbors came over. Then it was six against one.

The 18-year-old won.

It took me awhile to get home from work. There are always a few folks who forget how to drive in the first snowfall. They go whiteknuckled with hands at Ten and Two O'Clock coasting in the path of the tracks in front of them at a whopping 10-15 MPH. They are terrified of people like me who are accelerating to get around them. But even I tried to manifest some patience today while everyone got their bearings.

Miraculously Dan made it home in time to attend the Parent-Teacher Conferences for Maggie and Ryan which began at 5:15.

I love these nights.

I love meeting teachers who love to teach. Even though their class sizes increase and their meetings are scheduled at inconvenient times and they constantly have some yahoos in the mix that require repeated reminders that it isn't Open Mic Night at the Comedy Club, they love to teach. They get up hilatiously early and come to a building that houses over 600 preteens and then spend their energies pouring into the lives and minds of those kids.

Class after class. Day after day.

The benefit of the snowstorm was that lots of people were late and so we had several of the teachers to ourselves, if for only a few minutes to hear about how our kids are doing in their classes. And they RAVED about our kids.

I'm touched when I get to reconnect with some of Caitlin's former teachers who ask after her and sincerely rejoice when we tell them how well she is doing, all while managing to declare some special skill or trait of Maggie or Ryan's that they really appreciate to avert the dreaded comparison with the gifted older sibling.

I know it's all God's grace and we are unbelievably, undeservedly blessed with these kids and I'm happy I get to tell their teachers that. I'm also happy I get the opportunity to tell our kids how glad I am to hear that they put forth the effort they do and show these amazing men and women who teach such respect.

This is a pretty good start to the new year.

A Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a present was wrapped, not one single blouse
The stockings lay empty as bags were unpacked
And I frantically searched through the piles of gift stacks

While counting the items to ensure all was equal
I think that I lost my son's DVD sequel
A quick glance at the calendar and what should I find
But a nativity scene that was three days behind

But advent was coming - sure it's almost here
And ready or not it's the time for good cheer
For Jesus came down from heaven to earth
Fulfilling the prophecy of one virgin's birth

And gifts from the store, with all their fine labels
Are no match for the joy that was born in a stable
This Christmas my hope and my prayer for you all
Is not for the prizes that come from a mall

But for minds to believe and hearts to embrace
The Savior that came to us filled with God's grace
That favor would rest on those whom He calls
And new life would be shared with the King of us all

Advent

Advent - noun - from the Latin adventus meaning

1. a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season.
2. ( usually initial capital letter ) the coming of Christ into the world.
3. ( initial capital letter ) the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world.
4. ( usually initial capital letter ) Second Coming.

There's been a lot of coming and arriving lately for our family. My sister came last week from Australia with her two youngest boys. Last night her husband and daughter arrived. Next week my other sister will be coming in, then two other nephews.

At church/work last weekend four identical Christmas concerts arrived along with a Senior Luncheon for 300 that my parents organized. This week (which is almost half over) will bring the arrival of a Live Nativity production - for which my family makes up almost 1/3 the cast - two Christmas parties, two music concerts and a massive birthday party.

Next week my vacation time is coming up.

Much of these activities have been eagerly anticipated. Some have come much sooner than expected.

We've been gathering together with our kids every night to hang characters on our Advent Calendar, taking time to read Scriptures and talk about the anticipation of earlier generations waiting for the promised Messiah who would deliver them.

700 years passed between Isaiah's prophecy of the Christ to come and His arrival.

That's a long time to wait.

We've been singing songs about Emmanuel, which literally means "God with us" and really thinking about what it means to be on this side of the incarnation of the living God.

For me it means, even while I find myself waiting, this time for His Second Coming, there is much to celebrate and marvel at today.

Falling

The leaves are falling and the weather has turned colder (like 25 degrees colder than it was yesterday) and I know autumn is almost over and winter is almost here.

Today was the last leaf pick up for our neighborhood and the street was filled with them, but there will be many more all over our backyard from the tree that hasn't dropped yet.

The tree doesn't know today was the last pick-up.

I'm glad God doesn't have a schedule that limits the days and number of times He picks us up when we fall.

Gratitude Continued

It's the ninth so I'm listing nine more things I'm grateful for to cut back my tendencies for self-pity! See previous post for more explanation....

1. Our Couples LIFE Group at church which met tonight - we come in weary and leave full of joy.
2. The library, including four consecutive visits without a fine.
3. That the picture frame that just fell off the wall didn't hurt anyone or shatter into a million pieces.
4. The truth of 1 Peter 5:5.
5. Extra large take home and bake pizzas from Dominicks for under $8 (under $6 on Fridays).
6. ESPN.
7. Claritin.
8. That I can get in and out of a bank on my lunch hour with all the signed photocopies of documents I need in under ten minutes because I used to work there.
9. That my 25-year-old washer and relatively new twelve-year-old dryer are both still getting our clothes clean.

Cultivating Virtue

Last Sunday my pastor was preaching on the struggles of the Christian faith. It was actually the second part of a previous sermon titled "New Life, New Battles" which explained that along with the new life received for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ come new battles with sinful behaviors that previously may not have bothered you all that much.

Your "flesh" is at war with your spirit.

Sunday's sermon was called "Move the Ball Forward" and came complete with an NFL analogy for which the Eder household was very appreciative, since it's akin to our native tongue.

He explained how advancing towards holiness was rather like moving a football down the field - we will need a strategy, rely on previous training and have lots of opposition. He went on to say that like scoring a touchdown, it's a wonderful feeling to win a battle over a particular sin. Then he reminded us that immediately after you score, the ball is coming right back at you and you better D up! Okay, not exactly his words...he is Scottish after all.

So the rest of the sermon was about practical ways you can intentionally cultivate godly virtues that are contrary to a particular sin with which you may struggle - or to keep with the NFL analogy - what kind of defensive play to employ for the sinful attack coming back at you. To illustrate, he confessed a hidden sin of his own.

Self-pity.

Now, I have to admit this took me entirely by surprise. I've worked ten feet or so from his office for the past four years and not once in that time have I ever heard the man complain. About anything. Or anyone. Seriously.

So I guess that's why he called it a "hidden" sin. Not only is it less obvious to those who know us, we may not be aware of it ourselves.

Self pity is not a hidden sin of mine. Nope. I wear self pity very publicly. Trust me when I tell you that no one I work with will be writing about how they haven't heard me complain about anything or anyone for the past four weeks let alone four years.

So I was all ears about the virtue that works against self-pity. Any guesses?

Gratitude.

Thankfulness.

And since it's November and we have a national holiday committed to reminding us to be thankful I'm spending the rest of the month (at a minimum) counting my blessings.

Since today is the 8th I will list eight things for which I am extremely grateful in closing.

1. My father in law is out of ICU, in Rehab and improving every day after brain surgery!
2. The fruit fly traps we set up worked and the infestation in my home is over!
3. Both Maggie & Ryan chose their dad as the Veteran to honor for a social studies project.
4. All the veterans who sacrified so much (and still do) for my liberties.
5. My back hasn't bothered me in almost a year.
6. We are both employed.
7. 69 cent Hamburgers at BK on Tuesdays.
8. No snow yet.

I Don't Have the Words

For the past month my father-in-law has been in the hospital. Less than a year ago he had brain surgery for a non-cancerous tumor that they were able to remove 90% of successfully. Inexplicably, it grew back with a vengeance.

About ten days ago he had another brain surgery to remove 90% of the new tumor. Since then he has undergone a series of surgical procedures because one thing keeps leading to another - a drain for fluid - a screen for a blood clot - a traecheotomy to prevent pneumonia, etc.

So far, by God's grace, he has rebounded exceptionally well after each one. And he's almost 81.

So it's hard to explain why the father of three boys, two of which have been on Ryan's baseball teams, passed away tonight after a long battle with Crohn's Disease which isn't normally fatal. He was about my age.

When Dan and I spoke with his wife about an hour after she said goodbye to her husband, I asked God for the right words to say. Words of comfort and hope. Words that would somehow strengthen or console her.

"I'm sorry" sounds so pitifully inadequate. But I am deeply sorry she has to experience such a tremendous loss and I said so.

"God loves you" doesn't sound much better to a grieving widow with three young sons, but I said that too. Then I added it probably didn't feel like that right now and that I do not know why God let this happen.

Because I don't. I don't know.

Sometimes you just don't have the words to say.

When I find myself in that place I am so grateful for God's Word. Especially verses like Romans 8:26...

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."