A Very Merry Christmas

Last year's Christmas season was colored by the addition of the red cast on my broken wrist.  Despite pain meds and the cumbersome cast, I did a teeny bit of decorating.  I also put a smile on my face and tried to enjoy the family love around me.  But it was different.  

This year, the wrist has pretty much healed with most of the function back.  So I got out the seasonal decor and started to decorate and enjoy the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  I developed a personal mantra about it......do as much or as little that will make me personally happy without stress.  Turned out that I put out quite a bit of stuff.  Every evening I found myself delighting in the decor as the lights would come on around the living room.  I would smile and feel joy that actually only comes from the real reason for the season....The Savior's Birth.  

One of my favorite decor items is  modern and simple wood carvings of the Manger scene that my in-laws bought for us in Mexico.  We put it out every year and I've begun to add a few angels to it.  I've been in a constant search to find just the right animals to someday add.

It has become the family tradition to celebrate Christmas Eve at our house.  This year Lissa's mom, Linda and her brother, Matt joined us.  I prepared dinner and we enjoyed each other's company.  The girls got to open new pajamas and so did I.  We ended the evening with what has been our Sorenson family's Christmas tradition.....reading the Christmas story from Luke and reading "twas The Night Before Christmas". 

This year was really special.  Makayla read from her Bible and Violet read from a book that I had given their family several years ago.  The memories of years long ago when Jon and Stephen would read the stories filled me with nostalgia and I felt tears in my eyes.

Christmas Day was spent at Jon and Lissa's home as we all took turns opening gifts.  Jon prepared the annual traditional morning treats of cheese and salami and crackers.  He even bought cheddar cheese from Pea Soup Anderson's to add to the festivities.  Jim wasn't able to come over because he's been suffering from a nasty cold. 

I feel blessed and loved to have made it through this year.  God slowed me down with an injury and He taught me the lessons of patience and persistence as I asked for healing and pain relief.  I was led to find a wonderful Advent book of devotions - The Greatest Gift - by Ann Voskamp.  Evening readings kept me on track.  I enjoyed celebrations and outings with friends and family. A year in God's presence is always a good year.  Praise you Lord!