Preparing for Christ's Birthday

Tonight we are decorating for Christ's birthday.  There are several things to love and appreciate about these actions.  One is the frequent reminder they are to the birth of our God come to earth as a helpless child.  Each time we look at the decorations, we are reminded of the 'Reason for the season'.  I truly don't think I would focus on Christ's birth as much without all the efforts we put into Christmas.  I believe the Lord knows our hearts and how easily we forget and get caught up in earthly, day-to-day routines.  No wonder He had the Israelites use feasts, symbols, and review to help drive into their hearts all that He had done.
Secondly, it is soo wonderful to have family traditions.  As we're decorating, I can feel our hearts being bound closer together and tenderness toward one another growing.  Memories are very sweet!  We're making them tonight.  I'm also remembering the times when Jordan, Jake and Morgan helped us decorate...and missing those times!  What would I do without Mikah, Ariana, Jasmine, Chet and Don here tonight to fill the hole that has been left?  Yes, my heart still aches at times for our 3 children who have left the nest.  I cannot argue that they are following God's will and blessing my heart in that way...but it was so sweet to have them here!
We had a grand Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's.  I so enjoyed visiting with different ones...Melissa, Simonne, Marilyn, Jenn....  God is good!
A sweet and funny thing this week with Jasmine.  She loves to shop and I was going to Grabill to pick up a few things and told her she could go along.  She got very excited and grabbed her coat and shoes!  She talked my ear off in the car!!!!  I finally told her to hush after a few stops.  However, I discovered another Amish store called Katie's Country Corner.  How neat!  Big fabric section (wish they had colors other than black/blue!:-)).  Small section of furniture with Shipshewana quality.  Big housewares section...and a dollar store upstairs!  Well, I was finding some things I had been looking for.  I gathered up something here and something there as I went.  As I came to the stairs back down, I turned to make sure Jasmine was following me...and she was right on my heels...and she had followed my example too.  Her arms were full of things she thought she needed too!  A bag of balloons.  A couple baby doll bottles.  A package of glue sticks (oh, she LOVES those).  I could only chuckle and ask her to give me the things to put back.  How simple it must seem to watch adults stroll through a store and effortlessly pick up this and that...and walk out of the store with them.   Hmmm...we have it pretty good here in America.