I must confess this year my focus hasn't been mainly on the Savior Jesus Christ but more about me, and my feelings of loneliness. I realized this morning how important it is to keep Him the focus not only at Christmas but all year, everyday for the rest of our lives. He alone will be the comfort I need, He alone will give me Joy unspeakable, and He alone is the Greatest Gift. I am looking forward to refocusing on Him and allowing Him to write this chapter of our lives however He sees. I have grown weary of being homesick. I have grown weary of trying not to be homesick. So I give it to Him and acknowledge how weak I am without Him.
We hope you had a very blessed Christmas but more importantly that you stop and remember the reason for this season. Without the birth, life and death of Jesus, there would be no reason to celebrate ever. May we all find rest in Him and find our eternal life in His sacrifice on the cross.
Enjoy the pictures below and the videos to follow.
Merry Christmas Love, Bethany
Hannah bear in her sparkley red sweater for the Christmas eve dinner at church. We had such a great time, with good food, good friends, and good fellowship. We are blessed to be joined with such a body of believers who love Jesus and love others.
Hannah Bear and Mommy in pink snowman pj's. Mine are from my mom. I opened them early and I love them. I had bought Hannah's a few weeks back, they are pink too with a cute snowman.
My mom always had one gift unwrapped under the tree in the morning for each of us kids growing up. I loved it when I was a kid so I always do it for my kiddos. Here are their glowing (though you can't see it in this picture) light sabers. They loved them. (check out Elijah he cracks me up)
Another tradition that lives on is our "Christmas morning bread" it's so good. I mean so good that between the 4 of us we ate the whole thing this morning. I give it as a gift as well to those fortunate people on my bread list. This year the list was a little shorter, but the story of the bread giving lives on here in Washington.
No gifts are allowed to be opened until the Christmas story is read by Daddy. This morning I was struck by the grace that Joseph, Mary's husband showed her when he learned she was expecting a baby that was not his.He didn't want to make her a public display of disgrace. I thought how easily it would have been for him to expose her, to feel justified in doing so, maybe even being judgemental and prideful. I realized if it were me I probably would not have shown grace. I realized that is an area I need to work on in my own life with those around me.
The boys AWESOME remote controls cars from Grammie. Seriously I think I am having the most fun with them. They light up and go crazy, flipping everywhere.
The boys and their BIG gift...the Wii.
The boys playing the Wii.
And here is MY BIG gift this year...Hannah Bear. So cute with the bow on her head. I keep thinking how different she'll be next year at this time. They grow so fast.
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