A Gift of Time Well Spent

By Pat

Well, another Christmas season has arrived. It seems like each one comes faster than the one before, and I find myself, as usual, worrying about what to buy, when to decorate, and how much to bake. I will fret over what to get grandchildren who need nothing. I will make myself crazy.

Somehow, I don't think this is what Jesus wants as we prepare to celebrate his birth. I remember the little drummer boy, and how the gift of music he gave to baby Jesus made Him smile. I remember that, in Matthew 19: 16-23, Jesus tells the story of the rich young man, and how distressed he was when Jesus told him to give all his riches to the poor. I remember that Jesus defines riches and gifts much differently than the world does...and I like it.

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Tasty Christmas Bites: Candy Bark

By Beth V

For the next few weeks, I’d like to feature some of my favorite Christmas recipes that are likely to be found on my own table and the tables of my sisters as we come together to celebrate Christ‘s birth. A few Christmases ago, just after my Dad passed away suddenly, I was understandably struck with a greater appreciation for the brevity of life. I created a memory book of family recipes with pictures from our childhood Christmases, photographs of recipes written out by mother’s hand over the years, recipes that my mom and her sisters brought to those family gatherings and new ones that I and my sisters and sister-in-law (and brother!) have added to the collection.  I gave one to each of my siblings and my mom as a Christmas gift that year. This recipe comes from this cookbook - The Family Cookbook, as we have come to call it - contributed by my sister, Bonnie. I love this bark recipe. It is amazingly simple, easy and inexpensive and  it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. For such a small investment of time and money, the deliciousness factor of this recipe is out of this world.

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Life Is Funny: Top 5 Christmas Vacation Quotes

By MAD21

1.  While on our way into the National Zoo, my husband asked our girls, "What's your favorite animal?" Without hesitation, my youngest yells with much enthusiasm and arms in the air, "MEEE!"

2.  It is tradition that we drive around looking at Christmas lights after going to the Christmas Eve services at church. For quite awhile, we were oooing and aaaaahing at the beautiful decorations that people had on their houses. At one point, we drove through an area that didn't have anything to see. Our youngest exclaims, "Wow! Awesome!" My niece who was in the car said, "What? What did you see?" My youngest sweetly says, "Nooothing." (With a smirk on her face, of course.)

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Life Is Funny: Toy Packaging

In the spirit of opening gifts with our kids on Christmas, and having to figure out how to get the toys out of the packages the nice companies afix them to, I bring you: Toy Packaging by Sara Groves.

My friend and fellow blogger Wendy at Weight..What? has a fun carnival at her blog called "Life is Funny." Every Monday we talk about something in life that we find funny. Be sure to go visit her blog to read her post along with links to other blogs who are participating.

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Christmas Upside Down

By Chuck (Sharing Compassion)

This is a video that is making the rounds today. At first I was wondering what it was about (watch and enjoy). Then ask yourself...of all the gifts I unwrappred today did I accept and open the most important one. That God gave himself to us so that we might be redeemed.

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