Oklahomans on Ice

The last couple of days I've been holed up in my apartment, thankful that I'm not one of the unfortunate 1/3 of Oklahomans still without power after Sunday and Monday's ice storms. Today, I am back to work, and feeling dreadfullly behind (on what, I'm not sure... I just feel behind), but wanted to share the pictures I took Monday.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now we're in my very favorite season of the year: Advent.

I love the season of Advent, the anticipation of the celebration of the first coming of Christ, the expectant hope of the second coming. Lighting the candles week by week as a reminder of the darkness of our lives without Christ and the light that he is in our lives, in the world and how it grows and grows until Christmas Eve when the sanctuary is flooded with the light and love of Christ.

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace. Rejoice!
Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

(Some More) Pictures

1. Cousin Matt "contemplating"

2. Syd, Grampy, Zac, Me

3. Sisters, Sisters... never were there such devoted sisters (my mom and her sister)

4. Cheers! Jessie and I at Ok'd

5. Sponge Bob visited our hotel room. I got his autograph!

More adventures in dce-ing or kids say the darndest things

Before thanksgiving, I asked the kids to write a song entitled "We three Kings of Israel Are" to the tune of "We Three Kings of Orient Are." (Are you humming the song yet? Don't worry, you will be) They were supposed to use the song to tell about the Three Kings of United Israel: Saul, David and Solomon.

My favorite (though not as funny with them not singing it) is the following by one of the boys:

"We three Kings of Israel Are. D-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaavid." (and that was the second verse)

Other great lines:
"We three Kings of Israel Are, Saul, David and Solomon... We are different oh so different, why don't you listen to this, Oh Saul is strong and mighty too, but he disobeyed God now. He's not gonna stay crowned and that is just too bad"

"We three Kings of Israel Are, off the throne we all once fell, all of us God once helped up, but the throne we've given up, Oh David, Saul and Solomon, not Kings now but way back when, now they're looking down from heaven waiting for earth's time to end"

"Solomon, David's son, life as King is not very fun. I worshipped many, but there is only one, so God punished my son, Oh David, Saul and Solmon, not Kings now but way back when, now they're looking down from heaven waiting for earth's time to end"

Today, in religion, while talking about loving your enemies I asked the kids how they could apply this in their life. We talked a lot about siblings as the "enemy", so I issued a challenge. I asked them to write down, "Instead of (example... hitting my sister), I will (example... play a game with her instead)" and think of a specific person they could practice that on this week. I'm not sure if some of them got it. Here were my two favorites...

"Instead of murdering, I will love my enemies" (I asked the boy if he had killed someone before and he said, no... whew)

"Instead of fighting with my sister, I will give her all my money" (ummm, ok, sure?)

I love these kids.

(some) Pictures

1. Some of the girls at Ok'd

2. My godson, Christian and myself (and I am embarrassing him mightily)

3. The grandchildren present at thanksgiving.