We lived in a motel for seven weeks from early November until the day AFTER Christmas! We spent the entire Christmas season with all four little ones and a little dog, in two adjoining motel rooms, watching Christmas decorating and food shows and Christmas specials. What's a mother to do?
I borrowed a pre-decorated 2 foot tree and headed to Hobby Lobby. I came "home" with snowman decorations, candles, and later, a beautiful Advent book. We enjoyed our Christmas celebration with all the kids piled on one of the beds. It was a Christmas to remember. It was also the Christmas that changed my focus from the stuff of Christmas to the person of Christmas—Jesus Christ.
Not every Christmas is perfect, but...
THE ORIGINATOR OF CHRISTMAS IS ALWAYS PERFECT.
If your Christmas isn't turning out picture perfect, focus on the one who is. He LOVES you so much, he gave his life so that you can have eternal life and direct access to Father God—the Creator of the Universe.
Reach out to the Reason for the season—Jesus.
Happy Christmas,
Laura
Love it! Couldn't agree more, my friend.
ReplyDeleteChristmas blessings!
DeleteNice post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne. Enjoy your week.
DeleteMerry Christmas Laura. With priorities put in place, a wonderful peace and calmness is engulfing our home this Christmas. Your testimonies and gentle reminders of Jesus being not only our Savior, but our Lord has done wonders for me this year. You are a blessing to my life. God's Joy and Grace to you and your family, Karla
ReplyDeleteOh Karla, that just blessed my heart as I read it. Thank you. May God bring you everything you need and some sprinkles and sparkles of joy in 2017, too!
DeleteThanks for the great reminder post. I will remember that when I'm frantically trying to cook Christmas dinner. You did a great job of turning your Christmas around.
ReplyDeleteThat is surely a good word to remember....cause after all, it is really all about HIM...........
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clear reminder.
and I bet that Christmas will forever stand out in your mind.
We had a Christmas that was similar just arriving in a foreign
country and knowing no one, we thought......but we will never forget it.....as we saw God move in amazing ways on our behalf.
Merry Christmas,
Nellie
That would frighten me!
DeleteBlessings,
Laura
What a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing. It reminded me of a movie we saw with Kristy Swanson where she and her kids were in a hotel for Christmas, and I remember how they drew a tree on the wall! Emmanuel is with us...wherever we are! Love and hugs to you, sweet friend. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, it's all in our focus Cheryl.
DeleteBlessings and hugs,
Laura
That is a Christmas to remember. And it is all about making the best of it!
ReplyDeleteThat's right every year Michelle. This year is one like none I've had so far. It's a year of transition since my "children" are growing up. I'm not ready to let go of their childhood, but I must.
DeleteBlessings,
Laura
Love this article, Laura. You always know just what to say and how to capture the true meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteOh Lisa, thank you. May God bring peace, hope, love, and salvation to your entire family in the coming year. Hugs!
DeleteLaura
I love what you are saying! I hope more people share the same idea. Merry Christmas! Hugs,
ReplyDeleteyes,yes,yes The perfect one is our precious Lord.. I am trying my best to remember the reason for the season, and not get all caught up in the commercialism of Christmas. [though at times it is hard].
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine living in a motel for all those weeks with small children.. Sounds like you improvised a beautiful Christmas for the kids..
Hi Judy,
DeleteI'm glad that part's over. ~grin~ It was probably easier with small kids than it would be now with teens.
Hope yours is peaceful.
Blessings to you friend,
Laura
Many years ago we bought our house, young and stupid we were!
ReplyDeleteThe day we signed the paperwork, we were told by the family living here they had no intention of moving out until they completed building theirs! Well they said, since we were living with my momma we could just stay there while they finished theirs. We let them, with the agreement that they pay us rent in the amount of our new we can't get in the house payment.
Well, this was August, and their house was up, just not finished. We were stupid, and did not sign a rental agreement.
Well, Sept. then Oct. came and the old story , yeah we're almost done with it. Come Nov., we signed a paper telling them the rent was doubled, and would stay that way unless they got out.
Well, they did, but refused to give up the keys. Three months after, they tricked us, we broke the lock, and got in the house.
For three months, the fellow had been stripping all the wiring, plumbling, etc out of the house, and putting it in his. The only thing he was leaving was scraps of extension cords for wall wiring, and a mish mash of stolen plumbing pieces out of the old vacant house in the neighborhood.
He actually came home to find me barring the door, and refusing to let him back in.
He never got past the threshold ever again.
But they did proceed to tell everyone what terrible people we were, and how wrong they'd been done. So basically trying to ruin our reputation before we ever got started.
Moral of the story, look before you leap! You never know how thing will turn out with other folks.
Hadn't thought of that in years, wow Laura. You never know what you'll find when ou stroll down memory lane.
Oh my Annie! How terrible. I am so sorry to bring up such a horrible memory. I know I have lots of memories I'd rather leave in the past.
DeleteI hope this is a precious, sweet Christmas for you dearie.
Hugs,
Laura
Such a nice story ,thank you for sharing, Bless you and your family this Holiday season Lisa@ Sweet Tea n' Salty Air
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Lisa. I hope you are filled with peace and tranquility this weekend. Enjoy!
DeleteOf course Suzie. Happy Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder, I am apt to get caught up in what I don't have, instead of being grateful for what I do, which is the knowledge that at some point I will see Jesus in the Eastern sky & be able to touch the face of God!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing thought Laurie. It will be beyond words.
DeleteThanks much for coming by my place...hoping your Christmas is Merry and Bright...and Fun. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to get the kids to play some games after lunch. That should be fun. Happy Christmas Cousin BJ. ~grin~
DeleteBe blessed!
Laura
Certainly a Christmas to remember.
ReplyDeleteYour attitude was one of a glorious lady and your outlook was awesome.
We should find the joy in everything, certainly makes life sweeter.
Merry Christmas Blessings to you~~
Ah, I drooped a bit sometimes Debbie. I wanted a home really badly.
DeleteI did the best I could with what I had where I was. ~smile~
Be blessed!
Laura
Beautiful post Laura! I agree that it isn't all the decorations that make Christmas. Of course it helps to bring the Christmas spirit, but it truly is what we make of it! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
You're right Jann. I do enjoy our Christmas tree most of all. It's filled with our yearly ornaments. The tree, candles, and music are most important to me.
DeleteI can relate to your story. Our family had moved to Oregon - about as far as we could be from our extended family on the east coast. The house we found to rent was for sale. We knew it was but there was only one other house to rent in the whole area. When we were told the house sold we found another place to rent. But two days before moving-day a surprise cold spell froze the pipes of that house. The pipes burst, and flooded all the rooms a foot high. We couldn't move in. We looked everywhere for somewhere to live but could only find a house slotted for demolition directly behind a strip mall's dumpsters. We were on the verge of being homeless. The pastor of the church told us about a tiny one-and-a-half bedroom duplex. We squeezed into it with our three children just pre-Christmas with the living room nearly all-boxes. A couples days before Christmas the flooded house was ready for occupancy and the next day Dad took the children out to buy a Christmas tree. It was a stressful time for me but we managed to enjoy a simple time of togetherness.
ReplyDeleteOH, but what a precious memory now Karen! I'm so glad that's over. ~smile~ As long as we focus on Jesus, it's all good.
DeleteHappy new year my new friend.
Laura
Very inspiring story. We are delayed due to repairing walls in a room adjacent to the only room we have for a living room. We hope to finally get our tree up this weekend. A health issue put me in a sour mood, but with exercise and a good spirit things will turn around.
ReplyDelete