michellesingleton.com // Confessions of the Preacher’s Wife

We started 2009 with a running new twist.  But traditions are good too!

Although I am often sad to put away the Christmas decorations, I do look forward to taking down the Christmas cards.  It is my tradition and privilege to take an hour or so and pray for each person represented by the Christmas greetings they have sent. 

As I pray, I realize, once again, God has blessed us with an amazing family, fabulous friends and wonderful partners in ministry.  And how He loves us through the really neat people He places in our lives.  He is so good! 

It is always good to count our blessings!  And to be reminded of God’s great love for us!

Hugs,

Michelle

Welcome 2009!  I always love the fresh start ~ the clean slate ~ that each new year brings.  And so us Singletons decided to do something different this New Year’s Eve.  We grabbed our friends, the Watkins (who are always up for an adventure), and headed to Clemmons, NC for the Festival of Lights. 

If you’ve never been, it is worth checking out.  They have a fabulous display of over 1 million holiday lights that wind through 4 miles of Tanglewood Park.  Spectaular!  However, the Singletons and the Watkins saw the lights by feet!  That’s right!

We entered the 3.5 mile race which started at midnight…. right after the ball dropped in NYC (we viewed via live feed).  10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 3 – 2 – 1 – HAPPY NEW YEAR –  READY – SET – GO!  And off we went…..running through the night admiring the light displays. 

And was it cold?  You bet!  After the post-race party, we got in the car and the temperature read 21 degrees F.  Brrrrr!  But what fun!  Truly a start to the New Year we will never forget!

May God bless you and your family with some terrific adventures this year!

Blessings,

Michelle

Here is a poem by Jack Hayford

from Come And Behold Him

A crystal punch bowl sparkles in the candlelight…

Tree lights reflect a spectrum on the windowpane…

Visions of sugarplums dance in children’s dreams…

Joy!

A spontaneous embrace is filled with

grateful affection…

The warmth of a relationship renewed

by a simple greeting card…

Mom and dad share a deep closeness as they watch

their children playing with new toys…

Joy!

Potpourri fills the house with the

scent of the season…

Cider tingles on the tongues of carolers just

finishing their rounds…

Loved ones, filled with lazy satisfaction following the

holiday dinner, surround the hearth…

Joy!

And most joyous of all…He is with us.

***

I am taking a break from blogging until after Christmas…

May God bless you and your families with a very

Merry Christmas as we all celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ!

This time of the year, us Singletons love to pile in the car and drive through neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights.  A nostalgic warm fuzzy takes me back to my childhood and my own parents driving me and my brother to see the decorated homes and holiday lights.

Now that my kids are 9 and 11, we’ve added a new twist.  We have them put their PJs on, call a couple of friends and ask their parents if we can have their kids for an hour or so…..only requirement is they’ve got to wear their PJs!  We pick them up and drive the carload of kids around drinking hot cocoa and rating best, worse Christmas lights!  That, my friends, is PJ Pick-Up!  Too much fun!

Take caution if your phone rings around 8pm.  You just might be next on our PJ Pick-Up list!

One of our family traditions which begins in December and continues throughout the entire winter is Hot Chocolate Buffet.  It is the easiest thing in the world to prepare and we’ve made many memories at the Singleton Buffet.

Here is what we do:  Make a favorite recipe of hot chocolate ~ Hershey’s Goodnight Kisses is the cocoa of choice for the Singletons.  Set out small condiment bowls with hot chocolate toppings.  Our favorites include Chocolate Chips, Marshmellows, Miniature M&Ms, Various Festive Sprinkles, Dusting Cocoa or other powders, Crushed Peppermint Candies, Chopped Candy Bars and Candy Cane Stirrers to name a few.  Fill the mug, add Whipped Cream and Toppings and let the magic begin. 

Set aside plenty of story time and be prepared for lots of laughter…your sides may hurt…or you may enjoy a quiet time of sharing family memories. 

However you choose to serve hot chocolate, give it your own style.  What matters is that you enjoy making family memories.

Blessings,

Michelle

Continued from yesterday’s post:

Here is the rest of Pastor Swindoll’s Christmas list:

Listen.

Speak kindly to a stranger.

Enter into another’s sorrow.

Smile.  Laugh a little.  Laugh a little more.

Take a walk with a friend.

Kneel down and pat a dog.

Read a poem or two to your mate or your friend.

Lessen your demands on others.

Play some beautiful music during the evening meal.

Apologize if you were wrong.

Turn off the television and talk.

Treat someone to an ice cream cone (yogurt would be fine).

Do the dishes for the family.

Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt.

Fix breakfast on Saturday morning.

Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.

Encourage an older person.

Point out one thing you apppreciate about someone you work with or live near.

Offer to babysit for a weary mother.

Give your teacher a break.  Be especially cooperative.

Let’s make Christmas one long extended gift of ourselves to others.  Unselfishly.  Without announcement.  Or obligation.  Or reservation.  Or hypocrisy.

This is Christianity, isn’t it?

One of my favorite pastors (other than Rob who will always be my #1) is Chuck Swindoll.  Here is one of his insights for Christmas:

 It’s not too early to give some things away this Christmas.  Not just on Christmas Day, but during all the days leading up to December 25.  We could call these gifts “our Christmas Projects.”  Maybe one per day from now ‘tl then.  Here are a few suggestions.

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss Suspicion.

Write a long overdue love note.

Hug someone tightly and whisper, “I love you so.”

Forgive an enemy.

Be gentle and patient with an angry person.

Express appreciation.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Find time to keep a promise.

Make or bake something for someone else — anonymously.

Release a grudge.

How is that for a start?  Tomorrow I will print the rest of his list.

Blessings,

Michelle

When Rob announced that he was going to issue a Christmas Challenge for all Southbrook families, the kids and I excitedly accepted this challenge of only one gift for Christmas!  We are thrilled to adopt other families instead of buying gifts for ourselves.  The kids didn’t even make a list this year.  Our children unselfishly realize that we don’t “need” anything and could get by with much less than we have.  But more than that, Nathan and Juliana are purposefully focusing on the birthday of Jesus Christ and the real meaning of Christmas. 

The kids spent Thursday at the Headquarters for Operation Christmas Child (The Christmas Shoeboxes) eager to find even more families who are in need so that “we can help them and tell them about the love of Jesus.”

For this, I am grateful.  It is a matter of getting back to priorities…and getting them right!  And Jesus really should be our number one family priority. 

Accepting the One Gift Challenge and buying for others is just one of the many ways to direct our attention away from the commercial Christmas, and back to the original Christmas.  What a terrific thing to teach our children!

Blessings to you as you decide to take on the Christmas Challenge!

This past Saturday night I found myself in a rare situation.  I was home alone with Nathan.  Juliana was at a sleepover and Rob was working so I had my son all to myself.  This rarely happens.

I must say it was one of my best holiday nights.  We ordered Chinese, set up TV trays, turned the fire on….Christmas Lights too, and snuggled up in “Rob’s Big Chair” with a big blanket and watched Home Alone 2  as we enjoyed our Sesame Chicken and drank Orange Crush.  We chased the Chinese down with some hot chocolate and cookies…none of this was on my diet.  But I don’t often get a date with the coolest 11 year old kid in town…I didn’t want to blow it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this quiet night with my son.  And without any prompt, Nathan told me he was thankful to have me all to himself.  That compliment has energized me for the week.

May God give you an opportunity to be “home alone” during this busy holiday season.

Christmas Blessings,                                                                                Michelle

Like most mothers, my days are packed.  I start early and end late and there is rarely any down time.  This was the case for my Sunday morning.  Rob left ahead of us and the kids and I got in the car……and it wouldn’t start.  Ugh!  There is never a convenient time for car trouble.

I called AAA and had my car towed in for service.  We were stranded with no car.  The three of us hated to miss church but if you have to be stranded, home is a good place to be.

The kids knew I was disappointed (and frustrated).  I didn’t have time for interruptions.  After the tow truck pulled my car away, I went back inside the house to a fabulous surprise breakfast that Nathan had made with a note that read: 

HAPPY BREAKFAST.  SORRY ABOUT YOUR CAR, MOM.  I’LL PRAY FOR YOU. LOVE, NATHAN

Then I sat down to a delicious bowl of cereal, apple slices with carmel dip, and a can of nuts ~ yep, a can of nuts!  One of the more tasty breakfasts I’ve ever had!  I could taste the love and thoughtfulness that went in to creating this meal.

Nathan, Juliana and I had a wonderful morning of sharing together, roller blading and even a got a bit of cleaning accomplished.  The frustrating start to the morning ended up being a very special time with my children.  One of God’s unexpected surprise blessings! 

May God surprise you with Unexpected Blessings,

Michelle