Dec. 30, 2007 - Chistmas and New Years
We've had a wonderful (and busy) week celebrating Jesus' birth and look forward to New Years.
The Saturday before Christmas my sweet mother-in-law took the girls to a play (for their Christmas gift) and then had them spend the night. They had a great time and we're grateful to her for providing them this wonderful opportunity. (My honey & I enjoyed dinner, a rented movie, and stocking stuffer shopping together while they were gone.)
The 23rd the girls had some sweet friends over to spend the night. (The kids always have a blast together and the moms & dads appeciate the date night. Plus we thought that it might help the kids be tired for Christmas Eve.) :) The kids had a great time. That night the kids and I went caroling to our neighbors on our block. It was the first time we've gone caroling on our own - we had a great time and the neighbors were truly blessed by it. What fun to share God's blessings with others. We hope to do it again next year.
Christmas Eve was fun - getting ready during the day and that night my mom joined us as we visited our old church for the Christmas Eve service. What a sweet time of worship. We also enjoyed looking at some lights on our way home.
Christmas morning began with what is becoming a tradition at our house. The girls get up (before the sun), come into our room, and spend the next half hour trying to wake their daddy. :) Christmas morning was full of baby dolls, sewing books, sweet gifts from the heart, & a coffee maker for me and grill cover for my honey. We also enjoyed visits from my parents & my honey's stepmom who stopped by to wish us a Merry Christmas and enjoy Christmas morning with the girls.
Christmas afternoon we went to my parents for more celebration and enjoying Christmas with my folks, my grandma, & my brother, sister-in-law, nephews, & niece.
Chistmas evening saw us off to my honey's grandma's house for yet more celebration and family (grandparents, his mom & stepdad, aunts, uncles, cousin, & brother).
Christmas was full of fun & family - what a blessing to enjoy these gifts as we celebrate God giving us His gift - Jesus in the flesh so that, through faith in His death and resurrection, we can have eternal life in Him.
The rest of the week involved shopping (gift cards that were burning holes in pockets & material for new sewing projects) and enjoying a great movie with my mom thanks to her generosity.
Yesterday we cleaned up Christmas decorations and cleaned the house.
Today we had a wonderful time of worship this morning with a guest preacher. He's currently a missionary in Mexico City. His message was so stirring to my heart - I look forward to digging in more to the scriptures and praying over the message the next couple of days. (He talked about learning to fear God (talking about Isaiah 57:11) and people having a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Tim. 3:5). The power of course is Jesus & the gift of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives. He also talked about how even Christians sometimes approach things like prayer and Bible reading as if they are on a check list of things to do for God rather than a response to our love for Him and done in obedience because of that love. Good stuff I look forward to pondering over.)
Tonight we're looking forward to meeting up with an aunt, uncle & cousins to enjoy seeing some more local Christmas lights. (This has become an annual tradition we look forward to enjoying with them.)
We're looking forward to a cozy New Years' Eve. Lord willing, we plan to play games, watch movies & football, & enjoy seeing the new year in as a family. We'll enjoy our traditional New Year's Day dinner with my folks, my grandma, & my brother and his family.
That's it - our week in a nutshell. It's been fun.
Have a wonderful New Year.
In His love.
