A Pattern for Living

I honestly can't believe that it is already the 15th (well almost) and that it has been more than a week since I posted last. Time has really flown this week, but in a good way. I haven't been stressed about the holidays, at least not yet, and think that just kicking back and enjoying the many Christmas activities has taken precedence. Putting up our tree and decorations, the Christmas lights on the house, helping Cameron make and wrap "his" Christmas presents, writing our letter to Santa (I'm thinking this will be the last year for this, actually pretty surprised that it was still something he wanted to do ... !), watching the Christmas cartoons and movies, and of course the school Christmas programs. Kailee and Alex had theirs last week and it was adorable. Kailee was Mary in the Nativity Story, and Alex was a shepherd. They were fantastic and of course, I was a bit teary-eyed. Go figure. So precious - it really snaps you back to what's important. Cameron has his program on Wednesday so of course I'll post pictures of that. I do have to admit that I am about 90% done with shopping (including those that needed to be shipped), so that probably helps with the stress level, but for some reason this year I'm just really trying to let some things go and enjoy.

Here are a few pics from the Nativity Story:

Kailee as Mary


Alex as a Shepherd


So I have either purchased or received (or both!) a Christmas book every year since Cameron was born. To name a few, we've received The Night Before Christmas, Polar Express, and Charlie Brown's Christmas as gifts. They're fantastic and love the fact that we can enjoy them each year. Beginning with December 1st, we read a Christmas story each night before he goes to bed. He loves picking out a different story and it's a great tradition that we look forward to together each night. I haven't bought one yet this year, mostly because we still have plenty to last us for a few more days :), but also because Cam has said he'd like to help pick it out this year. At any rate, one of the Christmas books that I keep with the rest is actually one that belonged to my Great-Grandpa Len. My Great-Grandma Jean gave it to him for Christmas in 1963. Hard to believe 45 years ago they were reading this! I really hadn't looked at it too much since I've had it, but did read through it a couple of days ago. The book is by Helen Steiner Rice, and entitled "A Christmas Collection of Inspirational Verses." There are some really pretty prayers/poems in here. I found this one and thought I'd post it:

A Pattern For Living

Christmas is more than a day
at the end of the year,
More than a season of joy and good cheer,
Christmas is really God's pattern for living
To be followed all year by unselfish giving ...
For the holiday season
awakens good cheer
And draws us closer to those we hold dear,
And we open our hearts
and find it is Good
To live among men As We Always Should ...
But as soon as the tinsel
is stripped from the tree
The spirit of Christmas fades silently
Into the background
of daily routine
And is lost in the whirl of life's busy scene,
And all unawares
we miss and forego
The greatest blessing that mankind
can know ...
For if we lived Christmas each day,
as we should,
And made it our aim to always do good,
We'd find the lost key
to meaningful living
That comes not from Getting, but from unselfish Giving ...
And we'd know the great joy
of Peace Upon Earth
Which was the real purpose of our Saviour's birth,
For in the Glad Tidings
of the first Christmas night,
God showed us
The Way and The Truth and The Light!