Merry Christmas, Everybody

Things have been a bustle here at the Legacy home. I know they have been for you, too. We're cooking and baking and crafting and decorating and...{sigh}...but believe it or not, it's been a fun and peaceful season. I have refused to let things get me in a tizzy or to make me so busy that I don't recognize the beauty of the season we're in. Nutshell: no stress.

It's been good.

We had company over the Thanksgiving week, which was a blast. That was the first time I've had a houseful over the whole week. Dinner was both beautiful and tasty, and very low stress with the extra help I had in the kitchen.

DH had the lights on the bushes outside before they got here. After they left town, we got our Christmas decorations up, tree included, and the Christmas movies began...starting with "White Christmas." We have been enjoying a family Christmas movie, most of them from the Hallmark channel, almost every night since.

One of our faves has been "The Christmas Choir" shown on Hallmark.

"A workaholic accountant (Jason Gedrick) is inspired to start a choir at a homeless shelter, allowing him to rediscover the "miracle of music" and learning that everyone deserves a second chance." Taken from Hallmark Channel website

My favorite thing about it is that it is based on a true story. I love stories like that. Like most of the original movies from Hallmark, this movie is as moving and irresistible as any I've seen. The next airing I could find is on December 20, so set your calendar...or your Tivo.

Another Hallmark movie we've really enjoyed this year was one called "The Christmas Card."

"Moved by an anonymous Christmas card sent to the front lines of Afghanistan, lonely career militarist Captain Cody Cullen travels to the small town of Nevada City to meet the card's sender, Faith Spelman. Stars Ed Asner, John Newton, and Alice Evans." Hallmark Channel's website

No, I'm not being paid by Hallmark to post this. They don't even know I'm writing this. I just really have enjoyed their shows, and want to share the love, m'kay?

Today is December 16, and I've already finished my Christmas cards, AND I'll be finishing my Christmas gifts and cookies to mail by the end of this week. Please hear my heart here...I'm not bragging; I'm celebrating.

The last two Christmas seasons have been, for me, a complete blur.

It was all about a race against time...being behind on cards, behind on wrapping gifts, behind on making gifts...yada yada yada.

I read a book once entitled "Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas" by Sharon Jaynes. She has created an A to Z plan of ideas to incorporate into our Christmas season to be sure we and our families do not miss the "Reason for the Season." I want to share with you her idea for the letter "K". I finally grasped this concept this year, and my Holy-day experience has been completely different for it.

"K" is for kitchen jars. The kitchen jars are to be a reminder of where my focus needs to be. One jar is filled with large, fist-sized rocks, and the other is about three-fourths filled with sand. Here's what Ms. Jaynes says about the jars:

"I've discovered that I can pour all the sand into the rock jar, with the grains filling in nicely around the rocks. However, if I try to wedge the rocks into the jar three-fourths full of sand, the rocks won't fit. As the innkeeper said, 'There is no room.'

"In my life, the large rocks represent the things that God wants me to do: spend time with Him each day...love and support my husband, and nurture and care for my child(ren) with whom God has blessed me.

"The sand represents my to-do list, which is as endless as the sand grains: decorating, baking, running errands, etc. If I begin my day with the rocks, then all the sand will fit into place. But if I start my day with the sand, somehow the rocks never seem to fit in."

I've found the same is true in my life. Big rocks in first. Wanna join me?