Christmas Vacation!

Twas the Friday before Christmas vacation

when all through the house,

not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse (thank God!),

All was ready, and all was okay

prepared for what would soon be about

for at the end of this day,

school would be out!

Yes!  Today is the Friday before Christmas Vacation.  For kids, it is probably the second most anticipated day of the whole school year.  (The day before summer vacation being #1) I know that I always looked forward to this day both when I was in school as well as when my kids were at home.  Even though we home schooled our children, this day still meant time off to play and become fully absorbed in the Christmas festivities!

I get a little annoyed when I hear people around me, or on the radio or TV making snide remarks like: “Oh no… the kids are going to be home for 2 weeks”  Many of us see the raising of our kids as one of the most important jobs that has been given to parents.  Why then would you not want to spend more time with them during their school vacations… and especially during this vacation when we are celebrating the birth of our Savior and the physical unfolding of God’s plan for our salvation!

Well, even though my kids are all grown up with most of them living out of state, I am still excited about the prospects of Christmas vacation!  Once I got through the dilemma of the tree that I mentioned in yesterday’s blog (12/15/11 – “Overcoming The Big ‘D’”) I set my determination back to my original confession that this was going to be our best Christmas ever. 

No, it won’t be like Christmas’ in the past… it is going to be even better!  For openers, my oldest son Josh and his kids are coming over this Monday and we are all going to eat pizza and popcorn and watch the San Francisco 49ers play on Monday Night Football.  That’s a first!  My two granddaughters are avid Niner fans so we are all going to don our fan apparel, eat, shout and be merry and have a blast!

How about you?  What kind of fun family adventures do you have planned for the next two weeks?  Take a few moments to think out of the box and create some memories that will truly make this Christmas the best you have ever experienced!  If you don’t have family around you, then I would encourage you to reach out to help others, make new friends and be a Christ-like blessing wherever you go!  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What NEW and EXCITING things am I expecting TO DO today?