"These are a few of my favorite things"

A few of my favorite things......

early morning coffee on the porch when "baby, it's cold outside" and the sun begins to shine on my face....

late, chilly afternoons when the sunlight streams through the den and living room windows, resting on the sofa where I sit....

dusk....need I say more?...just dusk, a magical time of day...

Wednesday's Winding Down

We made our weekly or bi-weekly trek this evening-the continuing saga of "the Christmas light expedition" !

Neighborhood after neighborhood beckoned us and we winded our way down street after street.
Beautiful homes, some simply decorated, others brilliantly shining.
Since I maintain a child-like take on life, for the most part, I love the ones with thousands of lights and we found the perfect one tonight! Every window and every part of the house was outlined in white lights-front and back, bushes, trees! A carousel of reindeer riding elves was pure delight! As we approached the lights spectacular I found myself "lighting up"!
I'm still at the "oohing and ahhing" stage of life...plan to always be in that one!

It was a wonderful way to wind down.....ahhh.....

Simply beautiful...

Andrea Bocelli's Christmas special tonight was one of the most moving, inspirational concerts I have ever experienced!
He seemed to encapsulate all the "specialness" of Christmas in this one program.

I was moved to tears in his singing of several of the old carols...the very heart of Christmas
spilling out all over the audience and coming into our den.
It truly was a holy moment as I felt transported right before the Throne of the Almighty God!
And then all I could do was whisper His name...Jesus, God with us.

I even cried when Natalie Cole sang "The Christmas Song" with him. I could see her father and remember how I loved hearing him sing that very song.
(I was raised on Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Bing Crosby...etc......it's in my blood!)

His rendition of "Jingle Bells" with the Muppets was priceless!

He ended with "White Christmas" and as he sang, "snow" gently fell all over the stage...
a perfect ending to a perfect evening....

Christmas with the Treasures

Our Christmas party went very well Friday afternoon. Men, women, youth and kids from our church and some friends from another church came out to bless the Treasures!

At the table are three of my very special friends... from left to right is Doris, Pearl and Jackie! We had five tables of Treasures.

They ate and sang and laughed!

It was quite a delicious afternoon!

Traditions

The holidays are full of traditions. Traditions handed down to us...traditions we've started.

Putting up the Christmas tree or lighting it on Thanksgiving is a tradition we've had for many years.
As a little girl, many years after our Thanksgiving dinner, we would go to the Carousel Parade.
Then later that evening our parents would take us back uptown to see all the lights!
How we enjoyed the magical windows of Belk's, Ivey's, and the rest. How we loved driving under the lights suspended over the streets of Charlotte!

Another tradition is the Advent wreath. Ours is in the middle of our dining area table, surrounded by greenery. I no longer use the traditional colors but have chosen white candles
instead. To us they represent the purity and holiness of Christ.

Driving around several times a week to look at the lights is another tradition Mike and I began.
We're like little children! We travel our favorite neighborhoods and see who has decorated. We've done this so long that we know how most of the houses were decorated the year before!

One of our favorites "hosts" Rivendell or so we have named it! A small cascading waterfall and architectural lights scattered about makes for a magical scene no matter the time of the year.
We especially enjoy it at Christmas! We turn down our Christmas music, roll the windows down and just listen to the waterfall. Heavenly...quite heavenly.

We've others but they are for another day!

"Let Heaven and Nature sing!"

This is my favorite tree in our house. It really reflects me...who I am.

I love the woods, the birds, squirrels, deer, the rabbits...

I love nature...I always "feel" especially close to God outside...on a porch, deck, at the ocean, in the mountains...walking through woods.

It all declares His majesty...His awesome majesty!

I come out early in the mornings with my peppermint mocha coffee and just bask in

His presence...in the beautiful gifts He has given me.

I come out at dusk, my Christmas mug full of warm tea or coffee and do the same.

I become "lost in wonder"..."lost in His love" as the song says.

Yesterday afternoon I filled bird feeders and put out food for the deer. I hadn't seen them in

quite a while but knew they had been coming since the food was always gone.

I briefly thought how I had missed observing them and went about my work.

Supper was cooking on the stove and I came out on the porch with my Christmas mug full of peppermint mocha coffee and sat down...just to gaze at the tree...once again

becoming a little girl who could sit for hours it seemed, just enjoying the magic of colored lights, reflections of decorations and the fragrant tree that graced our home each year.

I even drifted back to trees of my grandparents'. I could see them in my mind.

And then I looked up...and saw our three deer. I smiled and quietly thanked the Father for sending them earlier for me to enjoy.

Coincidence some would say...not me... for I know my Father God...I know Him very well and I know how He just loves to give His children little surprises...each and every day!

Get ready! Be watchful! Look and see how He will bless you...each and every day!

Delectable December!

How I enjoy........

the fragrances of Balsam, Fir, cinnamon, scented candles, the freshness
of the air, Christmas bakings....

the sounds of Christmas music- all kinds, the sounds of laughter, of people
greeting one another, the tinkling of bells...

the sights of colored lights and white lights adorning trees and bushes and houses,
the manger scenes, candles in the windows, Christmas tree lots, wreathes...lots of wreathes on doors and windows, smiles on the faces of most everyone I meet, the beautiful store decorations,
all the greenery that dresses our homes...

the gatherings of families and friends...

the quiet meditations while seated near the tree- almost magical...

reflections of such a Holy time for those who believe...

it's "the most wonderful time of the year"!