Mother Inferior

Pearl #4: Why I Decorate for Christmas

Welcome to the 12 Pearls of Christmas

Enjoy these Christmas "Pearls of Wisdom" from some of today's most beloved writer's (Tricia Goyer, Suzanne Woods Fisher, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson, Sibella Giorello and more)! Please follow the series through Christmas day as each contributor shares heartfelt stories of how God has touched a life during this most wonderful time of the year.

AND just for fun ... there's also a giveaway! Fill out this simple {form} and enter for a chance to win a beautiful pearl necklace and earring set ($450 value). Contest runs 12/14 - 12/25 and the winner will on 1/1. Contest is only open to US and Canadian residents. You may enter once per day.

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Why I Decorate for Christmas
By Elizabeth Goldsmith Musser

An old cassette tape of Christmas carols—received in a package twenty years ago when we had first arrived in France as missionaries—fills our den with delightful piano music as I place one more ornament on the already over-laden Christmas tree.  This one is a little white wooden rabbit with pink ears that move back and forth.  It actually doesn’t look much like a Christmas ornament, but I bought it for our baby Andrew when my husband Paul was in seminary, and I was working for less than minimum wage in the library.  This ornament was literally all I could afford.

As I hang it on the tree today, I get goose bumps and then a rush of warmth.  And that’s why I decorate for Christmas.  Not to impress but to remember.  I remember those lean, lean years, and God’s faithful provision for us.

There are the cross-stitched ornaments I made our first year in Montpellier—for the boys (for by now we had two sons) and Paul and me.  How I ever had time to do that, I don’t know.  I remember our puny little tree—the kind they sold in France back then—in a pot so that it could be replanted later.  We perched that tiny tree on a small table out of baby Christopher’s reach.  I guess I watered it too much, because about halfway through December, it started smelling and then stinking, and it rotted there on Christmas Day!

I smile with these memories.

I look at the other ornaments on the tree.  Many were purchased—one for each boy—when we attended conferences around Europe, and that makes me smile too.  Getting to travel on a missionary’s budget to exotic places!  There are the waxed red bear and red baby carriage from Wales, the brightly painted clay sun and moon from Portugal, the blue and white porcelain windmill and wooden shoes from Holland, the hand-blown glass Snoopys sitting on gondolas from Venice, and the delicately decorated eggs from Prague.

Other ornaments include the little pinkish shiny ball ornament with Paul’s name written in glitter—I think he made it when he was about six , and the little red velvet bows, bought at Michael’s after Christmas one year for a dollar.  They bring a unifying theme to the tree.  I say this, smiling, because our tree is, and has always been throughout the years, a hodge-podge of our life.  And I like it that way.  I don’t think I could ever have a ‘theme’ tree.  Mine is a ‘memory’ tree.

The music plays softly in the background and I smile through tears, remembering God’s incredible faithfulness to call and keep us here in France for so many years.  Heart-breakingly hard years, overwhelmingly joyful years—the same years, the same amazing God, our keeper.

Before we left for the mission field, I memorized Psalm 121 in English and in French, and over the years I have held on tight to those last beautiful words of the psalm:  The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (NASB)

Of course He will.  He is God with us.

We decorate to remember Christmases past, our lives, our legacy, and mostly, for those of us who have embraced Christ, we decorate to honor and praise Him for coming to us—Emmanuel!  We make our homes ready to receive the Christ Child, with soft music and candles burning and the sweet flickering of angel wings on an over-laden evergreen.

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ELIZABETH GOLDSMITH MUSSER, an Atlanta native and the bestselling author of The Swan House, is a novelist who writes what she calls ‘entertainment with a soul.’  For over twenty years, Elizabeth and her husband, Paul, have been involved in missions work with International Teams.  They presently live near Lyon, France. The Mussers have two sons and a daughter-in-law. The Sweetest Thing (Bethany House, 2011) is Elizabeth’s eighth novel. To learn more about Elizabeth and her books, and to find discussion questions as well as photos of sites mentioned in the stories, please visit www.elizabethmusser.com and her Facebook Fan Page. www.elizabethmusser.com

Weird, unexplainable--JOY

For the last several years, I've prayed for God to give me a word to study and ponder as the calendar pages turn. Last year, the word was "faith"--and boy, how He convicted me bout my tendency to worry! Day by day, he led me from fear to trust as I saw Him work and move.

This January, I felt impressed to begin concentrating on the word "Joy." And like a pig-tailed toddler with a sweet tooth, I had pictures of God giving me presents. Maybe He would overwhelm me with material blessings (I entered the HGTV Dream Home giveaway several times, after all!). Perhaps He was going to open some incredible door for a writing project. Would my boys finally realize that I 'm overworked and underappreciated, and begin doing chores with cheerful hearts?

My silly thoughts leaned toward the selfish, temporary and trivial. I'm so glad He knows what we REALLY need.

I won't bore you with a rundown of circumstances that have hit our family (extended and immediate) over the past several months. Suffice it to say, we've been shaken and stretched in ways we never imagined. The phrase, "I thought it couldn't happen to ---" has left my lips more than I ever expected.

And yet.

In the midst of stressful moments--like three weeks ago, when my father had to undergo emergency heart surgery--I've felt peace, instead of fear. Not that I didn't have moments of panic, mind you. But when worry showed up like a scorned lover, I took a deep breath and told him: "Get lost. I've got a new beau, and He's not going anywhere."

Mostly, it worked. :)

Like the arteries near my dad's ticker, bypassed by a skillful surgeon, my heart had been strengthened last year by God's gentle scalpel of truth. I'm so, so thankful He tirelessly fought the stronghold of anxiety that had crept into my life.

And guess what? God HAS given me a present, wrapped in a great big, blood-red bow: 

Joy.

It is a spiritual gift, after all. It's just not one we talk about all that much. My friend Megan says, "Joy's not sexy, like wealth or prosperity. But it's longer-lasting."

I like that.

Joy is how my co-worker Alphonse can keep smiling and have enormous faith, even when he's separated by an ocean from his children and wife; even as he recalls the genocide in Rwanda that took forty members of his family.  Joy is why one of my friends can make it through the day, even after losing several loved ones and knowing that her child is facing a possible prison sentence.  Joy is counting our blessings, both tiny and immense, with a grateful heart--while the world moans and heaves and believes all is lost.

Joy overcomes me when my seven year-old cuddles with me and shows me his cursive practice.

I have joy when I pass through CFS' waiting room and look into the faces of the refugee families we're helping.

Joy bubbles up when my hubby texts me--because he misses me.

And my heart fills with the stuff when my now-teenager called me from his mission trip and asks me to pray with him.  

God-given, weird, unexplainable. I guess JOY is simply this: Jesus, at work in us, to do what we can't do on our own. 

There are so many great verses about joy, but one of my favorites is: "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." Psalm 28:7

My heart has leaped as I've spent time with Him. And as I've learned to take joy in His presence, He has given me answers to the desires of my heart, as well. We got a nice tax refund check when we didn't expect it, and were able to pay off some medical bills. Several publishers are seriously interested in a new proposal a friend and I have written. I finally got a diagnosis for fatigue problems I've suffered with too long, and am feeling more rested than I have in years

Those "hugs" from my Father have satisfied my desire to know He's listening, while whetting my appetite for more of Him, and not just His blessings.

Neh. 8:10 says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength."

It has been, and it will continue to be. I am praying the same for you.

(Image found at a new friend's blog: http://mamasemptynest.wordpress.com. Used by permission.)

5 Things Parents Do That Drive Teens Crazy (guest post by Hannah Dunn, 16)

Teens love their parents. They, deep down, want to get along and have a relationship that they can always count on. However, sometimes parents forget that teens can be easily annoyed in different ways. I know that my parents don't always realize that some of the things they do just drive me crazy. :) Here are five of the things parents do that can drive us insane:

1.       Ask too many questions

I, along with many teens, hate coming home to numerous questions. It is okay to ask how the day was, but often, parents just continue to ask questions. Eventually, teens will just start to answer with the normal “Uh huh” or other indifferent response. Instead of just asking question after question, as a parent, make sure you know if your child wants to talk then, or if the questions should just wait.

2.       Unnecessarily nag us

I hate to hear my parents start listing things I have to do. Teens do have an idea of what needs to be done. If asked once, they will get to it. However, I feel that the more my parents ask me to do something, the harder it becomes to find the motivation to do the chore. Instead, my parents started to type up a list and leave it on my desk. By just leaving it for me to read myself and do all the jobs that day, I have the freedom to do each chore at a time that works for me – without the nagging.

3.       Try to change our opinions

Teens are opinionated. We form our own ideas based on our family, school, friends, and even websites we use. Sometimes, these ideas just do not please our parents. Some ideas arrive with the change in generations. Because our parents existed in a time before technology like the internet and cell phones, they do not always feel the same way about something that may seem normal to a teenager. The dispute could be about anything – from texting and communication to other common topics. However, nothing our parents say is going to change our opinion. In the end, parents just have to realize that they will think one way, and we may think differently.

4.       “Downgrade” our efforts

Often, parents forget that teens have a different view on life, for they have not experienced as much. For example, we think that school is a lot of work that we aren’t getting paid for. We don’t always realize that it WILL help us later in life! So, the worse our parents can do is call school fun or easy. For teens, we feel like we are devoting all our time and effort into something “fun and easy,” and that will likely make us mad.

 5.       Forget that one day we will lead our own lives too

Sometimes, parents spend so much time trying to keep us safe and happy, that they forget that we want the opportunity to live our own lives. In events that will not have a disastrous or dangerous outcome, it is okay for parents to step back and let their teens make the decisions. This does not mean full freedom – it merely means giving teens a chance to feel that they are trusted to be in control of their own lives.

Hannah Dunn is a teen writer for Radical Parenting.com, a parenting website written from the kid's perspective--with 82 teen interns. Hannah is 16 years old from New Jersey. She loves to compete with color guard and marching band, and play piano. She hopes to become a writer one day, and to inspire others to follow their dreams. For more articles by teens, please check out RadicalParenting.com.

If Mom Ran the World...

This morning on the way to work and school, my three men played a game in the car. It was called, "What if Mommy ran the world?"

The laws they came up with: "There would be no work before 10 a.m"; "You would HAVE to lift the toilet seat"; and "No laughing at her monster-hair when she wakes up."

I concurred demurely with their initial thoughts. And, after careful consideration, if I were Queen (or President, or Dictator--as the case may be) for the Day, I'd add a few rules, too:

• No one shall leave the milk carton in the fridge when it only has one tiny swig of liquid in it, under penalty of scrubbing said appliance. 
• I shall require my coffee (fixed just like I like it, with a LOT of hazelnut creamer) in bed, and shall have time to enjoy it before tending to the needs of the day.
• Teachers, soccer coaches, and other people in authority over my child(ren) shall grant me grace whenever I forget a practice, paper, or performance. 
• Speaking of teachers, they shall receive the pay that pro football players currently receive...with raises for meritous and miraculous achievements. 
• CEO's, entertainers, politicians, and sports players' salaries will be capped at a reasonable level. And docked severely for bad behavior. Especiallly cheating on their wives.
• Charlie Sheen is banned from ever going near a microphone or stage again, unless he becomes an evangelist or philanthropist [stop laughing, it could happen!]. 
• Child actors/performers are only to work for one season of a television show, and they are not allowed to tour, endorse products, or otherwise be exploited. And they can't record albums, or write MEMOIRS until they're at least 30. Sheesh.
• Reality television--especially anything with the word "Jersey," "Kardashian," "Real," or "Housewives" in the title--shall be henceforth and forevermore banned. 
• Ditto for horror movies and anything with over a PG-13 rating (except for a few notable exceptions).
• Each of my subjects will volunteer at a charity for an hour a week. Minimum.
• Solitude and silence will be celebrated and sought after, at least for thirty minutes a day.
• People must unplug for a majority of their day, and have actual conversations with each other. Being plugged in is fine--just in small doses.
• Everyone in my kingdom is required to read to a child for 15 minutes a day--preferably while cuddling with them.
• Ditziness shall be seen as a sign of intelligence, and shall never, ever be laughed at. Unless I'm laughing, too. Penalties for breaking this law shall include dusting, vacuuming, folding laundry, and cleaning the toilet.
• Speaking of chores, only rude and thoughtless people (esp. fast food workers who act like I'm annoying them by ordering) shall do them. I am exempt, for obvious reasons.
• Plump thighs and bellies shall be a sign of fertility and beauty, as in the days of Ruben. 
• Which reminds me--Rueben sandwiches will become the official Queen's sandwich. Except when I want a Patty Melt, or a French Dip. Can someone bring me a sandwich now, please?
• ALL body types (and skin colors!) will be celebrated and appreciated.
• Magazines and newspapers will from now on report on the good things that happen, as well as tragedies. Real-life heroes will be featured, instead of celebrities.  And tabloid photographers will be required to chase after each other, just to see what it feels like.

That was fun...now it's your turn! What would YOUR rules be, if you ran the world? I look forward to your answers! 

Seven Simple Gifts of the Season

My love language is gifts, which my sweet hubby has learned. He often brings me flowers or a card, or a book, just because. :)

And while I (of course!) love birthdays and holidays, long ago I decided that every day presented the opportunity to open at least one gift of some kind. Especially when things go wrong, I don't feel well, or finances are tight, that attitude helps me to remember just how much I have to be grateful for.

This week, like Mary, I "treasured up these things in my heart." They were my early Christmas presents:

• When my 11 year-old asked me if he and his friends could take food to the homeless with their small group leader.
• When my 5 year-old ran like lightning to kiss me after I hinted that I was alone under the mistletoe.
• When I found myself reading a good book in my favorite chair with a fire blazing in the fireplace.
• When my hubby and I were able to grab a few hours to have brunch and shop together.
• When I rented Julie and Julia and got to see one of my all-time favorite flicks again.
• When my wonderful writing group friends liked the latest installment of my work-in-progress.
• When I sang 40's music with my co-workers--dear friends--to a packed house.

Such love. Such abundance. Such grace.

Merry Christmas! 

Jennifer Garner: A Sane Celebrity!

I like Jennifer Garner. I especially liked her in Thirteen Going on 30, and I won't hold it against her that she married my movie star crush, Ben Affleck <g>. She seems like she has her head on straight.

I enjoyed a recent Biography on A&E about Ben and Jen because it relayed how Jennifer paid her dues, one small role at a time. And now that she has kids, she seems to be raising them right. Just listen to what she had to say when asked her advice to working moms: "Don't be afraid to ask for help. You should try to get help wherever you can. Don't guilt yourself, it doesn't help. Do anything you can to try to save time with the dumb stuff around the house so you can be with your kids as much as you can. And put your BlackBerry down and just be with them."

Her mother was wise, too. Jennifer says her mom always told her, "Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning." (That's straight from the Bible!)

Jen says that's what her mom would tell her after every breakup or anytime she did poorly on something. Jen told Yahoo that most of the little bites of advice she received as a child came from either Little House on the Prairie or Anne of Green Gables.

Two of my faves. I like Jennifer even more now! :)

One-Word Family Movie Reviews

The time frame between when a movie comes out and when I see it is getting longer and longer...sigh. I love movies, I just don't have much time to watch them! BUT I have made it to a few this summer, mostly with the kids (Mamma Mia was a solo outing)...and I've seen a few more on DVD once they released. Here are my picks and pans, with a little explanatory (is that a word?) commentary after some of my one-word reviews:

• Kitt Kittredge: An American Girl--Adorable.

Loved the plot, writing, theme, setting, acting, scenery, values, everything. If I were a tween girl, I'd be sooo into the American Girl thing!

• Mamma Mia: Raunchy.

While I can't argue that the music is addictive--and the way the writers wove the songs into a semi-cohesive plot was clever--I honestly felt uncomfortable with the amount of sexual innuendo. I knew I was going to see a movie with adult themes, but they went overboard, IMHO. And Pierce Brosnan's singing? Ouch. (Meryl Streep, on the other hand, can do ANYTHING. And the camera loves Amanda Seyfried, for sure.)

• Wall-E: Stunning.

The first time, I thought it was just okay. The second time, I paid more attention to all the "little" things that the studio does so well--and my opinion went up. After thinking about it awhile, I have to say that I'm super-impressed by Wall-E. I thought the theme was thought-provoking, and I was awed by the simple mechanics of it, but it's still not in my list of favorite Pixar films.

• Nim's Island: Cute.
• Indiana Jones: Okay.
• Prince Caspian: Thrilling.
• Bella: Heart-wrenching (in a good way).
  

Movie Reviews, Juno Complaint, and a Cool Contest

Here's my opinion of several recent (G- and PG-rated) big screen and DVD releases:

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Annoying.

Horton Hears a Who: Adorable.

Enchanted: Enchanting.

Nim's Island: Cute.

Mr. Bean's Holiday: Hilarious.

By the way, I HATED the much-ballyhooed Juno. Everyone (especially faith-based reviewers) seemed to love it, and recommended it as a "redeeming movie." But the DH and I walked out after about 30 minutes. I thought it was over-the-top crude. Maybe it's because we haven't been in youth ministry in over a decade and I just don't "get" teenagers. Maybe it's because I'm too sheltered, or because I wasn't in the mood. But I didn't get it, and I didn't like it at all. I'm usually pretty open-minded about movies, but I couldn't sit through it. Anyone care to comment? Am I alone in that opinion?

Finally, I saw this recently in the Christianity Today movie newsletter (which I thoroughly enjoy, by the way--check it out if you love movies):

"What about you? Have you ever watched a film and been stirred to do something? To contact your congressman, write a check, take a missions trip, sign a petition, reach out to the homeless, feed the hungry—to get up off of your couch and make a difference.

We want to hear your stories. Not just about movies that made you cry or laugh. Not just about films that moved you emotionally or even spiritually. But about flicks that moved you physically, movies that made you act upon an issue.

Tell us your story in 750 words or less, and we'll print the best ones at CT Movies at a later date. Send your story—either as an attached Word file or in the body of an e-mail—to ctmovies(AT)christianitytoday.com with the subject line "Movies Changing the World."

Deadline: 9 a.m. (Central), April 28. We look forward to hearing your stories!"

One Word Movie Reviews

• No Reservations--Charming
• Hairspray--Infectious (but mature themes abound--beware! It's not as raunchy as Grease, but not near as innocent as High School Musical)
• Ratatouille--Brilliant
• The Bourne Ultimatum--Suspenseful (again, more of an adult film)
• Nancy Drew--Ho-Hum (is that two words?) <g>
• Miss Potter--Sweet

I think my favorite movie this summer was No Reservations. I love romantic comedies, and this one was a little darker than most of them, but it was also very well crafted. I don't agree with the critics who said it was a yawner...I loved Aaron Eckhart and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and I was very impressed with Abigail Brestin. And you know what else? I LOVE that they didn't show love scenes--they left things up to the imagination, like the older films used to.

One-Word Movie Reviews

Movies for families to watch together--

Bridge to Terabithia: Amazing.

Hoot: Motivational.

Charlotte's Web: Touching.

The Legend of Johnny Lingo: Sweet.

Movies to watch with your girlfriends or significant other:

Dreamgirls: Transporting.

Music and Lyrics: Hilarious.

Freedom Writers: Inspirational.