Faithful friends who are dear to us gather near to us once more

I love Christmas carols. I love their familiarity, and yet, each year, there is a line in some song that I have heard one hundred times before that catches me in a fresh way. This year it was a line from "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" that brought happy tears to my eyes.

"Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more."

We are blessed to have a loving family that lives near to us. We are also blessed to enjoy the company of dear friends that share life with us too. Gathering together at Christmastime is one my fondest blessings. Here are some of the gatherings:

Work parties

Cracker Barrel with my pilates friends

Sunday School parties

School friends making cards for the kids at the Children's Hospital

Annual dinner with family friends...just the grown-ups this night

Gathering Near singing "Silent Night" at the Candlelight Service

The Year of Two Trees

One of the things that I have loved about my man this year is his ability to make a fresh start. For years he has despised the maintenance of getting a live Christmas tree, preferring the convenience of the pop-up, plug-in variety. But this year, when the lights finally went kaput, he relented and off we went to pick a real, smells-so-good tree. The kind that makes the angels want to sing (or at least the kind that makes me want to sing!) Ahhh!

This Charlie Brown tree stayed in the window and became the tree to house all the ornaments that the kids make at school and church. You can't tell from the street. We call this the "bless it's heart" tree.

Hide and seek at the tree lot

I love this guy!

Decorating with college friends that helped us string more popcorn garland

Football Wars

Once a year wings night with Daddy

In South Carolina, college football is a big thing. Much bigger than professional football (although some follow both). This intense rivalry is reflected in our neighborhood seasonal decor. Next to the holiday inflatables are giant school mascot inflatables. Most notably on the corner near us, there is a Clemson tiger across from a Carolina gamecock. When Clemson lost their last game, this deflated tiger made my children laugh as the gamecock stood proud for many days to come.

I am a white twinkle light girl, but the neighbors like these inflatables...so do my kids.

Even Ginger and Jack are ready for Bowl Game Day

Christmas Advent-ures: 2013 Favorite Discoveries

I made my kids stay up until 11pm on a school night to watch The Sound Of Music (live) with me. These are a few of my 2013 favorite things:

cozy moments, Christmas jammies, cocoa, and musicals, family harmony

Favorite Advent Scripture Readings: You Version Rediscovering the Christmas Season.

This daily Bible reading plan includes a devotional thought with an activity. When laying out the pieces of the nativity set imagine yourself in the scene. What posture would you take for worship?

When reading about God's specific instructions for building the temple, let your decking of the halls be an act of worship, and an expression of God-given creativity. Love the practical fresh application of familiar stories.

Favorite App: The Salvation Army Bell-ringer....you can add different tones to make handbells while you are ringing, plus it takes less energy to tap then ring!

Consignment pants for Mrs. Claus to help one feel festive

Favorite Gadget: remote controls that you can use to switch off the outdoor Christmas lights so that you don't have to go out when it's below freezing.

Favorite Scents: live Christmas trees and blooming paper whites. Scents so beautiful that I do stop and smell the roses.

Paper stars from Target

A gift from my dancing angels

Favorite new (to us) Christmas book: Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon. This story is based on the Christmas truces during World War 1. Imagine hearing "Silent Night" on one side matched by "Stile Nacht" on the other side of no man's land. The Christ who came to bring eternal peace causing a temporary peace in battle.

Love this...an O Henry story for kids

Favorite Holiday Sparkle: Rhinestone bobby pins, glitter make-up, and silver sparkle hairspray
When performing in the Singing Christmas Tree in my 40's, it occurred to me that the silvery sparkle would cover any emerging greys! Maybe I'll take to wearing sparkles year-round!

Favorite Cookie: Gingerbread. These pretty ones were given to us as a give. My favorite slice and bake variety are found at Publix.

So tasty and break-and-bake!

Advent-ures: Christmas Jammies

We are not nearly as cool as the Holderness family, but to get some great ideas for next year, watch their video Christmas card.

Click here:

Christmas Jammies

Dance of Gratitude

"I yearn for this life to be a dance of gratitude to You, my Beloved."

Anonymous quote from My Worship Journey Companion Journal by Linda Dillow

rehearsing

I thanked my mother tonight for driving me to ballet class and rehearsals one thousand times as a kid.

She replied, "So worth it."

She gave me a gift in all those dance lessons. A gift that I can pass on to others as we lead worship through dance in this year's Singing Christmas Tree.

I pray that I can invest in my children and help them find their gifts to share with the world as well.