Thursday, December 24, 2009

A Blessed Christmas Eve to All





This sweet little set, made entirely of straw is from a place dear to my heart because my late husband was born there (although raised in Venezuela), Poland.....




Last year's sale at our nearby Monastery, after Christmas and displayed for the first time, is a soapstone nativity from Kenya, Africa (behind it is a capiz shell nativity from the Phillipines).....

Some miscellaneous decorations around our home.....


For a minute, I thought this was one of our nativities but it is one I found online and so is the cute little puppy, wishing all a Merry and Blessed Christmas...


And here is a cute little Christmas test of who you are by how you decorate that I found on the Internet...

"Homemade ornaments: You have lots of children....




Blinking Lights: You have attention deficit disorder....






Multicolored lights: You’re an extrovert....


Strung Popcorn: You have too much time on your hands....

White lights: You ask houseguests to remove their shoes..."

A couple of more batches of cookies, these are IRISH APPLESAUCE COOKIES...

PINEAPPLE RIGHT SIDE UP COOKIES is the name given to these cookies we tried for the first time this year...

And where have I been?? and what have I been doing???, you might well ask...well, there have been some challenges and some excitement, all time consuming....

***the final and fifth visit by people to see the nativities (lots of prep work involved each time from the hot apple cider to the cookies being uncovered etc. etc.)

***Laura, my sweet daughter coming into the Atlanta airport (and getting lost trying to find baggage claim which was WAY behind in off loading baggage)

***a trip to Columbus, Ga to drop off gifts with LOTS of things going wacko from the start when I ended up going all alone as Laura had one of her severe migraines and then the final  'delight' of the backed up and stopped traffic on the way back (gave me plenty of prayer time)

***the septic tank having to be emptied one more time due to the heavy rains (which caused our pockets to be emptied beyond belief as well)

****last minute wrapping of gifts and squeezing in a couple of Christmas movies

***unexpected visitors coming by as well...gosh, where are all of you???...I'd LOVE to have had any of you surprise me!!!


Time for a Ho Ho Ho or two...


My appointment as pastor coincided with the church's appeal for aid for victims of a hurricane. Unfortunately, on my first Sunday in the parish, the center page of the church bulletin was accidentally omitted. So members of the congregation read from the bottom of the second page to the top of the last page: "Welcome to the Rev. Andrew Jensen and his family ... the worst disaster to hit the area in this century. The full extent of the tragedy is not yet known."
*****
Filling in one weekend for a priest at a neighboring parish, I called the church early Saturday to inquire about my Mass schedule. I confess that I was taken aback when the caretaker picked up the phone. "Holy Angels," he answered, "Gabriel speaking."
*****
The highlight of our zoo trip was a peacock showing off its plumage. My four-year-old son was particularly taken with it. That evening, he couldn't wait to tell his father: "Dad, guess what! I saw a Christmas tree come out of a chicken!"

~~~Heavenly Father I thank You for the blessings of these fine, kind and loving people that You have sent into my life in blogland, please bless them with a beautiful Christmas, one full of YOU!!



you won't need a special star -

I'm no longer just in Bethlehem,

I'm right there where you are.



You may not be aware of Me

amid the celebrations -

You'll have to look beyond the stores

and all the decorations.



But if you take a moment

from your list of things to do

And listen to your heart, you'll find

I'm waiting there for you.



You're the one I want to be with,

you're the reason that I came,

And you'll find Me in the stillness

as I'm whispering your name.





Love, Jesus "

The poem you've just read was sent to me in an e-mail and I wanted to share it with everyone as I feel it is Jesus' message to each of us!






This nativity is a paper mache that has a certain elegance to it, so I was drawn to buy it many years ago....




15 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas Marcy to you and your family, may you only know love, peace and happiness shared with your family and friends during this most beautiful season. Love you....:-) Hugs

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  2. My sincerest and heartfelt wishes to you on this Eve of the celebration of the Birth of our Lord!!! Merry Christmas, Marcy! Cathy

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  3. Merry Christmas, Marcy and a Happy New Year to you and all your family.
    You are a very kind lady and I appreciate your prayers for Maria (and me) more than I can possibly explain.
    God Bless - you are a very special person ~ Eddie x

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  4. Marcy, it sounds like you have been a very busy lady and yet you are finding time to stop and post! Have a Merry Christmas and SAFE New Year. Can't wait to see what Santa has left for everyone! hugs...

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  5. Marcy,

    You have truly been very, very busy!!! But you have been up to wonderful things!!! What an inspiration you and your generosity are to me!!!! I am so glad to have met you this year!!! You are a wonderful person!!! And as always, this is a beautiful and heartwarming post! Thank you, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Janine XO

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  6. It's quite amazing what can be done with paper mache. I am impressed! I hope that you have a blessed Christmas Marcy.
    Love Di

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  7. My apologies for a prolonged absense from this space and I'd like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010. Loads of love :)

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  8. Merry Christmas Marcy!! I love that last Nativity scene...it's beautiful...just like you!!
    Love you :) Hope your Christmas is Happy and Merry! Big Hugs...Jerelene

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  9. Merry Christmas Marcy...Your nativities are beautiful. I just spent the day preparing for our Christmas Eve gathering. Tomorrow morning will be just the two of us, then everyone will be back for dinner. Have a Joyful Christmas!
    Love,
    Wanda

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  10. It was good to have a peek at some of your nativity sets. I sure would have loved to sample some of the cookies! I can see that you've been very busy - with both the planned and unplanned happenings at your house.

    We had wonderful Christmas Eve service at church - then today spent with my parents & sister & her family; Sunday our children and grandchildren arrive and will be here through Wednesday. (We'll spend 2 nights at a hotel with my extended family.)

    I'm kind of looking forward to the New Year when life might settle into some kind of routine again (or is that just wishful thinking)???

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  11. Marcy...as Christmas has come and gone, I do hope that yours was a truly blessed one.
    I want to take time to let you know that I am thinking of you...and I send you a warm hug from me to you. We don't live too far away from each other....and maybe one day, we can work out a time and place to meet and chat.
    Until then, know that I'm right here...and enjoy visiting you on your blog that is always filled with not only wonderful sentiments, but many smiles as well.
    Hugs,
    Jackie

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  12. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Marcy. Many blessing to you and your family this coming New Year ♥ Your Nativity sets are beautiful!

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  13. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Marcy. Loved your post, as I always do. Hope the New Year brings many blessings.
    Love

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  14. 'Hope you enjoyed a wonderful Christmas with your family!

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  15. Olá Marcy!
    Venho desejar-te un maravilhoso Ano Novo. Que Deus continue te abençoando e te fazendo muito feliz.
    Feliz 2010 para você e toda sua família!

    Te dejo un saludo, que me regalaron y lo encontré tan lindo que quise compartirlo:

    ___________________*Paz*
    ___________________*Unión*
    __________________*Alegrias*
    _________________*Esperanzas*
    ________________*Amor_Sucesos*
    ________________*Realizaciones*
    ______________*Respeto_armonía*
    _____________*Salud__solidaridad*
    ____________*Felicidad___Humildad*
    ___________*Cofraternización__Pureza*
    __________*Amistad__Sabiduría_Perdón*
    _________*Igualdad_Libertad_BuenaSuerte*
    ________*Sinceridad_Estima__Fraternidad*
    _______*Equilíbrio__Dignidad__Benevolencia*
    ______*Fé_Bondad_Paciência_Ventura _Fuerza*
    ____*Tenacidad-Prosperidad–_Reconocimento***
    __*Son mis deseos Felíz Año Nuevo 2010*

    Grande abraço

    Sol

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