clean up in aisle one...

Yesterday was a bit traumatic in preschool.  Some kind of coughing bug seems to be going around and one of my little ones, in particular, has terrible coughing fits (why is she at school, you ask...I ask the same thing).  She coughed so hard yesterday during recess that she threw up her lunch and then continued coughing and throwing up all over herself (and the table, chairs, floor, me).  The others, of course, felt the need to announce this to me (and to one another) even though we had all witnessed it with our very own eyes.  I took my little friend to the bathroom to clean her up and find her new clothes.  She had extra clothes at school (because this is just a good idea with four year olds), but they consisted of three pairs of socks and a shirt...no pants.  So we borrowed someone else's shorts and called it a day.  She seemed to be okay after she coughed everything up, but while I was cleaning her up, I heard screaming from the others because apparently a very ugly bug had made its way into their play area (the nerve, an insect in a room with doors and windows open to the outside).  Anyway, it was apparently not a large bug, but it was very ugly and only one little boy was willing to man up and kill it.  Crisis averted.  The rest of the day was without any other incident, save more coughing from others (aren't contagious diseases fun?), minimal covering of mouths, spit flying, and several snot bubbles.  Have I adequately painted this picture?  I felt like I was literally covered in every conceivable type of germ by the end of the day, disgusting.  So I jumped in the pool to disinfect myself.  Chlorine kills germs, okay?  I felt better.  

I can't believe it is only 15 days until Christmas.  The kids have had program practice all this week in the morning.  I love, love, love hearing them belt out (i.e. scream and yell, make a joyful noise) their Christmas tunes.  They are such happy songs and the kids are too excited about singing them!  Not only are the songs really fun to listen to, but all of them have a good message, a reminder that Christmas isn't about decorations or presents, tinsel or twinkle lights.  CHRISTmas is about Jesus, Immanuel..."God with us."  God in human form, born as a baby, here among men, that He could grow and offer us salvation from our sins through His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the grave.  A free gift of eternal life, if only we will admit our need for a Savior, our need to be forgiven of our sins, the wrongs we've all done, and accept that He took the punishment for our sins upon Himself.  "Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11)."  Christmas may not be about presents, but it is about a gift...

Wise Men Still Follow Him Today (from Meet Me at the Manger)

Baby Jesus, born in Bethlehem

Baby Jesus, born to save all men

I have come to crown you King

I give my all, my everything

How foolish I would be to turn away

For wise men still follow you today