You can catch me, or any of my girlfriends for that matter, singing the line "it's the holiday season" in a deep, fabricated crooner voice for it's Christmas time!!!
When you feel a jolly moment rise up embrace your inner crooner and give that line a whirl. Maybe even add a little shoulder shrug. It's a real treat.
December is FUN.
There is so much festiveness I'd love to partake in, but I'm learning there's a line I have to draw so my heart isn't stretched to a point of stress. There’s a gift in slowing down and being present versus trying to do it all.
To keep my heart in check and not push me or my family into highspeed here are ways we are ringing in this month:
Cut-out cookie baking. Our favorite recipe is Santa-approved! The almond flavor is the KEY ingredient here. Tip: double the recipe for sharing!
Friend’s pajama party gift exchange. An annual tradition of wearing our jams & exchanging gifts. This year I'm making this homemade hot cocoa recipe and sending each friend home with a bag of peppermint marshmallows.
Cocoa & carols car ride. A family trip to see our local neighborhood lights while sipping warm drinks and singing to NSYNC or Michael Bublé Christmas albums ;)
Christmas character dinner. Showing up to the dinner table dressed as our best version of our fav Christmas characters. Most likely serving pb&j's or chicken nuggets.
Advent reading. Currently chewing on every word of Ann Voskamp’s book The Greatest Gift. She has a gift of storytelling and what better story to tell than Jesus’.
If you're reading and you feel anything but the Christmas spirit, I just want to say I see you. The world's been heavy since the beginning of time but we're all experiencing our own heavy here & now. I'll leave you with this spark of light that even in the darkest night the spirit of Christ cannot be diminished. His love is near.
The Ten commandments are more than God saying, 'Here is My Law for you'--they are God saying, 'Here is My Love for you.'
Here, I take you to be Mine, to be My treasured possession--have no other gods, no other lovers that woo you, that take your attention or affection, but Me. Here I give you My name, my very name to make you mine--do not use it in vain. Here, I long to spend time with you, holy time for you and Me--set apart the Sabbath day as holy time for you and Me. Here, I love you, bride--be united, not coveting or lying or stealing or murdering or cheating one another, but honoring and loving and living out of our love."
God knows we wander, and He woos again and again, all through the commandments: 'I am the Lord Your God.' You are mine, Make me yours. Am I yours? God gives the Ten commandments as more than Law--He gives them as a true commitment to love. God gives the Law because He wants there to be love.
Jesus, the Love who doesn't just die the death we deserved to die; He lives the love we've desired to live. God gives the commandments for us. God gives us the commitment of love at the top of Sinai, and He staggeringly keeps our commitment to love at the top of Calvary. --Ann Voskamp
God gives God and Jesus fulfills all the Law, all our love. This love story will never stop coming for you and me. Oh, the wonders of His love.
XO
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