Christmas card-ish

For over 15 years now...

I have worked diligently...

Making sure we had a "presentable" Christmas card.

This normally involved wrangling up coordinating outfits...

Tears from small people....

Frustration from the bigger ones...

Bribing...

Me with the remote making unnatural sounds...

Trying desperately to capture lying smiles all around...

Threatening... 

I mean encouraging... all to focus on the task at hand.

Family pictures are a treasured keepsake.

We love owning them.

But mostly... 

We rather dislike the process.

This will be the second year in a row...

Sending out cards...

Just isn't in the budget...

Oh...

I love sending cards out almost as much as I love to receive them.

My sincerest admiration goes out... 

To all families able to tackle beautifully, charming cards each year.

I adore opening them.

We "ooh" and "aah" over each one.

They bring so much joy.

But to be perfectly honest...

For me...

Just the thought of trying to get everyone "presentable..."

Haunted me this season and nearly wore me out.

I just don't have the steam...

"To get us ready."

So...

This year...

I decided we would go about documenting a little differently.

Not only are we continuing our "break" in tradition...

By sending electronic cards...

We are also going for a look a little more...

"Au naturel!"

The Smalls were shocked when I told them we weren't getting dressed up for pictures.

Completely confused is a huge understatement...

Especially as I explained they could stay in their p.j.'s-turned day clothes...

And they didn't even have to brush their hair.

Don't worry...

Lest you be mislead...

It was still total chaos.

Somehow we still managed to make this a production.

With people getting clunked on the head...

Confusion in abundance...

And, the tiniest small attempting to escape...

Every chance she could get.

Who could blame her?

For being super laid back... 

This was pretty nuts.

A million and one legos covered my "studio."

Good lighting was not in the cards.

My tripod broke...

And our propping up methods of books and duct tape....

Just weren't going to cut it.

Leaving me with...

One grumpy Good Pastor relieved he didn't have to join in all the holiday fun...

And, one mama most frustrated and irritable.

How was it that this supposedly easy task...

Of capturing our real life...

Was turning our whole morning upside down?

Oh my...

This really is our life.

This is us...

Messy revivalists.

Desiring less than ever...

To try and have it all together.

We surely aren't as polished as I would like us to be...

But, we are more comfortable being us than we have ever been.

We are lives in process.

Smalls and Bigs alike...

Filled with longing simply to be used.

His chosen "unkempt..." 

Hungry to sing His love song to a dying world.

Contrary to what Vaughan photos of Christmas past may have communicated...

Life is not "all smiles" all the time.

And we are almost NEVER picture perfect...

But, we do have plenty of joy to go around.

Beauty in the mess...

Describes us best.

Remaining in a learning posture...

One step at a time we continue...

To cling on to Him...

And each other on this faith journey

Never straying from the winding, familiar trail of struggle and hope.

In my personal life...

Getting everything and everyone "ready" for Christmas...

Is much like trying to take a good picture of my family...

It's largely been about focusing on the wrong things.

Trying so hard to create something beautiful...

I end up missing that which is naturally breathtaking...

Right in front of me...

In the silence of the ordinary.

What I desire most...

Is what I need the most...

All of Him...

And zero of the trimmings.

In the TOGETHERNESS of...

One day at a time.

It's in these moments...

I like to believe revival's seed is being sewn more deeply...

Into us all.

Knitting our hearts to Him who is MOST important.

Helping us to not just pose a life of readiness and joy...

But, fully LIVING one.

*Praying a REVIVED awareness of His heart for you...

In your most... "Au natural" state.

During this holiday season.

And the coming New Year.

Love, The Vaughans... 

Starring:

Princess Sophia-Charli, Holey jeans, Middrift- showing-Middle, Batman,

Grumpy Good Pastor and His beloved, Moody Moose.