Everyday Living

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 110

~ Simple + Southern Sunday

“And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at His birth”
Luke 1:14
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“Come, thou long expected Jesus,born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart”
Charles Wesley
  
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”
Galatians 2:20

 
It looks like it’s raining gingko leaves in our downtown area!

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Sacrifice & Thanksgiving

~ Faith, Holidays, Thanksgiving

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118:1‬ ‭

Sacrifice and Thanksgiving are inseparable. When I ponder things to be thankful for, it seems nothing on my list would exist without sacrifice. And often sacrifice that included (or includes) great risk. I suppose it’s only natural that a greater sacrifice triggers within me a greater degree of thankfulness. Yet I know we must be grateful for small things too.

We visited Plymouth Massachusetts a few months ago and were reminded of tremendous sacrifice and risk when we toured the Mayflower II, an exact replica of the original 1620 vessel. The living conditions and all the unknowns that over 100 men, women and children faced to come to America is mind boggling.


Then I was thinking about the soldier, the police officer, the fireman, the teacher, the pastor, parents, grandparents, a dear friend, a nurse, a neighbor, a Good Samaritan, a husband, a wife, or any one of a hundred more we could list. Sacrifice + risk = thanksgiving. If it doesn’t, shame on me.

But I must conclude with mentioning the sacrifice of all sacrifices. Jesus, God’s Son, dying on a cross on behalf of and in the place of all of us.  Every tribe, every tongue, every nation. No one excluded. He rose from the grave, and by doing so, conquered death for all who would follow Him. This deserves to be at the top of our thanksgiving list.

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:15‬ ‭

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Tablescape Tuesday: A Christmas Round-Up

~ Christmas, Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 106:1

How’s your Thanksgiving week going so far?  If you are anything like me, you’re probably getting lots of quality time in the kitchen!  My cooking will begin today for the feast that we will have here in our home!  Thursday will come and go and the next thing you know we will be talking about our favorite Christmas dishes!  Isn’t it crazy how this year has flown by?  

I hope that aside from all of the planning, cooking, and preparing you are all able to take time out to enjoy family and friends!  We have been given much, and have many reasons to be thankful.  This week’s tablescape will jump ahead to Christmas, as we dip into the archives for a look at tables from previous years.  I hope y’all enjoy…I am going to turn on the Christmas station and start my cookin’!

caroler 
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