Happy New Year

Image courtesy of antiqueclipart.com

Feeling blessed ...

... with family & friends who know how to give good gifts!

"The Victorian rule of thumb for filling a Christmas stocking was

"Something to eat,

something to read,

something to play with,

and something they need!""

From The Twelve Teas of Christmas by Emilie Barnes

And, that's what I got from my mother this Christmas!

• To eat -- a bag of M&Ms :)
• To read -- an unabridged copy of Les Miserables & a little Louisa May Alcott story
• To play -- an "Emmy Consideration" DVD with both Cranford & the "new" Sense & Sensibility, plus a DVD of Facing the Giants
• And needed -- slippers and two pairs of shoes!

And, there were so many other lovely gifts...

• a renewed subscription to Victoria,
• a copy of a new-to-me Victoria book, and roses artwork
• a Christmas ornament from a favorite store,
• a cottage cookie jar for my collection, treats for my kitties, and Celestial Seasonings seeds to grow my own chamomile & peppermint (tea & gardening in one gift! how neat!)
• bags full of special food treats
• Christmas money
• And, the package that arrived on Christmas Morning? a wonderful, big box full of soft, pink cozy things and lots of "girly" fun

A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: ...

Proverbs 17:8a

Feeling Christmas-y

It felt like Christmas this year.

I had the chance to work hard, at work worth doing.

The weather was unusually cold for most of the season, making sweaters, the fire, and hot beverages especially appealing. (Though it did turn warm for Christmas.)

We have a beautiful Christmas tree, purchased early (compared to some recent years!), decorated in due season, and enjoyed in both passing glimpses and longer stretches settled on cushions.

The other decorations also went up in a timely manner, and, although I love them every year, I think this year was the best!

Christmas carols began playing just after Thanksgiving -- my most "favoritest" of music.

We had the chance to go Christmas shopping... more than once! And recognized God's blessings with perfect items for intended recipients... complete with perfect prices!

God led me to some "just right" Christmastime reading -- soft, reassuring, and pleasant. During the course of the season, I read Tidings of Comfort & Joy (by T. Davis Bunn), Finding Father Christmas (by Robin Jones Gunn), The Twenty-four Days before Christmas (by Madeleine L'Engle), The Christmas Bride, and The Substitute Guest (both by Grace Livingston Hill).




I was able to enjoy some holiday movies... of the sort where, on Christmas Eve, orphans find homes, people get engaged (or married!), and it snows. I like those movies.


I'm just so grateful for God's blessings this season... He blessed our work, and poured out good gifts in abundance, and late one night, reminded me...

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:2

A Quiet Christmas

We had the gift of three lovely, quiet days for Christmas.

On Christmas Eve Eve, I followed family tradition, and slept on the sofa by the tree. It felt like the start of a holiday! Georgie thought so, too, and decided not to sleep very much. Well, at least as not as much as *I* would have liked to. :)

On Christmas Eve Day, we did the final "fluffing" of the room, just in time for a Christmas visitor, who brought gifts! We made coffee and baked two tiny pans of chocolate chip cookies in the toaster oven.


On Christmas Eve, we ate our simple casserole by the tree, then turned to our Christmas pastimes...we played a few games of Yahtzee and enjoyed mugs of hot chocolate, with whipped cream. Then, we began a surprisingly complicated puzzle and listened to Patrick Stewart read A Christmas Carol. We stayed up into the wee hours working that puzzle, without finishing, finally stopping to read Christmas Scriptures. And then I stayed up later yet with a Christmas book... that began with the line, "It was the day before Christmas and it had been snowing hard all day."

(The Substitute Guest by Grace Livingston Hill) (It was NOT snowing here. :))


The first hour of wakefulness on Christmas Morning brought three lovely sounds... a "Merry Christmas" call from a far-away brother, the sound of rain, and then a pounding on the door announcing the arrival of a Christmas package!

A Christmas nap was in order a bit later, followed by presents and a perfect little feast enjoyed by the tree. The day was interspersed with friendly phone calls.

In the evening, it was time to return to the surprisingly complicated puzzle... with success this time!



Then, a movie. And, then, a return to my Christmas story book, which I read until the characters had completed Christmas Day...

Then, I slept.

And still had one more day of quietness left, with time to watch movies, read, and do a little needlepoint and some daydreaming about next year.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;

Isaiah 32: 17-18

Christmas

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.


Isaiah 9:2

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12

King and God and Sacrifice

We Three Kings

By John H. Hopkins, Jr.

We three kings of Orient are;

Bearing gifts we traverse afar,

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

Following yonder star.

Refrain
O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King forever, ceasing never,

Over us all to reign.

Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I;

Incense owns a Deity nigh;

Prayer and praising all men raising,

Worship Him, God on high.

Refrain

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;

Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

Sealed in the stone cold tomb.

Refrain

Glorious now behold Him arise;

King and God and sacrifice;

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Sounds through the earth and skies.

Refrain

Combination of

Lyrics found here
And from Christ in the Carols, by Christopher & Melodie Lane

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11

Love divine

Love came down at Christmas,

Love all lovely, love divine;

Love was born at Christmas,

Star and angels gave the sign.

By Chris­ti­na Ros­set­ti

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

I John 4:16

A holiday outing

Drew had some movie tickets that were set to expire, so he treated us to a matinee on Saturday.


We enjoyed buttery popcorn, bubbly Coke, and a beautifully drawn "good tempered" (Drew's well-chosen phrase) movie about characters who sought chivalry, bravery, honor, sunshine, rain, and soup.

Then, we enjoyed Subway sandwiches (loaded with veggies! :)) and the George C. Scott version of "A Christmas Carol."

It felt like the holidays!

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:

Proverbs 17:22a