Friday, December 25, 2015

Christmas Day




Merry Christmas friends!
I hope you've all had a special day 
celebrating our Savior's birth.  

I'm ready to brew a hot cup of tea and enjoy the twinkle
of the Christmas tree lights awhile in the dark.
Speaking of dark; last night was one I hope to never forget.
Recently we got a new camera to try out so since the weather was 
so mild we found ourselves on a blanket on our backs
moongazing on Christmas Eve.  It was soooo ...
beautiful. 

The clouds were moving so fast... 
There's just something about star gazing,
moon gazing...
and watching the clouds go by... 
I think more than anything it's taking the time
to just look uP  for awhile.  
How can you not just marvel at God's awesomeness 
while looking up at His creation?  
What a memory I'll treasure for years to come.
(Think I love the new camera too. ) 

Waking up Christmas morning,
this was where I started the day.  
Now that Christmas was here, ...
I didn't want it to end.  
It's hard to explain the feeling inside.  
It churned as I realized there were no more doors to open
on the potting shed advent calendar.  
And again opening day 25 in the Advent book I've followed along in.  
there was no more... it was just me 
and Him at the table.  
I felt ashamed ... the sadness I felt.  
Why do I feel like this Lord?  
I really don't know what to do now?  
It was so quiet... 

I kept looking up at this ornament.  
And I remember how just the day before a gal on Instagram shared this very word
as her one word for 2015.  
Believe.   
Advent means "coming." 
He came for us.  
And one day He'll be coming again.  
 John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Thank You Lord for coming.

So the rest of our morning was spent getting things ready.
Threw a spiral cut ham in the oven...
Peeled potatoes,
set up a cardtable to extend our table,
found extra chairs...
made coleslaw,
put the dogs up,
did chicken chores... 
you know; the usual stuff... 

The kids all made it in.
 Our youngest son's fiance made the big cake this year!
It was so beautiful.... 

 a cake for the King of the Universe.


 It was a good day.  
Breaking bread together 
in celebration.  

After opening gifts, our oldest son stepped over the obstacle course of 
gifts, wrapping paper, boxes 
and bows to sit beside  me.  
"It's Christmas Momma," he said as he leaned in.
In Trento Bean lingo that means, 
"Please could  you scratch my head?" 
happysigh...
As a Momma... you just have no idea what that does for this heart.

Thank You Lord for this man child and every soul in this room. 
Thank You for the love here of family and friends,
and ...every person reading this too.  
Thank you for coming to earth 
to love us all the way to the cross.
Thank you for that quiet this morning... 
that stirred me up inside... even the sadness I could feel. 
May I  remember to look uP
 ... more Lord.

Happy birthday  dear Jesus,
love, Leaon mary

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Christmas Day Lea...what a lovely family day you enjoyed. Thank you for sharing. I was moon watching too...

I wish I could print your Advent sharing each day. I would keep it as a devotional as you are such an encourager.


Happy Birthday Jesus.

Debra said...

Hello dear one-
Thank you for the tea-I will think of you as I sip it....Thank you too, for these posts. I've read through the ones I have missed. They all touch my heart. I am feeling some things in my heart that I don't want to feel-things that need to get straightened out with someone-but perhaps never will. If it all brings me closer to Him, then it's all worth it.
But your posts brought me around to a sweeter place, and I really needed it.
Thank you dear one.

Rebecca said...

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Thanks for the reminder to "look up"!
I needed that.
A most low-key, bittersweet Christmas for us.
But I wouldn't trade it for ANYthing.
God is faithful & I trust Him.

Leaon Mary said...

Hello friends...
You have no idea what it means to read your thoughts here.
How God connects us together in sharing... is pretty awesome.
I'm lifting you in my prayers dear Debra and Rebecca... I'm hanging onto what you shared about the bittersweet and not wanting to trade it for anything. That's ... a hard lesson I haven't learned all that well yet. Being thankful in the bittersweet. Thank you for sharing that.
And Jean.. you are such an encourager... thank you all for spending time with me today...