Christmas reflections

Here's a peak into our home this past month.

 The fireplace mantel bez the banner that fell apart. I found immense pleasure in collecting a variety of greens and berries from the woods this year.

This is probably my favorite corner of the house. A cross, a globe, the infant Jesus surrounded by those who adored him and an old hymnal opened to "Joy to the World".

 

This is Christmas!

 

 

Just a bit more of my obsessions with fresh greens and berries

 

Want your house to smell heavenly?? Try this!!!

 

Boxwood. There used to be two cute little bushes in front of my house. I hope they grow more branches by next summer.

 

 

 

He came to live here among us. Cassie plays with Baby Jesus while she eats her breakfast. She occasionally dunks him into her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. What a mess this Baby was born into. What a mess!

 

 

 

Cookies of course....

 

 

A birthday to celebrate! Joshua turned 7 on December 21

 

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

late night hours spent put the finishing touches on gifts for those I love

 

The biggest project by far being this Quiet Book that Angeline made for her baby sister

 

Perhaps I will share more about this project at a later time. Let's just say that there were hours of sisterly love invested in this project.

 

 

 

 

 While there were many things that were nearly perfect about this past month and the celebration of Jesus coming into our world, not all was as perfect as these pictures.

If I could have taken a picture of my heart.

Oh. Dear.  Goodness.

I tend to be very critical of people that get harried and stressed over the holidays.

My criticism hit home this year.  {ouch}

I am disappointed with myself.

And I wonder where I wandered off course?

What happened?

How do you cut out activities that you love and are meaningful to you?

Was it all a heart issue? Or did I actually try to do too much?

What does it mean to receive Jesus?

What does it mean to share the joy of Jesus' birth with those around us?

Maybe any kind of celebration with a family of seven is going to require some hard work and sacrifice on my part???

Maybe I should have said 'no' to a number of extra commitments that I took on for December?

I'm asking myself a lot of questions as I reflect on this past month.

I'm asking Jesus what he thinks of this mess I got myself into.

I rejoice in the fact that He came to live here among us!!

And that He speaks into the messiness of my heart.

And that He is redeeming me.

And transforming me.

soli deo gloria