Since 2000, my brother and his wife have been putting up elaborate Christmas decorations. They have been featured in the Colorado Springs and Denver area news for the last several years.

Their display consists of lighted figures synced to music played over a low power fm radio station. We were able to go vist them at Christmas time a couple years ago to see his display in person. Incredible! Last year they added a projection screen showing cartoon clips and such -including a salute to our military. They now have over 75,000 lights and are switching to LED lights to help the electric bill!

You can see this year’s news story at KRDO’s website (click on video of 13 Days of Christmas, his is the winning display, the video feature and interview.) [UPDATE: KRDO did not leave the story up.] You can see pictures of this year’s display at his website, Colorado Christmas, by clicking on Photos -> 2007. This year’s videos aren’t up there yet, but you can see last year’s that are posted on youtube.

Here’s one from a couple of years ago:

See another at my L.E.D. blog.Not the same as our Christmas celebration, but my brother has put an incredible amount of time, thought, work (and money) into this to bring cheer to Colorado Springs children.

It’s 4 days ‘fore Christmas and here at our house,
everyone’s bustling, thank God there’s no mouse.

No stockings, but garland is hanging so bright,
And outdoors the house is all trimmed with the lights.
Nativities cover each table and shelf,
No santa clause here, not one tiny elf.

The presents are piled so high on the bed,
The children are cranky, they must all need fed.
Then tackle those dozens of presents to wrap,
Then rock with the baby to give him a nap.

Mail grandmother’s gift that must travel so far.
Make gifts for the neighbors, something in a jar.
Let’s sew up some ponchos and not take a rest,
Then lounge pants for boys, and chaps and a vest.

Let’s have our friends over and exchange our toys.
That will bring smiles to both girls and boys.
And caroling we’ll go after dinner together,
We couldn’t have asked for much better weather.

Now haircuts to get and pictures to take,
the one in our card looks like a mistake.

Clean up the house, here you take the broom.
Sister is coming, clean out the guest room.
Please wash the sheets. Then vacuum the floor.
Can you get the phone, while I get the door?

The program is over, the children did great.
They each had a part and none came in late.
Joseph, who’s otherwise usually called Jed.
Played with the star, and poked Jesus in bed.

We’ll all go to church, communion to take,
Oh that reminds me, the bread I must bake.
We’ll take a nativity to sister’s grave.
And come home for cookies that our dear friends gave.

We’ll all go to grandpa’s, that is most of us.
Have dinner and presents, and relax - we must.
Then wake in the morning and open gifts here,
Mark actually has Christmas off for this year!

Then over to in-laws, more holiday cheer,
Then back home to crash before the New Year.

‘Though busy we are, it’s all for one cause,
To spread our God’s love, not play santa clause.

We love each one dearly, want to show everyone,
That God came to earth in the form of His Son.
To pay for our sins and bring to us new birth,
To make us like Him. We must honor His worth.

That babe in a manger, is King over all,
Read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and then Paul.
He’s risen victorious, conquered death and the grave,
He made you and me, and is worthy of praise.

May all of your focus in this busy time,
Be upon the Lord Jesus, our God that’s Divine.
May all celebrations, so busy yet fun,
Bring glory to God, and bless God every one.

© Lisa Hodgen 2007 All Rights Reserved

For Me and My House ~ At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House ~ Discipleship for Life!
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I’m up early this morning. Ds3 had just climbed over me and snuggled in, so I caught on quickly when he began throwing up.

Now, when a child starts puking in bed you basically have 2 options. 1) run for a bucket and save the floor. 2) grab the child and run for the toilet to spare the bed further. I hate cleaning pukey mattresses and we have hardwood floors, so I grabbed the child. He mostly made it.

I think it was something he ate; so he is settled back in and falling asleep. I have the bed changed and sheets washing, and the toilet and floor cleaned - thank you God also for Bac-Out (an enzyme stain and odor spray). And now I’d really like to get a couple more hours sleep myself. (Fat chance.)

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Sunday was Life Chain. Did any of you participate? We didn’t stand in our "usual" spot, so didn’t really see how many were there in comparison to other years. It was quite chilly and windy - and we weren’t altogether prepared to stand in it for an hour. (We had a fellowship dinner, after church, which gave us just enough time to make it to Life Chain, and not enough time to get appropriate clothes on.) But, of course, we survived.

The 2 little boys did remarkably well, standing nicely with their signs for about the first half, and then sitting down. 7yod did super, standing and holding her sign the whole time. The older children are "old hats" at this, but the 2 older boys still can’t stop fidgeting. But we were all there, standing for life.

On a related note, don’t miss Doug Phillips blog, In Memory of a Woman Who Chose Life. It’s an awesome story about a woman in a "crisis" preganancy that did not abort her baby, and has a super ending that will bring tears to your eyes.

For Me and My House,
Lisa @ Me and My House ministries

Here’s what it looked like an hour or so ago out the street from us. No, we don’t live anywhere near water. We live in the valley between 2 rivers. But our rivers are usually nothing but sandbars with a trickle flowing between them. This year they’ve gotten pretty high with all the rain we’ve gotten. But we’re a long way from flood stage.









Yes, this flood was a broken water main. Thankfully it didn’t flood the front or side road of our house. It was just starting to creep up to our neighbors to the west, and was flowing down the alley to our north and up their driveways. A big dip in the road to our west saved us. The pictures of our boys are on the corner to the west of us. The car - yes it flooded INTO the car - is on the street just west of us. We tried to knock on the door, but no one was home. They won’t be happy when they get home. That’s our daughter behind the tree, (in pink) with water up past her knees. The boat in the first pic is about 1 block west of us.

It took the city about an hour to get someone there to turn off the main! It had burst and raised one whole segment of the street - 1 side of the street about 1/4 of a block long and water was spewing out of both sides of the raised portion. (See first picture) The kids had a great time walking in it and riding their bikes through it. By bath time the water was receding and no fun anymore.

Now the backhoe and jackhammers are at work breaking the street up. Will that be the song that lulls me to sleep tonight?

Here’s a pic of Justus. He’s about 1/2 hour old.

At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House

Rejoice with us!
Yesterday at 5:10 p.m. our grandson, Justus Emmanuel, was born at home with me assisting. He is the first child of our fourth daughter - our 6th grandchild, 3 of each now.

He was 8#14 oz, and has a full head of long black hair, and a round face.
Both Mom and Baby are doing great!

now.

He was 8#14 oz, and has a full head of long black hair, and a round face.
Both Mom and Baby are doing great!

And I’m not getting my picture upload to work at the moment.
See you tomrrow, Lord willing.

At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa @ Me and My House

Greetings from Me and My House,

8 years ago a man of God came to town and took my “right arm” away, our firstborn daughter. It hurt, but that was what she had been raised for. We wondered where God would take them, and have been blessed that he planted them right here for a season as our Associate and Worship Pastor.

It has been my joy to catch each of my glorious grandgirls as they emerged into life on this earth, to watch Mitch and Dani develop in ministry, in their marriage, and as parents. We’ve been able to share every holiday and birthday together, as well as just everyday life. It has been great.

Today this season of their life ends, and a new one begins. God has a new place for them to grow for a season. For my sake, I am glad he hasn’t called them as missionaries to Africa. Not this time. They are only moving 3 hours away to take a Senior Pastorate. They are extending their tent pegs, taking on new challenges, and growing in the things God has created them for. This is what we raised her for, and prayed over her life daily. How can we be sad? But it still hurts. We love them greatly. They are our very life.

But they are not our only life. God has blessed us with much opportunity for our lives to be spread abroad. It is not only Mitch and Dani that are extending their tent pegs, but ours are extended as well, as they are a part of us. As each of our 10 children goes into the world, it is my deepest prayer that the Kingdom of God is extended further - even to Africa. That they go forth, in the Name and the Power of Jesus, that they learned on my knee.

My prayer continues, that they raise their children for the glory of God, daily teaching them of Him, as they rise up, lay down, walk along the road, and sit in their houses. That they develop in them God’s way of looking at and living life, and most of all God’s love. That my grandchildren all become children of the Book, in every area of life. For then God’s Kingdom will be spread even further, and our tent pegs stretched out greatly in the earth. May His glory fill the whole earth, and may I be an instrument He uses for that purpose.

Mitch and Dani, Jaci, Chandler, and Robin, we love you dearly. We will miss you greatly, in the day to day things of life. But we release you to spread the Kingdom, as far as God sends you to do so. May you always seek only Him and His ways. May you build, not a tower of greatness for the praise of men, but a temple of living stones that cry out of the greatness of God, and shine forth His beauty, for it is His love and His Word that draw all men unto Him, not the glitz and strategies of the world. And may you always walk with your feet planted on His solid Rock, your minds fixed on Him, and your hearts in His Kingdom. Godspeed, my loves.
Love, Mom (Me-mo)

At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa

Greetings from Me and My House,

Thursday night, the same day that Terri Schaivo (and more here) passed away by slow murder in hospice care, my last living grandparent, and my children’s last living great-grandparent, also passed away in hospice care. My grandma would have turned 92 years next month. Her health has been steadily deteriorating, and hospice did all they could until the last minute. My mother was at her side at the time of death.

Honor is given to this life, that brought forth the life, that brought forth mine. May we meet again on the other side.

These pictures of my children and my grandma were taken two years ago.

At Jesus’ feet,
Lisa