Merry Christmas!

On this Christmas morning, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Merry Christmas from the Sills' family!

May the peace and blessings
of Christmas be yours;
And may the coming year
be filled with happiness. 

Happy New Year! 

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I will be taking this week off from posting to spend time with DH and DD on their days off. You will hear from me again in the new year, until then, live life simply! 

Twas The Night Before Christmas

"Twas The Night Before Christmas" is one of my favorite Christmas poems or stories. We had to memorize when I was in school. I just love the way the words are putting together and how the sound. In the spirit of the season, I wanted to share with you. 

Pic via The Spirit Of Christmas.

A Visit From St. Nicholas by Clement Clark Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

I hope everyone wakes up in the morning to thought gifts picked out with love! Merry Christmas! 

The Christmas Story: Matthew 2: 1 - 12

There are many misconceptions about the magi's or wise men's visit to Jesus. The pictures of them being present with the shepherds at the birth of Jesus is more of tradition than a fact. No one really knows where they came from, but it is believed that they visited Jesus when he was a young toddler 2 or younger based on Biblical information. If you would like to read more follow the link to here. 

Matthew 2: 1 - 12

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
    who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 

 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

Simply cherishing the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Word of God! 

The Christmas Story: Luke 2: 8 - 20

When it came time for the angels to share the birth of Jesus with those in the world, the first people they shared it with were the shepherds. The telling to the shepherds was symbolic gesture to show Jesus would be a caring shepherd that watch carefully over His flock of believers. 

Pic via The Antics Road Show Blog.

Luke 2: 8 - 20

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 

 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

Simply cherishing the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Word of God!

The Christmas Story: Luke 2: 1 - 7

The story of the birth of Jesus is a simple story, but one that impacted the whole world. 

Luke 2: 1 - 7

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."

Simply cherishing the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Word of God!

The Christmas Story: Matthew 1: 18 - 25

The story about the birth of Jesus has many parts to it, that span over several years. It is also a story about stepping out in faith and a story of forgiveness. It is a story about listening to and putting your trust in God.

Matthew 1: 18 -25

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.  

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”  

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).  

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus."

Simply cherishing the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Word of God! 

The Christmas Story: Luke 1: 26 - 38

All this week, I want to share the story of my Saviour's birth. It is a special story for me and my family. All of us at various points in our life have performed in plays at church telling this story. Parts of it have been read from various family members at family gatherings over the years. It is one of those childhood memories that I will always have in my heart. 

Pic via Assumption Catholic Church.

Luke 1: 26 - 38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Simply cherishing the story of the birth of Jesus found in the Word of God! 

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Over at "A Life Lived Simply's" FB, I have an album up that is giving everyone a glimpse into life around our home during the holidays and how we are preparing for Christmas ~ "It's The Holiday Season". Go check it out! 

Season Greetings From Our Family To Yours

As a follower of Christ, this is a very special time of the year for me and our family. It is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Saviour, Jesus Christ. When He was born, hope and salvation for mankind entered into this world, too. He offers forgiveness, mercy, grace, salvation and peace to all who will repent of their sins and accept Him into their hearts. He is the ultimate gift of love from our heavenly Father to the people He lovingly created. That is why it is so sad to see so much rancor, bitterness, and hate surround this time of year. 

I will freely admit that a lot of it comes from people calling themselves "Christians." There are those that preach against Santa Claus because they see him as a sign of evil. Others get so defensive when it comes to keeping Christ in Christmas and adamant about saying Merry Christmas.  They refuse to see and respect the right of others to celebrate this time of the year as they see fit. Not everyone believes Jesus is the reason for the season. There are also that group of "Christians" that make themselves feel like they have done their duty to God by attending the one and only church service they attend all year - the Christmas Eve or Day service. It makes them feel good about themselves, however, there is nothing in their lives that reflect the light of Jesus. 

This time of year also brings out intolerance and disrespect by those of different religions or those that have no religion. They get so resentful of any public displays that in any way shape of form showcase the birth of Christ. They demand that public places and stores use Happy Holidays or Season Greetings instead of Merry Christmas. They want to celebrate this time of year the way they want to but want to deny those that have faith in God the right to do so. 

All of these points of view collide to make a time of year when love, peace, joy, and hope into a time of year into a time of strife. The bickering about the different points of view, the lack of tolerance for other people's beliefs or traditions, and the lack of respect for others makes for a stressful atmosphere where no one wins. 

Last week, I was in Walmart and walked by a shirt that caught my interest and got me to thinking about several different things. Those thoughts lead to me putting up a FB post on my personal page. I would like to share it with you. 

"In Walmart this morning, I walked by a shirt that said "It is okay to say Merry Christmas". I thought yes, it is, but it is also okay to say Happy Holidays or Happy Hanukkah or Happy Winter Solstice. Now, don't get me wrong as a follower of Christ I want to be able to tell people Merry Christmas and have it said back to me, but I am also okay with giving a non-believer another greeting and receiving it because, that is how they believe. 

I once was a fervent proponent of "Jesus is the reason for the season" and "we need to put Christ back into Christmas", however my view has changed. As a follower of Christ, Jesus is my reason for the season and my Christ is in my Christmas, but if a non-believer feels like that this season is a season of peace, love, family, food, fun, and presents that is fine with me. 

It is NOT my job as a follower of Christ to judge a person for their unbelief. God will do that in His own time and in His own way. My job is to be a living example of what it means to be a follower of Christ and to share what God has done in my life if I think they are ready to receive it. Each one of is entitled to our beliefs and respect works both ways. 

So many people misinterpret the scriptures on judging and get it all wrong. As followers of Christ and according to the scriptures, we are to judge and hold our fellow believers accountable for their lifestyles and actions, out of love for them. It is not for us to judge the non-believers, that is God's job. When we as followers of Christ start living according to God's principles and truths, when we put the Christ back in the word Christian, then maybe, just maybe, we can change the minds and attitudes of the non-believers and make Jesus the reason for the season for all of us. Merry Christmas!"

My wish for this holiday season is that all of us set aside our differences and find our common ground. It doesn't have to be all my way and it doesn't have to be all your way. We can come to an understanding without compromising any of our principles. It has worked very well with our niece and nephew-in-law. They choose not to do Santa Claus with their children. Although it was hard for us to understand why they didn't want to encourage what we believed to be one of those innocent rites of childhood, we all recognized and respected that they had a right to raise their children as they see fit. Not once, has the different views caused a problem at any of our Christmas gatherings. It can be done, when we choose to do it. 

So during this time of year, our family would like to wish each and everyone of you and your family a ~Happy Holidays ~ Seasons Greetings ~ Happy Hanukkah ~ Happy Winter Solstice ~ or Merry Christmas, according to how you choose to believe or not! 

Simply trying to let my Saviour, Jesus, shine through my life, my actions, and the words I speak!  

Christmas Decor 2016: Guest Bath/Hall

Our guest bedroom was another hard room to decorate, because it didn't have a lot of places to sit things. Putting the cedar shelves in there provided just the spot for me to put more decorations. 

Just a little holiday cheer!

I love how this bathroom turned out decorated this year.

Top shelf.

I love that I have a place to decorate.

Isn't that a cute gingerbread house?

I love the idea of adding bows to pictures hanging on the wall.

One corner of the vanity.

The other corner.

Our hall is so small that it is almost isn't worth trying to decorate, but I finally found a way to add a little Christmas charm - card holders. These card holders are homemade and were made by DD and I. They are two different widths of ribbon sown on top of another. Buttons were sown on to them at various lengths. Paperclips were placed over the buttons to hold the cards. Easy to make, but a nice touch for decorating.

The Christmas tour of our home has come to an end. I hope you and enjoyed it. Drop by here often to visit and see what is new in our life lived simply! 

Simply enjoying this time of year and all of the simply beautiful decorations that go along with it! 

Christmas Decor 2016: Guest Bedroom/Office

Our guest bedroom/office is the hardest room for me to decorate, because of its small size and very pieces of furniture. Of course, DH doesn't mind it, because he does want the room he sleeps in to be too frilly looking.

DH's tv shelf.

Prettily wrapped boxes tied up with a ribbon is just so easy to make and use for decorations.

This little tree is special. It belonged to my maternal grandmother. It sat on her entertainment shelf in the sitting area where we would all gather in her home.

A candle, a basket, and a bow

The nightstand is the hardest thing of all to decorate.

This pretty box came from Dollar General.

So did this reindeer.

Simply loving this time of the year! 

Christmas Decor 2016: DD's Bedroom

DD's bedroom is decorated with all the unique Christmas toys and stuffed animals she has received over the years. We have added a few more decorations over the years in the colors of her room as well as some cozy fleece blankets in holiday colors. It all blends together to make her room cheery and bright. 

Holiday colored fleece blankets adorn the foot of her bed.

Just of a few of the stuffed Santas and animals she has gotten over the years.

The bulletin board above her desk.

Corner of her desk.

Top of one of her bookshelves.

Another shelf.

The little train in the front was on her 1st birthday cake.

Her angels and nativity scene.

Christmas bears on her window seat.

On top of the other bookshelf.

A nativity scene she made in Sunday school when she was younger.

A pretty Christmas candle with angels.

Some ribbon makes her lamp festive.

Candles and a Christmas towel.

This nativity scene was my maternal grandmother's.

So glad I can keep her with us even if it is with her decorations.

Christmas time is a simply great time to make memories and share them! Merry Christmas! 

Christmas Decor 2016: The Master Bath

Even, our bathrooms get the Christmas treatment. I like to light all the candles and soak in a hot tub this time of the year. 

The corner of DH's vanity.

On the opposite side.

A basket full of Christmas cheer.

Wall scones are festive when a red bow is added.

A Christmasy vignette.

Decorations on my vanity.

The opposite side.

Even the tub area is dressed in holiday decor.

The shelf above the tub.

Towel rack with its decor.

Bows brighten up any picture...

or a basket in the corner.

Simply enjoying this holiday season!