Real thanksgiving

Brother-in-law playing Emma theme song on the piano with a baby on his lap. My own baby playing on the floor while I embroider names on future Christmas stockings. Turkey baking; mother-in-law bustling in the kitchen. Husband rocking on the front porch with his dad. Cranberry Apple Butter simmering. At one point I was moved to tears thinking of all the good gifts surrounding me.

And yet, it's all about what we choose to see. Gratefulness is choosing to see the abundance God has given and at the same time letting all the petty inconveniences- or even the real heartbreaking situations- fall away and and become less as Christ becomes all. So my picturesque Thanksgiving was a joy, and all the other things- sinus infection, weeks of poor sleep, ongoing extended-family issues, and other things not worth mentioning- those pale in comparison to the good gifts.

I hope your day was full of recounting the tender mercies of God and that your heart is moved more toward Him and away from your troubles. The troubles will always be there- but be of good cheer: HE has overcome all of those things and He will never leave or forsake His own. What a cause for Thanksgiving!

And now on to Christmas celebrations!! My kids are so excited and it's contagious. :)

A story for the rest of us...

Is this funny, or really really sad?? Maybe both?

The Ultimate Christian Novel

At last

This week did not go as planned, and included all five of us being down at once with some flu-like illness. That's a first for us but here we are at the end of the week and we are all alive. I've been ordered to keep a low profile and not try to make up for all that did not get done this week (or last week when Baby T was sick, or the week before when I was sick...sigh...) and so we are sitting around listening to Christmas music and making Christmas cards. I think a nap is my near future.

I made a handful of these last weekend and now they are in the shop, ready to fill stockings and give to teachers and neighbors. My favorite aspect of these notecards is the simple beauty, which also makes them less expensive to make. Most of us are looking for ways to bless those we love this Christmas without spending as much, and I hope these help someone accomplish just that.

Happy weekend before Thanksgiving! Can you believe the END OF NOVEMBER is already here??? I'm excited and ready for Christmas! (Well, not "ready" in the sense that everything is finished and I can sit back and drink hot chocolate and read books all month, but you know...)