blogging misfit

i am not just a misfit.
you know- that rudolph song that the elf dentist sings?
i know that just posting videos is not blogging.
sometimes i just enjoy what other people figure out.
lack of creativity- lack of originality- lack of energy.

i always have such big hopes for christmas memories.
i want my kids to get the true meaning or christmas
yet i also enjoy the silly juvenille parts of it too.
elf movie, the grinch, the santa clause,
lights, decoration
christmas clothes and pj's
christmas dishes and cd's

i did a better job with kenna and graham
or maybe they are just more mature and finally get it
andrew is another story.
he knows that the reason we celebrate is Jesus BUT
he LOVES santa!
tonight we read an adorable book called "Santa's Favorite Story"
santa tells the animals in the forest his favorite story of
the 1st christmas and the Christ child's birth.
santa tells the animals that they would still have christmas even if he didn't deliver gifts.
he says the best part if christmas is Jesus
andrew pipes in , "I love Santa the best Mom"
graham and i plead Jesus' case.
Jesus was God's gift of love.
Santa loves Jesus best.
without Jesus Santa wouldn't do what he does.
NOPE
Not going for it.

so what's the alternative?
no Santa at all.
no elves or silliness?
breaking down all the fun legends of childhood?
no tooth fairy, santa, easter bunny?
well actually, i dont particularly like the easter bunny, but i do like the others and the whimsy they bring.
BUT I LOVE JESUS MOST AND I WANT MY KIDS TO LOVE HIM MOST TOO!!!

I know we are going to be facing this debate soon as part of Brian's family don't do santa
their kids make a point of telling my kids there is no santa
kenna and graham can handle it but andrew...
it could get ugly.
i respect their right as parents not to do santa
why cant i be respected as a parent for letting my kids do santa?

this isn't the only area i feel this
homeschooling vs public
tv vs no tv
the movies we let our kids watch
books we let them read
cover your ears... harry potter
Yikes!
never quite feel like i am following the christian parent manual
yet i feel and see that my older kids love Jesus.
should i be isolating them more from the world?
insulating them from the secular?
there are moments when even i feel the pressure of satan and his hold on this world bearing down on my kids.
i want to grab them and move to a cabin in the woods.
protected from the world's evil and filth
yet my own sin and their own sin would still be there.
SOO...
i continue to do the best i can
i go to the Word for wisdom and pray for direction from the Spirit.
maybe i'm making mistakes but i'm doing the best i can
i hope my kids won't blame me too much
but then what will they have to complain about to their future spouses
if i dont make some big mistakes with them?:) j/k

not the turn i was planning to take with this blog but it is what it is.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!