I'm a clock watcher

Well, Here I am.
At work.
It's 2:18 and today is "Festivus". (Seinfeld reference)

I've been told I can leave early, but not before 3:00. That means I'll be leaving at 3:01.
I'm so ready for Christmas. I'm really excited about Christmas this year. I can't wait to see the boy's response when he sees all his gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. Of course since he's not even 2 so he currently has no idea that he's going to "rack up" in a couple of days.
Here's what he's getting from us....
A Tricycle
A "swirling sawdust workbench" complete with tools.
A large metal Tonka Dumptruck
An art Easel (Easle?) with a chalkboard on one side and dry erase board on the other.
A remote control Car
A "Little People" Farm
some clothes
some chalk and accessories for his easel.
some bath tub toys
and finally a figure 8 electric race track. You know the kind with the two cars and the triggers to race around it.(The box says for ages 8 and up so I guess I'll always have to play with it with him, for safety of course.)

I'm glad we're building a new house. We're going to need the room for all his stuff. This list does not even include the gifts he'll get for all grandparents and great grandparents and aunts and uncles. It's going to be great.

But also with this fun comes the issue of scheduling the madness. Here's our schedule as it stands right now....

Today... go by Walmart for last minute presents and christmas snack foods. then get home and wrap presents.
Tonight..Possibly open some presents with Ethan and Kristi. (We've always opened one on Festivus because we're so impatient.) The hang out with Kristi's Parents and sister for milk cookies and a ]viewing of the Christmas Classic "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". I'm laughing just thinking about it.
Tomorrow morning...Go to Kristi's parents and have Christmas with them.
Tomorrow Noon...Go to my parents and have Christmas with My immediate family.
Tomorrow evening.. @ 5pm lead worship at the Christmas Eve Communion service at church. then go hang out at home or with the Allred's some more.
Tomorrow late night... help Santa assemble gifts and get everything in order for Christmas.
Christmas morning...Santa Claus @ our house
Christmas midmorning..Breakfast with Kristi's Grandparents and aunts and uncles on the Allred Side.
Christmas Mid to later morning...Lead 10am worship service at church
Christmas Lunch...Christmas with Kristi's Mom's side of the family..
Christmas afternoon...Crash and burn. Try to get some rest and enjoy the booty we collected over the past few days.

I'm tired just thinking about it.

One final thing....
I can't express how awesome it is that The Creator of the universe did what He did for us. I don't want to get into a heavy theology thing right now, but I've been thinking about the fact that on the one hand God gave his only son to walk the earth like us, experience what we experience, then die a horrible death to save us from our sin. (Even though he did rise again.) I would never give my son for anybody. Ever.

Then on the other hand I realize that because Jesus is God, God sacrificed himself. He choose to come here and go through what he went through just so that we could have a relationship with him.
To know that God came in the humble way that he did says so much about our God and our Lord and the things he finds important.

I am so thankful for the gifts he's given me, including my family, my job, my church, my possessions and my friends. I am so unworthy.

"And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?"


Charles Wes­ley, Psalms and Hymns, 1738.