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Start ‘Em Young

You might remember this post from last week.  If you’re feeling too lazy to click on the link, I’ll sum up the post by telling you that Chicky, during a Facebook conversation with a friend, told the person that she had been an Auburn fan “for always.”

As you are aware, teaching your children the finer points of becoming a die-hard football fan is similar to brainwashing.

You sing the fight song to them while they are still in the womb.  In fact, I am quite sure that I felt Rooster beating his little fists to the tempo.

Then, when the tykes finally do manage to relieve their moms by being born after nine hours of horrible labor, hard-core parents dress up their children in all the baby finery they can find…

Rooster - Two Days Old

During both pregnancies, I made sure to buy my babies appropriate take-home-from-the-hospital attire.  Look at Rooster’s contented smile above.  He left the hospital wearing that cute little onesie.  For the record, Chicky wore her own little Auburn shirt home from the hospital too (nobody would have guessed she was actually a girl).

As children grow up, parents replace outgrown sweatshirts with new ones.  Female progeny simply CANNOT be allowed to go through kid-dom without owning at least one cheerleader outfit…

 

Chicky - Seven or Eight Months Old (standing and even walking on her own)

Now, kids sometimes get distracted and find themselves unable to sit through entire football games.

But, they never forget who they really are.

Case in point:  For the last two weeks, Chicky has texted the Mr. and me, asking for updates on the games.

This year, she included a new Auburn sweatshirt on her Christmas list.

She has returned to the Eagle Nest.

Once an Auburn fan, always an Auburn fan.

BTW, you might be wondering why, in the world, I am talking about Auburn.

Well, it’s because today Auburn played against South Carolina in the SEC championship game, and, well, Auburn gave the Game Cocks a sound spanking.

Can I hear a big WAR EAGLE?!!

Christmas Is So Much More…

Every weekday morning, I drop Rooster off at his school and go straight from there to my own school.

I walk into my classroom, boot up my computer, and get Pandora going.  If you’re not familiar with Pandora, it is a free, online web site.  You can customize the virtual radio station to play your favorite songs or genres.

I have my account set to play Contemporary Christian music.

This morning, the first song I heard was this…

Although I have listened to this song before (in fact, I have most of the words memorized), I was moved to tears.

I went onto YouTube and listened to the song again…this time watching the video.

Oh my gosh.  More tears.

During the Christmas season, we typically focus on the birth of Jesus; however, I am afraid that we sometimes get stuck worshiping the baby.  It’s usually at Easter when we look at Jesus, the man.

Everything surrounding the birth of Christ foreshadowed His death, which would follow a mere thirty three years later.

I don’t know why this point is hitting home with me so much more this year.  I suspect it is because I teach at a Muslim school, where Jesus is only thought of as a prophet.

It is almost as if my senses have been heightened.  Some of the kids are curious about Christmas, and I fielded a few questions this week…especially about the commercialism of the holiday.

I read a few blogs, and several people have mentioned being stressed by the craziness of the season.

And there I sit, every single weekday, in my small green classroom…which functions as the center of my world right now.

In some ways, I feel detached from the festivities that surround the holiday.

I don’t have time to shop.  I am scrambling…putting the finishing touches on this term’s lesson plans while, at the same time, doing my best to get ahead on next term’s.

As a result, I think that Christmas has been stripped down a bit.

Do I mind?

Not really.

I don’t think that I am lacking in Christmas cheer.  I think that my focus is simply different.

I teach five classes that are comprised of children who do not understand that Christmas is so much more than pretty lights, trees, and ribbons.

Christmas is about the most precious gift that was ever bestowed on man…God in human form.

He humbled Himself and came to us in the form of a baby boy.  This child would grow up and ultimately give up His life, of His own free will, for a world of sinful people.

This is what makes me cry when I hear the song above.  God did not just create us and leave us alone, knowing that our sins would lead us to spend eternity in hell.

No.

He remembered us.

He planned our redemption from the very moment He created the world.

The very least we can do is remember Him.

Bad Dog

Participles kicked my behind today.

I desperately needed a laugh.

Pele provided it.

I walked past Rooster’s room this evening and noticed this…

 

So I followed the trail to see where it would lead…

Good thing he’s so cute…