Is Christmas "Over?"

Really, is Christmas "over" at your house? I find myself in the unusal position of not being ready to take down the decorations just yet. I'm NOT sick of Christmas! And I haven't felt that way for a LONG time! Usually the day after December 25, I stop turning on the lights faithfully, stare at the empty tree skirt and start planning when I'll have time to tuck it all away again until it's time to haul it all out again next year (yes, there's a lot of negative tone associated with those words, decorating for Christmas is something of a chore, as can be "Christmas" itself, if we buy into the world's way of observance). So I can say that for me,--having been forced into a simple holiday due to our tight circumstances--for this year, Christmas isn't "over." And to tell you the truth, I'm glad. Because when you really think about it, do any of us want Christmas to be truly over?

Looking forward to Easter! And I'll let you know when the decorations come down, when that happens, I'll be keeping Christmas in my heart.  Join me.

The bounty under the tree

Merry Christmas, everyone!  I just had to share these beautiful pictures of our tree in all its splendor.  We enjoy sitting near it's glow each December.  Do you see the bounty? The incredible, indescribeable bounty? Are you in awe, like me, of the unspeakable gift that is the reason for the other gifts? This year, one we admittedly call "lean" or "sparse," I have had ample opportunity to be blessed by THE Gift, THE Giver. No gift I could ever give can ever compare to it.

Jehovah Jirah

My Provider His grace is sufficient for me...
My GOD shall supply ALL my NEEDS, according to his RICHES.
Jehovah Jirah cares for ME!

It's not about the presents

I was just thinking about Ebeneezer Scrooge...he was convicted of not CELEBRATING Christmas, there are plenty of "Scrooges" out there who give TONS of gifts, but aren't celebrating Christmas.  Are you one of them?

Merry Christmas

Empty under the tree? No worries!

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),” (Luke 1:68-70)

Not quite 200,000...rats, anyway!

I believe we have officially driven a car into the ground. Our mechanic is still going to look things over tomorrow for an official verdict, but he's already indicated it doesn't look good for the old beater van.  Just what we don't exactly need on top of an already tenuous financial situation...yay. And our camera "crapped out" on us over the weekend, no more photos, thank you very much. Oh well, we can live without photos. But living with only one vehicle might prove to be too much for us this time around...in the middle of a school year, with a busy teen needing to drive some mornings, and parents who live just a little too far from work to make walking truly feasible, especially in the dead of winter.

I know God's got this, so I'll wait to see where He's gonna take it, but I won't pretend that waiting will be easy.

December

We are in the throes of a busy December. State Drill Team & Dance Competition was last weekend in Des Moines.  I went down with Hannah, where her team took 2nd place for their novelty routine choreographed to "Newsies."  The other two routines took Division I ratings, but no placings. Over all they did awesome, and the weather cooperated, so it was a relaxing weekend get-a-way.

In spite of the fact that there are no wrapped gifts under our Christmas tree, I have to say I'm enjoying the holiday season.  We have "plans" for gifting, but can't do anything about them just yet. Hopefully our plan will carry through like we're hoping.

It's hard to not get caught up in the gimme stuff with all the commercials suggesting that I need diamonds from Mark, that the kids need me to shop at the A-1 stores for their gifts that cost exhorbitant prices, but I'm managing to keep my greed in check.  I'm truly thankful for all my blessings...my friends, my husband, my children, my extended family... .

So keep the real thing the focus of your season. Forget gifts, no one really needs them anyway, give your money to a charity if you have to give something. Give it in someone else's name... Let your generosity matter.