4 hours ago
Valentine's Day is one of our favorite holidays, and this year I set out specifically to explore all the Valentine's Day books at our library. I found quite a few good ones, and I wanted to share them!
Most of these are about adventures and mishaps with making and delivering valentines. All the books about kids making valentines are cute, but I like that I also was able to find a couple books about married couples doing something special for each other on Valentine's Day.
I did try to find a book about the history of Valentine's Day/ Saint Valentine, but I couldn't find one I liked! Perhaps I'll update this post next year if I find more books that fill in that gap, but for now, hopefully you can find some of the books on this list!
Llama Llama, I Love You by Anna Dewdney - This is part of the classic Llama Llama Red Pajama series. It is very short and sweet, so perfect for the younger set!
Here Comes Valentine Cat by Deborah Underwood - This one was very reminiscent of old comics to me (think Snoopy, from Charlie Brown). Cat does not like Valentine's Day, and he does not like that pesky dog next door - except maybe the dog is trying to be friends? Really simple and cute.
Valentine Surprise by Corrinne Demas - This is a story about a little girl who tries to make her mother a Valentine's card, even though none of her attempts at cutting out a heart turn out right. This one would be especially cute for the younger grades!
Franklin's Valentines by Paulette Bourgeois - Related to the old Franklin TV series, this book is like an episode of the show. Franklin loses all his friend's valentines, but then learns that his friends love him even when he can't do anything for them.
The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll - Two mice cannot get along to make a valentine for their teacher - until they realize that their weaknesses may be complimented by the other's strengths if they can work together. I liked the illustrations in this one, and for a bonus, you may get a cute valentine card idea!
Happy Valentine's Day Curious George! by H. A. Rey - Simple picture book about Curious George's Valentine's Day party! Of course George gets in some mischief, as usual. Short and cute!
Little Bear's Valentine by Else Holmelund Minarik - Little Bear books are classics, and in this one, Little Bear has a secret admirer, and travels around to give valentines to all his friends - but he can't figure out who delivered the secret valentine (hint: it was Mama Bear). Really sweet story!
Happy Valentine's Day, Dolores by Barbara Samuels - This one is not one I would typically like, because it involves a little girl being sneaky and snooping in her sister's drawers, and a brief mention of kids thinking the young girl has a boyfriend (I don't encourage my kids to have "boyfriends"/"girlfriends" until they are near adulthood at least). But somehow this quirky little story just worked for me! It is about two sisters who bicker, but in the end they don't forget each other on Valentine's Day.
Ruby Valentine Saves The Day by Laurie B. Friedman - Ruby plans a party on Valentine's Day, but it snows and no one can make it up the mountain - so she brings the party to town square instead! Really cute book with vibrant illustrations,
Ruby Valentine And The Sweet Surprise by Laurie B. Friedman - Ruby turns up with a surprise - a new kitten, Sweetie Pie! But her pet bird, Lovebird, is feeling neglected. The pets try to one-up each other in making a valentine surprise for Ruby, but in the end they find out she can love them both. Pretty cute!
Little Blue Truck's Valentine by Alice Schertle - Little blue truck makes unique valentines for all his friends, but then gets a little sad when he realizes Valentine's Day is over and he didn't get any cards. But his friends didn't forget him after all! Cute, and the illustrations are so colorful!
The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting - Mrs Bear makes a plan to surprise Mr. Bear on Valentine's Day, even though it falls in the middle of winter when they are both hibernating! Her plans go awry, but Mr. Bear didn't forget about Valentine's Day either.
Snowy Valentine by David Peterson - Jasper travels all over the woods trying to figure out what to get his wife Lily for Valentine's Day - but in the end, he stumbles upon a special gift because of his love for her. Very cute.
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Paul Yalowitz - Mr. Hatch, who live s rather colorless life, receives a valentine saying "Somebody Loves You" - he feels so energized by that thought that he reaches out to all his neighbors and does nice things for them. But then he finds out the valentine was actually for someone else...but his neighbors make sure he knows that it's no mistake that somebody loves him. This was a sweet story!
Turkey's Valentine Surprise by Lee Harper - Turkey really wants to surprise his friends with secret valentines, but they somehow always know the cards are from him! This is a really cute and quirky book - my kids really enjoyed it!
Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! by Laura Hoffe Numeroff - This book does NOT follow the "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" format, but all the characters from that series make an appearance as Mouse makes them all a valentine - then they surprise him with cookies at the end!
Click Clack Moo, I Love You! by Doreen Conan - My kids love the Click Clack Moo books, and this one was really cute as the farm animals through a Valentine's party in the barn.
Groundhug Day by Anne Marie Pace - This is an unconventional Valentine's story, about animal friends trying to convince Groundhog to not be scared of shadows and stay awake for Valentine's Day. Really cute illustrations!
Do you have any favorite Valentine's Day books that I missed? I know there were a couple I wanted to check out that my library didn't have, so there may be a part two next year!
Happy Valentine's Day (early), friends!
It's been a while since I shared a book post! I might try to write these monthly in 2023, because if I get too far behind, I forget what I read. I'm sure there are a couple books I read and just forgot to include here, but these are the books I finished over the last couple months!
Just a note: When I link books, I'm going to try to link to Thriftbooks whenever I see the book available on there - that's where I get most of my books these days! I love getting a good deal on there. I'll link Amazon when I see a book is currently available cheaper there. Not sponsored links here, just wanted to tell you my thought process.
When Christmas Comes Andrew Klavan - I wouldn't actually call this a Christmas book - it's actually a mystery/suspense book, set during the Christmas season. I thought the detective in this book, Cameron Winters, was a pretty fascinating character, and I'm glad it's being turned into a series!
That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis - This is the final book in Lewis's space trilogy, and I'm not going to lie, I'm a little befuddled by it. I'm going to read some literary analysis of it in hopes of understanding it better. The other two books in the space trilogy were much more straightforward, whereas this one was rooted more in medieval legends that I'm not particularly familiar with...though I did notice some connections with Lewis's The Abolition Of Man. That Hideous Strength is basically the fictionalized version of the concepts Lewis presented in The Abolition Of Man.
The Return Of The King by J. R. R. Tolkien - This was a re-read! Loved it as much as the first time, and I almost cried when Frodo left Middle Earth.
Captive by Mary Rowlandson, John Williams, and John Gyles - This book was completely fascinating - it's a reprint of stories published in the 1600s by Puritans who were taken captive by North American tribes. It's actually three books in one, so even though I'm not quite done with it, I'm going to include it since I finished the first "book" within it. It was interesting to read about the experiences of these people who were captured, and their faith in the Lord was tested and came out as pure gold. It's inspiring to read.
A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie - I read this for a book club discussion with some friends. I'm pretty sure I read it once before when I was a teenager, so I had an inkling of the solution to the mystery, but there were so many aspects I forgot that it was still surprising. I love all of Christie's mystery novels, and it's been a while since I've read a Miss Marple mystery - she is a fun character!
What I Learned In Narnia by Douglas Wilson - I thought this book presented so many good character traits and lessons from the Narnia books, and it gave me alot to think about. This book was based on some talks that Wilson gave for young people about lessons to be learned from the Narnia books, and I thought he pulled out some really great points. I am almost done reading the Chronicles Of Narnia to my kids, and I think I may have my older ones listen to this book after we finish.
My Life For Yours by Douglas Wilson - This book is a collection of different thoughts about how we can be selfless in our home and family life, based on what happens in different rooms of a house. So for instance, in the kitchen chapter Wilson talks about serving others with mealtimes, the living room chapter is about how we spend our leisure time, etc. Some of the concepts he presents are based in Scripture, but some of the applications are more his own opinion - I agreed with alot of it, but not necessarily all. Nevertheless, it was an interesting book, and challenged me to serve my family better. I love the title, "my life for yours"...that is a worthy goal for my attitude toward family life, and I appreciated all the practical advice in accomplishing that.
The Hypnotist’s Love Story by Leanne Moriarty - I picked up this book because it was the last of Moriarty's books that I hadn't read - I think I was avoiding it because I'm not on board with hypnotism. Thankfully, the hypnotist angle was part of the plot but not to a ridiculous extent. This book was more about a woman trying to form a new relationship with a man who has a crazy stalker...but she finds herself sympathizing too much with the stalker. Overall, it was cute. Content Note: There were some references to (ahem) adult things outside of marriage; it wasn't overly descriptive. The main character does become pregnant outside of marriage too, and I think abortion might have been mentioned (annoying how they always stick that in), but the main character doesn't really consider it.
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn - I listened to this for a book club, and it was a really close-up look at Elisabeth Elliot's early life, ending shortly after her service to the tribe that killed her husband, Jim Elliot. There is so much inspiration for the Christian life when looking at Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, and this biography was really well done. There is going to be a second volume covering Elisabeth's later life, and I'm excited to read that one because I don't know as much about the second part of her life (aside from the fact that she became a public speaker).
What Is A Woman by Matt Walsh - This book is the written version of the documentary by the same name, but it gives more "inside information", so to speak. There are interviews and stories in this book that weren't covered in the film, and it includes Walsh's perspective of some of the interviews that were in the film. The documentary was really eye-opening to me when I watched it last summer, even as someone who falls on the same side of the aisle as Walsh on gender ideology. I think this book just added more detailed information to the film for those who are interested in this topic. Note: I'd also recommend "Irreversible Damage" by Abigail Shirer - that's a book that fell through the cracks when I stopped sharing reviews on the blog for a while, but I read it a couple years ago and I think it would be a really good supplement to this film and book as well.
Them Before Us by Katie Faust - This book was incredibly eye-opening to me - Faust discusses a child's right to their mother and father, and how modern adults have infringed on children's rights by their self-focused choices. The main premise of this book is that intentionally depriving a child of their biological mother or father - through divorce, sperm/egg donors, gay "marriage" adoption cases, etc. - harms children and violates their rights. This book argues that adults should organize their lives around what's best for children, instead of expecting children to be shuffled around to suit adult desires. It also discusses the ethical problems surrounding how IVF is done, which is a touchy subject but something that we should all think more carefully about. It's hard to argue with the statistics shared in this book, and it gave me alot to think about.
The Blue Train Mystery by Agatha Christie - Another Agatha Christie mystery - I know I've read this one before, but I was surprised by the ending! This is a Poirot mystery, and he's my favorite Agatha Christie detective. I thought this one started slower, and was a little hard to follow, but the beginning chapters are tied in at the end.
Morality For Beautiful Girls but Alexander McCall Smith - This is the third book in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, and I love this series - it's like a cozy mystery series with a twist. Each book follows Mama Ramotswe as she solves a series of small mysteries (and sometimes a bigger one) for her clients, all while juggling her family and upcoming nuptials to the owner of the local mechanic shop. This is one of those series that I would recommend for a palette cleanser, something nice to read when you just need to relax and not think too hard! I'm going to continue the series this year.
What have you been reading in January?
I feel like January is always a good reading month for everyone!
A Quote
"It is very difficult to be resigned, left alone, and in sorrowful circumstance; but feeling immovably assured that my God and Father was too wise and loving to err in anything He does or permits, I looked up to the Lord for help and struggled on in His work. I do not pretend to see through the mystery of such visitations - wherein God calls away the young, the promising, and those sorely needed for His service here; but this I do know and feel, that, in the light of such dispensations, it becomes us all to love and serve our blessed Lord Jesus so that we may be ready at His call for death and Eternity."
-John G. Paton, written after his young wife's death on the mission field
You get a bonus book recommendation with this first quote, because I have to point you to John Paton's autobiography - he was a missionary to cannibals in the South Pacific, and his book is so interesting and edifying!
A Book
Another book I'm reading in my morning time is The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace. In our modern world, some women would surely be offended by some of the things she writes, but as far as biblical advice for being a better wife, I don't think I've read a better book. I've been convicted in some way by every chapter so far.
A Bit Of Nature
I'm including this scene from our weekend snowmobiling with my parents recently. Snowmobiling is such a nice way to get outside in the winter! We zoomed around in this winter wonderland in 9 degrees Fahrenheit, but when you're having fun it doesn't feel so cold.
A Recommendation
The kids got some oven-bake clay for Christmas, and they've been having fun making little creations...then I remembered seeing videos about making earrings out of polymer clay, and I got rather sucked in yesterday. I like the earrings on this channel, and this channel explains more. Somehow the process of making these earrings is really fascinating to watch! I kind of want to buy some of my own clay and try it out now.
I'll also include one other recommendation that I threw out there on Instagram the other day - G3 ministries is addressing The Chosen in some of their articles and podcast recently, and I think they make some really good points. Unpopular Opinion: I've been skeptical about The Chosen, because I don't like the premise of putting words in Jesus's mouth that He's not recorded as saying in Scripture for the sake of entertainment (or any other reason, but entertainment seems a particularly frivolous reason). But G3 has a whole other angle, and it's given me alot to think about.
A Moment Of Happiness
On a whim, after seeing a post on Instagram (dratted Instagram! I still have a tolerate-hate relationship with it), I purchased a disco ball. Yes, a disco ball. I saw a post with twirling spots of light sparkling in someone's living room, and I guess I was inspired. I almost immediately regretted ordering it - what was I thinking? It was only $15, but still.
It arrived, and I was determined that I would send it right back to Amazon. But I was still curious about what it would look like in the sun. So before I determined to send it back, I pulled it out of the box, and held it up in front of the sunshine string in from the window.
Immediately the room was filled with flashes of light, dancing on the floors and walls, and I knew right then we'd be keeping it. The kids were fascinated as soon as they saw it, and whenever it stilled they climbed on the chair to give it another twirl. One of my kids was sprawled out on the floor, finishing his language arts work, but every now and then he'd just pause, and look at the ceiling with a peaceful smile on his face.
Was it a frivolous $15? Yes. We can live without a disco ball, of all things. But has it added some sparkle and life to these long winter days? It has, and I'm not sorry I bought it. Seeing the bits of happiness on my kids' faces these humdrum school days was worth it.
January is a time for fresh starts and making plans, but that's not how I've been feeling lately. I've been feeling more like hunkering down than exploring, and more like keeping on than making plans.
But Derek and I had a rare date a few weeks ago - we went to see Little Women: The Musical with friends, and it was so fun. On the drive to the play we finally fit in our yearly "What do we have to look forward to this year" talk, and after Derek told me several of his wonderful goals, he asked me what I wanted to do this year. And I found myself a bit stuck, because of the aforementioned funk I've been in.
However, after some prompting, he did get me to start thinking about some goals I could set, even just fun ones, and I came up with a little list. Since then I've thought of several more things I'd like to accomplish, but I'm going to try something different this year and NOT overdo it on my goals. Instead I've chosen just three weekly goals I'd like to work on as we start 2023, and maybe if these three become rather ingrained, I will move on to adding more later.
1. Write one letter a week.
I've made a goal a couple years in a row now to write more letters, but other goals keep taking priority. I'd like to change that this year. I think letter-writing is quite a time-honored thing, and it shouldn't be lost. Letter-writing is a way to send encouragement to those who may need it, to connect personally even over a distance. It's meaningful in a way that online interactions aren't, because writing a letter takes more thought and effort. I've also been reading about different figures in church history this past year, and it strikes me how many of them made an impact through personal letters - some of them containing so much wisdom that they are still read by people today. And letters are a way to record a moment in history too - that's how we know alot of the details from history, because someone wrote to someone else about it in a letter. There is a rich tradition there, and there is nothing quite like opening your mailbox and seeing a personal letter, is there? So I really do want to prioritize letters this year.
2. Work on my family tree one afternoon a week.
Derek's mom has done an amazing amount of research into their family tree - she has her ancestry traced back to the 1000s. She made a generous offer to help us pay for an ancestry.com account so that I can fill in my branch of the family tree, and I want to make working on that a priority this year. Even if I only get an hour to work on it, I'd like to spend time researching at least one afternoon a week. My struggle has actually been that when I sit down to work on my tree, time seems to go by in a blink. The challenge will likely be to not get sucked into my research and forget to make dinner!
3. Paint or draw something once a week.
When I was a child, I took painting lessons, and produced several paintings that I still have to this day. They aren't too bad either, if I do say so myself. I recently took a couple of them out of storage and hung them up in my house, and seeing them hanging there on the wall stirred in me that urge to try to develop my artistic ability more. I don't feel a strong ownership of those paintings because I had so much help with them, but I know I'm not untalented in that area, and I could improve with practice. I won't be doing full oil paintings as I did back then (too much of a mess with kids running around), but I would like to at the least practice drawing something weekly. I also have a whole online watercolor course that I would like to complete this year. My goal is going to be to paint or draw once a week, just to make it manageable, but I'm hoping I'll become more comfortable with drawing and painting and end up practicing more than that. But saying once a week takes the pressure off. I can definitely manage once a week.
What are your goals for the New Year?
I can hardly believe it, but it's been about a month since I last wrote a blog post! One minute I'm writing in anticipation of Christmas, the next I'm sitting here with a cup of chai tea and a little pile of Valentine's candy hearts as I attempt to catch this blog up. The above photo is of my Christmas wreath, now packed away, and we've been getting little snowstorms off and on between Christmas and New Year's, which makes me happy. I love a good, white January.
Our Christmas was lovely, if a little different than a typical year. Since Christmas Day fell on a Sunday, we did venture out to our church service that morning. It was kind of fun to celebrate Christmas a little differently than in the past, and it actually made the day feel more relaxed and laid back. We opened a few gifts in the morning, and then finished up in the evening. Stretching out the presents a little longer was actually rather nice.
On New Year's Eve we visited my grandpa, which was special, and then on New Year's Day we did a little adventuring in the mountains. The kids are finally getting to a stage where they can walk a fair way by themselves, and I think more hiking days are in our future. I actually love getting outside in the winter as well - the air is so crisp and refreshing, and the mountains are particularly beautiful blanketed in snow. We topped the day off with a saltwater taffy shop.
Alot of my mental energy right after New Year's went into planning a talk for our January homeschool meeting at church, about the history of our state. The topic was my idea, and it didn't take me long to regret it - it took so much research and time to put together a presentation on such a broad topic as the history of an entire state! I think it turned out alright, but I'm glad to have it behind me. My brain can finally relax a bit.
We finally started up homeschooling again, and the week started wonderfully, and ended in a somewhat disastrous day. When you are sitting down with your child to finish his grammar lessons at 8PM, you know something has gone wrong. I'm hoping we won't have a repeat of that anytime soon. However, I am excited by how much we are accomplishing in general this school year - I think as far as the amount that my kids are learning, this might be our best year yet.
Aside from the mental load from my presentation (I don't love public speaking, can you tell?), I've been feeling a little emotionally weighed down as we start 2023. Typically the new year is a fun time for me, and I love making plans and setting new goals, but I know this year is going to be hard for some reasons that I don't want to go into here. It doesn't feel like a particularly happy activity to plan right now. But I'm trying to force myself to make a few goals anyway, because I think setting my mind on some creative and uplifting intentions will be healthy for me. So I'll probably write a post about a few of my goals soon.
How's the family doing, you ask? They have enjoyed Christmas break, but a couple of the kids expressed to me how happy they were to be doing school again, so that's a win. Derek is spending all our free weekends finally finishing the trim work in our house - we've lived here four years now, so I guess it's about time!
My oldest is starting his orthodontic journey this month, and our savings account is sad about it. When I found out how much braces were going to cost us, I had a bit of an anxiety attack. Where we are, it's probably going to cost us around $9,000 per kid. That's before insurance, but let me tell you, even the best insurances don't cover much. I immediately regretted not starting on saving for braces years ago.
I was desperate enough that I started googling "how to get braces cheap". And let me tell you, I did find an organization that gives out grants for braces. I was sure we wouldn't qualify (and we didn't), but would you believe it, we were within throwing distance of qualifying? If we'd had one more child, I think we may have qualified (which kind of amazed me, but that's how expensive braces are here). Anyway, just bookmark this site if you are financially stressed about affording braces, because you never know.
To wrap up my little braces story, to put my mind at ease my finance-major of a husband whipped up a spreadsheet projecting how much we could save starting now, when each kid would need braces, how much help we'd get from insurance, etc, and it looks like we'll be able to straighten out everyone's teeth when the time comes. So I can sleep in peace again.
How has the start to your year been? I hope your start to 2023 has been joyful and lighthearted enough for the both of us!
I had all kinds of ideas for December blog posts, but the last couple of weeks have been a flurry of craziness around here, mostly in a good way. I've barely had time to sit down, but everything we've been busy with has been fun memory-making!
Everything We've Been Up To
We kicked off December with a trip to a local "trial of lights" for my dad's birthday. My parents take the whole family every year and it's a highlight of December for all of us. There is one huge tree that they somehow manage to light up from the trunk to the top of it's branches, about 100 feet up, and we always stand under it and just stare. The kids aren't nearly as impressed with it as the adults - we know the amount of work that went into that!
My kids also participated in a unique field trip where they got to run a miniature town for a day, as well as manage their own bank accounts, checkbooks, and debit cards. Wyatt was the accountant for Town Hall, Gwendolyn was a mail carrier, and Clyde was an auto mechanic. They each were so happy with the positions they got, and they all took their jobs so seriously. Our cousins and various friends were able to go the same day we did, so that was fun for everyone too! I'm also proud to say that none of my kids overdrew their bank accounts. They are on their way to being financially responsible adults.
Another big event of the last couple weeks was a 10th birthday party for Gwendolyn. Her birthday is at the end of December, but we wanted to do a party for her while our good friends were in town from Kentucky. We invited close family and a few of her friends from church for an art themed party - it turned out really fun! I'm sure I'll get a post up about it at some point.
While our dear friends were in town we also took the opportunity to spend as much time with them as we could, and we had an outing to the railroad museum and a couple fun visits at our house. Of course the hardest part was having to say goodbye when they left the last night they were here. There are always tears when they leave, but it's one of those friendships that is strong enough to survive a little distance, and we are already looking forward to zoom visits and making plans for the next time we can see them.
Our family also fit in a visit to our local aquarium...we are not close to the ocean, so any aquarium here is going to be expensive and a rare treat. The kids got free tickets for completing the library reading challenge this summer, and Derek took a day off so we could go as a family. The kids loved it, and Georgie especially wanted to see the sharks! We topped off the day with a trip to the mall for some final Christmas shopping, and a Christmas movie night at home.
Speaking of the mall, we had to swing by there again on Sunday because I realized I needed to even out one of the kids' Christmas presents a bit. It is very difficult to shop for Christmas for five kids of all different ages - they want such different things, but I have to still keep the cost and number of the presents as similar as possible. It requires alot of planning and I often end up having to make adjustments once I get all the presents laid out on the floor.
So to the mall we went again, and I have to say, it warmed my heart to see how very busy the mall was. For the past couple years it's been quiet every time I've been to the mall, but perhaps the retail business is finally picking up again after 2020 (or maybe people are trying to avoid the finicky postal system). I'm happy to see it.
Amid all this we also had several other Christmas and birthday parties to attend, and we somehow fit some school in there. I'm tired just thinking about it now.
But it's finally the week before Christmas, we are on break from homeschooling, and it's time to get those presents wrapped and cookies baked! That's the agenda for today, and before I go to it, I'll just include one more thought that I've been mulling over this week.
A Thought On Christmas Busyness
As I've been going about our business this month, I've been listening to some Christmas sermons on the Canon+ app. I subscribed a while back for a webinar I wanted to watch, but it's been pretty worthwhile overall. I don't agree with everything they teach (I'm not a post millennialist), but I've found alot of the practical resources to be incredibly encouraging.
I was listening to a sermon called "A Theology Of Christmas Gifts" (or it might have been "Celebrating Christmas Like A Puritan", I can't remember), and Douglas Wilson made a point that it is actually NOT an unbiblical idea to work hard - even until you are rather exhausted - in order to bless others.
I think we are often, as wives and mothers, tempted to get a little bitter about the December rush and the Christmas stress. We think in order to do Christmas "right", we should not be so busy. I've certainly fallen victim to "Christmas stress" before, and often that stress is the result of procrastination or poor planning on my part. I don't think that's a good thing, and the solution to that is to plan better so I don't have a million things to do all at once December.
However, as I've been mulling it over, I agree that the problem is not the amount of work that Christmas entails. Work is not a bad thing. We don't have to be sitting around contemplating all the time in order to be blessed during the season of Christmas preparation. We are working hard to make Christmas special for our loved ones, to bless others and love them in a tangible way, and isn't that service toward others a kind of offering to the Lord? We ARE honoring Christmas in all the busyness of our Christmas work if we keep in mind that we are doing it for Him, that we are serving Christ by serving others well.
We don't always have to be still with perfect peace to celebrate and enjoy Christmas. We can keep Christmas well. by tackling our to-do list to bless others during all the hustle and bustle of celebrating the birth of our King! In it's own way, that is just as beautiful as sitting in silence and contemplating His birth, maybe even more beautiful if in the busyness we are giving of ourselves for the good of others, reflecting in an imperfect way how Christ gave Himself for us, and pointing others to the purpose of all this which is Christ Himself.
May you point your loved ones to Jesus through the cookie decorating, present wrapping, house cleaning, turkey baking, visiting, opening, singing, and celebrating this week!
Happy Christmas break, friends!
I'm sure I'll be back again this week.
I finally have some space for all of the above,
and a little blogging too.
This year our first real snow - with three inches and snow left in patches on the ground after several days - happened in October. We've had several more snows so far, and spots of snow that don’t melt in the shade for over a month now.
That might be shocking if you live in warmer parts of the country, but October is actually pretty late for a first snow where I live. We have gotten a "first snow" in September before! Our snow season usually lasts somewhere from October to May, and things don't start to green up in the mountains until at least May.
After living here my whole life, you could say I'm used to long winters, and I have come to enjoy them. In recent years I have heard alot of people bemoaning the long winter season in my state, and I find it a little surprising especially when it comes from people who have grown up here as I have. It's good to adapt to where you live, to look at the weather and climate where you are right now and find the good things about it, instead of pining for one favorite season or other destinations. Learning to become content with the climate where you currently live is important for your general happiness, and necessary to keep a sense of gratitude in your heart. God made these seasons - there are special things about all of them, if we take a minute to look for them.
All that said, I thought I'd give a few of my tips for learning how to love the winter season.
1. Dress for the weather.
As someone somewhere once said, there is no bad weather, just bad clothes. Cold weather is going to seem worse than it is if you aren't dressed properly for it. That might mean investing in some good snow or sub-zero clothes for when you have to spend time outside, but it also might mean a trip to the department store for some interesting sweaters that make you excited to wear them. In my book, fall/winter clothes are some of the most fun when it comes to fashion! There is only so much you can do with shorts and shirts in the summer, but there are endless layering combinations and textures to explore in the fall and winter, not to mention all the gorgeous coat options, which you would never get to explore unless you lived somewhere cold.
"When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet."
Proverbs 31:21
2. Practice looking for the beauty that a true winter brings.
There are many parts of the country and world where they never have snow, and some people wish they would get a little snow, especially around Christmas time! Take a winter walk and look at the beautiful way the frost decorates the bare branches, or the way the ice looks on a river as it grows thicker. The colors of winter are so muted and calming when you look at them through the lens of a photographic or artistic eye - try to look at a landscape and identify all the different shades you can (deep blue, dove grey, ice blue, muted brown, lilac, blush pink).
3. Take up a winter hobby.
There are all kinds of cold-weather activities that likewise are not available in the same way in warmer climates - sledding, skiing, ice-skating, snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, sleighing, snow forts and fights and snowmen. Why not appreciate the snow (instead of complaining about it), and branch out by trying one of these wintery activities?
“'For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
Isaiah 55:10-11 NKJV
4. Lean into winter food.
You can't convince me that a hot beef stew tastes as good anywhere else but in the deep of a cold winter season. There are so many wonderful soups and stews, breads and pies, that taste especially wonderful because they are contrasted with the sharp cold and howling winds of winter. Lean into it and add some cozy winter recipes to the rotation.
5. Make your house cozier.
Winter is so much more charming if you have a cozy home to enjoy it in. I wrote a whole post analyzing coziness here, but I think there are a few elements that will bring up the coziness of any space - warm lighting scattered through the room (lamps, candles, fireplace, etc), more textured pillows and blankets (that faux fur throw you spotted at the store? Buy it), and something that smells spicy or warm (scented candles, essential oils, hot cider mulling, bread in the oven).
“He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; He casts out His hail like morsels; Who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.”
Psalms 147:15-18 NKJV
6. Consider the textile arts.
With all those hours where you might rather be inside, winter seems the perfect time to learn how to make something tangible. Why not pick up a new skill, like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or sewing? You can make some of those blankets or pillows with interesting textures yourself to add that coziness I just mentioned to your home. And is there a cozier picture for wintertime than sitting in a cozy room, wearing a cute sweater and socks, with something good-smelling coming from the kitchen, while knitting or embroidering a project, with your family gathered around? I think not.
7. Build relationships with friends and family.
Yes, you can and should build up your family and friendships all year long! But winter seems an especially nice time to practice hospitality, to those outside your home and within your home. Why not change up your habits a bit over the winter and make a weekly game night, or add in a new read-aloud routine with your kids all snuggled under blankets, or start singing some Christmas songs or hymns together on a regular basis? Why not invite over someone new to share your cozy home and wintery food together during those months that feel drab to some? Winter is a great time to be together.
"From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind,
And cold from the scattering winds of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given,
And the broad waters are frozen.
11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds;
He scatters His bright clouds.
12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance,
That they may do whatever He commands them
On the face of the whole earth.
13 He causes it to come,
Whether for correction,
Or for His land,
Or for mercy."Job 37:9-13
What is your favorite part of the winter season? Do you have any tips for learning to enjoy the winter?
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