“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” (Ps 25:16)
Christmas may be the most wonderful time of the year for many, but it’s not that way for everyone. As much as I love Christmas, and I really do, there have been years I just wanted to skip the holiday. The years with tremendous changes such as my divorce, the death of my grandma, and the move of my brother and his wife were times I didn’t feel as festive. Continue reading “When Christmas Isn’t So Wonderful”
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” (Ps 126:2)
In 1983, Santa brought me the most coveted of all Christmas gifts that year—a Cabbage Patch doll. She had brown yarn for hair, a plastic head with the sweetest dimples, and a fabric body.
I was six years old and beside myself with excitement. I couldn’t wait to show my grandma. Every year, Grandma gave her stamp of approval on the gifts my brother and I received. Continue reading “Christmas Memories: The Gift of Laughter”
For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. (Ps 33:4)
It’s hard to believe another year is coming to a close. My blog posts serve as a reminder of things that have happened in my life this past year, and I believe reviewing them is helpful. I can see areas in which I’ve grown and where I still need to do more work. I note lessons I’ve learned and common themes among those lessons. I’m encouraged by God’s faithfulness, which increases my faith and trust in him. Continue reading “2019 – A Review”
Congratulations to Sarah M. from Wisconsin, the winner of the $10 Amazon gift card!
Christmas is my favorite holiday by far. Like many of you, I have cherished memories of family gatherings. I’ve spent many hours throughout the years creating handmade gifts for others and baking sweet treats with my mom. As adults, we can feel overwhelmed and stressed by the season for many reasons: financial difficulties, too many activities, family members who don’t get along…the list goes on and on. Joy seems elusive, but we can experience the joy of the season when we remember why we celebrate this season: Jesus.
This Christmas season, I’m joining The Kids Did It blog and The Mommy Island blog to participate in the Third Annual Winter Is Coming Giveaway Event, which runs from December 3, 2019, to December 21, 2019. The winner will receive a $10 Amazon gift card. Continue reading “2019 Winter Is Coming Giveaway Blog Hop”
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (1 Thes 2:15)
During the holidays, many of us practice family traditions. Traditions don’t have to be grand gestures, but they can be, and we can practice them any time, not just at the holidays. A tradition is anything your family does on a regular basis. Some are passed down from generation to generation, and we form others unintentionally.
On Thanksgiving, my family watches the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, my mom makes her famous broccoli and rice casserole, my dad gets his own pecan pie, and we watch football and movies. Like I said, traditions don’t have to be big things, but these activities are signs of the holiday for my family. Continue reading “Thankful for Traditions”