Merry Christmas!

The Good Shepherd

 

Luke 2:8-18 NIV 

 

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

  “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."

 

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Hello Friends!... and Merry Christmas!!

I'm sorry that I've been MIA for so long this year on the blog! The last part of this year has been one of experimenting with art journaling for me... which has meant a lot of learning and trial & error! I have not had much finished work to share here recently; but I hope that I'll have more opportunity for art in the coming year!   

 

As the year comes to a close, my wish is that we all would come to know and love Jesus better each day. He is our good shepherd, and he loves us beyond our wildest imagination! What an amazing gift!

 

May the Lord bless you and keep you in the coming New Year!

 

Blessings!

Patti 

 

** "The Good Shepherd" artwork above is from a mixed media card I created this year. ** 

Santa's Gonna Be A Little Late This Year...

 

Well, it was bound to happen eventually. In our 44 years of marriage, my husband Joe & I have always been able to celebrate Christmas with some branch of our family on December 25th. We've packed the boys up in their jammies in the middle of the night and driven to New Jersey to have Christmas with my parents and siblings... We've  gone over the river and through the woods to the Moore family farm in Virginia to celebrate with Joe's kin... We've had Christmas at our house with excited little boys who got up waaaay too early in the morning to open presents... and we've had Christmas in the mountains of North Carolina with our now grown sons and their families (including our brand new grandbaby!).

But sometime mid-November, Joe & I got out our calendars and realized that for Christmas 2023, we'd be home alone for the very first time.

It turned out that this is my oldest son & his family's year to head south to Florida for Christmas with my daughter-in-laws' family... and my youngest son and his partner had made plans to celebrate Christmas day with her Mom & Dad in Eastern North Carolina.

OK, no problem. We just needed to set expectations and come up with a fun Plan B for Christmas day. We thought about going for a hike with our dog Jake, or volunteering at the local homeless shelter. We had all kinds of options that might be possibilities...

...and then I came down with a doozy of a case of bronchitis & walking pneumonia. *cough cough*

So now we're on to Plan C, which includes staying home from Christmas Eve service at our church, snuggling up on the couch and watching football & movies together, drinking more French Vanilla tea with honey than I ever imagined I could, and waiting for the antibiotics and steroids to kick in. While I wait, I've been having fun creating some Christmas doodles in my sketchbook, reading a fun mystery series, and crocheting hats for little noggins for World Vision. Oh, and eating too many Christmas cookies that my husband baked!

Plan C also includes bumping our Christmas celebration to the following weekend when we'll be opening presents with my youngest son and his family.

Not the Christmas we had planned, but I'm oh so grateful for an understanding husband, wise doctors, improving health and the unexpectedly restful pre-Christmas season we've been given.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!!