It's officially Christmas

I know that we celebrate Jesus and his birth all year as Christians, and my pastor put it an interesting way several weeks ago when he said that "Christmas is annual for everyone, but only eternal for some". He was challenging us to be "relational" and "intentional" in our witnessing to others. But, this weekend really made it Christmas to me.

If you know me well, you know that I LOVE music, especially Christmas music. My family will make fun of me because I will pull out the Christmas music in July. Hey, you have to do something to beat the Georgia heat of summer. But, one of my absolute favorite groups is the Trans Siberian Orchestra. I have wanted to see them in concert for years, but it had never worked until THIS year. I found out they would be in Birmingham when I was on Christmas break from school. I shelled out the money and called my sister Angie and told her to put December 20th on her calendar. Needless to say, it was a show neither of us will forget

They opened the show with the complete playing of their CD, "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo". That in itself is an awesome CD, but the light show, and snow, probably the only snow I will see this year, was awesome. I was a little disappointed when it ended, because I thought the concert was over, boy was I wrong!!!!!! The band leader then asked if we were "Ready to blow some things up?" I had no idea what he meant until the fire and pyrotechnics started. It was UNBELIEVABLE. I know where people get the idea to program Christmas lights at their house to their music. From their concerts. This was an Amazing concert and a great early Christmas present.

Tomorrow is hang out with sister day and make cookies since she is home for a week. This is the first time in 10-12 years that we have both been home for this long at Christmas and neither one of us has to work. My mom is sooo excited. Merry Christmas Everybody!!!!! Remember to keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas this year!!!

Sad Day

Today was one of those days, where as a teacher, I did not have all of the answers or really any of them. One of my students, a junior, found out over the weekend that his mom has stage II breast cancer. They are doing surgery this week to see how far along it is. How do you explain to 16 and 17 year olds why God allows this to happen? How do you reassure them that everything will work out the way God intends and then tell them to start working on their mid term exams? I am really feeling for this student tonight because he is in no emotional state to take exams this week, but he has too.

The only thing that I could offer him was my prayers and understanding and to be someone to talk to. Its so hard to see someone have to go through this with their family, but its even harder to see a junior in high school deal with it. Today was a hard day.

Kids Yule Love

Today was an annual event at the school where I went to high school and now currently teach. In 1986, a local man started a charity for needy children at Christmas called Kids Yule Love. He approached the administration at Tattnall and asked if the school would be willing to help. From this was born the annual Kids Yule Love assembly and toy drive. I remember waiting until the day that I could be old enough to be a participant in the production, because it is truly that, a production. This year's theme was The Polar Express and it was amazing as usual. I just watched the footage on the news and it showed the school and students in such a positive light.

Today, we had everything from "Rockettes" dancing, the award winning Golden Girls, to elves dancing, to a toy parade complete with my favorite, Dora the Explorer, to a living Nativity acted by the children of Faculty members.

However, the greatest part was watching the students give back as they have year after year for 21 years. I remember being in school and going shopping the night before Kids Yule Love each year and running into classmates and we would compare toys. Its funny, but that still happens. I think for most of the students, they have the most fun picking out the toys. They were talking all week about what they were getting and this morning in the halls before the bells rang, they were comparing toys. Even with the economy the way it is, our students came thru and the gym was covered in everything from barbies, to hotwheels, to bikes and basketball goals. It made me feel really good to be able to say, I AM TATTNALL. And, I will proudly wear my Kids Yule Love t shirt to show to Macon what a great school we have.

I stole this from a blog I read regularly. I just thought it was cool. Bolded things are things I've done
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (are you kidding??????)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (I'm counting Compassion here)
16. Had food poisoning (more times than I care to remember)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (not all she's cracked up to be)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon (Seriously??)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (Both actually)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the EiffelTower in Paris ( too expensive, but I have laid on the ground underneath it to take a picture)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (Are you kidding me?)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (adventurous, not stupid)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Sarah Palin I am not)
88. Had chickenpox (twice)
89. Saved someone's life - eternal life that is
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Good in the world

Goodness in this world does still exist. I spent part of my afternoon chaperoning some Y-club kids ringing the Salvation Army Kettle bell at a local Wal-Mart. I really wondered how much people were giving this year with all that we are hearing about the economy. It was great to see so many different people of different economic status giving a little or a lot. One man, who looked like he was a day-laborer gave me a wad of bills as he left the store. I counted them as I put them in the kettle, and this kind man had just donated 23 dollars in one dollar bills. It warmed my heart on a cold, windy day.

It was really neat to watch parents teach their children what it means to give and be compassionate to those who are less fortunate. So many parents came out of the store and had given their children money to put in the kettle. As they walked away, the parents were teaching the children that as one woman put it, "God has given us so much, that this is what we are supposed to do to help others." It almost brought tears to my eyes.

For all the bad that we hear about in the world, it is nice to spend some time witnessing the good as well.

New to this

I am new to this whole blogging thing. Friends have been after me to start one, so here goes. I am not sure my life is interesting enough for people to read about, but I will find out.

A little about me...
I live in my hometown of Macon, Georgia
I have one older sister and two wonderful parents
I have a big baby named Barney (he is part black lab and part great dane with some boxer thrown in for good measure)
I teach at my high school alma matar, kids with learning disabilities
I am working on my masters in education at Georgia College and State University
I am an alum of Samford University and a huge UGA and Duke fan.

I have just finished all of my work for this semester for grad school, so I am off to bed to read a good book!!