Recipe for Christmas Joy

Here is a great recipe for some Christmas Joy~

1/2 cup of Hugs
4 teaspoons Kisses
3/4 cup of Smiles
4 cups of Love
1 cup of Special Holiday Cheer
1/2 cup of Peace on Earth
3 teaspoons of Christmas Spirits
2 cups of Goodwill Towards Men
1 Sprig of Mistletoe
1 medium size bag of Christmas SnowflakesMix Hugs,
Kisses, Smiles, and Love until consistent.
Blend in Holiday Cheer, Peace on Earth,
Christmas Spirit and Goodwill Toward Men.
Use the mixture to fill a large, warm heart where it
can be stored for a lifetime, for it never goes bad!
Serve as desired under Mistletoe, sprinkle liberally with
Christmas Snowflakes
It is especially good when accompanied by Christmas
carols and family get-togethers.
Serve to one and all!

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Twas the Beginning of Advent

As I was looking at Advent ideas this year I  and found this beautiful poem about how Advent and Christmas has become very commercialized sadly even within our Churches!

Twas the Beginning of Advent by J. Todd Jenkins  
'Twas the beginning of Advent and all through the Church 
Our hope was all dying-- we'd given up on the search. 
It wasn't so much that Christ wasn't invited, 
But after 2,000 plus years we were no longer excited. 
 
Oh, we knew what was coming-- no doubt about that. 
And that was the trouble-- it was all "old hat." 
November brought the first of an unending series of pains 
With carefully orchestrated advertising campaigns. 
 
There were gadgets and dolls and all sorts of toys. 
Enough to seduce even the most devout girls and boys. 
Unfortunately, it seemed, no one was completely exempt 
From this seasonal virus that did all of us tempt. 
 
The priests and prophets and certainly the kings 
Were all so consumed with the desire for "things!" 
It was rare, if at all, that you'd hear of the reason 
For the origin of this whole holy-day season. 
 
A baby, it seems, once had been born 
In the mid-east somewhere on that first holy-day morn. 
But what does that mean for folks like us, 
Who've lost ourselves in the hoopla and fuss? 
 
Can we re-learn the art of wondering and waiting, 
Of hoping and praying, and anticipating? 
Can we let go of all the things and the stuff? 
Can we open our hands and our hearts long enough? 
 
Can we open our eyes and open our ears? 
Can we find him again after all of these years? 
Will this year be different from all the rest? 
Will we be able to offer him all of our best? 
 
So many questions, unanswered thus far, 
As wisemen seeking the home of the star. 
Where do we begin-- how do we start 
To make for the child a place in our heart? 
 
Perhaps we begin by letting go 
Of our limits on hope, and of the stuff that we know. 
Let go of the shopping, of the chaos and fuss, 
Let go of the searching, let Christmas find us. 
 
We open our hearts, our hands and our eyes, 
To see the king coming in our own neighbors' cries. 
We look without seeking what we think we've earned, 
But rather we're looking for relationships spurned. 
 
With him he brings wholeness and newness of life 
For brother and sister, for husband and wife. 
The Christ-child comes not by our skill, 
But rather he comes by his own Father's will. 
 
We can't make him come with parties and bright trees, 
But only by getting down on our knees. 
He'll come if we wait amidst our affliction, 
Coming in spite of, not by our restriction. 
 
His coming will happen-- of this there's no doubt. 
The question is whether we'll be in or out. 
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock." 
Do you have the courage to peer through the lock? 
 
A basket on your porch, a child in your reach. 
A baby to love, to feed and to teach. 
He'll grow in wisdom as God's only Son. 
How far will we follow this radical one? 
 
He'll lead us to challenge the way that things are. 
He'll lead us to follow a single bright star. 
But that will come later if we're still around. 
The question for now: Is the child to be found? 
 
Can we block out commercials, the hype and the malls?  
Can we find solitude in our holy halls? 
Can we keep alert, keep hope, stay awake? 
Can we receive the child for ours and God's sake? 
 
From on high with the caroling host as he sees us, 
He yearns to read on our lips the prayer: Come Lord Jesus! 
As Advent begins all these questions make plea. 
The only true answer: We will see, we will see. 

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Happy Birthday to My Love

To My Love on your Birthday~

So many birthday's we have celebrated together,
so many changes we have faced from the world,
standing together and yet often alone,
time marches on and we continue to learn,
of love ever deepening, of blessings to be shared,
of a home as a refuge for those in our care.

I thank God daily for this life he has given me,
for the joy of being your wife and a mother,
It all means so much to me, and it started with you.
Without you the joy is gone and life would be blue.

Contentment we find in the life we have been gifted,
I would never  have know it but for the grace of God,
who knew we were perfect,
and yet to others it seemed a bit odd.

The gifts we bring to share with the world,
are as different as we are and yet so much the same,
for we complete one another,
as we commit to the life we have made.

Have a very blessed and beautiful birthday my love

All my love forever ( and the children too) ♥ ♥ ♥

We are Watched...........

How often do we remember that we have eyes that watch 'not what we say' but 'watch what we do?'

This is even more important as we live out our vocations as mothers as we KNOW that our little and big ones are watching how we respond to the trials of life. Not only large ordeals but even our small and seemingly simple challenges that sometimes turn into larger trials.

I know that I fail in this giving a good example of how I respond in everyday life situations and yet I try to remember that the way I act is so much more important than what I say.

In fact I think the best situation is to actually have the words you utter backed up by the actions you take...sounds simple, and yet in 'real life' often so hard.

I think this little poem says so much about why it is important to try to live our lives this way, and not forgetting that the most perfect example of this is of course Our Lord!

Little Eyes Upon You

There are little eyes upon you
and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
and a little child who's dreaming
of the day he'll be like you.

You're the little child's idol
you're the wisest of the wise.
In his little mind about you
no suspicions ever arise.

He believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and so.
He will say and do, in your way
when he's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little child
who believes you're always right;
and his eyes are always opened, and he
watches day and night.

You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
for the little child who's waiting
to grow up to be like you.

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove ... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. "

~Author Unknown

Joining in with dear  Trish this week to share my LACE (click on the image below) I wish to uphold  Trish's guidelines in my own life:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Praying for your own 'lacework this week ♥

Blessings to you and your homes,

Home Poem

Just because I love poems by Edgar Guest.

His love of the family circle and family life shine through every poem, and even more so now in our days where home is not valued I love the quality we can see he places on home through these poms for both parents and children.

Home - by Edgar Guest

It takes a heap o' livin' in a house t' make it home,
A heap o' sun an' shadder, an' ye sometimes have t' roam
Afore ye really 'preciate the things ye lef' behind,
An' hunger fer 'em somehow, with 'em allus on yer mind.
It don't make any differunce how rich ye get t' be,
How much yer chairs an' tables cost, how great yer luxury;
I ain't home t' ye, though it be the palace of a king,
Until somehow yer soul is sort o' wrapped round everything.

Home ain't a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;
Afore it's home there's got t' be a heap o' livin' in it;
Within the walls there's got t' be some babies born, and then
Right there ye've got t' bring 'em up t' women good, an' men;
And gradjerly, as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn't part
With anything they ever used -- they've grown into yer heart:
The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore
Ye hoard; an' if ye could ye'd keep the thumb marks on the door.

Ye've got t' weep t' make it home, ye've got t' sit an' sigh
An' watch beside a loved one's bed, an' know that Death is nigh;
An' in the stillness o' the night t' see Death's angel come,
An' close the eyes o' her that smiled,
an' leave her sweet voice dumb.
Fer these are scenes that grip the heart,
an' when yer tears are dried,
Ye find the home is dearer than it was, an' sanctified;
An' tuggin' at ye always are the pleasant memories
O' her that was an' is no more -- ye can't escape from these.

Ye've got t' sing an' dance fer years, ye've got t' romp an' play,
An' learn t' love the things ye have by usin' 'em each day;
Even the roses 'round the porch must blossom year by year
Afore they 'come a part o' ye, suggestin' someone dear
Who used t' love 'em long ago, an' trained 'em jes' t' run
The way they do, so's they would get the early mornin' sun;
Ye've got t' love each brick an' stone from cellar up t' dome:
It takes a heap o' livin' in a house t' make it home.

From the book "A Heap o' Livin'" ©1916

Blessings to you and your homes,