I'm gonna let it shine....

I love this season and all that it entails....but being in church during Christmas is my favorite thing of all. Sunday night at church we had our candlelight service. I had taken all three of the older kids in for the service so that they could experience the beauty of the service. We had the Lord's Supper and boy did it bless my heart to see my sweet 8 year old son partake of it with me. To see him praying and thanking God for saving him reminds me of how good God has been to us.

As the service concluded, we each lit our solitary candles and the room slowly began to glow. Shelby Jean, my four year old, was seriously either trying to set the church on fire or the gentleman's hair that was sitting in front of us(sorry Mr. Denny)....she was seriously letting her light shine. Charlie was getting burnt by the wax...Shelby was setting folks hair on fire....Addie was stiff as a board...and then I looked around us and everyone was holding their candles high as Dr. Price reminded us all to let our light so shine before men. I have to admit.....I got welled up. Welled up that our church that has had the toughest year yet....our church that has literally walked through a fire......has come out on the other end......with our light shining. The candle light was softly glowing on each persons face. Faces that were joyous...thankful...peaceful...and blessed. Some of those faces have been through a loved ones death this year...heartache...job loss...loss of homes....but yet on this night...their faces glowed with hope....and it blessed me!


Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

May you.......

This Christmas......

May there be peace on earth....

May you have the love of family....

May you have the hope of a child...

May your heart be still...

May your feet walk steady.......

May your face smile.....

May your eyes speak volumes....

May you take time to notice the small things......

May you take time to have fun and laugh.......

May you also remember that "Unto you is born this day in the City of David, a savior, which is Christ the Lord And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men " Luke 2:11 -14

It's a tour....of my home....

I have been wanting to link up with the Nester on the Christmas Tour of Homes but have been having major issues with my blog this week and am just now able to get it do it...hope you enjoy the tour!

This is looking in our kitchen where we eat every meal....I love my big farm table!

I bought this snow globe at Target last year and just love it!

I made this with an old onion keeper that I spray painted and turned upside down and put a little bird and nest in it....



I love red and whites together...and of course a little black bow...Go Dawgs!

Looking into the living room from the kitchen....

Horribly fuzzy pic...but I loved the glow of the tree!

This is the little tree I have in my foyer....I love how simple it is and the message it sends!

Wreath on my front door that I made...love me some spray paint!

Burlap bows on my lights outside.......

Tiny wreaths that hang on the old barn door behind my desk...

I like to do some simple touches.....a little green goes a long way!

Let it Snow.....yeah right...in Georgia???

I made this with chalkboard paint and a platter I got as a wedding gift...

The tree in the playroom.....it has only fallen over 86 times so far!

Snowflake hanging in the door to the playroom...

These are the snowflakes the kids made one night...we have been trying to do a fun thing each night during the Christmas season....this was fun, but the paper...oh my, it was everywhere!

Dining room hutch.....

I made these with some old pine cones and left over ribbon and an empty frame that the glass got broken out of....I love the way it looks!

Foyer again...

This is the little table behind my couch that I re purposed.....it was so ugly so I sanded it and painted it black and love it now....it usually sits in my foyer where the tree is!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care......

Our advent box that we do a neat family thing out of every night....can't wait to go look at lights!

I made this cool wreath using stuff from the Dollar Tree.....it was so cheap and easy...but hot gluing each of these tops to the ornament took a while...

I made this using one of my vinyl's from my company....On the Doorpost!

Meet Buddy.....our Elf on the Shelf!

The top of our tree is literally hitting the ceiling...so this old barn star will just have to do!

I love my tree...with it's mismatched ornaments...homemade things....memories of my sweet kids......I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I love to look at all the beautiful trees that are out there....but for now....and until my kids are old...this shall remain!

It's Glowing!!!

I made this with another vinyl from On the Doorpost...I love the look of the wood...which I painted with a paper towel...because I couldn't find a brush...I know right!

My kid's stockings are personalized with their pictures....I love the way it looks!

My Willow Tree Nativity that I have had since we got married....I love how simple it is!

I love this little piece....sticks...fake snow...cute ornaments!

The real reason for the season. Even though I love to decorate....love to give gifts....love to see my kids light up....love to make goodies.....nothing compares to this:

He truly is the Reason for the Season. The reason I am who I am!

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Wiping Tears.....

I am enjoying the Christmas Season and everything it entails. From the elf on the shelf (who is seriously staring at me right now...his eyes are a little creepy) to nightly fun that we are trying to squeeze in...it just doesn't get any better than this. Then we are hit with reality...the reality that this time of year may be hard for some people...people that have lost loved ones this year, lost jobs....lost hope.

My friend Stephanie was working at the secret Santa shop at her son's school this week...it's a little store they set up for the kids to come in and buy extremely overpriced things for their family. Even though it's overpriced:) the proceeds do go to help the school and I am all for that! As she was working the gift wrap table a little girl came up with her gifts and her list. On the top was naturally "MOM". Stephanie asked the little girl if this was for her mom and the teacher and the little girl told Steph at the same time that she had passed away. Steph immediately welled up in tears and apologized to the teacher(how was she to know)...but that little girl burned a hole in her heart. She just happens to be the little girl of the lady who died in the floods in September. The little girl who ran around our church gym while tons of people were frantically searching for her mom during the storms. The little girl......who won't have her mom for Christmas.

Stephanie told me this story and about how her little boy, Clint, cried when he overheard her telling the story....and then I began to cry. Sitting in my bedroom while all four kids were watching TV on my bed.....I cried. Cried for Steph....for Layla...for her dad and brother...for kids that don't have their Mom's and Dad's. For Mom's and Dad's that don't have their kids. It was a quiet cry...since I was on the phone and all....but Shelby looked over at me and saw me. She got up, without saying a word, and came over to me and took her pudgy little fingers and wiped the tears off of my eyes. Then she turned around and walked back to watch TV!

It was such a sweet moment....to know that Shelby didn't have to say words....she just wiped my tears. It gently reminded me how God is there for us. How He tells us in Isaiah 25:8 "He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces" ! He knows our hurts, struggles, fears, heartbreaks....He knows it all and He and He alone is the Great Comforter...He is our JEHOVAH-RAPHA which means the Lord our Healer! I will take comfort in those things that I know He is...and that He wipes my tears..just like Shelby did that day. He won't have to say a word!

I hope that you will remember those hurting and in need...find a way to bless someone today and remember what an Awesome God we serve! And the picture above....I love the way the light is hitting her face...it reminds me of the blessing she is and the light she is to everyone around her!