monthly review Archives - Lauren Sparks

December has always been my favorite month of the year. I love that the entire world is celebrating Jesus – even if some of them don’t know it. I love the decorations and music and shows and family gatherings. I even love wrapping presents in pretty paper. And even though some hard things happened in the last 30 days, I still got to celebrate and see Jesus all over the place.

My Shelby saw her orthopedic doctor for a follow up and we rejoiced in the news that her scoliosis is not progressing. No surgery for the foreseeable future and we say, “Praise God!” My husband had a doctor’s appointment as well, for his first colonoscopy. He received a good report too. Yay!

My youngest said “goodbye” to her volleyball career with an end of season banquet. She received the award for being “most social”. A good indicator that she made the right decision to hang up her knee pads. Then she treated us to her Winter Choir Concert. Thirteen fans came to hear her sing. Both sets of grandparents, brother, sister, niece, nephews, and an aunt supported her with us.

Allie’s Jazz Choir also raised money for the program as Singing Christmas Cards. The director rents them out to sing at holiday parties. I got to chauffeur some of the group from party to live nativity. My sister and I enjoyed their music and the rest of the church festivities at the last stop.

Chuck was briefly called to the mothership in Bentonville for a meeting, while the girls and I held down the fort and hosted my bonus son’s family for a surprise visit. In between those, the hubs and I snuck in two movie dates! We enjoyed Last Christmas (even though the ending had been ruined for me) and Ford v. Ferrari. At home I forced the viewing of Christmas at Rockefeller Center, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph, and The Year Without a Santa Claus. I even watched some Hallmark movies while baking this year. When life gets messy, something simple and sweet hits the spot. And then everyone enthusiastically participated in Elf – our favorite.

As a family we went to a Cirque Musica production called “Holiday Wishes”. My husband and I won them in a silent auction for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation a few months ago. I can only say that it was…weird. That’s my best descriptor. And Cirque Musica may be the C team of the Cirque family. We also watched my niece Cora dance in a festive show at the Gaylord Texan. That involved expensive parking, a shuttle bus and wall to wall people. But Cora is A team so it was all worth it.

And now as I finish writing (even though I won’t publish until the end of the week), all the baking is done and the presents are wrapped. We anxiously await Christmas eve services, time with family and a visit from Old St. Nick. What? I still believe.

If right about now you are thinking that you can’t relate to all my merry-making this year, let me point you back to last week’s blog. We had concerts and parties and shows, but we are also had something really heavy and hard drop into our laps. Because it is not really my story, I’m not at liberty to share the details. But I do want you to know that if you are hurting this Christmas, I understand. Even when life gets hard, Christmas is worth celebrating. The Eternal One entered time. The Lord of Glory veiled that glory in a human body for us. And even though He came as an infant, He lives still. Jesus saves people from the penalty of sin, from the power of sin and eventually from the very presence of sin. (from Bible commentary)

Hallelujah! And Happy New Year.

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As I sit here listening to Shelby’s music therapy session and know that within a few hours I will have a houseful of guests, my mind is not much for writing. This may not be my best attempt, but I have failed to set aside time as I’ve cooked and cleaned and made preparations for Thanksgiving. So it’s now or never (for this week anyway).

We observed the time change to usher in this month and we see the leaves changing and falling as we escort it out. And ready or not, the holidays are here. I want to go on record as saying that the first thing I give thanks for is Allie’s release from concussion protocol. The process stressed us all and taught us a lot. And I am not sad to see it go. A sweet friend of our family invited us to her wedding shower and Shelby and I gladly accepted and went. Of all people I know, this young lady is worth celebrating.

Our kids’ school district hosted a viewing of the documentary film Angst and my husband and I thought it important to attend since our youngest struggles with anxiety. A counselor friend of mine insists that most teens today probably suffer as well. The NIH says 1 out of every 3. I recommend looking at this website and seeking out a screening if you know or suspect that a teen you love is affected.

My sweet Mama invited me to a fall luncheon at her church where we heard Rachel Anne Ridge speak. She owns a donkey named Flash and wrote a book by the same name as well as Walking with Henry (another donkey), Made to Belong, and Flash the Donkey Makes New Friends (a children’s book). I squeezed in another lunch with a couple of cherished high school friends and loved catching up. We went to a dinner fundraiser for Allie’s choir as well as one for Hope Squad – a suicide prevention group Allie helps with at school. Whew. All this eating and as I’m writing Thanksgiving is still a day away.

I feel privileged to have added to my yoga teaching schedule two groups of special needs adults. Pretty challenging to instruct, but so near and dear to my heart. I also got to take a dear one to a big doctor’s appointment and provide meals for two others dealing with health issues. God is so very kind to allow me these opportunities.

One of the biggest highlights of the month has been Baylor football. I fall more and more in love with it every fall and getting to go to the game against the University of Texas with my best friend of 25 years was a treat. So much fun to get to see this team, who have fought back from so much, earn their spot in the Big 12 Championship game. Getting to spend the better part of the weekend with my favorite family (other than my own) iced the cake. I even blew up an air mattress on the floor of Patsy’s family’s hotel room for a night. I’m so grateful they let me share in their vacation time.

We took Shelby to see Frozen II and we all loved it. Then the girls and I took in Playing with Fire with my sister and two nieces. It was a weird movie, but I’m still laughing about parts of it. There are so many good movies out right now that I’m not sure how we can possibly fit them in, but I would love to try. But now, I must close and finish preparations for my husband’s family. As always, I love you, I thank you and I hope December treats you well.