Blessings Come in Small Packages

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Blessings come in small packages this year. I am just really grateful for the little things. Just hearing my kids laughing and carrying on, smelling cookies baking in the oven, looking at our cluttered tree--decorated with lots of sentimental ornaments the kids have made over the years. Our tree is fake and only about 4 feet tall. It's on a decorator table in the corner. Usually, we would have a big tree but our house is just too small for one now. The amount of ornaments on our tree is more than enough for a tree twice it's size..yep, cluttered. Cluttered with sweet memories from the past.

Spent last Sunday with my dad. It was our annual Christmas get-together and we always have pizza and root-beer floats. All my kids and grandkids were there. It was nice visiting with my dad. I don't see him often enough. The kids always have a great time. He cracked me up this year. He brought us all into his extra room and on two long tables he had lots of Christmas stuff laying out and told us we could have anything we wanted. He actually had some pretty good stuff. The kids went a little nutty and took way too much. But that was what he was hoping for. It was fun. He almost unloaded all of it between the kids, myself and my older daughter. He went through a lot of trouble to have a nice party for us with candy on trays and pie and he insisted that we not bring anything.

This Saturday night we are having a small Christmas party for the kids at church. We'll have simple finger foods and silly games after everyone sings Christmas carols and shares something they've brought for Christmas. Whether it's heartwarming stories, or facts about Christmas or whatever they can come up with--it's sure to be a blessing for all. Then we'll  read the Christmas story out of the Bible. I know it'll be a fun and memorable night.

On Christmas Eve, I have a small gathering planned for friends and family that don't really have anyone to share the holidays with. We're going to have a simple dinner--stew and cornbread and watch "Miracle on 34th Street" (the old one)-at my daughter Savannah's, request. Keeping it really simple!!

And finally, on Christmas day, we'll be heading to my oldest daughter's house to have a traditional Christmas dinner with all the fixings. By traditional I mean veggie turkey! We are vegetarians. Haha! It's traditional for us!!

Today, my girls are baking cookies to give away and to eat of course!! So the house is smelling really yummy. I will be doing some deep-cleaning and we're hoping to decorate our porch and make a very welcoming and festive entryway for our Christmas visitors.

One thing I always love to do every Christmas is have a Christmas project. With my family, my church kids and friends. In the past we've collected socks and warm hats and things for the homeless, we've given money to orphanages and raised money to help the poor in other countries through ADRA--Adventist Development and Relief Agency. It was never anything extravagant--we are a small group. This year I was feeling really bummed because it seemed everyone was really struggling financially so I didn't plan a project. But it was weighing on me. It just wouldn't seem right not to have some kind of project. Then I thought of finding an orphanage that we could help throughout the year--beginning the collecting now. Because even our small change can used to help others. We may not have a lot to give, but we can give something.

I hope you find joy in the little things this season and share it with others.

HAVE A VERY BLESSED AND VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


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