It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

On Sunday after Thanksgiving, we thought it would be a good day to get in the Christmas spirit by getting the trees up. Jon and Adam hauled Nana's (still decorated) tree up from the basement, and Jim, Jennifer, and Dustin went to Bowman's to chop down a tree for our home. Well, they actually chose one off the rack, but it sounds good anyway.

Here is the tree with the lights on, all ready for decorations.

I enlisted help from Matthew to do some of the decorating, and he had fun putting on some of his special decorations.

He was happy with the spot he found for his Lightning McQueen ornament.

This is one of MY favorite ornaments. Of course there are several photo ornaments on our tree, and each is my favorite. Those were some cute kids. :) Still are cute kids, just bigger now. How did that happen??

And here is the tree all decorated. The angel on top is a keepsake from the Christmas wedding of Brian and Lucy. We all traveled to Texas that year, and Santa even found us! We also had a little ice storm there in Texas, just to make us feel at home.

And here is the Christmas glow we enjoy throughout the season, along with the scent of evergreen the tree provides.

The stocking are hung by the chimney with care.

I got this coconut creche in Haiti, and it's so much fun to put out on the coffee table.

This is the ceramic nativity set that Grandma Stewart made for us many years ago. We have enjoyed it as part of our Christmas celebration through the years, and the nicks, chips, and repaired spots just remind us of the baby that came for each of us. Despite our sins and shortcomings, God gives us the gift of eternal life through his Son, Jesus Christ.

"So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in
the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what
had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what
the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and
pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and
praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they
had been told." -Luke 2:16-20

Take time to enjoy the season, share God's greatest gift, and have yourself a merry little Christmas.