Flat (Tire)d A Home School-Life Blog: Jot it Down Tuesday

I love Jot it Down Tuesdays. Of course, the jotting down of randomness can happen any day of the week. If you love free writing, please link up with my friend Heather, at the E.O.. There's a lot of fun, inspiring, and crazy links to click on. Don't forget to read Heather's entry. After all, she's the genius behind the Just Write phenomenon.

Here we go...

In Which I Jot Down More Than Usual.

Starting yesterday, we began our two weeks off of school. Christmas break goes like this:

Week one = InSaNiTy.

Week two = Ahhh... :)

Because week one is always intense craziness, this will not be the home school blog to stop by for jaw dropping Christmas craft ideas. There won't be any impressive pics of impeccably decorated cookies either.

Nope.

I plan on doing some of that next week, but don't call Martha Stewart, as I am pretty sure we will be keeping things more on the Cake Mix Doctor level. (Gluten free versions, of course.) I am not really sure if we'll do any crafts, but I can GUARANTEE that I will be devouring books while the kids are enjoying their Christmas surprise(es).

Speaking of Christmas, I have found myself wrestling with it more this year than ever. I'm tired of the over-load of "gotta-dos" and "gimme dats." I cringe at commercials and balk at annoying tunes about people wanting hippopotamuses, or being good "for goodness sake." And who in their right flipping minds are buying a Lexus for Christmas???

Did I catch a major case of Grinchitis? Did somebody pee on my Christmas tree?

No, but I can see how somebody might believe those things happened.

It's a process treading through tradition.

Nothing wrong with tradition.

I just want something...

more.

I want our hearts to ache because there are those who won't experience Christmas. No, I'm not talking about kids who won't have 300 gifts to open. I'm not even talking about kids who won't have a 20 course meal on the 25th.

Heck, I was one of those kids!

I am talking about not experiencing Jesus.

The Gift.

The real reason why we are supposed to be throwing a big ol' shindig.

Here's the kicker. I'm divided. I want to buy tons of unneeded junk for my kids because it's FUN! I love surprising them and watching their reactions. But a week later, after the magic glitter falls off the toys and the excitement dies down, stuff gets shoved in boxes, or stacked up on shelves.

And my heart sinks to the bottom of my shoes.

Don't get me wrong. It's not their fault. My kids are extremely grateful, appreciative, and don't (usually) beg for anything. Ever. They take very good care of their toys. They understand the value of a dollar. They know that we had to make sacrifices to purchase them gifts.

But I want more.

I want Christmas to seep so deep into their hearts (our hearts), that when it's over...

it just began.