09 December 2016

Christmas at Our House

Stringing garland and hanging ornaments originated as a way to keep tiny, curious people, (aka children) away from my glass antique replica ornaments. I continue to enjoy the way it dresses up the living room.

This nativity is felt hand puppets, made at a Relief Society Super Saturday activity in Virginia in 2001.

I was delighted to find a holy family ornament one year at an after Christmas clearance sale.

A beautiful ceramic nativity set that I bought when I was single. TopDad brought me a gorgeous Poinsettia from the Agriculture class at his school.

A holy family on a throw pillow (please don't throw the pillow!) makes this little library corner special.

L-R: Glass bas relief nativity with votive candle; (back) framed print, (front) mini nativity; glass nativity set of holy family and three wise men; (back) Angel Moroni; (front) stuffed fabric manger and Baby Jesus. (Someday I'll get the rest of the figures done.) 
Wreath was a gift made by my older sister; manger and Baby Jesus (my favorite!) You can read about it here.


Even the side of my fridge is decorated with a nativity!
My greatest feeling at Christmas time is gratitude--for the great gift of a Savior and Redeemer. I know he is real! I am overwhelmed by God's love for me.

P.S. We do have a tree, I just neglected to take a picture of it!

05 December 2016

Insight from a Christmas Book

Yesterday in Relief Society, the President shared a favorite Christmas story called A Christmas Dress for Ellen. After she read it to us she shared her testimony and then opened the time up to the sisters in the room. As we sat there for a few moments in contemplative silence a thought flashed through my mind.


The mother in the story wrote a letter and asked her family so humbly for a few things to work with to make the lives of her children better. She didn’t ask for great riches, but old items she could use to work with to accomplish the needed tasks. Her loving family responded with ten crates of riches, new and beautiful. The thought I had was that Heavenly Father is like that. When we pray and humbly ask for something he responds with riches we didn’t imagine. His plan is always better than ours; his goodness exceeds our expectations. He loves us more than we can understand.