gifts

Here's some of what we were up to in the days preceding Christmas. We really wanted to make our kids some gifts this year. Ella borrowed The Princess and the Pea from the library and I read it no less than three times a day the whole time we had it at the request of Ella who fell in love with the story. I was reminded of this sweet little play set and knew it would be perfect for the Bella girl. I rounded up some pretty leftover fabric scraps and sewed the bag and lots of little mattresses. I decided to buy a princess for it instead of making a paper doll. She especially likes the tiny pocket that holds the peas and I love watching her chat away to herself while she plays.


Josh hid away in the basement with a wonderful little carpentar's assistant (and very good secret keeper)building a kitchen for the girls. Needless to say they were delighted on Christmas morning and there is no shortage of tea parties and cupcake baking around here. Juden got a real archer's bow and arrows and a knight's tunic to match.







It has been a wonderful December of celebration and family,fires, cocoa, Mickey's Christmas Carol, parades,friends,busyness and peaceful times, and most importantly gratitude and worship to our manger born King.
Josh's mom prepared a wonderful feast for us on Christmas and Josh and I had a quiet Christmas night and watched The Nativity. If you haven't seen it, you should. It was a beautiful rendering of this story and reminded me how much I want to go to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem etc. and see, feel, walk those roads, those places that His feet trod. The place where the sky erupted with starlight and angels' voices, the place He spent His earthly days. I have been so grateful for our times of family worship. Not always quiet or uninterrupted but God moved in us despite our brokenness,and our distractions. One night after reading,prayers and singing together, Juden told me how much he loved the Bible so much. I told him that we need to be so thankful for His Word because there are some people that don't have it or have it in their language. His face dropped with sadness and he asked me if we could give them all of ours except one. This conversation and his precious heart which so wanted to give, spawned what I believe will be a new tradition. Right after this conversation a pamphlet came in the mail with our Compassion letter specifically asking for donations to help provide Bibles to children without, and Juden was thrilled. We talked about Jesus' words, " Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me." We placed a jar for our family to collect money to give to Compassion to help feed and provide Bibles to children.
I was so humbled and thankful to watch him look for jobs, and eagerly collect little fistful of coins to drop into his jar for Jesus' birthday present. And I thought to myself, "Am I this eager and open handed to give of what's been given to me?" I think Juden found more joy in figuring out how to give Jesus a birthday present than he did in getting his own. I think he began to learn that it is more blessed to give than to receive and to look outside of himself to the needs of others. What tender mercy that He stirs the heart of a child and stirs in mine.

Hope you had a warm and merry Christmas!