The Most Wonderful Time . . . Of The Year!

The Christmas Season is my favorite time of the year.  I love the lights, the decorations, the candles that smell of baked pies and real Christmas Trees and QVC! 

In past years I have started the count down to Christmas on July 25th. 

Christmas shopping has always begun on that day and Black Friday was ALWAYS a huge event for me.

But not this year.

Oh DON'T get me wrong!  It's still my favorite time of the year; but this year, it's different.

There is a remarkable peace between the household, and an understanding amongst my husband and myself, of what really is important.

Last year, my then five year old asked me, point blank to my face, "Is Santa real?"  I looked at her and said, "Yes."  Now,  I know that millions of kids around the world believe in Santa Clause; I know.  I get it.  But it has haunted me on a regular basis that I lied to my daughter.

This year, my son informed me he wanted and I-Pad for Christmas (he's 7!)!  After informing him, "Christopher, you know we can't afford that."  In the most sarcastic voice, he said, "Santa can!"

It broke my heart.

Santa had become more powerful than Jesus. 

While Chris and I both tried hard in years past to make sure both kids knew the REAL reason for Christmas, we still failed.

The commercialism and fantasy world won.

It broke my heart.

After sharing with my husband what Christopher said, we made the tough decision of being honest with the kids about Santa.

I know, I know, many of you are reading this and gasping; and that's OK; but we did what we believed was best for our kids and our life situation.

After telling the kids, Kaitlyn looked at me and said, "You lied to me."

It broke my heart.

Confirmation we made the right decision.

Do I have my Santa's out?  Absolutely.  Do I let the kids watch Christmas movies about Santa?  Absolutely. 

The difference; I can lay my head down at night and know I did what is right by what the Lord was putting on my heart; that I didn't keep lying over and over to my kids; and the focus continues to go back to the Cross. 

Who can argue with that?

Last year we threw out our Christmas tree.  No, we are not bah-humbugs!  It was old and had several branches broken off!  Last year we had no idea we would still be in a rut of unemployment; so we figured we'd get another one.

BUT, this year, the Lord never gave us a peace about getting a new tree.  We couldn't justify buying something like that with so many other life expenses that were necessities.  So, we used a table top tree we had used in years past for Chris' Star Wars and StarTrek Ornaments.

We placed it on top of our electric fireplace and hung our stockins from it!  Doesn't it look GREAT!  I just love it!

 
We all chimed in over the last two days to decorate.

My dancing ballerina!



This is our last Christmas with my Kayla.  Here she is posing with her rocking horse ornament from her first Christmas in 1992.  Where has time gone? 

Preparing to hang the nail on the tree. . . .



The Christmas Nail poem:

This is The Christmas Nail.
It is to be hung on a sturdy branch,
a branch near the trunk,
a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers
dropping by to admire one's tinseled tree.
The nail is known only to the home that hangs it.
Understood only by the heart that knows its significance.
It is hung with the thought...that the Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ-tree
which only He could decorate for us,
ornamented with nails as this.

I put out my Christmas Village :)



The animated characters!



And, of course, the nativity!





This is, indeed, The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!





Christmas In July, 2010 GIVE-A-WAY!!!!!

There are only 165 days till Christmas! I LOVE to give stuff away, so ..... here is my Christmas in July give-a-way! I'll post this on my facebook page (Stacey Paden Avon), so if you enter here and on my fb, you will double your chances to win. Leave your name and phone number or email in the comment section. I'll announce the winner Friday morning at 10:00. Good Luck and Merry Christmas (in July!).

Christmas In July!

Today starts many goodies on sale to celebrate Christmas in July! Check out my web site at www.youravon.com/spaden. Also, from July 19th through July 25th, I'll be having a daily give-a-way! There have been many great items donated; my Pastor, Ted Traylor has given us several of his sermon series, we have several of his wife's, Mrs. Liz Traylor's speaking/teaching series, we have some of Leo Day's CD's, some Mary Kay products, some Bowzart products and of course, some AVON products! Make sure to check back for a list and description of each item and enter daily to win!

Merry Christmas!

Just Life.....

Today I am so struggling with worry. I am torn between two people that I love with all my heart, that just can't seem to get along. Neither one can do anything right in the other's eye. I didn't sleep much last night because of it. What to do, what to do?

Chris is recovering from sinus surgery. He worked for 3 hours on Thursday and 4 1/2 hours on Friday. He gets really tired easily, which is to be expected after major surgery. His tummy is still causing some serious problems. He drank some chocolate milk last night and literally thought he was dying. He has a three hour gall bladder test on Monday. We hope to find out if that is what is causing him all the problems.

Kayla is enrolled in the Home School Co-Op Program for her Senior year that meets at Olive. She's not thrilled, but I am just not able to do her justice with all the health issues and life issues going on. I'm excited for her as she will have involvement in other kids. I'm also signing up for the home school support group...WFHESL so she will have field trips, meet other kids, take part in a graduation ceremony and prom. That's probably more important for me for her to have than it is to her, but something that I believe is necessary.

We are under a heat wave warning this weekend. Tomorrow's high is 99 degrees! It's been miserable. Dread that heat index....

We haven't figured out what we are going to do for Father's Day for Chris. He is so limited to what he can eat, so we'll just play it by ear.

We actually have no where at all to be today, first time in I don't know how long. I have a few pies/casseroles to make for a lady at church, oh and one AVON delivery..... so I do have stuff to do, but nothing that is pressed and rushing. Nice.

I still have many, many pictures to post from Mammow's visit to Pensacola, the kids playing in their kiddie pool and just some odds and end pictures.... it just takes so long to upload them. I will work on them some this evening though.

Time for "AskAida" on food network! We have like the most basic of cable, so how we get the Food Network is beyond me, but I'm thankful. She's really good and teaches much information!

Gotta get my chickens roasting for my pies. Oh, I have almost 7 days of "Give-A-Way's" lined up for the week of July 25th marking six months to Christmas! Make sure you check back for the schedule.

Have a great Saturday wherever you are!

Redirecting My Course

I've been praying about my book a lot lately. I am being bombarded by friends and family about when I will have it finished and if I am even working on it. I have sensed the Lord taking my book in a new direction. I am not at liberty to share my life as a child, which is why I went the route of a devotional book; however, daily, several times a day, I have sensed the Lord telling me to share my life story. So, I am working on my book, telling my story as a young adult, making stupid decisions involving drugs, alcohol, affairs, ..... and what brought me to the point of coming to know the Lord, and some of the journey's He has taken me on since giving my life to Him on October 19, 1998. I again, ask your prayers for this. I struggle with thinking about the millions of people who have given their life to the Lord, so why would someone want to read about my struggles and life.... what's so different about my life.... anyway, that's what I'm struggling with. I just want to share the hope that there is in Christ. That's the goal I believe that has been set before me.

Proverbs 16:9 tells me a man's heart plans his way, BUT the Lord directs his steps. I want my plans to be in sync with the Lord's plans and I want His desires for my life to be my desires.

Taking the kids to the Summer Movies at the Rave this morning. Thankful the Rave offers these FREE movies every week! Give the kids a nice outing, and again, IT'S FREE! Woohoo!

I am so enjoying selling AVON. I am learning more and more every day. I even find myself watching other advertisements about other products to compare, research and question. This is so not me. I have never cared about what moisturizer works with what skin.... or what color goes with what skin type. I am having a blast with it. You can sign into my AVON site and do a free beauty profile.

Also, I am lining up some GREAT give-a-ways for a WEEK of GIVE-A-WAYS in July to celebrate "Christmas In July!" My Pastor, Ted Traylor is donating a couple of his CD sets, I've contacted several others music CD's, some Mary Kay products, and, of course, AVON products! I'll give you the dates once I have everything lined up. I hope you will keep checking back with me. I have had several people contact me saying they couldn't leave comments on my blog because of the "security code" problems. IF you have problems leaving comments on my blog, please email me at thepadens@cox.net so I can address this problem BEFORE the give-a-way!

Gotta get ready for our FREE MOVIE at the RAVE! Woohoo!