The Journey Continues ... New Life from Old

I have a number of thoughts from the past week to process and then distill into a blog post.  It looks like I won't get around to that for a couple more days.  Meanwhile, I want to share a link to our church's Christmas Eve sermon.   http://stjamestheapostleregina.wordpress.com/sermons/  or on Facebook, you can hear the sermons at https://www.facebook.com/StJamesRegina I don't think my comments will add anything extra to these sermons, so I'll close this post, giving you time to check out these links.

UPDATE 2017:  This year, I really needed to read my own post from 2014.  With grandkids and flus & colds before Christmas, I feel like I'll never get everything ready by the time company arrives for dinner on December 25.    And from 2015: I'm so glad I don't over-do the Christmas season... Don't get me wrong.  I love the entire Christmas season.  I love the church services, especially late at night on Christmas Eve with a soft snowfall as I leave.  I love the carols, the decorations, the baking, turkey dinner on the 25th, seeing family and friends, Christmas cards ... all of that.  I even love shopping. I don't care about the crowds or complain if the stores are playing the same carols over and over.  I love it all. I just don't get overly anxious about getting everything done.  Whatever gets done is fine with me.  Whatever doesn't get done ... well, there's always next year.  There's limits to my philosophy for sure.  I mean, if I didn&#

I'm so very blessed that my husband loves Christmas so much.  About a week ago I woke up to find he had put up the majority of our decorations.  Instant Christmas!  Our grandchildren were excited to discover the lights and all the various items we have collected over the years.  Their reaction was the best part of it all. Feeling like I should do something to contribute to the way things look for the holidays, I started some housecleaning today ... washing cupboards, cleaning appliances, that sort of thing.  It never seems right to start Christmas baking until the kitchen is just the way I want it to look, with freshly cleaned and organized cupboards.  Just a quirk of mine! While we don't do a major gift exchange any more, we do buy for the grandchildren.  I like to make something for them as well.  My plan is to start their gifts this weekend, along with the first of the baking.  I am looking for a craft to do with them as well ... something special for Christmas, and prob