December has always been my favorite month of the year.  I love that the entire world is celebrating Jesus – even if some of them don’t know it.  I love the decorations and music and shows and family gatherings.  I even love wrapping presents in pretty paper.  And even though some hard things happened in the last 30 days, I still got to celebrate and see Jesus all over the place.

 

My Shelby saw her orthopedic doctor for a follow up and we rejoiced in the news that her scoliosis is not progressing.  No surgery for the foreseeable future and we say, “Praise God!”  My husband had a doctor’s appointment as well, for his first colonoscopy.  He received a good report too.  Yay!

 

My youngest said “goodbye” to her volleyball career with an end of season banquet.  She received the award for being “most social”.  A good indicator that she made the right decision to hang up her knee pads.  Then she treated us to her Winter Choir Concert.  Thirteen fans came to hear her sing.  Both sets of grandparents, brother, sister, niece, nephews, and an aunt supported her with us.

 

Allie’s Jazz Choir also raised money for the program as Singing Christmas Cards.  The director rents them out to sing at holiday parties.  I got to chauffeur some of the group from party to live nativity.  My sister and I enjoyed their music and the rest of the church festivities at the last stop. 

 

Chuck was briefly called to the mothership in Bentonville for a meeting, while the girls and I held down the fort and hosted my bonus son’s family for a surprise visit.  In between those, the hubs and I snuck in two movie dates!  We enjoyed Last Christmas (even though the ending had been ruined for me) and Ford v. Ferrari.  At home I forced the viewing of Christmas at Rockefeller Center, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph, and The Year Without a Santa Claus.  I even watched some Hallmark movies while baking this year.  When life gets messy, something simple and sweet hits the spot.  And then everyone enthusiastically participated in Elf – our favorite.

 

As a family we went to a Cirque Musica production called “Holiday Wishes”.  My husband and I won them in a silent auction for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation a few months ago.  I can only say that it was…weird.  That’s my best descriptor.  And Cirque Musica may be the C team of the Cirque family.  We also watched my niece Cora dance in a festive show at the Gaylord Texan.  That involved expensive parking, a shuttle bus and wall to wall people.  But Cora is A team so it was all worth it.

 

And now as I finish writing (even though I won’t publish until the end of the week), all the baking is done and the presents are wrapped.  We anxiously await Christmas eve services, time with family and a visit from Old St. Nick.  What?  I still believe.

 

If right about now you are thinking that you can’t relate to all my merry-making this year, let me point you back to last week’s blog.  We had concerts and parties and shows, but we are also had something really heavy and hard drop into our laps.  Because it is not really my story, I’m not at liberty to share the details.  But I do want you to know that if you are hurting this Christmas, I understand.  Even when life gets hard, Christmas is worth celebrating.  The Eternal One entered time.  The Lord of Glory veiled that glory in a human body for us.  And even though He came as an infant, He lives still.  Jesus saves people from the penalty of sin, from the power of sin and eventually from the very presence of sin. (from Bible commentary)

 

Hallelujah!  And Happy New Year.

 

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InstaEncouragements, Literacy Musing Mondays, Hello…Monday,

The Good. The Random. The Fun.

BloggerClubUK, Tea and Word Tuesday, Purposeful Faith,

GraceFull Tuesday Link-Up, Hearth and Soul Link Party,

Let’s Have Coffee, Welcome Wednesday, Recharge Wednesday,

Worth Beyond Rubies, #TellHisStory Link Up, Porch Stories,

Encouraging Word Wednesday, Tune In Thursday,

Stories of Hope, Moments of Hope, IHeart Verse Link Party,

Legacy Link Up, Fresh Market Friday, Feature Friday Time,

Friendship Friday Blog Hop, Faith on Fire, Traffic Jam Weekend,

Faith ‘n Friends, Dancing with Jesus, Grace & Truth, Booknificent

 

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