FIRST CORINTHIANS 13--CHRISTMAS VERSION

 If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator.

 

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime: 
but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. 

If I work at a soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home, and give all that I have to charity; but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. 

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on love, I have missed the point.

 

Love stops the cooking to hug the child. 

Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.

 
Love is kind, though harried and tired. 

Love does not envy another's home 
that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way, 

but is thankful they are there to be in the way. 

Love does not give only to those who are able to give in return; 

but rejoices in giving to those who cannot.

Love bears all things, believes all things, 

hopes all things, and endures all things.

Love never fails.  

Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, 

but giving the gift of love will endure.

Thank you Missy for sending this to me.

Hello to all of you!   I have wanted to post a few things, but now have finally figured out how to blog!   It may be a little late for some, but appropriate for others.  I do hope that it looks as beautiful as Laurie's always do!  

First, are all of you enjoying this preparedness as much as I am?  Remember, even if you are not completely finished by the goal of December 1st, you are still soooo much better off than if you had waited!  So, ENJOY whatever tasks you have completed!  Rejoice!

So, here are a few things that have kept me going this season.  First, I have been getting good use out of my crock pot.  On busy days, I just start that wonderful invention early in the morning, and our family enjoys a home cooked meal on days when I am out shopping.  It feels great to come home to a warm meal already finished!  

Next, it has been helpful keeping a wrapping station ready for wrapping.  If you haven't done this, find an area where you can keep all your goodies.  Some people just make one out of a "back of the door shoe hanging bag".  You can put tape, scissors, tags, ribbons and paper all in one.  A garment bag will also work if you have one of those instead.

Also, we have truly simplified our decorating at home this year.  The FlyLady recommends five areas ONLY to decorate.  I believe she says to stick with the tree, the mantle, the bannister, the kitchen OR dining room table, and a wreath on the door!  Can you believe it???  As far as our home goes, we pretty much stuck with this simplicity.  We didn't even put up our main tree! We are going to be out of town for Christmas and I just couldn't see doing all that work and not even being here on Christmas morning!  My children were a little disappointed while we were decorating, but I shared with them my goals about focusing on family and the birthday of our Lord, and they never mentioned it again!

Lastly, remember to keep your receipts in your December 1st notebook.  You will be so glad you did.  Also, keeping a record of your gift giving this year will really help you next year!

Christmas Blessings to all!  (And by the way,  I am really looking forward to a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Moody Radio is presenting a Thanksgiving audio program to be aired at 8am and 4pm.  It seems like it will an interpretation of the first Thanksgiving.  We will be planning our mealtimes around the 4 pm program, so that we can all sit around and enjoy it as a family.)

When sending Christmas cards this year please consider sending a card to a recovering American soldier via this address:

A Recovering American Soldier

c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

6900 Georgia Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20307

How wonderful to have a chance to thank one of these brave people for his/her sacrifice for our country and liberties.  Thanks for considering being a part!

Satisfication in Christ

Yesterday when I went into a store and had them wrap the Christmas gifts I purchased, I was wishing I had my appropriate Christmas tags in my notebook so that I could go ahead and correctly tag the gifts...instead of taping names with scrap paper onto them...so put some gift tags in your notebook...I am almost threw with my shopping for everyone but the children! I cannot decide where to draw the line on how much we spend on them this year...I LOVE giving gifts so this is always difficult for me...but I want children who are satisfied in Him not things...
"Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, Listen to Me and eat what is good and your soul will delight in the richest of fare" Isaiah 55:5 ....praying we all find satisfaction in Christ Alone during these holidays... Also, the book, Christmas Jars, by Jason Wright might be a possible book to read aloud to your family. I think the premise is that money is saved in a jar and is passed on to those in need...it might be a story that could go along with what our family is doing this Christmas as we try to help others...just wanted to let ya know! Happy Holidays!!!

A little child

a shining star

a stable rude

the door ajar.

yet in that place

so crude, forlorn,

The Hope of all

the world was born.

-Anonymous

More Quotes for Christmas

I read this about entertaining...
"Your home is the canvas; your guests are the paint."
When entertaining, I want to be more focused on my guests than perfection in my home decor, food, and appearance.

Also I read a great reminder for my family and ME so that I have a spirit of thanksgiving and contentment every day and during the holidays...

"REFLECT upon your present blessings, of which every man has many..."
Charles Dickens

Thank you, Father, for our blessings.

A Few Christmas Thoughts

Merry Christmas! AM I really blogging? Okay, I have tried to put these tips onto the blog two other times, if this time doesn't make it, then you weren't meant to have the tips. They are not that profound anyway! I am just trying to encourage my friend by responding to her AWESOME Holiday blog!!!!!!!!!!! If these tips show up three times, I apologize.
1) Using cute ribbon, tie Christmas Cards on a Christmas tree each day they arrive. You can then pray for the families on the tree...and after taking them down...continue to pray for a few of them each day all year long by scrolling through them each morning during your quiet time.
2)Put out a holiday puzzle...I bought one on sale for half price after Christmas last year and can't wait for our family to sit by the fire and the tree and work it together. Isn't that why we are doing all of this?
3)Instead of saving entire catalogs, I buzz thru them daily and only keep the page I like with the gift idea I like circled. I put the name of who it would be appropriate for on it and I check to make sure there is a phone # or website address at the bottom of the page. Then I store it in my Christmas notebook. I am going to take a few of these to The Peanut Gallery tomorrow and make sure that they cannot order them before I go on-line...I really do feel it is important to shop locally if possible.
4)In response to Jennifer's question about something meaningful to have your kids do...I heard from Pete Newman (Kanakuk Kamps...go to their website!) that one idea was to give your child some money and have them find one person/organization to help over the holidays...I am going to try that this year. The International Justice Mission (IJM.org) is an organization to look into if you are seeking world justice...you probably will want to do something a little more hands on and locally tho for Christmas.

From Jennifer:  "Something I would like to do and would love to get ideas for is an activity/ies that my children could do over break that would serve the community, the church, the underprivileged . . . I am looking for something a little different and a little more involved than doing a Christmas Angel from the mall (although I do think that is a great thing).

Please post ideas/input in the comment section below.  

Also, do you have a question for our group? Send it to laurienewman@mac.com or post it in the comment section and it will be transfered as a post.