Everyday Living

He Dwelt Among Us

~ Christmas, Faith, Holidays

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”
John 1:14christmas “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:1-18IMG_3681 In keeping with today’s temperature of about 75, we decided to greet you with a non traditional “tropical” look. We wish you a blessed and balmy Christmas.

final-closer-both-1

One Of A Kind

~ Christmas, Faith, Holidays

We take delight in expressing a heart felt “thank you”  to all who have so graciously taken your valuable time to be a part of our everyday living. Your kind comments also continue to bless us and encourage us.

I have a thought that comes to mind occasionally that I’d like to mention. Everyone in the world who is six or seven years old probably understands what I’m about to say, so that fact may cause us to miss the point. It is easy to have thoughts and ideas about individuals, families, people groups, and even nations (whether currently or historically) without any consideration of a fact we all realize, but never think about.
And that is: no human who has ever lived has had one single thing to do with who their parents would be, where on this big planet they would be born or at what precise moment throughout all time that they would arrive on earth. No choices as to who, when, or where. Zero! Zilch!

This with one exception.

A blog I enjoy included a statement today that reminded me of the one and only exception. The Baby of Christmas is the only human to choose his family, his exact time, and his exact place to be born. At a precise time, chosen before the foundation of the world, Jesus would be born. His ancestors were selected. His parents were chosen and Bethlehem was appointed to be the birthplace.

The most unique, profound, and world-changing event to take place during the existence of people; past, present, and future.

We hope with this thought in mind that you take a minute to read the account of this
one-of-a-kind birth of choice. Maybe you’ve read it a thousand times. I believe you will enjoy it again (and again, and again). Maybe you’ve never read about this event.

We invite you to join us on the blog tomorrow and read an account of the birth of this Child, who chose every circumstance regarding His own birth.

More importantly, we hope you take time to read more and discover the reason He entered the human scene as He did.

See you tomorrow!An ancient feeding trough we saw in Israel. It is old enough to have been in use 2,000 years ago.It is likely that a trough like this one was used in Bethlehem in the time of Jesus and could’ve served as a “manger”.butch-closer  Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, Rustic & Refined

‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (Eve)

~ Christmas, Decorating, Holidays

 “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:12-14‬ ‭

As we enter into the next few days, many things will flood our minds.
Did I get everything on my list?  
Is there enough room for everyone to sleep?
 Did I wrap all of the gifts?  

There are so many tasks to mark off of our lists and so many places for our minds to wander. But what if we shifted our focus?  What if we gave the Christ child and his birth our undivided attention?

Long ago when Jesus was born, do you think it was really a “Silent Night”?  Or do you think Mary was in agony as any young girl would be while giving birth? Do you think she knew that the baby she birthed would redeem all of humanity?  What about the wise men?  How far did they actually travel to worship Jesus?  And the innkeeper…I wonder if he knew the travelers that he had no room for would soon be welcoming in the Savior of all mankind?

The decorating is done in our home, and we pray that everything – from the garland to the twinkling lights – magnify the name of Jesus.  May your homes be a haven to reflect on the good news that Christ Jesus has come into our world.  He is the Joy of every longing heart.

 Early morning view of our family room!  The slim tree tucked into a corner in the kitchen!  The kitchen tree is the only themed tree that I have ever used!  For many years, I have decorated it with beaded fruit…  …and red birds! My large Christopher Radko nutcracker stands guard!   This year I placed my Steinbach nutcracker collection at the tree’s base!  They are so festive!  The Byer’s Carolers moved to the French chest in the kitchen! Do you hear them singing?  Mrs. Claus (made by my Mother) sits among greenery, fruit, and antlers on a primitive pine table in the kitchen!
Now for a little recap of Christmas at our home, click each picture to check out each blog post!
 A little Christmas in the bedroom!  I love the pops of red mixed with the turquoise! New bird plates made an appearance on our table!  A snowy scene in the hallway!  Nutcrackers greet guests on the kitchen porch! A blue and white table setting!  The large nativity moved to the hearth this year! Five flocked pencil trees arrived in our dining room bay window this year!  Christmas and cider in the family room! So many memories surround this tablescape  The foyer is decked out with Santas! We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!side Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, Rustic & Refined