This morning I finished up a job and then headed over to the Salvation Army to distribute gifts to those who applied for assistance this year.  I have never been able to help, but as a Board Member we are suppose to.  I had such fun.  I just love the new Captains.  They are doing a great job.  The people who got the bags of toys & boxes of food were appreciative.  Kids aren't suppose to come , but you know some can't follow the suggested guidelines so...there were a few.  I LOVED that.  Played with one little girl by singing Christmas carols and peek-a-boo at the same time.  Cute, cute little girl.  I hope each child has a Merry Christmas because Plainview placed money in the Salvation Army "kettles", have you?  I have and then have nearly hit the guys on the highway several times, too.  Does that count?  Just teasing.  Do watch for them though in your last few days of rushing about town.

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I LOVE this mail box sculpture & I want it!!!  It isn't for sale yet, but I'm knowing it will be a HIT!!!

I love to gift wrap.  If I lived in the city I would open me a gift wrap store.  You can be so creative and environmentally friendly, too.  Use things you have accumulated through the year to get 'er done!  Here is my gift wrap supply list from a program I did last year.

· TOOLS

· Scissors

· Tapes -- Regular and Double-sided

· Ruler, Tape Measure or Ribbon Measure

· Specialty scissors (scalloped, etc.)

· Hole Punch

· Pens (gold, silver, colored, gel)

· Wire Cutters

· Needle nose pliers

· Glue Gun, Glue Sticks

· Rubber Bands

· String

· WRAPPINGS

· Rolls of Gift Wrap

· Other papers

· Fabric Remnants

· Cellophane Bags

· Tissue Paper

· Gift Bags

· Scarves

· Bubble Wrap

· TAGS

· Gift Tags

· Self Stick Tags and Stickers

· Variety of Greeting Cards

· Colored Paper or Card Stock to Make Tags

· RIBBONS

· Raffia

· Assortment of Ribbons

· Glitter Wire

· Cording

· Curling Ribbon

· Shoe Laces

· DECORATIONS

· Embellishments, Decorative Items

· Ornaments

· Rubber Stamping Materials

· Glitter, glitter spray, confetti

· Floral Remnants

· GIFT BASKET MATERIALS

· Baskets

· Rolls of Cellophane for Baskets

· Dry Cleaning Bags

· Package Shred or Straw for Gift Baskets

Here are some gifts I did this year.  Nothing much...just to show that gift wrap is still out there. 

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and then, there is this lovely gift that somehow ended up in our home.  Who do you think wrapped this???  You must click on it to enlarge to get the FULL wrapping impression of how NOT to wrap...Ha-Ha!!!  Actually...a pretty good job!  Like how the bow is stuck on the top?  We will call it tacky vintage!!!

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Find of the day are these jeans.  Love them, love them!  I can't get them.  2 reasons...they would be way too long for this 5' 3" girlie and I don't have 160.00 to spare at the momento!!!  Bet I can make them though.  You can, too!!!

One thing about Christmas that we all do is remember Christmases from the past.  Hopefully they are good memories, but in truth we know that there are a few that are not so great.  One Christmas I had the flu and they put me at DJ and Anner's house across the street from the family Christmas at my grandparents.  I think that is the only really "bad" Christmas I can remember.  I do remember that my cousins always were given lots more gifts at Christmastime than we were by our grandparents.  My cousins had a hard childhood and they tried to make up for it.  It was very painful to me as a young child.  I would sit and watch them open gift after gift and did not understand why at that time.   They did not have parents to give them gifts and we did.  I see that now, but it still gives my heart a sad nudge.  This is why communication with children is so important.  If someone would have just told me, I would have understood.  Instead, I had my feelings crushed year after year.  I thought I was bad.  I still struggle with that from time to time.  For the most part, I have dealt with this and I do totally understand why.

On to all the wonderful Christmases.  I remember my dress-up wedding dress and the year I got the vacu-form & my brother and I played with it for hours!  I remember my mom fixing Christmas breakfast for the whole gang for years. I remember waking up really early and walking into the living room and seeing the beautifully lit tree and the gifts under the tree.  Warms my heart.  I especially remember the year I got a Tupperware comb & brush and a Bible from my Cranny & Bo...  I have so many others, I know you do, too.  I hope your Christmas will be filled with warm thoughts this year!!!

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Find of the day are these little stretch bands that hold those pesky sized things in place! 

We say that Christmas should not be about gifts.  Christmas is about gifts though, the gift of baby Jesus and through that relationship our gifts we give in return for his glory.   What a joy my life has been when I can share with others in Jesus name.  When we let God lead our every thought we stand amazed at the opportunities he provides for us to share in word and deed.  Do we hear the Holy Spirit?  Do we share our "gifts" day in and day out?  I want to share with you this special gift of scripture that shows us the Peace.

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Find of the day are these old timey toys...remember these???

Rote: from memory, without thought of the meaning

Faith: belief that is not based on proof

We all are in the midst of the Christmas season.  Do you enjoy Christmas carols?  There are carols that are spiritual (Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Go Tell it on the Mountain, etc.) and those that are "festive" (Rudolph, Jungle Bells, Frosty the Snowman, etc.)  I do enjoy carols.  I enjoy selections from both categories.  It is so easy to sing by rote because our minds are full of things we need to get done, places we need to be or what we need to bake (okay, not me on this last one ;o)  I think the most beautiful thing we do at Christmas is to sing praise in song to God for His gift of Jesus.  Often when we (FBC) sing Christmas songs I will not sing, but close my eyes and listen to the glorious voices as the sound raises to honor our Gift.

I must accept the unknown for what I do know. Having faith that the Word is true in that Jesus was born, showed himself in the resurrection and shares himself with me so that I might have eternal life. This is my Hope.

This morning in worship we sang this song and as I listened God touched my heart through the words... 

Gentle Mary Laid Her Child

Gentle Mary laid her Child
Lowly in a manger;
There He lay, the undefiled,
To the world a Stranger.
Such a Babe in such a place,
Can he be the saviour?
Ask the saved of all the race
Who have found His favour.

Angels sang about His birth,
Wise men sought and found Him;
Heaven's star shone brightly forth
Glory all around Him.
Shepherds saw the wondrous sight,
Heard the angels singing;
All the plains were lit that night,
All the hills were ringing.

Gentle Mary laid her Child
Lowly in a manger;
He is still the undefiled,
But no more a Stranger.
Son of God of humble birth,
Beautiful the story;
Praise His Name in all the earth,
Hail! the King of Glory!

I am saved and know His favour.  Are you?  Praise HIS name!!! Merry Christmas!!!

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Let Jesus fill the void you have cored out in your heart, like this apple corer...then, let your little light shine in him!

 

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Christmas snow from our windows...

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Find of the day is this neat corn stripper.   I bet Evalene's has something similar.  I want some fresh corn!!!  Yum!!!

Players in Progress (PIP) performed at the Queens game tonight.  By the way, the Queens won!!!  Maybe this broke the "spell" & Tory and the girls will be on the path to a bunch of winning success!!!  Anyway, back to PIP.  Brandon's littlest sister is on it and his step-mom is a coach.  The kids are really fun to watch.  Here are a few pictures...

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Find of the day are these great egg spoons for making a boiled egg or two our four!!!

My mother's phone lines go bad every time it rains.  I hate that because I have to crawl under her bed, which is only 8" or less off the ground, and unplug the phone line.  Anyway, I do not like small spaces like caskets, elevators & the like.  I do not think I could work in a cubicle.  I found the new workspace privacy shield.  Can you believe this??? The new office collar.  This does not look fashionable to me!!!  Looks really STIFF!!!  Go figure!!!

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Find of the day this wonderful piece of luggage.  Love the look of it...but not the price ;o)

Today we had our Christmas with our Soroptimist Lakeside mentoring group.  They are such cute girls!  They are a real blessing to me this year!!!  My gift!  Speaking of gifts...I got to deliver some today.  You know it is Christmas when you get to deliver gifts from the heart to others.  This is what God did for us through the birth of his precious son, Jesus.  Do you understand that God, the three in one, loves you, yes YOU?  He loves you so much that he allowed his birth, his death and the resurrection in himself (Jesus), left us the Holy Spirit and provided us the written Word to guide us through our days.  This is the only gift that matters...the Three in one; the Father, Son & Holy Spirit.  Merry Christmas!!!  Open YOUR gift!!!

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Look at this little ball of fur...Coco Izzie (Izzie May is what I'm calling her ;o) is a Malti-Poo-Pom!  Isn't she the cutest little thing!

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Find of the day are these his and her gift guides...http://www.made-in-england.org/images/boy.pdf

http://www.made-in-england.org/images/girl.pdf

We had our Theta Delphin Christmas lunch today.  Our program was on table etiquette and being the "proper" person I am...I just get into that.  Of course, I can break the rules faster than most, too!  It is such a casual world we live in that all the etiquette that some of us appreciate has gone by the wayside.  Very sad!!!  It is there for a reason!!!  Do you need to brush up on it before the Christmas dinner? 

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My find of the day is this great peacoat.  I want it, but it is way too much "green" (and not the color but the money)!  Anyway, I can want, right?