Well, I've decided to stay here for awhile...LOL I will try to be back in a day or two and put up our Christmas pictures..blogging just feels so weird now since I haven't done it in so long (consistently) but I REALLY miss it so I am trying.. :)
Anyway,
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
~Jules~
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
homemade gifts....
Some of our gifts (well, most of them) are homemade this year!! I thought I would share a few with you!
This is the girls' gift along with shoes, tights, leotards & headbands, the whole ballerina ensemble! They will be so excited when they open these on Christmas morning! I am praying we get these done....if we do, I will post pictures for you.
Charlie is also making the girls a stove for Christmas and it is super cute! (It kind of looks like this one, minus the clock but now I am thinking maybe we could add one??? lol ) I wish I had a stove like that when I was a little girl....they also are getting all the "stuff" to go with it, rolling pins, baking sheets, aprons, etc.!!
Drew is getting a painted canvas for his room and a cool shelf to put all of his tractors on! The kid already has so many but he will be a collector just like his Daddy! :)
This is the girls' gift along with shoes, tights, leotards & headbands, the whole ballerina ensemble! They will be so excited when they open these on Christmas morning! I am praying we get these done....if we do, I will post pictures for you.
Charlie is also making the girls a stove for Christmas and it is super cute! (It kind of looks like this one, minus the clock but now I am thinking maybe we could add one??? lol ) I wish I had a stove like that when I was a little girl....they also are getting all the "stuff" to go with it, rolling pins, baking sheets, aprons, etc.!!
Drew is getting a painted canvas for his room and a cool shelf to put all of his tractors on! The kid already has so many but he will be a collector just like his Daddy! :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
Christmas ramblings..
I have a few minutes to waste (not really but let's pretend, okay? lol) so I thought I would sit down and type out a little update for ya'll! I am soooo not prepared for Christmas..and I know, why am I blogging? but I am so anyway, I am so not prepared and I am fine with it!! Yes, I am. I know that it will get done, it always does so I am determined NOT to stress this year! :)
In other news, I have started Jillian Michaels, 30 day shred and OMG, it kills!! I am on day 4 (should be day 5 but whatever) and Claire had to pull me off of the floor. My 4 year old had to help me sit up. I am not even joking! lol On the bright side, however, my jeans are a bit looser already! So, YAY!!!
I am reading John by Beth Moore. There's a long explanation behind this but suffice to say, I am reading it and enjoying it, immensely. However, I find it hard to read the bible from someone's point of view in fiction form?? Not sure if that's how I want to explain it but does anyone else struggle with this?? No, just me?
I wrote a Christmas letter this year after receiving a few and deciding it looked like huge fun and a great way to update everyone on the happenings in our little family. It was fun to write but it was written quickly on a deadline so I am hoping I write a much more articulate letter next year! And, I am sorry if you are offended by Santa Claus but that is what Claire & Lily picked out (and there was not any baby Jesus stationary, just plain paper and the Santa Claus motifs) so that's what we printed the letters on....let me know and next year, I will try to come up with something different because we do not mean to offend. Truly.
We are doing this little Advent thing with the girls....not really following Advent (we have our reasons) but the little stories are wonderful and a great tool for teaching the history of the Jews and why Christ was born and when and how...just a wonderful little book of story books.(Wow, I didn't realize what a deal we got!! We only paid $8 ( I think??) for ours at Sam's Club)We are truly happy with it! (That's the tree above "Jesse tree" of sorts that we place the books on every night after we read. Claire & Lily take turns putting the ornaments on the tree)
Yes, it is just 3 days before Christmas Eve and I have about 10 more presents to buy but I am trying soooo hard to focus on the reason behind Christmas this year and to teach my children not just by words but by example and what do I show them if I am stressed out and hurrying to buy whatever I can just to buy??? Not the true meaning of Christmas,that's for sure. It will get done and even better if I am calm and still about it. Hope that makes sense!
Christmas Eve is presents (and FOOD) with Charlie's parents & family (gumbo, Jambalaya & e'toufee), then wth my family & parents (traditional, ham, dressing, the works)...then home to bed and Christmas morning we open gifts here and eat a wonderful Christmas breakfast(Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls, fruit salad & omelets) and dinner (roast and all the fixings) and then just relax and enjoy the rest of the Christmas weekend! I am LOVING that Christmas is on a Friday this year!!! We have all weekend long to relish in that Christmas spirit!!
Tortilla soup is simmering on the stove right now and peanut butter fudge is made for dessert. We are having some of our favorite meals this week to celebrate our Savior and the happiness HE brings to all who receive HIM into their hearts..... What are ya'll doing to be still and appreciate the TRUE meaning of the season???
~Merry Christmas!~
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas memories..
Merry Christmas!!
~Julie & family~
Friday, December 18, 2009
Christmas stuff. (what a creative title)
Now, we are going to eat beans and cornbread for supper and then it's off to see Santa Claus (aka..Uncle George) at the community building (aka..Santa's house)...shhhhhh.....;)
Monday, December 14, 2009
little bit of Christmas randomness for ya...
Here's what has been going on in the Fogg household lately. I will try to come back tonight and add pics and post my meanderings for this week (I have a lot of them! lol)
* My hair is DARK now and I absolutely LOVE it!!! Charlie says it looks awesome so that is enough for me! I think dark looks so much better at Christmas time! And, yes, my hair is always brown but this looks a lot better!
*Santa gave me a new printer/scanner/copier and not a moment too soon! My old one bit the dust a couple of months ago! Not fun for this homeschooling mama!! This one is so cool. It's a smart touch and it's just awesome! I love it!!
*We have been making lots of goodies. This afternoon I am going to try and make the VeggieTales recipe for sugar cookies with the girls and let them frost them...can't wait and we will take pics!!
*We have had SO much fun as a family lately!! We took the kids Christmas shopping (a 2 hr. drive) the other day and they were SO good the entire time!! YAY!!!!
*We have an Advent calendar (a gift from a friend) and it is so awesome!! I will take pics and show it to you! Daddy does it with the kids at night. We really do it because it tells the story of Jesus and the history of the Jews and the family of Jesus and we think that is important to know. We ourselves have learned so many things already from doing this calendar but it's also written where we can explain it in simpler terms to the kids! Love it!!
*Tonight we are taking our annual pajama pictures under the tree with our Christmas pj's!! I ususally get them from Old Navy but snagged some $5 pair at Wal-Mart and they were just as cute so......I just went with those!! Pics to come!
Well, that wraps up some of it...I will be back later tonight, hopefully, to share more with you! We are just busy making memories this Christmas!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
* My hair is DARK now and I absolutely LOVE it!!! Charlie says it looks awesome so that is enough for me! I think dark looks so much better at Christmas time! And, yes, my hair is always brown but this looks a lot better!
*Santa gave me a new printer/scanner/copier and not a moment too soon! My old one bit the dust a couple of months ago! Not fun for this homeschooling mama!! This one is so cool. It's a smart touch and it's just awesome! I love it!!
*We have been making lots of goodies. This afternoon I am going to try and make the VeggieTales recipe for sugar cookies with the girls and let them frost them...can't wait and we will take pics!!
*We have had SO much fun as a family lately!! We took the kids Christmas shopping (a 2 hr. drive) the other day and they were SO good the entire time!! YAY!!!!
*We have an Advent calendar (a gift from a friend) and it is so awesome!! I will take pics and show it to you! Daddy does it with the kids at night. We really do it because it tells the story of Jesus and the history of the Jews and the family of Jesus and we think that is important to know. We ourselves have learned so many things already from doing this calendar but it's also written where we can explain it in simpler terms to the kids! Love it!!
*Tonight we are taking our annual pajama pictures under the tree with our Christmas pj's!! I ususally get them from Old Navy but snagged some $5 pair at Wal-Mart and they were just as cute so......I just went with those!! Pics to come!
Well, that wraps up some of it...I will be back later tonight, hopefully, to share more with you! We are just busy making memories this Christmas!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Let's GIVE this Christmas away...
I haven't really been able to blog much this past year. I guess because I really just don't have the desire to blog anymore. Sometimes I blog about something interesting but most of the time, I am just too busy and too preoccupied with life happening to stop and take the time to record or reflect. Make sense?
Anyway, I feel the need to slow down this Christmas season. I know that sounds like a cliche but it's how I really feel this year. I have been pregnant or had a small child every Christmas for the past 5 years..that's a lot of TIRED, people!! lol Seriously, I am exhausted and not just physically. If anyone tells you that 3 is not a big deal, don't believe them! Or hey, maybe, they are just better at this parenting thing than I am, maybe they are blessed with an abundance of energy and patience or a much better ability to balance it all well. I don't know. What I do know is that I need to make this Christmas about GIVING and not money wise.I don't feel a HUGE need to buy buy buy this year. I don't have the energy or even an inkling of desire to drag myself from store to store or spend hours shopping on the web. I don't need to make it about spoiling kids with more junk they don't need. Don't get me wrong, we will still have presents, but I see a disturbing tendency (human nature) already in my children to want. want. want. And, we just do not have the ability and probably never will to spend a large amount on Christmas. So, I don't want to raise my kids that Mom and Dad will go into more debt to give them the "perfect" Christmas. I want to show them how to give to others. How to give without buying the latest gadget.
So, in the Spirit of that, we are doing a Jesse tree this year and we are going to adopt some angels or do a Samaritan's purse shoebox. We are going to talk it over and decide this weekend. Our children will probably receive about 3 gifts a piece and some little things in their stockings (and buy little I mean dollar store items or items from Oriental trading).
Everyone's gifts from us will be homemade and the children's gifts (nieces and nephews) will be inexpensive things such as lip gloss, gloves, journals, books, etc. things of that sort. We are going to write letters to Santa because that's such a fun tradition that my mom always did with us and I want to carry that on with my children. We are also going to be making a lot of fudge, cookies, and yummy treats to give to our families and friends. We are going to do something like this every day this month.Not so much for advent, per say, but because I think it's VERY important and wonderful to learn more of our Savior. See here.
Also, we purchased "Saint Nicholas" (it's cheaper on Amazon)for our kids (Veggie Tales) and they absolutely LOVE it and so do I!! It tells the story of Christmas and Saint Nicholas so perfectly. I would recommend this for anyone! It's great! The music video that's included is awesome, as well.
What are some of your Christmas traditions???
Much love to you and yours this Christmas season!
~Julie
Thursday, December 3, 2009
God in us!!!!!....
God in us! Have we sounded the depth of this promise?God was with Adam and Eve. God was with Abraham. God was with Moses and the children of Israel. God was with the apostles.But he is in you. You are a modern-day Mary. Even more so. He was a fetus in her, but he is a force in you. He will do what you cannot. Max Lucado
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Hello!.....
Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas! :) Thank you so much for the sweet cards and emails! Your Christmas/New Year cards should be arriving soon in your mailbox, if they haven't already. I am really sorry that I was so late getting them sent out. I tried.
We have had a wonderful Christmas! First of all, Charlie got a week off from work, unexpectedly. It wasn't great because it was a week without pay or unemployment (long story) but it was great because we got to spend a lot of time and have a fantastic Christmas week instead of a rushed week. Thank you, Lord, for that. See, there is good in everything, even financial difficulty. :)
So, our Christmas spending was cut back even more, but that's okay, because we just focused more on important things and the true meaning of the Christmas season. Charlie bought us the book, "The Love Dare", as one of our Christmas presents. We have just started doing this and already Satan has attacked us in almost every area of our marriage. It has been rough but it's funny, too, because we just fight back that much harder and WE are winning! If you haven't started this book, I cannot recommend anything any more than I can recommend this book! It's great!
The girls have had a fun filled time with their Daddy and with cousins and visiting family. It's been a wild week and we are looking forward to settling down this week and just getting back into our groove. :)
Charlie's dad is doing pretty good, considering. He has a really great attitude about everything. He's good like that. :) They did not find any cancer in his bones and it is a really early stage so, those are all great things. Hopefully, they can take care of it with radiation. Please continue to pray. We sure do appreciate all of your prayers. :)
We are looking at a rough year again. HOPEfully, things will improve finanacially and otherwise. We are praying and prayerfully considering some options available to us. Please pray for Charlie as he makes a lot of decisions for the future of our family. He really is trying so hard to seek God's will and direction in his life. I am SO proud of him and in all of almost 11 years (next week) of marriage, I have never seen him walk as closely to the Lord as I see him walking now. It gives me goosebumps just talking about it! :)
*Well, I have to go lay clothes out for church tomorrow and read my love dare for tomorrow and get some sleep. I will try to post pictures of our crazy kids and their wild antics at Christmas if I can get the computer to cooperate! (Because of the week off of work, I will have to wait a little while longer on our computer, that's okay, the Lord is sure teaching me how to wait patiently!) :)
Happy New Year!
Julie
We have had a wonderful Christmas! First of all, Charlie got a week off from work, unexpectedly. It wasn't great because it was a week without pay or unemployment (long story) but it was great because we got to spend a lot of time and have a fantastic Christmas week instead of a rushed week. Thank you, Lord, for that. See, there is good in everything, even financial difficulty. :)
So, our Christmas spending was cut back even more, but that's okay, because we just focused more on important things and the true meaning of the Christmas season. Charlie bought us the book, "The Love Dare", as one of our Christmas presents. We have just started doing this and already Satan has attacked us in almost every area of our marriage. It has been rough but it's funny, too, because we just fight back that much harder and WE are winning! If you haven't started this book, I cannot recommend anything any more than I can recommend this book! It's great!
The girls have had a fun filled time with their Daddy and with cousins and visiting family. It's been a wild week and we are looking forward to settling down this week and just getting back into our groove. :)
Charlie's dad is doing pretty good, considering. He has a really great attitude about everything. He's good like that. :) They did not find any cancer in his bones and it is a really early stage so, those are all great things. Hopefully, they can take care of it with radiation. Please continue to pray. We sure do appreciate all of your prayers. :)
We are looking at a rough year again. HOPEfully, things will improve finanacially and otherwise. We are praying and prayerfully considering some options available to us. Please pray for Charlie as he makes a lot of decisions for the future of our family. He really is trying so hard to seek God's will and direction in his life. I am SO proud of him and in all of almost 11 years (next week) of marriage, I have never seen him walk as closely to the Lord as I see him walking now. It gives me goosebumps just talking about it! :)
*Well, I have to go lay clothes out for church tomorrow and read my love dare for tomorrow and get some sleep. I will try to post pictures of our crazy kids and their wild antics at Christmas if I can get the computer to cooperate! (Because of the week off of work, I will have to wait a little while longer on our computer, that's okay, the Lord is sure teaching me how to wait patiently!) :)
Happy New Year!
Julie
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
This made me cry...
Monday, December 22, 2008
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Blessings....
Ah....the blessings of family are the greatest..... some highlights from our weekend thus far.......
* Claire did NOT sit on Santa (aka, Uncle George's) lap, however Lily did & talked up a storm to him! Goes to show what Mommy knows, huh? :) Drew also did excellent! We did, however, get a good picture of Claire with Sarah & Santa Claus a little later. :)
* 4 HUGE sacks of candy, apples & oranges to take home from the sweet family of the American Legion my family has been a part of for 3 going on 4 generations.
* Wonderful parents (and Carissa) who offer to babysit ALL 3 children so we can shop all day undisturbed! WOW! What great grandparents & great cousins our children have! :)
*Lunch with Jeremy & Tammy (Charlie's brother and his wife) after we met up in the city. What fun! We never get to do anything together. That was such a great idea, ya'll!!! :)
*WONDERFUL husband & 3 VERY sleepy worn out babies!!!
Got to go and get the middle child back to sleep! Have a great rest of the weekend!! :)
*Sunday-
*church even though it was FREEZING cold!!! Seriously, people, it was 70 here yesterday. This morning we woke up to 21 and it felt like 11 degrees outside. That is INSANE. and hey, I found my very nice gloves that I lost last year, in my dresser drawer! That's crazy.
*I got up at 6 am and made chili and left it cooking on my wodstove all morning while we were at church! Came home to Frito Chili Pie(I have had 3 bowls) shh..... oh, it was good! :) And, I felt like Laura Ingalls Wilder cooking on my woodstove!
*When the kids wake up, we are going to bake more cookies, make more spice ornaments, and tonight open Christmas pj's (that I got at Old Navy for $5 each! Can you belive that?) and after baths, take our traditional picture under the tree. Hopefully, Claire will get a barbie nightgown from MeMe because that is all she has asked for and I can not find one!! Silly Mama, I waited until the last minute. But, all is not lost, I still have a few days. ;)
*We have been watching Barbie's "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker (which is where I first heard the name Clara (hence, Claire)). I love both of these movies just as much as the girls and I am not afraid to say so. It's so much fun watching my little girls and remembering back to my childhood and dreaming along with them.... I LOVE being a Mama! SO Much!
Well, I have to go and feed Drew. He made the paper today. He was in the baby's first Christmas. I haven't seen the kids Santa Claus letters yet. Hopefully soon!
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Julie
* Claire did NOT sit on Santa (aka, Uncle George's) lap, however Lily did & talked up a storm to him! Goes to show what Mommy knows, huh? :) Drew also did excellent! We did, however, get a good picture of Claire with Sarah & Santa Claus a little later. :)
* 4 HUGE sacks of candy, apples & oranges to take home from the sweet family of the American Legion my family has been a part of for 3 going on 4 generations.
* Wonderful parents (and Carissa) who offer to babysit ALL 3 children so we can shop all day undisturbed! WOW! What great grandparents & great cousins our children have! :)
*Lunch with Jeremy & Tammy (Charlie's brother and his wife) after we met up in the city. What fun! We never get to do anything together. That was such a great idea, ya'll!!! :)
*WONDERFUL husband & 3 VERY sleepy worn out babies!!!
Got to go and get the middle child back to sleep! Have a great rest of the weekend!! :)
*Sunday-
*church even though it was FREEZING cold!!! Seriously, people, it was 70 here yesterday. This morning we woke up to 21 and it felt like 11 degrees outside. That is INSANE. and hey, I found my very nice gloves that I lost last year, in my dresser drawer! That's crazy.
*I got up at 6 am and made chili and left it cooking on my wodstove all morning while we were at church! Came home to Frito Chili Pie(I have had 3 bowls) shh..... oh, it was good! :) And, I felt like Laura Ingalls Wilder cooking on my woodstove!
*When the kids wake up, we are going to bake more cookies, make more spice ornaments, and tonight open Christmas pj's (that I got at Old Navy for $5 each! Can you belive that?) and after baths, take our traditional picture under the tree. Hopefully, Claire will get a barbie nightgown from MeMe because that is all she has asked for and I can not find one!! Silly Mama, I waited until the last minute. But, all is not lost, I still have a few days. ;)
*We have been watching Barbie's "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker (which is where I first heard the name Clara (hence, Claire)). I love both of these movies just as much as the girls and I am not afraid to say so. It's so much fun watching my little girls and remembering back to my childhood and dreaming along with them.... I LOVE being a Mama! SO Much!
Well, I have to go and feed Drew. He made the paper today. He was in the baby's first Christmas. I haven't seen the kids Santa Claus letters yet. Hopefully soon!
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Julie
Friday, December 19, 2008
Here comes Santa Claus....
We are off to see Santa (aka..George, my brother-in-law) at the American Legion meet Santa Claus party. They give out candy to the kids and the kids get a picture with Santa. My Dad fixed candy bags for this so I was told we had to go... haha. :)
We will see if Lily will sit in Santa's lap. Since it's her Uncle George she might even though she won't know it. Claire will, I am sure. and Drew will probably just coo and gurgle at him! :)
Hopefully, I will get to post pictures. I am not promising though. You know how my computer situation is! Lol. I have to laugh about it! :)
Love,
Julie
We will see if Lily will sit in Santa's lap. Since it's her Uncle George she might even though she won't know it. Claire will, I am sure. and Drew will probably just coo and gurgle at him! :)
Hopefully, I will get to post pictures. I am not promising though. You know how my computer situation is! Lol. I have to laugh about it! :)
Love,
Julie
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Spice Dough Ornaments....
*We make these to put on our tree. This year we are putting them on our kitchen tree, as well. They make the house smell SO Christmassey!!!
Mix 7 Tbsp. applesauce and 10 Tbsp. ground cinnamon with fork.
Form a dough ball.Sprinkle board with cinnamon and roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.Cut into desired shapes and place on a cookie sheet.Make a small hole in each ornament before baking.Bake for 6 hours in a 150 degree oven.Thread decorative ribbon and hang on your tree.
*We use gingerbread and cross cookie cutters. The smell of these usually last about a week sometimes longer. They are beautiful and they smell great! :)
Have fun & Merry Christmas!!
Mix 7 Tbsp. applesauce and 10 Tbsp. ground cinnamon with fork.
Form a dough ball.Sprinkle board with cinnamon and roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.Cut into desired shapes and place on a cookie sheet.Make a small hole in each ornament before baking.Bake for 6 hours in a 150 degree oven.Thread decorative ribbon and hang on your tree.
*We use gingerbread and cross cookie cutters. The smell of these usually last about a week sometimes longer. They are beautiful and they smell great! :)
Have fun & Merry Christmas!!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Commodity cheese Fudge...
*Granny Ferguson's special Christmas fudge!My Mama tries to make it every year; enjoy! It's delicious! :)
Ingredients :
1/2 lb. American cheese (unsliced is best if you can find it but sliced works okay, as well)
1/2 lb. butter
2 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
Preparation : Melt together in double boiler or heavy pan, cheese and butter.. Mix sugar and cocoa together in large bowl. Add melted cheese and butter to sugar and cocoa mixture. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup chopped nuts and put into 9 x 13 inch pan. Refrigerate.
Ingredients :
1/2 lb. American cheese (unsliced is best if you can find it but sliced works okay, as well)
1/2 lb. butter
2 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
Preparation : Melt together in double boiler or heavy pan, cheese and butter.. Mix sugar and cocoa together in large bowl. Add melted cheese and butter to sugar and cocoa mixture. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup chopped nuts and put into 9 x 13 inch pan. Refrigerate.
THE ARRIVAL.....
The Arrivalby Max Lucado
God had entered the world as a baby.
Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.
The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.
A more lowly place of birth could not exist.
Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.
Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes he remembers the name the angel told him to use … Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”
Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33)
He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.
Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.
She touches the face of the infant-God. How long was your journey!
This baby had overlooked the universe. These rags keeping him warm were the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.
Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility.
Those who missed His Majesty’s arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren’t looking.
Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?
From God Came Near© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
God had entered the world as a baby.
Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.
The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.
A more lowly place of birth could not exist.
Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor; perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.
Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes he remembers the name the angel told him to use … Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”
Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel. “His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33)
He looks like anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.
Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.
She touches the face of the infant-God. How long was your journey!
This baby had overlooked the universe. These rags keeping him warm were the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.
Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility.
Those who missed His Majesty’s arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren’t looking.
Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?
From God Came Near© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006) Max Lucado
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
christmas cards 2008 will be late.....
Family & friends,
Due to circumstances beyond my control, our Christmas cards will not be sent out until December 20th at least. Just wanted to let you know so that you do not think we are not sending you a card this year! They will just run a little late. Thanks for your understanding!! :)
Love,
Charlie, Julie, Claire, Lily & Drew
Due to circumstances beyond my control, our Christmas cards will not be sent out until December 20th at least. Just wanted to let you know so that you do not think we are not sending you a card this year! They will just run a little late. Thanks for your understanding!! :)
Love,
Charlie, Julie, Claire, Lily & Drew
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