The Night Before Christmas...Jackie Style...

'Twas Five Days Before Christmas, When All Through The House

Lots of Creatures Were Stirring, But Hopefully No Mouse!

The Stockings Were Hung By The Chimney With Care

In Hopes That St. Nicholas Would Soon Be There.

The Children Were Shuttled Off To Their Schools

And They Were Instructed To Please Not Break Any Rules.

Dad sped off To Work With a Clang And a Clatter

I Went To The Window To See What Was The Matter

A Flat Tire Was Had By The Dad Of The House

"Merry Christmas", Said I, "And At Least We Don't Have a Mouse!"

These Days Before Christmas, As I Check Things Off My List

I Wonder...Hmmm...What's The Point Of All This?

And Then I Remember...The Reason For All This Joy,

It's Because Of The Birth Of A Special Little Boy!

So, Five Days Before Christmas We Are As Busy As Little Bees,

Baking, Wrapping, Shopping And Things Such As These,

We Look Forward To St. Nicholas Stopping By,

And...
Celebrating The Birth of Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas and See You in 2011!

Christmas Is A Time For Celebration...

I have gotten caught up in all the craziness of this Christmas season.  I have already purchased almost all of our gifts, the house is decorated, I'm deciding if I'm going to send out Christmas cards or not, we're scheduled to attend Christmas gatherings and open houses at the schools, I'm trying to get through the maze of Christmas shoppers who invade the side of town I live on every year right after Thanksgiving, I'm planning our Christmas menu and when we'll visit relatives, I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to wrap the gifts, what cookies to bake...etc...etc...etc...

It's exhausting when I think about all the normal activities I have and then pile all this extra Holiday Cheer on top of it.  Overwhelming Anxiety is what I feel.   

Then...I stop and think about what Christmas is really about.  I take the time to focus on the meaning of this holiday.  The Birth of Jesus.  I take time to think about what that means for me and those I love.  Overwhelming Gratitude is what I feel. 

As I have taken time to dig into the meaning and Purpose of Christmas I discovered the first purpose is...

Christmas Is A Time For Celebration!

So, let's celebrate!  Let's gather together with our family and friends and Celebrate the gift God gave us...Jesus!  Let's give each other gifts, share meals together, enjoy the lights adorning so many homes, bake cookies, decorate trees, and attend Christmas parties.  Jolly Old St. Nick may even visit and bring a few surprises.  No matter how we do it...It's time to Celebrate!

**Photos-one of the many "men" on my Snowman Tree and a corner of my dining room.

Sparse Beauty...

A child on a farm sees a plane fly by overhead and dreams of a faraway place. A traveler on the plane sees the farmhouse and dreams of home.  

— Carl Burns 

 

 

 

*Photos taken at my Aunt and Uncles farm in NE MO Thanksgiving weekend 

Thanks For Stopping By,

Jackie