"Only A Star"

I picked this book up at the library and found it to be beautiful. It shows both the wonder and simplicity of the nativity scene. It respects the very humble beginnings of Jesus' birth. This is the text:

"What were the trimmings that first Christmas morning? What brightened the stable to welcome the Child?
Only a Star.
But it glittered on dewdrops and turned them to diamonds. Spidery threads became ribbons of silk.
Even the hay in the hard, wooden manger gleamed satin soft surrounding the Babe.
A dragonfly hovered on wings of clear crystal, scattering the light in a rainbow of gems.
A scurrying scarab caught in the starglow added an emerald to trim the Child's bed.
Doves preened feathers drifted, like guardian angels on watch overhead.
Tired form its journey, a donkey stood silent. Its worn bell glowed like gold for a King.
Three chubby jerboas danced in the starlight--a ritual of joy for this Holy day.
A snail left a trail that glittered like tinsel. Dust sparkled in banners of heavenly light.
Cradled by down in the nest of a nightingale, eggs became ornaments made for this birth.
What trimmed the stable that first Christmas morning?
Only a Star, but it dazzled the earth."

For some reason, the illustrations and the beautiful text brought tears to my eyes. It paints that scene so beautifully. And to think, this is a book for children.

cold

On days like today there is one thought that runs through my mind constantly.
Alaskans...seriously.....what the *** is the matter with you???
This vexes me.

Just a quick thought

I love the song Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
For some reason the line "Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow" always gets me.
My sister gave me a c.d. with that song on it in 2002, when I first found out she was pregnant with A. I listened to it after she flew back to Connecticut and I remember I just felt so sad when I heard that one line.
But I love it now, because she lives about a mile away. :) And our Christmases are usually together. :)

Happiness

I have been thinking about happiness a lot lately. I had a rough October. I’m not sure what was affecting me the most, but the entire month was rough for me. I felt discouraged, bored, frustrated, and even depressed at times, and just couldn’t seem to get out of the funk I was in. I kept asking myself why I wasn’t happy. I have a wonderful family, a beautiful home, and my girls are healthy, happy, and smart. Why wasn’t I happy?

I eventually got out of the funk, but not without a fear of returning there. I started to dread not being happy, so I busied myself with activities with the girls, planning for Christmas, joining facebook to occupy my time, and taking about 1,000 trips to different playgrounds. I was swinging the pendulum too far in the opposite direction.

From the two extremes, I found that neither was what I wanted. I didn’t want to try to be happy all the time. It’s exhausting. It’s like trying to keep a high tide from receding. I’ve found a relatively comfortable place the last few weeks: contentment. It’s not happiness, and it’s not depression. It’s just accepting what is.

It seems society wants us to believe that we should always be happy. And if we aren’t, we should change something. God help you if you’re not bursting with excitement for every minute of the Christmas season. I find that pressure to be unrealistic and foolish. And it inevitably leads to disappointment. The more I try to be happy, the unhappier I am.

I like to think of happiness as a tide. It ebbs and flows. Yes, high tide is nice, but it can’t last forever. Those that try to fight against it; those that try to keep the high going, only end up disappointed. I’ve come to realize that we need the down times. And we need to be content in them. I’ve had a few days this past week that have been less than ideal. But I don’t feel stressed about it anymore. I don’t feel like I need to fight for happiness. Simple contentment is a comfortable place to be.

This Christmas, I’m not going to try to make the day perfect. I’m not going to stress over making my children the happiest they can be. If there are down moments on Christmas Day, it’s not going to bother me. I want a real life, not a picture-perfect one.

My girls

Here are my girls during our season's first snow fall. I love my babies.