The UnCommon Good: Holidays

Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts

3.18.2011

Ravenous

3/18/2011 April Gann No comments

I can't get enough of the green river crowds, the fast fiddling, the Irish dancing, the laughter and yelling. Ah, St. Patrick's Day.

Shauna Niequist's book Bittersweet, describes the idea of ravenous: "I think life is delicious and I want to gobble it up in big bites...So much to see, taste, touch, try, do. I can feel myself come to life, eyes open, taking everything in...I feel like life is so genuinely interesting, so much to be tasted, tried, discovered."

Exactly. Which is why I drove to my sweet home Chicago for the dyeing of the river. I always want to be where the people are. And apparently where we float Shamrock Shake boats....

I love the crowds. But, as my friend Clay stated, sometimes all the green and North Face from the suburbs can get a little out of control. That's why I love coming back to Grand Rapids for March 17th-- to spend my night at Quinn and Tuite's. The live music is the best in West Michigan. And I was going to say nice things about the crowd, except that too many of them thought my green hair was REAL.

When you have friends that play their own Irish music, the after-party is brilliant.

I convinced my friend to play my favorite song on the penny whistle...enjoy!

I'm not sure what your plans are until next March, but we'll be dreaming of our next gathering of green...

Love, Loss and Living

2/14/2011 April Gann 6 comments

I posted here that I don't celebrate Valentine's Day.

That was actually a ~~lie~~ mis-print. I'm pretty pumped about today's plans. Most importantly, the second grade party at Burton Elementary. Let's be honest, I'm just a holiday kind of girl.

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

But what happens if you're not feeling life abundant when V-day rolls around?

That's why God gave us people to tell. Like our Starbucks baristas.

One of my childhood friends, Robb, died suddenly in his wife's arms just before Christmas. In her deep grief, Tricia, found herself unable to venture out into the world. Except to Starbucks. It's at a local coffee shop that she's being loved by strangers. I think you need to read her post titled, Starbucks, today.

I'm forever grateful that Tricia is sharing her story of love, loss and living through it on her blog. It gives me a different perspective and new lens from which to pray this Valentine's day.

May we be the strangers who step up and fill the void. May we be like Tricia, who allows others in when the pain is so deep. May God use you and me to surprise His children with His love.

* For more of Tricia's story, grab some tissue and go to Teaching Tuck and Ty, photo by Bart Heird on Flickr

I Got Punked on New Years (yes, by a mouse)

1/02/2011 April Gann 3 comments

There were multiple times in 2010 when I thought I was being punked. Except the cameras never came out. And the seriously-made-for-TV encounters kept coming. So, it's no surprise that December 31, 2010 ended the same way.

Meet the mouse that I captured in my kitchen. He was still moving slowly but wouldn't respond to me screaming, "Go away, mouse, Go away, mouse!!!!" Thus, the pot. (I snuck up behind him- are you so impressed? I felt very brave).

But then, he and I were both paralyzed from this point forward.

Meet the man that came over to save me from standing on my couch as I rang in the New Year. Check out the tool I gave him. I'd like to thank my facebook commenters for all the ideas.

Once said mouse was "disposed of," Evan and I got out of mouseville and rang in the New Year properly. Including, but not limited to adult bingo and one very fuzzy iphone picture.

And now that 2011's here, we're all settling into a great year. Evan's back home at the famous Cheese Louise. Fitting, right? And I am here with my mouse friends STARVING. Because I can't go into my kitchen. I've created a really nice towel barricade for myself in my bedroom. Where I feel I'll be safe for most of 2011.

Yuletide Highlights

12/29/2010 April Gann No comments

Thanks for understanding about Christmas. We all have such different stories.

What did you do Christmas night? We got invited over to our friend's house for Mexican food. And pomegranate margaritas. It was awesome.

I think every Christmas should be Mexican night.

About that brother of mine. Love him. The highlight of this Christmas was our many talks. Until all hours of the night. I think he's spectacular. Until he beats me at games.

Need a Christmas love story? I do. My Grandpa Jack (died in 2000) and Grandma Doris eloped on Christmas Eve. They were seriously in love. We still celebrate together.

The original 3 with their mom- Aunt Debbie, Uncle John, Grandma Gann, My Dad

I remember when all these kids (except you, Michael) were babies. Now they're men. Most days....

In conclusion, a few simple things I wanted to remember about this Christmas:

The presentation of the package (can you say themed baskets for all?)

And freshly fallen snow (view from our front door)

I hope your Christmas was Merry and Bright!

Through the Years We all Will Be Together (or not)

12/24/2010 April Gann 5 comments

Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow (what?!)
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

Christmas is so different as grown-ups. I miss waiting at the top of the stairs, begging to go down to unwrap gifts that were a total surprise. And that glorious, big breakfast in our pj’s- where we would insist on singing “happy birthday” to Jesus. But most of all, I miss having my family together in one house. Oh, how I desperately yearn for that.

I grieve that Christmas is so quiet, sitting in the house that was once filled with holiday joy and now misses the pieces of the puzzle. I find it so sad that we have an unspeakable grief as we descend the stairs on Christmas morning, and so cold and sterile to exchange gifts with my dad in the car instead of in front of the fireplace. It's hard to live joyfully in the present holiday moment--there is always someone missing. I worry that my mom is home alone while we celebrate with my dad’s family, that my brother is in NYC eating take-out, that my dad is celebrating with a new family and might not be missing us as much as we are him. I’m still trying to get used to divorce.

As often happens when your world turns out different than you thought, I’ve found that my view of my Savior has changed. I need His birth, His presence, His freedom more. I’m so easily caught up in what my earthly family once was and the grief over what never will be again. And yet, when I sing the Christmas hymns now, I can’t help but have a visceral, knot-in-my-throat reaction to them. I haven't been left to face this alone. It's for me, imperfect and struggling in my broken world that He has come! Emmanuel: God with us.

Oh come, Oh come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, Oh Israel

Whether your holidays are filled with joyful family celebrations, homes that are too quiet or take-out dinners for one, my Christmas prayer for you is that you deeply understand the love of your Emmanuel. May we rejoice in that, my friends.

More Thanksgiving Confessions

11/29/2010 April Gann 2 comments

1. I Googled My Way Through Cooking

My grandma was still in the hospital on Thanksgiving, so I googled my way through my first solo Thanksgiving meal. Due to time constraints, I followed Chef Marc's recipe and turned that baby up to 500 degrees! Hot and tasty! And I loved this recipe for cornbread stuffing (my bro and I voted it better than Grandma's but didn't tell her since she was in the hospital bed and all). Special thanks to my MacBook Pro that was by my side the whole time. I might have been alone in the kitchen, but I felt so loved by Google and the great musical genius, Pandora.

Our Thanksgiving meal was in the hospital room. Please notice the tablecloth over that hospital rolling table. We're super classy like that. The pic below is my mom and Philo (the nun from India that is living at our house this year while she studies hospital chaplaincy).

2. The Nun-Mom Asked Me How Many Kilo’s I Weigh

I really like Philo, the nun. I got to spend some good time with her over the holiday. She's well-traveled, well-studied and I like that someone's in the house to laugh with my cute mom. One thing I wasn't quite ready for was a conversation about my weight. Who is, really? Apparently, she's seen some older pictures of me and she's disturbed by my weight gain. And the fact that I don't eat enough lettuce. So, when she asked me how many kilo's I weigh now, I fumbled through something like "I don't know kilo's." Which is true. But if a nun tells you that you're fat, does that mean it's a word from the LORD?!

3. I Ate Thanksgiving Dinner Twice and Insisted on an Encore

I drove straight from the hospital to my dad's side of the family to celebrate Thanksgiving #2. I took Philo's comments to heart and only had one serving at each Thanksgiving that day. :) Then, when the double piano players stopped (my aunt Debbie and my step-mom Debi), I shouted "encore" from across the room and they went on to do an incredible show that was much better and longer than the first. I think the Concert of the Month Club is wearing off on me. I love music. I love that it is a tradition at family holidays.

4. I Wish Uncle Julio Was Really My Uncle

Oh, here we go. Finally not a cell phone photo. A night out representing two of the many things I miss about Chicago: Dara and homemade tortillas from Uncle Julio's. I love that she's always on my agenda for family time at the holidays.

Thanksgiving Week Confessions: The Bedside Comedian

11/24/2010 April Gann 2 comments

I'm going to post my Thanksgiving Confessions again this year. Read last year's here.

Imagine a girl and her Texas Grandmother spending quality time together and filling two shopping carts with all the joys of Thanksgiving festivities. They’re laughing at the check-out and planning the meal ahead. And then it ends with the grandmother falling face-first into the cement. Pretty much a holiday nightmare. Complete with the girl having to call 911.

First, let me give a thankfulness shout-out to the City of Park Ridge who had an ambulance to us within 56 seconds. My mom pays 10x the property taxes I pay, but it seems worth it for days like yesterday.

My grandmother’s in the hospital (doing okay, running some further tests). Unfortunately, I’m not unfamiliar with being at a family member’s hospital bedside. Sometimes, I try to act like my mom and help the patient calm down and be at peace- but that’s her role. And sometimes, I try to say some nice spiritual things like Philo, our sister from India (literally, she’s a nun- I promise to blog about her later), but she’s actually the hospital chaplain as well, so it’s better left to her.

So my role? I’m the comedian. It’s not constant hysteria, but bed-side-notes of humor. Who else was going to tell my grandma that the neck brace she was wearing had given her an instant face-lift? And, who is there to joke with her about how they always ask the hardest questions when you have a head injury? Come on, doesn’t everyone already stumble over the question, “What day of the week is it?” Even without a head injury? Can’t we make these questions easier, people?

I think I made her rough night a little easier (I rubbed her head, too- that’s better than comedy, usually). And it got me thinking about living an authentic life in all circumstances. It’s so much more rewarding to all involved when I am ME. Even in a hospital room. I confess that oftentimes I try to fit the mold of what I think others need/want from me. I try to be the whisper of peace, the chaplain, the intelligent one, the pretty one, the team leader and more. I love integrating how others see and respond to the world, but in the end, I’ve got to be the person God made me to be.

P.S. I’m pretty sure He laughs at some of my jokes.

Éirinn go brách (Ireland Forever)

3/23/2010 April Gann No comments

I had some fun the week of Saint Patrick's Day. Since my recent trip to Ireland (watch it here), I'm embracing all things of my Irish heritage. Like green hair.

Le Éirinn mo chroí (my heart belongs in Ireland). I can't wait until the next trip to Ireland. Or at least the next overly-commercialized Irish-American holiday!

Sláinte!
Cheers!

Thanksgiving Confessions

11/29/2009 April Gann 2 comments

1) I like setting the table WAY more than preparing all the food.

2) I didn't actually win game night. Even though I am holding up a "W" for the picture.

3) Taboo is still my all-time favorite game. I picked teams. They might have been a little unfair. My baby bro (Jonathan) and me VS. my mom and 81 year old grandma. My little strategy worked: it wasn't about winning as much as it was laughing SO hard at my mom and grandma giving each other clues. And Jonathan and I WERE going for a Taboo World Record...

4) Jonathan and I got up at 4:00 AM (after going to bed at 1AM) to be door-busters for Black Friday. Not because we needed anything, but because it is tradition. We hit Best Buy first, but refused to stand in line outside. So we went to Kohl's, where we stood in line inside and bought ourselves Keurig Coffee Makers and other great deals...

5) At the Thanksgiving Table, we went around and had to name 3 things we were most thankful for. We cut my mom off at 71 things. I accidentally listed my friends Tony and Mat before God. :) I am SO thankful that they spent tons of hours getting my bathroom ready for my Thanksgiving Guests. Plus, they are just really fun to have around. They represent so many friendships that I have been blessed with. Friends that have become my family.

6) At the holidays, I am always reminded that life hasn't turned out as dreamily as I thought. It's a little more messy. But, I am so thankful that while so many things in my life have changed, my purpose and identity have not. I hope that no matter what you did for Thanksgiving (whether dreamy or messy), you find joy and purpose in being salt and giving light to everyone in your house/neighborhood/world.

Matthew 5:13-15

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house."

It Came Upon a Whirlwind Christmas

12/30/2008 April Gann 3 comments

I've done a lot of traveling this season. In fact, I need to go pack my bags so I can head out again in the morning. But, I wanted to share some of the highlights of my whirlwind travels!

I did in fact leave downtown Chicago to become a Michigander and thought I'd show off my new life by dressing us all up at the SpringHill Christmas Party. I am SO excited about another year working with an innovative, fun team!

Danae, April, Tony, Craig