Preparing my heart and our home for our Family Christmas (celebrating early this year), and pausing to give thanks ...
For God's help even with gift-buying (including for 10 sweet grandkids) - just one more gift to finish up. (And all of them need to be wrapped yet!)
Being okay with a bit less baking this year (too little time between Thanksgiving and Christmas), but making sure to bake a favorite "Date Pinwheels" ... and loving a new recipe "Pecan Pie Thumbprints" that I tried out for the first time.
Our Christmas/End-of-Year mailing sent off early this week (have been working on this for weeks), with more going out after our Family Christmas. So thankful for many friends.
Reading of The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp - such beautiful words to read and think on during Advent. I am loving it each day.
Candles - I've been burning them often this season. They help create such a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere.
Our Christmas tree - finally decorated, as of last night! We've had some busy weeks, and we didn't even put it up until this past weekend, finishing with the ornaments last night.
Good news two days ago that our granddaughter's kidney function went up a bit, putting off transplant a little longer than had been expected. This gives more time for testing to find just the right donor. So grateful for God's care of her.
Anticipation of our Family Christmas, and a son coming home from San Francisco to join the rest of us who live in this area. Looking forward to eighteen precious family together very soon. So very blessed by each one ...
Filled with JOY amidst the busyness of preparations (such a busy time of year for a mom and grama!) - and thankful that JOY is not dependent on circumstances or performance, but JOY comes from a Person. The Greatest Gift of all.
I am with you Cherry, on joy being a wonderful gift. On Friday & Saturday I was blessed to participate in several church activities (caroling & visiting decorative homes with a hospitality & mission focus). My joy level seemed out of this world. Then I discovered on Sunday that the advent candle of that day was joy! Things are a bit more mundane now, but God's joy isn't simply a wonderful emotion all the time...it runs deep! I rejoice with you to hear your grandaughter is doing a bit better & we know she is in God's mighty, caring hands. Love & prayers, in Jesus, Cynthia
ReplyDeleteYes, Cynthia - so thankful for God's JOY that runs so deep, and that isn't dependent on circumstances. Hope you had a very special Christmas, filled with Joy!
DeleteLove your list! Have been reading The Greatest Gift as well...and am loving it!
ReplyDeleteCarrie, fun to see your comment here - and so sweet to know you are reading through The Greatest Gift, too. The readings have been soooo good each day!!
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