I love that my daughter leaves the Nativity set in this position every night. She carefully sets up the characters so that they stand in a circle, gazing at Jesus. They all seem to lean in whispering, “The One who made us has come to live with us!” That’s the hope, isn’t it? That I […]
Advent: Coming or Arrival I had hoped to light candles more often and create a more peaceful welcome in my heart and home this Advent season. The wreath, devotions, music, Jesse Tree – all of those plans fell by the wayside as the month unfurled. They were traded in for plane tickets to attend […]
This entire series, 12 Steps to Stay in Tune this Season, isn’t the end all be all. I don’t attempt to claim expert status. I’ve simply been sharing what the Lord has taught me about keeping the main thing THE MAIN THING throughout November and December. Thanksgiving must be more than turkey and Black Friday […]
I want you to think of something that you really wanted for Christmas when you were a kid. Make sure you choose something that you actually ended up receiving! It should be the kind of gift that made it difficult for you to sleep on Christmas Eve. You couldn’t wait for it. When you discovered […]
I promise I’m not just stating the obvious when I tell you that giving love is an important part of tuning our hearts this season. I’m not talking about the sweater you ordered for your Mom or the cookies you are giving to your child’s teacher. I think our hearts allign with the Lord and […]
When I read the gospels, I usually skim through the Christmas story. The nativity is repeated so often during December that I consider my Christmas story quota filled. But recently I started researching Mary, the mother of Jesus, and discovered something both deeply humbling and encouraging. “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel […]
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14, NIV “But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a […]
Joy to the World is one of my favorite Christmas Carols, and it might just be THE favorite. This morning sealed the deal. Here was my expectation: Lay baby girl on the floor near the lit Christmas tree. Warm my one cup of coffee and take my Advent book, journal, and Bible into the front […]
“What we do when we leave the manger says a lot about who we met there.” – Bob Goff That phrase is sticking with me today. It’s just two days since Christmas and already my routine is changing. My Advent books are back on the shelf. The final to-do list of 2012 is quickly filling. […]
Family traditions are straight up random when they don’t belong to your family. I’ve been quizzing friends and acquaintences this season to see what I’m missing by not being part of your family for Christmas. A lot of people all wear new pajamas on Christmas Eve. Several families actually hide pajamas for everyone to hunt. […]
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