Merry Christmas, friends! I hope the joy of Christ fills your hearts and homes today.
I wanted to share my favorite holiday decoration today: my mama’s nativity scene. It was hand-painted in Japan and I think it is beautiful. And as icing on the cake, my dear daddy made the wooden nativity scene stable! He was always framing mama’s artwork and creativity. You can also see a corner of the Behold, My Eyes Have Seen My Salvation art in the picture and also a wee corner of a family Bible given to my parents as a wedding gift from my dad’s parents.
I miss my parents, and my grandparents, and though these *things* are temporal, I am thankful and blessed to have them for this time.
Then you see there are some sticks and oils in the picture. A friend brought me a whole bag of sticks this week and I’ve had such fun making arrangements! And the oils have improved my emotions, helped balance hormones, boost immunity and my energy levels, helped with sleep and to reduce stress and anxiety and alleviate pain.
And besides my dear family, who is not here today, that about sums up my life:
Jesus, family, friends, sticks and oils..
It’s a blessed life. It is a beautiful life because I choose to have that perspective. I choose to look for beauty in the everyday. Even on holidays when the house is quiet and extended family is over the river and through the woods, God is still on His throne and He is still good. He’s opened His storehouses of snow and blanketed beauty all around. I am so blessed to know and love Him. My heart, and home, is full of love.
The joy of Christ to you!
Merry Christmas! I sure do love you.
