Walking with God

What is "walking with God?" Simple. Doing what he asks you to do each and every day. Living in active relationship with him. Filling your mind with his Word, and letting that Word penetrate every waking moment.

--Phil Vischer, in Me, Myself & Bob

Christmas sewing

Here's what I had worked on for months before Christmas for Amy. The fabric is from Fabric Obsession. It's a fabric she really liked.

This is Amy's jelly bag in the background, three of the nine doll-sized bags, a quilt for Bitty Baby and a little quilt for Bitty Bear.

The little bags.

Josefina modeling one of the bags.

Amy's jelly bag. She was so surprised and loved it.

Her reaction. Beautiful!

Bitty Bear's quilt.

Bitty Baby's and Bitty Bear's quilt.



I think all the "girls" like their bags and quilts. BTW--Amy is collecting AG dolls, if you can't tell. : )

Our reason for celebration

John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shines in the darkness, and darkness did not comprehend it.

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Memory

On Christmas Eve every year my mom read this story to us. The book was a tall paper back in the shape of Santa Claus (I think). I wanted to share it here.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Christmas picture

Here's the best one out of about a dozen. ; )

My little snowman friend

We have this little snowman ornament that I hung on the patio door handle. When we close the verticle blinds his nose gets stuck between two slats. I think he's very cute peeking out from there.

More Christmas poetry

Prayer for the Dance

May we dance with timbrel, harp,
And thank the Lord above
For blessing us with bounteous gifts,
Emblems of His love.
May we dance with tambourine,
And give Him highest praise,
And leap for joy upon life's stage,
And love Him all our days.

--Norma Woodbridge
From Christmas Blessings: Prayers and Poems to Celebrate the Season
by June Cotner