Merry Christmas Quotables!

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Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

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At Christmas
A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here;
Then he's thinking more of others than he's thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.
He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime...
~Edgar Guest

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Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.  In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.  ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

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Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!  ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

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Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale
 

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He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.  ~Roy L. Smith

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I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.  ~Charles Dickens

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Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish.  Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man has to be himself.  ~Francis C. Farley

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When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things - not the great occasions - give off the greatest glow of happiness.  ~Bob Hope
 

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Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance - each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.  ~Deborah Whipp

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It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.  ~Charles Dickens

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For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   Isaiah 9:6

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Merry Christmas from my Family to yours! May the LORD Bless You and Yours Today and Every Day. May His Spirit live in you and transform your life!
Christmas Blessings! 

Always Blessed,

Gretchen :) 

 Quotes Found: http://www.quotegarden.com/christmas.html

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5 Days of Christmas Poetry~ Day 5

Christmas Trees 

Robert Frost

The city had withdrawn into itself
And left at last the country to the country;
When between whirls of snow not come to lie
And whirls of foliage not yet laid, there drove
A stranger to our yard, who looked the city,
Yet did in country fashion in that there
He sat and waited till he drew us out
A-buttoning coats to ask him who he was.
He proved to be the city come again
To look for something it had left behind
And could not do without and keep its Christmas.
He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place
Where houses all are churches and have spires.
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas Trees.
I doubt if I was tempted for a moment
To sell them off their feet to go in cars
And leave the slope behind the house all bare,
Where the sun shines now no warmer than the moon.
I’d hate to have them know it if I was.
Yet more I’d hate to hold my trees except
As others hold theirs or refuse for them,
Beyond the time of profitable growth,
The trial by market everything must come to
I dallied so much with the thought of selling.
Then whether from mistaken courtesy
And fear of seeming short of speech, or whether
From hope of hearing good of what was mine,
I said, “There aren’t enough to be worth while.”
“I could soon tell how many they would cut,
You let me look them over.”

“You could look.
But don’t expect I’m going to let you have them.”
Pasture they spring in, some in clumps too close
That lop each other of boughs, but not a few
Quite solitary and having equal boughs
All round and round. The latter he nodded “Yes” to,
Or paused to say beneath some lovelier one,
With a buyer’s moderation, “That would do.”
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.
We climbed the pasture on the south, crossed over,
And came down on the north.
He said, “A thousand.”

“A thousand Christmas trees!—at what apiece?”

He felt some need of softening that to me:
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”

Then I was certain I had never meant
To let him have them. Never show surprise!
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents
(For that was all they figured out apiece),
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends
I should be writing to within the hour
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
A thousand Christmas trees I didn’t know I had!
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,
As may be shown by a simple calculation.
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,
In wishing you herewith a Merry Christmas.

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Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)



Poem Found: http://karenspoetryspot.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-trees-by-robert-frost.html

Christmas Poem Part 1

Christmas Poem Part 2
Christmas Poem Part 3

 

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Wholehearted Home

 

5 Days of Christmas Poetry~Day 4

A Child's Song Of Christmas

 Marjorie L. C. Pickthall

My counterpane is soft as silk,
My blankets white as creamy milk.
The hay was soft to Him, I know,
Our little Lord of long ago.

Above the roofs the pigeons fly
In silver wheels across the sky.
The stable-doves they cooed to them, 

Mary and Christ in Bethlehem.

Bright shines the sun across the drifts,
And bright upon my Christmas gifts.
They brought Him incense, myrrh, and gold,
Our little Lord who lived of old.

Oh, soft and clear our mother sings
Of Christmas joys and Christmas things.
God's holy angels sang to them,
Mary and Christ in Bethlehem.

Our hearts they hold all Christmas dear,
And earth seems sweet and heaven seems near,
Oh, heaven was in His sight, I know,
That little Child of long ago.

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Always Blessed,

Gretchen :)

 Poem found: http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Poetry/a_childs_song_of_christmas.htm

Christmas Poem Part 1

Christmas Poem Part 2
Christmas Poem Part 3

Possibly Linking With:
Cornerstone Confessions

Raising Arrows 

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Deep Roots At Home

The Better Mom Monday Link Up

Frugally Sustainable
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Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home

 

Lest You Think I'm Perfect...

In an effort to be as honest and open with my three readers as I can possibly be I thought it best to not let you think I am too perfect.  (wink.. Snort) The LORD likes to keep me humble and provides me daily the things that will keep me from thinking too highly of myself. I mean, when we start to think we have got it all figured out, then we begin to rely on ourselves.

 Danger! Danger! Will Robinson!

Today is as real as it gets in my world.

As mentioned in my post a couple days ago, I am trying to put The Lord first in my life. As part of our homeschool, we read the Bible every day. We actually read out of it several times a day because it is truly the most important textual document your children will ever read and I want to ingrain it upon their hearts from early on. This is not enough though for me, however, as I am an adult and should not be satisfied with the just the playground at the bottom of the knowledge mountain. I need a guided study of my own as well. So this year I have been reading through my devotion every morning, or afternoon, or at least before bed. I have not mastered an every single day the same time quiet time routine for myself because everyday is different. I have absolutely had some dry spots where I slip up and miss a few days weeks but I always hop back on the devotional trail and start backpacking up that mountain again. And it is good!

That being said, just because I want to spend that time with God doesn't me it isn't a fight some days.

I woke up late. The schedule is immediately off. Why late? Well Princess Petunia has bad dreams and after a rough several hours I weakly gave in and let her climb into bed. She slept quite well. I slept with her foot in my lower spine and her random arm flailing most of the night. I thought about hitting up my devotion immediately and but then I decided to get my day moving first.
After my shower, Prince Ray had mysteriously disappeared from doing his before breakfast chores and Princess Peony, the ever responsible child, informed me that he was probably napping on his bed. Hmmm.
Make Coffee. {Thank you My LORD, In complete sincerity, for coffee.}
Text a mom note to Pirate Rob who is already at school. Sign it with 'love you' even though it probably embarrasses him.
Wake Prince Ray up. Give him THE LOOK.
Leave Sir Bean asleep. Even though he has ignored his alarm, AGAIN.
Take Princess Peony to School after checking the weather for a possible snowstorm later today. She reminds me of her basketball game... Mentally schedule basketball game and pray I don't forget it.
Petunia needs cocoa desperately for with her breakfast. Please! Please! Please! MOM!
Make a batch of cocoa because it is nearly gone and this little munchkin loves her cocoa.
Make breakfast.. wait! The oatmeal is almost gone! Make oatmeal mix. Then make breakfast.
Pour second cup of coffee while wiping up spilled oatmeal.
Ask Sir Bean to do his chores, again.
Give Prince Ray THE LOOK again because he is still standing around half asleep scratching his tummy.
Fight Princess Petunia out of her princess pajamas and into a jumper that she hates. VICTORY!
Read a story while she tries to pee... And a fight breaks out.
Prince Ray has toppled his brother, Sir Bean, to the floor and rug burned his forehead, eyelid, and cheek. How dare Sir Bean look at Prince Ray's library book. Apparently we are very territorial today. But finally awake!
For failure to accept responsibility for his actions, Prince Ray is sanctioned to his room amid tears and langauge arts research materials.
Petunia screams "I PEED!" VICTORY again!
Sir Bean grudgingly does chores with his swollen eye claiming he almost went blind. We pray on it.
Bible reading with kids and a project for each of them.
Quickly whip up some granola with help from Petunia who steals the sunflower seeds and sprinkles  them liberally inbetween the counter and stove whilst singing, "I can do it myself. Me. Me. ME!"
Give Petunia some watercolors so I can sneak away and read my devotion...
Sir Bean finds me to fix his pencil.
Pencil fixed, Coffee EMPTY!?
Start caramel corn with the intent to listen to a radio broadcast online. Internet goes out. REALLY?!
Finish caramel corn. Catch Sir Bean and Princess Petunia sneaking bites from on top of the counter. Start Bread.
Prince Ray comes up from his room with a half done assignment and apologizes. Then accuses Sir Bean of making him do it. He goes back into his time out. With Math.
Then they are hungry. Heat up leftovers, serve everyone. Forget myself. :/ Commit to eating better tomorrow. Grab a cup of tea and an apple. And some caramel corn.
Finish bread.
Prince Ray comes up to give a real apology and some of his work done. I forgive. Sir Bean forgives. Victory!
Offer a movie for 45 minutes of quiet time. Yes, I bribed with Veggietales.
Finally got some reading and prayer time in. Thank you Lord for Your patience with me. Thank you for not putting me on the back burner. Thank you my LORD for loving me in my imperfection. Thank you Thank You Thank YOU!


For giggles and snorts I took some pics of my day so far..... :)

That is the second load of dishes...

My very messy kitchen table/countertop/schoolroom...

Not sure how the horses were helping with schoolwork...

Who didn't put their apron away?

Petunia's uneaten portion of lunch. She did eat all the green stuff and most of the cookie.

Will the basket help whoever next walks in the door? Why is it in front of the door?

Basket 3 and 4.

How does this happen to my mirrors?

Library Books!

Art project!

Ivy needs a bath. (tomorrow's list?)

Yes, after my devotion they were jumping off the bed.

Just Like Larry Boy.

Thank goodness for broken candy canes to provide a treat, I wonder if someone sucked on these before placing them Back on the tree.

Did the wise men bring candy canes?

Caramel Corn

Cocoa

Backcountry Oatmeal Mix

Granola

Homemade Raisin Bread

Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)

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Raising Arrows 

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A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
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No Ordinary Blog Hop

5 Days of Christmas Poetry~ Day 3

Mistletoe

Walter De La Mare 1913

Sitting under the mistletoe (Pale-green, fairy mistletoe), One last candle burning low, All the sleepy dancers gone, Just one candle burning on, Shadows lurking everywhere: Some one came, and kissed me there. Tired I was; my head would go Nodding under the mistletoe (Pale-green, fairy mistletoe), No footsteps came, no voice, but only, Just as I sat there, sleepy, lonely, Stooped in the still and shadowy air Lips unseen—and kissed me there.   Hanging the Mistletoe by Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1860     Always Blessed, Gretchen :)   poem found: http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/bldelamarechristmas.htm     Christmas Poem Part 1 Christmas Poem Part 2 Possibly Linking With: Cornerstone Confessions Raising Arrows  Modest Mom Blog  Deep Roots At Home The Better Mom Monday Link Up Frugally Sustainable Artful Homemaking Far Above Rubies A Wise Woman Builds Her Home Wholehearted Home

5 Days Of Christmas Poetry~Day 2

The Bells

Edgar Allan Poe

I.

Hear the sledges with the bells--
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In their icy air of night!
While the stars, that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells, bells,
Bells, bells, bells--
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

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Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)


Poem found at http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Poetry/bells.htm
Be sure to check out the last 3 parts. It is beautiful and melancholy.

Christmas Poem Part 1 
Christmas Poem Part 3

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Raising Arrows 

Modest Mom Blog 

Deep Roots At Home

The Better Mom Monday Link Up

Frugally Sustainable
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A Wise Woman Builds Her Home 
Wholehearted Home

5 Days of Christmas Poetry~ Day 1

The Nativity
W. J. Brew

Night is set in, the stars their lamps are raising;
    Each dewy flower hath closed its perfumed chalice;
O'er the blue hills the city lights are blazing,
    And the gay cressets gleam in cot and palace.
Down the green sheep tracks rest the flocks enfolden,
    Round their still cotes the hinds their fires are waking,
While in the homes of Bethlehem lie holden
    Eyes all unconscious of the mystery breaking.

Oh, wonder of all wonders,
    The hinds their watch are keeping,
A babe is in the manger —
    Christ Jesus there is sleeping;
The oxen round him lowing,
    The ass his forehead bowing,
The maiden mother kneeling,
    While night is o'er them stealing.

Soon shall a fire-blood kindle up the horizon,
    Paling the night stars in their fairy shining,
Paling the broad sun at his first uprising,
    Paling the bright moon at his red declining.
Hark, through the opened lattice of Heaven's portals
    Soundeth -- "To God be glory in the highest,
Peace be on earth; Good will to loving mortals."
    Peace to thee, Christian, while with joy thou criest.

Oh, wonder of all wonders,
    The hinds their watch are keeping,
A babe is in the manger —
    Christ Jesus there is sleeping;
The oxen round him lowing,
    The ass his forehead bowing,
The maiden mother kneeling,
    While night is o'er them stealing.

The Nativity
by John McNaughton

Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)



Poem found at: http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Poetry/nativity1.htm

Christmas Poem Part 2

Christmas Poem Part 3

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Cornerstone Confessions

Raising Arrows 

Modest Mom Blog 

Deep Roots At Home

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Artful Homemaking 
Far Above Rubies 
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home 
Wholehearted Home

Christmas Heart

Source

I had the rare treat of being able to hear my husband preach at church yesterday. Usually I am teaching the little, short, people, but due to yucky roads we were a pretty small group yesterday and I had the day off! :) Well, I didn't have to teach. Do moms ever get the day off?

The Preacher Man asked us a question yesterday at the end of his sermon during Discussion Time. 

What is on your heart this Christmas season?

Simple enough question, right? 

The answers ran the gambit from Family to Peace in the Home.

Someone mentioned focusing on time with Jesus.

Making it about remembering the important things, like Jesus being the perfect gift.

Others just didn't really have any special thoughts because Fuzzy, Sparkly, Christmas isn't part of their life this season. They try to celebrate God's gift year round.

Those were GOOD answers!

I was surprised. I expected there to be more comments about the stress of holidays. 

Or the frustration of family dynamics sometimes when opposing views get together. 

I thought maybe other folks were thinking about budgeting for those extra cookies and ham. 

Perhaps someone else was crazy enough to be potty training through the holidays? 

Ultimately, I think I just didn't understand the question the same way. 

What is on my Heart this Christmas Season? My heart is full to brim with love for my husband and my children. I have been so blessed to see all my siblings numerous times over the past couple of weeks. I have had some good talks with my mom. We have spent time slowing down and letting go of things that are unnecessary and I am learning to redirect my thoughts back to Jesus, The Gift from God. 

But the truth is my Heart is also full of conflict during this time of year.

The Truth:
Truth is... Christmas can be painful because I am still (inward eye roll) dealing with my parents divorce and holidays force me (and the Sibs! And the Spouses!) to deal with it.

Truth is... I have tried to keep up with the Jones' in the past and have on occasion overdone Christmas gifting to make my children feel loved. 

Truth is... I have tried to create a perfect Christmas with the right decorations, food, lights and the appropriate amount of visiting and spreading (grudgingly sometimes) good cheer.

Truth is... I have eaten my way through Thanksgiving and Christmas to celebrate, to cover pain, to placate my feelings.

Truth is... I love the Idea of Christmas but it can seem fake, false, and super, sweetly, saccharin.

The Truth is That 

Without:

Without Jesus... Christmas Is meaningless and will be painful.

Without Jesus... No number of presents will make my children feel loved.

Without Jesus... Candy canes on my front lawn and a perfect Stollen Bread will not make the 25th perfect.

Without Jesus... I will always struggle with eating my feelings.

Without Jesus... Christmas Is false. A false sense of what joy is.

The Way to Joy:

My friend, the English Lass, said she was trying to focus on true time spent with God. Putting God first in her life. She said she felt almost selfish wanting that time. I think she said out loud what most moms feel. I want so much to be in heady prayer time with God. I want to Worship Him on Monday morning for more than one song. I want to really get into His Word and cross reference verses and pull out my Bible dictionary and get lost in the Study. I want God to speak to me through His Word and bring enlightenment and conviction and help me to be the best Me I can be so that through me His Glory will shine.

But I am tired.

I am overworked and spread thin. 

There is always laundry to be done and meals to be made. Snotty noses to be wiped and owies to bandage. Bread to bake and cleaning supplies to make. Mending to be done and library books due back. There are homeschool groups to take part in and choir concerts to attend. There are 5 Arrows in my Quiver that need my attention and sometimes to discuss Huckleberry Finn and Latin roots. My husband needs me not just when he is home but when he is gone. He needs his wife's support and ear when he is frustrated at work or just in need of some conversation.  Add to that the man made (woman made?) ideas about holidays and the unreachable Miracle on 34th Street feeling we all want to have and it is no wonder Christmas can turn into a downer.

Sometimes it feels downright hopeless. Where do I put God with all this STUFF I Have to do? How do I find JOY in this mess?

J.O.Y.

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Put Jesus first. He gets the top cut. Make time for Him and the rest will work itself out. It is okay to give yourself permission to only wash 4 loads of laundry today because the LORD enjoyed you being with Him instead. 

Put Others second. As moms we often feel that we already do this. I put the Hubs first, I put the kids first, I do everything for everyone! (eww, can you hear the whine?) Here is the challenge though: Do I do this with a right heart? I will raise my hand first! I do sometimes get caught up in the Why Me Whines. It is an unhealthy place to be and will only cause you to be more unhappy.

Put Yourself last. This can seem contradictory but it isn't. Your time with God benefits you because you are building that relationship with Him. He however is the leader, and you are Communing with Him, Listening to Him, Thanking Him and you are blessed because of that. Putting yourself last means becoming a servant to your family. Not a SLAVE. A servant with a loving heart. 

I believe we have been taught the lie that whispers to us that we deserve more or better than we have been given.  That we need recognition for everything we do. That we become unnoticed in our efforts to love and support our husbands. That we are somehow lacking if we do not have the newest or best Thing. Or the most obedient children. Or the most giving husband. 

On and On it can go. 

Put Yourself last. You were not promised an easy life. You were not promised riches here on the earth. You were not promised a perfect relationship with your spouse. You were not promised ivy league style children with gifted abilities and good manners.

If the LORD could become a servant out of love and as a teaching moment for His friends than that should be enough of an example for me.

 ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³ “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. ~John 13: 3-17

  

J.O.Y. = Christmas Heart

A heart focused on Jesus. Christmas Heart.

A heart turning to my husband, my children, and other people that I can love with my Christ centered heart. Christmas Heart.

A heart filled with servant hood. Christmas Heart. 

So that is what is on my heart this Christmas.

How about you?

 

Always Blessed,

Gretchen :)

Possibly Linking With:
Cornerstone Confessions

Raising Arrows 

Modest Mom Blog 

Deep Roots At Home

The Better Mom Monday Link Up

Frugally Sustainable
Artful Homemaking
Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home
Growing Home 

Wisdom Wednesdays and Link Up
No Ordinary Blog Hop