Christmas has come and gone - ever so quickly!
The stockings were hung and eventually filled and emptied!
A new handcarved Santa was received with open arms -
and is now safely tucked away with the others for next year.
The tree was of course erected and then...
...beautifully decorated and adorned with shiny ornaments and gifts!
The mantel was strewn with garland and tinsel...
... and delicious gifts arrived from near and far.
It can seem a bit melancholy to have it end...the day after Christmas can
hang in the air with anticipation unfulfilled...
But looking back over the days before Christmas and the special day itself...
all the preparations and the list making, the shopping and gift wrapping,
the card sending and food baking....what I cherished most was the time...
the time stamped with love and spent with friends and family...
attending Christmas Eve Candlelight Service where we worshiped together with songs and praises, dropping by a friend's house and surprising him with some Christmas company, sipping a Mimosa while I watched my grown up kids laugh and smile as they played with a silly toy....and seeing the joy on my husband's face while his eyes filled with pride and gratitude to see how his children have become real blessings to us and to the world.
There is no need to be heavyhearted...
Christmas is not just on December 25th...
Christmas is celebrating the Love that came into the world through the birth of our Savior and being grateful for the sacrifice He made for us - every day can be Christmas - if we remember to show that same love to those around us by spending time with those we love and reaching out to those we don't love so much, surprising someone who needs a little boost, sharing a smile with a stranger and remembering to be grateful for what we have been given today and always!
Merry Christmas Today and Every Day,
Carrie