You know you're blessed when you have multiple Christmases to look forward to. This weekend marked celebration #1 of 3. Up first was the Mesman family Christmas, complete with
oyster soup (just the broth, please)
games, games, games
falling asleep to Home Alone and Rudolph
pretty, little gifts
the Christmas story (read on an iPad)
orange zest tea
Christmas carols at church
meeting the newest member of the Galbraith family
Christmas celebration #2 will be quiet and spent at home tomorrow, just me and Tim. I'm really looking forward to it. We're hardly ever home on Christmas day. We have a schedule of events made, a menu created, and holiday movies rented in preparation for a laid-back and festive day.
I am a HUGE fan of minted. They have super cute wedding invitations and awesome stationary. And when I saw their Inspiration Board Challenge, I just couldn't resist! Here is my Vintage Glam board inspired by an invitation by althea+ruth.
I am by nature a worrier. It's never kept me from anything (i.e. getting on a plane, moving 1,000 miles away for college, driving through a blizzard), but it does occupy a lot of my daily thought time. I know that it shouldn't, but it does. And lately, I feel like it's been on hyperdrive thanks to the endless coverage of crime after terrible, terrifying crime. With each breaking headline the past few weeks, my heart has broken and tears have fallen; it is hard to comprehend the extreme pain that countless families, friends, neighbors, and relatives around the nation are experiencing thanks to a few seconds of foolishness.
Often times, all this sadness and loss makes me wonder and worry about what I could lose. What if Tim gets in a car accident on the way to work? What if I make a good friend here and then she ends up moving away? What if we have a baby someday and _______ goes wrong? What if...?
These thoughts just start snowballing into each other until I'm reminded that God has a master plan for my life, plans to give me hope and a future. And that these thoughts of worry should not hold me back from living a full life because I am not to live my life in a spirit of fear. I love Elisabeth Elliot's words about the business of "forecasting grief":
Is it our business to pry into what may happen tomorrow? It is a difficult and painful exercise which saps the strength and uses up the time given us today. Once we give ourselves up to God, shall we attempt to get hold of what can never belong to us - tomorrow? Our lives are His, our times in his hand, He is Lord over what will happen, never mind what may happen. When we prayed, "Thy will be done," did we suppose He did not hear us? He heard indeed, and daily makes our business His and partakes of our lives. If my life is once surrendered, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine! Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now.
Jesus did not promise that this journey called life would be easy, smooth, and without pain - that's what happens in a broken and sinful world. But He has promised to never give us more than we can handle and to walk with us through the storms. I need to remember that.
What is it about Christmas music
that makes it so emotional? Or am I the only one who cries almost every single
time we sing “O Holy Night” in church? James Taylor’s version of “Have Yourself
a Merry Little Christmas” is the same way. I heard it in the car on the way to
work this morning = tears. And the funny thing is, I never really know why I’m
crying. It’s definitely not because I’m sad, but it’s not really tears of joy
either. But more along the lines of emotion, memories, and love.
Christmas has always been one
of my most favorite times of the year and I have so many good memories
associated with this cherished holiday. Memories of family traditions – oyster
soup on Christmas Eve, finding a $2 bill in our stockings every year,
decorating for Christmas to a Kenny G. tape, sleeping by the tree at Grandma’s, watching old cartoon Christmas movies with my brother and sister.
I know that many people say that Christmas is one of the most stressful times
of their year, but I’m so thankful that I did not grow up with that mentality.
Besides the “stress” of traveling to Grandpa and Grandma’s, or now Mom and Dad’s,
Christmas has always been about relaxation, fun traditions, delicious food, ripping
open hand picked gifts, and thankfulness of what the season truly represents.
And that is something I want
to pass on to our children someday. I don’t ever want it to be hurried or
rushed or completely focused on the materialism that is thrown in your face
during the Christmas season. I want to start silly little traditions. I want to
read the real Christmas story before opening gifts, like Grandpa D always did. I want
our children to understand that giving is better than receiving. I want our
Christmas holiday to be cozy and simple, not overdone and fancy.
I guess what I'm trying to say is thanks, Mom and Dad. My tears during Christmas are good tears and happen because even when we were little and unruly and didn't want to eat the oyster soup, you still did...you made memories with us and for us. Opening gifts each year is always a blast, but you've given us so much more than physical gifts over the years. You've given us traditions, love, and memories. And that's what keeps us longing to come home every December.
But the fire is so delightful! What we've had today is good old fashioned Minnesota snow that's about to turn into a sub-zero blizzard once the winds pick up. And if you ask me, blizzards and snow storms are the perfect ingredients for cozy Sunday afternoon. We've been watching the snow fly all day, and have accumulated almost a foot of snow since the middle of the night. As I'm writing this, Tim is in his element - outside, shoveling our driveway for the 3rd time today.
Days like today always make me feel good and hearty, like I'm experiencing (and enjoying!) something few people could handle or appreciate. And I love knowing that my family and friends are tucked away in various warm houses, piled under quilts, and enjoying things like baking and new babies. It's so comforting.
Today, the Miller house has looked like this:
the snow continues to pile up high
wrapping up gifts
naps by the fire
shoveling snow sans snow blower
a hot-off-the-stove lunch
We will attempt to venture outside one more time for Bible study tonight, and then be tucked in later thankful for the blessings that surround us and keep us warm on a day like today.
So you know how sometimes you go thrift store shopping and it seems like everywhere you turn, all you can find are nasty old bedsheets, dated wicker baskets, and frames pictures of bunnies? But then there's always that one time out of 10 where you feel like you've hit the jackpot because everywhere you turn, you find treasures upon treasures. Well, today I hit the jackpot.
If you know my sister at all, you probably know that she has this thing with quotes. She doesn't just love them, she LOVES them. Seriously, her Pinterest quote board has over 400 pins and counting. So when I was looking for a little creative inspiration, I turned to her. I wanted to create something she could hang on her bedroom wall; something cute and positive. And I'm so excited with how the project turned out!
I honestly think this would be ridiculously cute in a little girl's nursery or room. I mean, hello. Or I'm imagining it in a girly bathroom, hanging on the wall so it's one of the last things you see before you leave the house to conquer the world.
Have an idea of how you would use it? Good! Because as a little early Christmas present, I'm offering it as a free printable download. Just email me for the PDF. Except you, Mandy - you get the one in the pretty white frame.
