Merry Christmas Eve!

 

The two days following Christmas, bring your people to the Wichita Art Museum for Winter Art Mania. Admission is free and will include movies, gallery exploration, and art making.

 

On Monday the 28th, from 10:30 – 11:00, Watermark is featuring a Special Story Time with the Snow Sister Princesses. Wear a costume, take some pictures.

 

If you have guests in town for the holidays, you can bring them to the Wichita YMCA for free through the 31st if you are a member. (Then on January 1st, everyone is welcome to try the Y for free for their Open House!)

Library

The Library will be closed starting today, the 24th, at 3:00 p.m. and will reopen Monday the 28th.

On the 28th from 2:30 – 4:00, come to Alford Branch for a family movie: Bear Snores On and The Snowy Day!

Tuesday the 29th from 2:30 – 3:30 come to Evergreen to make your own ice cream. At Central, try your hand at some water experiments, same time. And from 2:30 – 4:00 at Rockwell on the 29th, enjoy a variety of family-friendly games and prizes.

 

Wednesday the 30th Westlink is hosting a Frozen Fun Party from 2:30-3:30. You can build an Olaf and play games with the Snow Queen. Costumes encouraged.

Then at Angelou on the 30th, you can practice making ice cream from 2:30-3:30.

And for Teens, come to Alford on the 30th from 2:30-3:30 to test your spaghetti-building skills. Use uncooked noodles and marshmallows to build the highest tower.

 

The Library has your back during Winter Break, parents.

 

I won’t be posting again until next week. Have a wonderful time celebrating that He came. Go to a Christmas Eve Service, even if you don’t usually do that sort of thing. Forgive someone. Hug a lot of people. Rejoice.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Hobby Lobby is a Winter Wonderland

What we do on sunny December mornings. Drawing The Grinch.

Shaving carrots for Plof, an Uzbekistani dish. You see.

Come over and we’ll make it for you.

Annual Sugar Cookie Making

What the Boy Table does when there’s a Girl’s Table behind them

Making Teacher Christmas Thank Yous. Thank you, thank you, Teachers!

I’m not sure why I’ve never mentioned our neighborhood Ace Hardware. Oh my word, we love them. The boys especially love the free token for a gumball.

Glory

 

Your 7 Days?

Why is The Sound of Music so beautiful?

We only stopped flipping channels on Edelweiss. Then we moved on. By “we” I mean Dan and the boys.

 

One day I’ll teach them to love it. Especially this exchange:

 

Captain Von Trapp: Fraulein, were you this much trouble at the Abbey?

Maria: Oh, much more, sir.

 

Makes me smile.

“The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

‘Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.

‘On that day,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the LORD Almighty.”

Haggai 2:20-23

Well, it’s the same day as last time. But now God through Haggai has a word specifically for Zerubbabel.

 

I am the God of the nations. In charge of kingdoms and powers. And I choose you to represent my authority on earth.

 

It’s all very confusing. The people of Judah were never politically free again after the exile. Ruled over by others, they must have wondered when this Word from God would come to pass. It is no wonder God’s people were waiting for a warrior king to come and set them free by the time they were ruled by the Romans. Certainly, that was the plan, right?

 

But God rarely chooses who we think He will. Zerubbabel, the civil leader of the exiles, is in Christ’s lineage. The way he would be like God’s signet ring, a sign of His authority, is by doing the work of governing the people God gave him and rebuilding God’s house. Then by trusting that “on that day” of God’s choosing, He would come to show His authority over all earthly powers.

 

And He did. In a dirty feeding trough.

This sovereign, all-powerful God – the Most High Who could shake the heavens and earth, overturn thrones, and overthrow militaries – came to relate.

 

He came like one of us. Made Himself obey the laws of nine months’ gestation and milk before solid foods. He subjected Himself to the authority of imperfect parents and endured puberty. He was truly tempted in every way we are. Not as in, oh I see how that could be tempting. But, I really do want to do that. I genuinely want to take the easy, fleshly way out in this situation.

 

But He didn’t.

 

And since He didn’t, He could be the perfect Lamb without blemish or defect. The One Sacrifice to end all sacrifices.

 

And because of that, He defeats earthly kingdoms with a Kingdom that can never be shaken. And we who trust in Him live in this Kingdom. One that is meek instead of haughty. Courageous rather than callous. Generous over greedy.

 

A Kingdom we can only live in in His power.

But that’s how it defeats the world. It is other-worldly. When this Kingdom advances, it’s clear it is by His strength and not ours. Oh, we do work. If Haggai is about anything, it’s about doing the thang.

 

But the glory and beauty and wonder come from this Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father.

 

And a broken world celebrates His very Name is Prince of Peace.

Library first, because…new website! Take a look around. Their new digs include Suggested Reads, easy Branch Locator, updated Calendar of Events, and an E-read section.

 

A couple of upcoming events:

Come to Linwood Branch on Monday the 21st from 6-6:45 to learn about the Science of Snow and Ice and make beaded icicles to take home.

Then on Tuesday the 22nd, you can come to Central Library from 10:30 – noon for Walk-In Tech Help. Bring any device: laptop, tablet, cell phone, and learn anything from advanced computer techniques to job resume tips.

 

Youth Horizons is needing towels and bedding to open their two new residential homes. If you’re out shopping, pick up some household items to help make their youth feel at home.

Game Night at Reverie Saturday the 19th from 6-8 pm.

 

The Sedgwick County Extension Office is also hosting a family game night on Friday the 18th from 7 – 9 pm

 

ICT S.O.S. has a Giving Tree up at Mead’s Corner to benefit the Child Advocacy Center. Grab a gift idea and bless some children in Wichita.

 

If giving to the Wichita Children’s Home is on your list for Christmas, you can see their Wishlist here.

 

 

And, finally, you should just see this.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

He looked up a recipe, made it all himself, even wrote menus for us to order from.

Our friend performing at his church’s Christmas program. Adorable.

Painting at this church. I like it.

Chocolate Milk fun

We seem to break out Catan more in the winter months.

 

Your 7 Days?

Our church finishing up the Book of Mark coinciding with Advent this year has been priceless.

 

Yesterday, our pastor talked about “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Jesus had settled the issue the night before in Gethsemane. He was resolutely laying down His life.

 

Yet He honestly grieved.

Several times this year, our pastor has pointed out that maturity is not stoicism. It is not becoming so unfeeling that you are passionless. Maturity means feeling, grieving, wrestling…and staying on the cross anyway.

 

We, of course, will never do what this Baby turned Sacrificial Lamb did. It is finished. But as we die to ourselves and take up our own crosses, we have permission to grieve. But we keep dying and keep bearing.

 

Because there is only One worthy. And He even supplies the strength.

Right to His flawless Word:

 

“On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai:

‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’

The priests answered, ‘No.’

Then Haggai said, ‘If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?’

‘Yes,’ the priests replied, ‘it becomes defiled.’

Then Haggai said, ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on – consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’s temple. When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.

I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the LORD. ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid. Give careful thought:

Is there any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.

 

From this day on I will bless you.'”

 

Haggai 2:10-19

It’s a month after the last word our exiles received from Zechariah. They had been challenged to remember their forefathers’ disobedience and return to Him.

 

Interestingly, God is also using our festive prophet, Haggai, to inspire remembrance in our exiles.

 

Remember when everything you did was defiled because you weren’t obedient?

 

Remember when you planted for a huge harvest and only received a mediocre one?

 

Remember when you weren’t able to obey God without any outside resistance so you quit?

 

Remember when you prioritized your personal house over God’s house?

 

Well, that’s over.

Oh my word, I love Him. We never have to wonder if our baby steps toward internal and external obedience borne out of love matter to Him. He sees. He counts every bit of our believing Him over what our eyes can see as righteousness.

 

Wherever you are, whatever obedience looks like for you, do not give up. Obey in actions. Daily “return” to Him in your heart. Not so you can get what you think you need from Him. Not so He is obligated to do what you want.

 

That’s religion.

 

But so you can be swept up in His Story. Smack dab in the middle of His will for you. Content and exhilarated at once to be walking in step with Him.

I’m reversing the drought curse.

 

No more purses with holes in them. 

 

From this day on I will bless you.

 

Excited Ballet Wichita‘s performance of The Nutcracker is this Saturday the 12th at 7:00 pm and Sunday the 13th at 2:00 pm at Century II. You can get tickets here.

Have you been to The Arc’s Lights yet? This light display is a benefit to support The Arc of Sedgwick County‘s programs for persons with developmental disabilities. Drive through in the comfort of your car, $5 per vehicle. Open every night until December 28th, beginning at 5:30.

 

Yessss: 2nd Saturday time again.

 

Our friend will be selling his pottery at Wichita Center for the Arts this Friday and Saturday. Gift ideas!

 

Have you seen the Wichita Moms Blog Shop ICT 2015 Holiday Gift Guide? Find some great local shops and services to meet your Christmas gift needs. And join their Winter and Holiday Family Events Facebook page for more ways to celebrate the season.

 

Do you know about Open Wichita? They are hosting an Hack Night tonight at 5:30 pm to create momentum for serving civic needs in our city.

 

Watermark will be hosting Cindy Mines tonight at 6:00 pm.

 

You can build a Train Engine at the Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic this Saturday. Register here.

 

Also Saturday at 10:00 am, come to City Arts for a free workshop for kids with one adult. This Saturday you can make a holiday ornament to take home with you!

 

Are you a West YMCA frequenter? Next Wednesday the 16th they are hosting a Family Christmas Craft from 4-8 pm.

 

The Great Plains Nature Center offers a free, informal Bird Walk the Second Saturday of each month. Meet in the main parking lot at 8:00 am.

Library:

Are you interested in Genealogy? One of my cousins is and his information of our family tree always fascinates me. If you are curious on how to begin your search, the manager of the Genealogy & Special Collections Center will provide an introduction to databases and websites to start your search. Come to Central Library Thursday December 10th from 2-3:30.

 

If you are interested in learning about social media, including networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, come to Rockwell Branch Thursday the 10th from 2:30-4:00.

 

Plus, if you are interested in learning more about buying tablets and E-Readers, the technology staff will be in the Central Library Auditorium on Saturday the 12th from 10:30-Noon to give advice and tips. They will have a selection of iPads, Android & Windows tablets, and e-readers to peruse.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Chicken, Sweet Potato, Apple Skillet

At a friend’s house – adorable, yes?

This friend has football pads. And this boy is tough.

Chocolate Chip cookies

The Spice Merchant has great gift ideas

Warm enough for afternoon football

We’re going in

He got to meet our new friend, too

The Wise Guys

Glory

 

Your 7 Days?