Archives for January 2007

Photos from Christmas and Less is More

Here are a few pictures from Christmas at our house and below a few words of wisdom from my Christmas Gift from God.
Baby girl and I got to pose for a rare picture together.  We were in our pajamas as we opened gifts on a rainy Christmas morning.

Our youngest son received a sweet little stuffed puppy for Christmas.

Our middle son loves camouflage and he got vest with tons of pockets for his air soft guns.

Our oldest son got a couple of football shirts and models one here.

My best friend came to visit and spend Christmas with our family.  Here she is around the campfire Christmas Eve.

This year I learned AGAIN that God gives each of us a gift on Christmas.  We sometimes have to seek the gift, but it’s always there.  It’s not in plain sight all the time.  Sometimes it’s hidden like a treasure for us to seek out. 

This all began with the Christmas gift God have my pastor.  When we renovated the metal building we use for worship we encountered some debt.  Not a great deal, mind you, but some.  God saw fit to pay off that debt on Christmas Eve.  Just for our pastor.  It was God’s gift to him. 

There were two other adults at my kitchen table with our friend and pastor burst into the kitchen to tell us the wonderful news.  NO more DEBT. 

My Christmas gift this year was to learn Less is More.  I know, it sounds simple but it’s not in a world that tells us we need more and more and more.  As many of you read, I bought too much for my kids this year and we ended up giving at least half of it away Christmas Day night.  You can read about that story HERE.  Within that gift was also the insight of seeing that my children respond to what I nurture in them.  As I was packing up the gifts to deliver Christmas Day they each brought something to also wrap for the family God was to lead us to.

I believe my husband got a gift too.  I’m not sure he knows what it is yet, but I’m sure it’s there.

And my best friend got a pretty neat gift too.  I can’t talk about that yet but I hope to be able to soon. 

Eight years ago my Jesus gave me the gift of my first son on Christmas Day.  I remember distinctly HIS voice telling me in the wee hours of the night that the reason he was born on Chrismtas Day was because he was HIS gift to me.  God chose 9 days past my due date, Christmas Day very specifically.  To make sure I knew my son was HIS gift to me.

Do you need to ask your Jesus what His gift to you was this Christmas.  I’m sure He’s got one for you.

"Lord, thank you for the greatest gift…..yourself"
Julie
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