Just a brief post on this late Monday night...I am looking forward to the upcoming long Christmas weekend. It's difficult to concentrate on my work when I have so much on the to-do list in my head.

Here is a picture of the display at the front of our church. There is represented here the 3 gifts from the magi to Jesus - gold, frankinscence and myrrh. As our pastor explained, the 3 wise men didn't reach Jesus probably until he was a toddler. Also, we assume there were only 3 because of the 3 gifts mentioned, but there could've been more.

I love reading the story of the birth of Jesus.



Here is my younger sister, holding up the "dirty santa" gift she made - a "hillbilly back scratcher". Ha! Humor is a good thing. :)

Blessings,
Lorrie

The Happy Christmas Season

It's the most wonderful time of the year....well, I do love this season. Everyone seems to be a little more jolly, a little more giving, a little more kind. I like to ponder on that first Christmas day so long ago. I've read that Jesus was likely born in the autumn instead of the winter. No matter though...Christmas serves as the day we commemorate His birth. I was dismayed to read this week an ugly discussion on the wall of one of my Facebook friends surrounding the pagan origins of Christmas (particularly the Christmas tree) and how Christians ought not to celebrate on this day. Here are my thoughts. One of my favorite parts of the story of the birth of my Savior in Luke 2 was when the angels appeared to the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. Scripture tells us that the angels told the shepherds to not be afraid because they were bringing them "good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people". Move on to Luke 2:13-14:

And suddenly there was with the angels a multitude of heavenly hosts praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

This sounds like a celebration to me! Because of the love of the Father for His creation, He provided a way for eternal salvation for fallen mankind. He gave us the ultimate gift in His only Son, Jesus Christ. This is cause for a celebration, even now!

As for the Christmas tree, I see it as nothing but a tree with pretty ornaments and twinkle lights. For the life of me, I don't understand why some people feel the need to judge their brothers and sisters in Christ over such inconsequential and harmless customs.

Yes indeed - Christmas has become overly commercialized. I, too, am guilty of getting caught up in the gift-giving and spending more money than I should. But I love this wonderful time of the year. It makes my heart feel lighter. It serves as a reminder of God's love for me. And even though it's not the real birthday of Jesus, and Jesus did not intruct us to celebrate His day of birth, I rejoice because it is the day He was born to save me. Like the angels and heavenly hosts who jubilantly proclaimed His birth 2 millennia ago, I also celebrate.

My daughter, my nephew and I went to the "Living Christmas Tree" at a nearby church. It's called this because it's constructed in such a way that the church choir sits in the tree. It has thousands of lights and is spectacular to see.

A part of the production was a play, which included Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus (pictured above). The baby was real. :)

Here is a replica of the three wisemen on display in the church lobby.

A few of my Christmas cards...

I have a few Christmas-themed books to read in my spare time.

Here are 4 mini puzzles I worked this week. Aren't the kitties cute?

Lastly, I made this hamburger hashbrown casserole for supper one day this week. It gets rave reviews from both my husband and my daughter, so it must be okay. Ha!

Christmas Thought:

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Blessings,

Lorrie

Visit to Tennessee

We just got back from the pretty state of Tennessee. We got to visit with our son and his family. I brought them their Christmas gifts as they will be bombarded when they come home for Christmas by other family members (particularly Kaylee).

The night before leaving VA, my daughter and I ate dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. I ate a calzone...it was huge (and very good).

Kaylee got this cute dollhouse as an early Christmas gift from her parents. I would've loved this when I was little. And yes, I even sat down and played with it for a bit.

Here is Kaylee opening up the Minnie Mouse "pillow pet" we bought her. She loves Mickey Mouse and his friends, especially Minnie.

Son is wore out after work. Poor guy.

Here is the ridiculously big hamburger my son got at Shoney's in Nashville. Too much of a good thing?

The nearly always happy Kaylee...She is such a good-tempered child.

We visited the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Here are some of the beautiful stained-glass windows inside.

It almost has a church-like feel inside.

Here we are in front of the Ryman.

On the way home, we stopped by the home of President Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage. I absolutely loved this house. It was so cozy inside.

In stark contrast, here is the tiny slave cabin on the property.

Inside the slave's cabin at The Hermitage. I realize it was another era, and hindsight is 20/20, but I have a hard time wrapping my mind around how highly-intelligent men and women of that time could possibly be able to justify slave ownership.

Gravesite of Andrew Jackson and his family at The Hermitage. He had a most interesting life, including being orphaned by age 14, killing another man in a dual, and himself having a bullet lodged in his chest for more than 30 years. He and his wife, Rachel, had no biological children of their own, but adopted one child and they had many foster children.

Here is a beautiful carriage Jackson purchased. It's amazing how far we've come in such a short time.

In the museum at The Hermitage.

This was behind the house. I assume it was the dinner bell.

Here is my daughter with one of the house guides, dressed in period clothes.

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to The Hermitage. I only wish it had not been so rainy and overcast while we were there.

Remembering those soldiers who perished and survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, 70 years ago today.

In His Love and Always In His Care,

Lorrie