Una Vocis

Last Saturday, Una Vocis sang our Christmas concert.  I am always amazed at how appreciative people are at our performances. 

For me, it is sometimes hard to hear how well we all sound together.  Part of this is that I am focusing on my notes or music or dynamics or pronunciation.  And, at times, I cannot hear each individual part.

Our most exciting news is that we now have a CD out.  Information is available on the Una Vocis website.

Unforgivable?

One of my clients showed up today wearing a black hat with one word stitched in small letters with gold threat into it.  Reading "Unforgivable," I wondered what would possess someone to wear a hat emblazoned with that word.

It struck me that many of us do walk around with "unforgivable" on our foreheads.  We think that whatever we have done to God, to our family, to our friends is "unforgivable."

But that is not what the Bible teaches.  Rather, if we repent or turn away from our sin, we can be forgiven by God.  Forgiveness from those we have harmed may be more difficult, but it is possible too.

Breaking the Wrecker

The toddler has a vandalism streak.  Anything found can be demolished in short order.  Today, it was a present we were preparing to send to another child.  After ripping out one of the book's sliding figures, there were tears, not because of the damage, but because of the punishment.

In the past, I have taken toys away (all of them at once for a week), refused to allow new clothes (after several crayon episodes), and taken away the item of damage (stickers, crayons etc). 

But this time, I was a bit meaner and more radical.  Let's hope it works.  This time, I took and broke a couple of toys ($2 worth at the dollar store).  Then I made the child write a note of apology to go with the damaged book.  And I took a present the child was to receive and gave sent it with the damaged book.  It was after seeing this present we would now not get that tears finally flowed.  Again, let's hope we've finally hit bottom on this. 

Even as I write this, I'm sure there will be a couple more rounds of damaged item before we finally get beyond this stage.  in the meantime, I may need a few new ideas to get the point across.  I think we finally made progress on saying mean things (another problem we have), so let's hope that this gets the attention it needs.

The Beauty of December

Although I don't like perpetuating the Santa myth, it does come in handy for discipline matters.  If I have a reluctant toddler who does not want to do something, I can threaten that Christmas presents may not arrive.

Today at swimming lessons, I talked to the mother sitting next to me.  She related that her kids were so helpful - doing laundry, cleaning rooms, making beds everyday without being asked and not fighting.  December apparently has that effect on kids.

Ironically, her kid walked up at the end of the lesson and did not want to go see Santa - the thought of meeting the guy keeping score created fear!

Toddler Radar: Presents Under the Tree

During the middle of the week, I spent my lunch hour wrapping a few presents, which I placed under the tree.

When the pre-teen walked in the house after school, the first comment was about the presents.  The toddler did not see them then as  stayed in the car while we grabbed a few things from the house to leave again.

After the basketball game, we got back late.  Toddler had been sleeping in the car and sleepwalked into the house.  Walking by the living room, the first comment out of the half-asleep child was that there were now presents under the tree!  Apparently toddler radar can focus on packages even though the rest of the system is shut down!

NaNoWriMo: A Hiatus

November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo- Get it?).  Usually by this point, I am either furiously writing the last five thousand words, have given up or am relaxing after a month of cramming writing into every single spare moment. 

This year, writing was not in the cards. Adding a 4 yr old and a 12 yr old to the house will consume time.  Lots  of time (I actually have to cook things at night - and for breakfast! Laundry has to be done more than once a month.  And they expect me to actually spend time with them). 

I did try to write a poem a day, but gave up when I got a cold that sent me to bed minutes after tucking the oldest in each night.  I did get about 18 or so written, although they are not Nobel Prize winning concoctions at this point.

But I do look forward to the insanity next year.  I will be taking Greek next fall, but managed it with Hebrew last year. 

Maybe I need to consider a biblical greek drama...
Or murder mystery...
Or sci-fi retelling of some bible story...
Or a chic lit look at Jezebel...

The Santa Myth

One thing I inherited with a few other issues through foster care is a toddler who believes in Santa.  The child also believes if an item is written on the Christmas list, it will be received.  That myth I quickly crushed today when it was announced at the store that "I will be getting such and such because I asked for it!"

The Santa myth is another matter.  One reason I do not like encouraging it is because I think it calls into question other things I am trying to instill.  If Santa isn't real, what about Jesus?  Now, typically this wouldn't be my arena as a foster parent, but as a potential adoptive parent, it becomes a bit more my turf.

Right now, I have no plans to smash this myth, but I am hoping that the "Santa isn't real" story goes around preschool - and soon.  Meanwhile, I have put older child on notice that I am not encouraging this Santa thing, neither should they and there will be no gifts from Santa for younger child. 

And already the questions have started.  We saw Santa at a store this weekend, and I was asked where the sleigh was.  And how Santa moved from one place to another so quickly.  I'm not sure it is going to take too long for this to be figured out.  Let's hope it is not as big of a heartbreak as it is for some children.