Good morning, Sweet Things!
It’s one of those rare days around the Moore house when we get to sleep late. I got up about 7:30 because I like to have a few minutes before everybody else rouses around here. I just got finished with my quiet time and had you on my mind so I thought I might show you what life looks like from exactly where I’m sitting:
My man and I usually get a tree that is way too big for our low ceiling and have to cut two feet off the top. After all, we are the Moores and if medium is good, more is better. This year we got one that fits our size room a little more appropriately and is less accommodating to Star and Geli for chewing and climbing and all-around-dragging. Up front is me in my favorite house slippers. They are called “The Pinks” (forenamed by Melissa and I when we got our original pairs). Everyone in the family knows The Pinks and God forbid one of the dogs getting hold of them. I am very picky about my house slippers because my man keeps the house ten degrees below zero and my feet nearly freeze into nubs.
To the right of The Pinks you can see the very top of my favorite coffee cup. I’m annoyed at myself for not getting it in the picture better but I don’t have time to take another one and upload it. My Greek tutor, Dr. Joe Wall, and his beautiful wife gave me a set of dessert plates and cups and saucers from Russia where they train pastors. (Replicas of Catherine the Great’s official dishes.) I don’t have a ton of attachments to things but, if my house caught on fire, these would come out right after the baby pictures and the dogs. Coffee and tea drinker that I am, I love delicate cups and saucers. So do Amanda and Melissa and we have used this set no less than a thousand times. They have the added sentimental value of coming from people I love and respect so they make English tea or fresh brewed coffee taste even better.
On each side of the tree are dolls that hold candles and move their arms (hence, the blur). I’ve had them for twenty years and they mesmerize me. I could sit and stare at them for hours. Annabeth is also completely taken with them. She stands right in front of them and needs to talk to me at length about them. The one on the right has a hood on her red velvet coat and AB likes to put it on and off and on and off and with the delicate touch of a chimpanzee. Nonetheless, the doll stands tall and takes it like a trooper. If you’re wondering where the presents are, we don’t bring them out until Christmas Day because they take up too much room in our den.
Shhhhhhhh. Don’t tell them you saw what’s in them but these are my girls’ stockings:
I made each of these from kits with my own little hands right after each girl was born. (Amanda was born ten minutes after we were married. Not really. Nine and a half months to be exact and, no, I’m not kidding.) Of course, I also made a stocking for Keith and one for me. I still can’t believe I did it. (Don’t you dare ask how hard it could be. This might as well have been chiseling heads on Mt. Rushmore for me.) That was back when I had more hope of being the home goddess. I may have even had a sewing machine back then. I had high hopes of carrying on family tradition. My mom could sew anything and I didn’t have a store bought dress until junior high. My older sister, Gay, and I dressed alike all our young lives and still think it might be fun.
Uh oh. Melissa and Keith are up so I’ve run out of time. Here’s one more. It’s a picture the girls and I took yesterday at Saltgrass Steak House with Melissa’s I-phone on our Christmas shopping day. By 2:00, we hadn’t gotten a single gift but we’d eaten twice.
Oh gracious. I love those girls so much. They remain the greatest proof in my life of God’s inconceivable redemption. Even more than the ministry, as thankful as I am for it. God didn’t just do a miracle in my serving life. He did a miracle in my HOME. In my own troubled family. How Keith or I either one did not destroy this home is a mystery only God can explain.
OK, so now it’s your turn. What holds a special Christmas memory or tradition around your home? Do tell!
I love you guys so much.
PS. OK, because you insisted, here’s a close up:
And I couldn’t bring myself to show it to you empty so you just caused me to have a fourth cup of strong coffee. I’m typing really fast and feeling extra energetic. Going to get off and do handsprings in the den until I calm down.
Merry Christmas, beloved Moores/Joneses/Fitzpatricks! I’ve said it before on here and I’ll say it again on this Christmas night. Each of you have blessed me immeasurably with your willingness to share with us “not only the gospel, but your lives, as well.” Thank you for being willing to be living, breathing proof of God’s presence, grace, redemption, power, and love to all of us. God has used each of you to point me to Jesus time and time again. May you know this night, and all of the days and nights to come, how utterly enveloped you are in the love of Christ. May He continue to fill you and use You for the glory of His Name. With so much gratitude and love, Lauren in Seattle
I can’t believe as busy as you are, you take the time to maintain a beautiful blog like this. Thank you.
I was just thinking about you this week because I have been healed so much over the past few years that people I haven’t seen in awhile don’t even recognize me. Someone just asked me recently how my healing journey got underway, and I shared that it began with you in December of 2002.
I was listening to you on the radio in the car and was a mess then. My background is similar to yours so upon hearing your voice I said to Jesus, “I wish I could be healed like that. You’d never know she suffered so much abuse when she was a child.” He answered me unexpectedly. He said, “You can be healed like that. If you ask Me to give you a passion for my word, a passion for my people, and a passion for my church, I will give it to you, and I will heal you.”
I asked, and He filled me with that passion. Slowly. In 2005, I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 35, so I begged the Lord to give me a love for people because I had none in me. He did it. Then in 2007, I graduated from college with a degree in psychology. I’m 39 now, and I am passionate about the healing ministry, and the Lord has deepened my love and compassion for hurting people. I love intercessory prayer. I also write prayers for people on my blog. I’ve lost weight over the years, too. I’m 71 pounds lighter than I was in 2002. Additionally the symptoms of autism continue to disappear, and no one actually knows now unless I tell them. And I do tell them, not to gain pity, but to give God the glory for his ability and desire to heal.
I learned to pray life-changing and heaven-moving prayers through the “Believing God” study, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that miracles–the biggest one for me is that despite being diagnosed with autism, I love the Body of Christ so much–are real, and I never stop praying for them. I see them all the time.
So thank you for being so open about your life. I can honestly say that because you are, your words had a direct impact on my life. There was no one in the car with me that day but you and the Holy Spirit. And what a team you made. I am, like you, Living Proof that the Father can do all that He said He would do, and I praise Him for the dawning of a brand new day.
Love,
Kelly
Kelly,
Your testimony has given me hope. Would you agree with me in praying that He does the same for me? Dealing with severe germaphobic and ocd tendencies. Thank you
Not sure how many will be aghast at our family Christmas tradition – but every single year growing up, my Grandpa would take us all out in his Buick or Caddy, (American Made was the ONLY car option, and it had to be a tank), out to the Eagles or the Elks Club where they would have Tom & Jerry’s – a drink with eggnog and brandy (thus the aghast fear). I always got just a sip of the foamy nutmeggy froth on top, and then it was off to play with the cousins. There was a ginormous jukebox and we would feed it quarters endlessly, dancing around with Christmas Eve Energy until we dropped.
Now, Grandparents are long since passed away and the cousins live many States apart, and our family has gratefully replaced Elks and Eagles with a Church Family instead. But I couldn’t let go of the tradition, so now we have an open house Christmas Day, in the evening, where we have birthday cake and ice cream, sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, and drink Tom & Jerry’s in honor of my family. (Although now I get to have more than just the foam.)
Merry Christmas Siestas.
Erin D. – NH
Merry Christmas Beth!
This was to be our first Christmas without my mother. And my two boys are getting to the ages where toys are no longer on their Christmas lists. But my mom was such a kid at heart, and having no sons of her own embrace my guys “boy world” from the beginning. They were Lego-maniacs and so she became one too. So this year I started a new tradition in her memory ~ I gave my boys each a Lego set in the childlike spirit of their sweet Grandma, in hopes that they will never forget her and never lose touch with their inner child at Christmas. I feared that they might be “too cool” to participate, but I was so wrong. As soon as we were done with the opening all our gifts they went right up to the game room and assembled them in record time. All the while we kept talking and remembering Grandma and how much she would have approved. We talked about her faith and that we believed she was having the best Christmas ever! But also looking down on us all, smiling!
Joy for sadness!
My 9 year old daughter recently told me that she enjoys taking the Christmas trees (There are 5 in my house.) down as much as she enjoys putting them up. I thought that was a little odd until she explained. I get the ornament boxes and tell my family that I need a Santa with a stocking, and they all set out looking for that ornament. For my 9 year old, it’s like a huge Christmas scavenger hunt. She says that’s a favorite memory of Christmas for her. And now I have a new outlook on the dreaded task of taking down the Christmas decorations. I plan to make it really special this year. I’ll make something yummy to enjoy while we have our scavenger hunt, and with the Lord’s help, I’ll have a happy, festive attitude instead of the “Christmas is over, gotta get back to routine, yuck” attitude I too often display.
My husband and I have a tradition of not giving gifts to each other, but to give to a charity instead, and to write a letter to each other. These letters express our love and appreciation and remind us of some of the happy events or trips we experienced during the year. We keep these letters in a special Christmas decorated box. It’s not much, but it is special to us.
Amazingly, we don’t have specific traditions. WE usually go to my in-laws for Christmas Eve, but due to my father in-laws hip replacement on the 20th, we had Christmas Eve on the 18th. Christmas Day is spent at my daughter’s so the kids can play with their new “toys”. We love doing it and they love being able to stay at home and play. We did go to Christmas Eve services….my daughter, three grandchildren and myself. It was a communion service as well…..very special. Lots of Christmas carols and special music. I love this time of the year….the lights are so warming….we here in MI don’t get much sunshine this time of the year, so when the Christmas lights come down, it really seems dark!!! However, each day gets daylight longer so that is a blessing!! I pray everyone had a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and that you will have a BLESSED, Prosperous New Year!!
Blessings,
Bible BUnny in NO MI
My greatest memories growing up of Christmas are that several years in a row, the day after Christmas, my parents would lead mission teams down to Mexico…and I would get to tag along. God moved in mighty ways on those trips…in the people in Mexico and in my life. I’m now in my 20’s and last year and this year I have had the incredible privilege to lead teams to an unreached people group in West Africa over Christmas. I am actually sitting in a hotel in West Africa as I type this, having just come in from the village. Both years God has showed off in mighty ways, allowing us to share His story and the reason we celebrate, with different villages who have never even heard the name of Jesus before! What an amazing experience this has been both years! Our God and His magnificent plan for redemption is certainly worthy of a mighty celebration!!!
Merry Day-After-Christmas, MommaBeth! I just love you and your awesome posts! And the shot of you and your girls is absolutely beautiful. You all have the gorgeous eyes things goin strong. I sometimes want to cry looking into the eyes of my little princess. You must be having a blast down there in Houston together!
I was ‘busted’ visiting Siestaville on Saturday when I should have been wrapping! So I leave my fave of many traditions here now:
I was raised an Army brat and we did many central/south American tours. On one of them my mom picked up a clay nativity set. Mary has one thick black eyebrow and is standing. The kings ride their horses via wooden pegs that are highly inappropriate whenever they’re dismounted – which they just shouldn’t be. Baby Jesus – you kinda have to see him. All have bug-eyes and floating pupils a-la “Elmo”. I love this set with all my heart. The main reason is my mother would start Advent by having Joseph, Mary and their Donkey in my oldest brother’s rooom. Over the course of the 4 weeks leading to Christmas, the family would make their way to every child’s room and then to the dining room server where the cresche was waiting. The shepherds and their kneeling sheep (imagine a human leg bent at a right angle- these sheep have four of ’em) had been hanging out on a table nearby all those weeks. Mary and Joseph would be there at the manger as we left for midnight mass and when we got up in the morning, the shepherds, sheep and a tissue-wrapped baby Jesus were all in place. Then, that same night, the three kings would appear in my oldest brother’s room. The trek continued ’til “little christmas” or Epiphany Sunday so we could finish up the Christmas season with the story of the magi and the flight to Egypt. (No, we didn’t cruise the Holy Family to some fabricated Egypt after that – the ‘living’ set ended with the kings’ arrival).
Even though my own family does not worship in a Catholic church, we do still do Advent and I have continued this nativity scene tradition with a wonderful stuffed set a friend from Bible Study made for me. (My big requirement is that Mary be standing so she can travel and this set was perfect.) While I have collected a LOT of nativity sets over the past several years, this stuffed set is now the one that really tells the tale all over the house and my kids LOVE finding the different ‘players’ in their room in the morning.
BLESSINGS GALORE to the Moore house and to all you wonderful Siestas!
Oh sweet MamaBeth!! I love how God’s timing is perfect!! Holidays are rough for us as they are bittersweet after losing many family members the past few years, but family tradition still continues taking time for family with a meal and time of remembering. I also have fond memories of tree decorating and now with my children all the ornaments with memories and that it is not perfect but fun. But an unplanned tradition my daughter started in 1st grade is to give her gently used coat from last season to a friend or younger classmate for Christmas which our son has also followed. God has always shown them someone to bless and befriend I am so thankful they are more willing to give than receive. As this family tradition continues now 6 years, may our children continue to show us blessings for in sharing our blessings we share Jesus.
Jackie
Little Rock, AR
This isn’t about Christmas, but at the end of the Grand Rapids conference in May, Beth Moore had each of us turn to a friend and repeat after her a prayer/blessing.
This meant a lot to me and I was wondering if any one had copy of the closing prayer/blessing from the Beth Moore conference in Grand Rapids in May?
Beth, Here I sit on our family room sofa with my man, my youngest son, and my middle son and his fiancee… We’re watching a comedy movie that my boys fell in love with when they were much younger than they are now called “See Spot Run”. Lots of “guy humor”, if ya know what I mean. But this is one of our traditions.
When our 3 boys were young and we were trying to pay for Christian school education and feed them at the same time, we started buying some of those necessities and wrapping them up for Christmas presents to stretch Christmas morning a bit for them. So, it became a bit of a routine to buy them socks, underwear, and beef jerky every year, and we always made it fun somehow.
So, the routine continued for many years. About 5-6 years ago, after the oldest had already graduated h.s. and the middle one was off to college, we thought we’d finally break away from those routines and do something different for Christmas. Well! The opposition we got!! “What?”, they all yelled in unison, “And give up our Christmas traditions??” My man and I looked at each other in disbelief. Here, something we were doing only to survive those financially tight years had become a tradition to our sons. That, along with seeing a movie and eating dinner out on Christmas Day… We’re finding that no matter how old your children are, they will cling to those little routines for all they[re worth!
So, this year?? My oldest son is 28, my middle son is 24 and is engaged to be married, and my youngest son is 17 (going on 30)… and they all got socks, underwear, and beef jerky on Christmas morning. Along with a few special items, of course. And they loved it!! (Not to worry, my future daughter-in-law got an “underwear alternative”!)
Later that day, we all went to see the newest Narnia movie, which was a big hit. Yes, traditions are very important. And I hope to continue ours as long as possible.
Thanks, Beth. And may your Christmas holiday be ever so wonderful.
Actually, my favorite Christmas memory happened this year. My mom and I spent the day making 4 rag dolls for my sponsored Compassion child (and her 3 sisters) in Burkina Faso, West Africa. I am blessed to be going on a Compassion sponsor tour in mid-January. I could not be more excited.
My favorite tradition began 13 years ago when my parents retired and moved to Lafayette, Louisiana. My dad joined the church choir. Every Christmas Eve they give a concert and sing for the Christmas Eve service. Afterwards we go to dinner with our “choir family”, a group of about 15. It has become a very special part of our Christmas now that we are further away from family.
Merry Christmas Mama Beth, family and Siestas. Get those spirals ready for a very powerful 2011.
elaine
new orleans
Elaine,
Do you have a pattern for the dolls? I am less than zero in the crafty department, but this is something I’d love to try!
Hi Beth-
My memory/tradition has to be the stockings for my sons John, 30, and Sam, 24, that I also made after each was born. Those are my sewing claim to fame as well- the only two things I ever appliqued- I got the patterns from a 1980 Southern Living Christmas book. One has a Santa and the other has a rocking horse. When I told younger son Sam I was thinking of bring the stocking stuff in a decorated box for our out-of-town Christmas this year, he was horrified- yes, shocked at that very idea! How wonderful for a grown man to set his Mama straight on something so dear and special, obviously- to us all.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and lots of love to you, Beth, the Moores, and all of our Siestas-
Fran
Gulf Shores
Oh Beth, I love so much that you share these things with us! I don’t post a comment very often, but I read the blog all the time, but just wanted to stop by, wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and thank you for the adorable Siesta note card binder, and for your obedience to Christ and how it blesses us all. Love ya!
About 13 years ago, I started buying ceramic ornaments for my children to paint for our Christmas tree. I am so glad that I did.Last year my 19 year old daughter,Rachel, was killed in a car wreck.How very precious to be able to pull out those painted crosses,angels,stars, and snowmen that she had painted for me throughout the years.It’s amazing how much value a 50 cent ornament has now. Breath in every moment and hold them in your heart.
Suzette,
Your family is in my prayers this season…I hope God sends you some memories and momentos you didn’t realize you had of your beautiful daughter. May His peace fill your home and your soul.
Suzette,
My heart aches for you, Sister. How wonderful that you can find the joy….what an inspiration you are today.
Dearest Suzette- I am so touched by your Christmas story- thank you so much for reminding us of how precious each second with our loved ones is! I pray for your peace and comfort, and I know you will celebrate with Rachel again one day in our heavenly home!!
Love and blessings,
Fran
LPM & Beth-
I am so blessed to say I am seeing restoration in my relationships with my family since my parents divorce. Yesterday I made it through the day and even managed to give my moms new husband a hug! The, my younger brother helped me carry gifts to my car and actually looked me in the eye. God is on the move and He heals!
Thanks for sharing your PINKS with the world. We gave our sweet grandma house slippers this year for Jesus’ birthday and she loved them so much she said, “I might just have to wear these to the grocery store!” God Bless Your family Beth and hopefully us California girls can see ya’ll soon when you come out in the Spring.
Love in Jesus
-Alison Beck
I got a special Christmas present from God this year in that I got to see how much he as healed our family the past two years as he has worked on healing me. I didn’t dread anything about spending time together this year as a family, I didn’t shut down, I didn’t wear a mask, I didn’t play a part, I didn’t hope to get through the day or the holidays and just get it over with. A couple things bothered me, or angered me, but I was able to process them with God rather quickly and get back to celebrating and being a family. I was able to appreciate all of the wonderful blessings God has given us in the gift of our family, and the sorts of things that, in the past would have caused gaping wounds in our hearts, weren’t able to hurt this year.
This may all sound quite petty, but the ability to be able to relate, communicate, love, and have our eyes opened to where and when the enemy is trying to gain a foothold and tear our family apart and the victories that were won really were Christmas miracles.
Jessica, I needed to read your comments tonight. Thank you for sharing!
Sorry I’m late getting my Christmas tradition on here. I’ve had a house full of company for a couple of days….one being my 9 week old precious grandson. Christmas was extra special at our house this year!
Our tradition is Christmas breakfast at our house every Christmas morning at about 8:00 a.m. My husband & I have been doing this for over 20 years. Every year our children, my parents and my husband’s mom come. My husband’s dad has gone to be with the Lord, but he was here every Christmas morning for years. Last year we had a blizzard on Christmas Eve, but my parents were still able to come since they live just a couple of houses down from us. We love this special tradition!
Merry CHRISTmas, Beth, to you and your dear family. And warm CHRISTmas greetings as well to all of you amazing Siestas out there!
My favorite tradition from childhood was the children’s program at church on Christmas Eve. I also love the midnight candlelight service when it works out for me to attend.
We have many food-related traditions in my family. My mother makes fruitcake and peanut butter fudge every year. On Christmas Eve, she always makes oyster stew. Now that I am an adult I have started my own tradition of making Chicken Noodle soup and taking it to my parents’ house for those of us who are not great fans of oysters.
Every year during the meal, my dad will remind everyone at the table about the Christmas when I was two years old – one of my first experiences eating oyster stew. I had cried because “there was a mouse in my soup!” I used to hate being reminded of that story, but now I have grown to expect it – and in fact, it doesn’t seem like Christmas Eve without it 🙂 so it must have become a tradition somewhere along the way.
I am in my late 40’s – still single with no children or grandchildren. I spent much of the last three days at my parents’ house enjoying my siblings and their children + grandchildren. It was wonderful and I loved every minute of it. However, I also still spent quite a bit of time alone.
I used to spend much of that alone time at Christmas feeling sorry for myself because I didn’t have my own family. As I have grown closer to the Lord over the years, I have been better able to cherish the quiet solitude and precious time alone with the Lord. But I have to tell you Siestas that it really blessed me this year to nibble away at reading all of your precious Christmas memories and traditions over the last three days. It made the weekend much less lonely to hear everyone sharing from their hearts. I was amazed at how many of you shared similar traditions that I have never heard of before. I think reading these comments on Christmas traditions could become a new tradition for me!! I hope it will still be available next year at this time.
Looking back to a year ago, I didn’t even know what a Siesta was. I started reading this blog in February so I could participate in the “So Long, Insecurity” study. I have really enjoyed getting to know you, Beth, and all of you Siestas through this past year. I felt your prayers last spring when I had major surgery. After asking for prayer, the fears that were paralyzing me just evaporated. I had lots of time to read and get to know some of you through your comments this summer as I recovered. I enjoyed meeting several of you at the LPL conference in Rapid City, and even got to meet the little moose mascot! 🙂 I just wanted you all to know that you have been a blessing to me this year and I am thankful for you!
May the Lord God pour His richest blessings out on each of you in 2011!
Laura in SD
If you tell me you MADE those snowflake cookies, I’m going to fall over. They are too pretty!
Love The Pinks! I have an identical pair in royal blue and wear them daily with great fear and trepidation that they are going to become threadbare and I’ll never be able to find a pair as soft.
We’ve had many sweet traditions over the years, but I can’t think about them right now because I’m too teary over my Betsy’s departure back to the States yesterday. Why must these children insist on growing up?
You know, it’s not until the kids are grown and gone that one begins to appreciate the little things (ie, “traditions”) that we did every year . . .
— Putting up the nativity is a big one. It still takes me forever to get it just right – I’ll pass by and move a wise man a little to the left, then to the right, and the angels back a little more and off-centered……it has to be just perfect! 🙂
— The same goes for our “Dickens Village” – I’ve collected pieces over the years and love to set up my little victorian-town, with a train running through it. The kids used to move the little people around and put them in precarious (or hilarious) places – waiting for me to find them. Now the grandkids do the same!
— I also hand-made stockings for my kids – cross-stitched their names across the top – brings tears to my eyes every year when I put them out.
— And I boo-hoo’d like a baby this year putting out some of their little hand-made ornaments they made when they were small. Oh my, how I’m running on here…..
— One more, then I will quit. We always watch “Home Alone” sometime the week of Christmas – still laugh hysterically at the slap-stick comedy in that movie!
— Sorry, but couldn’t forget the reading of the Christmas story first thing Christmas morning from Luke 2. My Dad used to do it when I was young. Then my husband did it for our kids. Now my son and son-in-law do it for their kids.
Thank you God for all these blessings and more – my cup over-flows!
I have a few favorite traditions:
Sometime during the week of Christmas my Mom, brother, sister, and I would make Christmas cookies, each picking a different kind.
When we were growing up, my younger brother and sister and I were allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve, from our great-grandfather, who always sent us matching pajamas. Our Dad would read us the Night Before Christmas and then we would all sleep in the same room on Christmas Eve. Someone would wake up at an obnoxiously early hour (around 5 o’clock) on Christmas morning, and we’d race into my parents’ room to wake them up. My Mom would make sure everyone used the restroom, and then all together, we sprinted 10 feet into the living room admiring the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree for all of 10 seconds before ripping into them. Inevitably, my Dad would fall asleep on the couch as we played with our new toys. My Mom would make “Monkey Bread” for breakfast (a once a year treat) and we enjoyed much of the day in our PJ’s, climbing over boxes and wrapping paper mounds and enjoying our new toys.
This year was my first Christmas being married, and in trying to keep the tradition, I attempted the cookie making process. Turns out, my Mom helped a lot more than I remembered, and the cooking goes much faster when 4 people are doing it! But after my husband wiped my tears and gave me a big hug, we figured them out and they taste pretty good!
This Christmas is one that I have really cherished: my brother is home from the army, my sister is home from college, and it is the last Christmas we’ll spend in Colorado because my parents are moving to Oklahoma next year. I have been cherishing every moment we have together because we might not get to be all together for the next few years because my brother leaves for South Korea on January 9th.
I hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and have a happy New Year! 🙂
I agree wholeheartedly with other siestas who are just amazed that you take the time in your ultra-busy life to keep us up with you and “yours” on our day of all days celebration: when God became flesh and dwelt amoung us, and now lives in our hearts! Loved the pic’s and especially the Russian tea (and coffee set)! Our Great-Grandpa Mel told the Christmas story to our “Grands” straight from his heart, from memory, never missing a beat on Christmas Eve night, all about the Greatest Gift ever given, and the reason we give gifts. We have the most geniune looking Santa Claus at our church, and he offered to come during our gift opening and “WOW” our grands…and bring them their biggest gifts: a new red bike for our 9 1/2 year old grand, a “Princess Treasure Chest” filled with dress up clothes and regalia for our 4 and 2 1/2 year old, and wrapped gifts for each of our grand-nieces and nephews present with us. A big Mexican Buffet dinner followed, and lots of Christmas cookies and candy, fun and fellowship. Christmas stockings that I had made years ago, were filled, and new ones made for my “littles” as they came along, another part of the fun of Christmas. Christmas Day was the 40th year of my man and I being “us”…we met on Christmas Day 1970, and love at first sight, and it’s held, PTL!
Christmas Blessings and hugs to all~
Pam Houston
Buena Park, CA
My mom always got me a new pair of Christmas pajamas to open on Christmas Eve. The majority of the time she made them herself, it was so special. And now the sweet tradition is being passed on to my children. They love opening up the Christmas pajama’s that Mimi has made for them. She also gets them each a Precious Moments ornament, just like she did for me. I’m so thankful to be able to pass on such dear and precious memories to my children and see them treasuring the same things I did when I was their age.
Also, just out of curiosity….what is the name of that beautiful china pattern? 🙂
Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year!!!
A few days ago I wrote a comment not realizing we were asked to share about our Christmas traditions. I’m sorry for missing the question and responding inappropriately.
I’ve enjoyed reading the traditions of all the other commenters, though, and I hope and pray you all had a beautiful and Merry Christmas!
Kelly
Kelly,
I enjoyed reading your earlier comments. Thanks for sharing your heart. I don’t think theres ever a wrong time to give praise & glory to God for a transformed life!
Laura K in SD
Greetings, warmest rejoicing to you today Siesta Mama Beth:) I am very very excited about scripture memorization!:):) Lord willing, I will make it to the memory celebration this time!:) Special Christmas traditions around here…when I was at home, our Christmas trees never had a theme or color scheme to them. They were always random trees. What I mean by random is that they only had ornaments on that my sisters and I had made my parents, and the various ornaments bought from various places we had visited, or ornaments handed down from relatives. My husband’s family, of course had a theme tree every year. So, when we got married, the first year we had a theme tree and a random tree. But, my husband has seen the light:) Now we just have a random tree with the wierdest ornaments on it like American flag painted mickey mouse ornaments and a corn husk made out of beads and twine that my little sister gave to us to use-fabulous:)
For as many years as I can remeber things have always been the same on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day in my family. On Christmas Eve we go to a service at church and then we go to my parents’ house for lasagna. We sleep over and get up early on Christmas Day. I think so that my parents could sleep a little longer that day we have always been allowed to open our stockings right away. Once my parents are up (although these days they usually are up first), we make crepes with fruit and whip cream for breakfast. Then we open gifts. Usually by that point we’re pretty tired so it’s a quiet few hours until we head to my grandparents’ house for dinner and more gifts with aunts, uncles, cousins, and whoever else had no family to join for Christmas . . . so usually about 25-30 of us. A little bit crowded, but a lot of fun.
This year all the traditions at my parents’ house were moved to Christmas Eve, and the dinner from that night to earlier in the week, as my sister works nights and got the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day shifts. My other sister and her new husband were also unable to make it home for Christmas this year. It was different and felt like something was missing sometimes. But it was still good to be together with family.
I am SO EXCITED!!! Here’s a God story: I ordered a couple of extra spirals not exactly sure what I would do with them. Last nite I was having a date nite with the Holy Spirit and He gave me such a brillant idea. SO my BFF Stacy is now going to do scripture memory with me this year (we used to memorize verses in college: any ole Navigator gals out there?) but haven’t focused on that in quite some time. SO, back to basics for us! AND…drumroll: we are saving our pennies to come out in January to have some sistaaaa time with the SIESTAS! I am making a jar for her to save her spare change…shhhh…don’t tell her! Yippee!
I have been so busy with things that I haven’t gotten to do this yet. Late as usual! One of my favorite Christmas memories is one year when my children were younger (not toddlers). Each one had a package under the tree that had a note inside.We were having a Christmas treasure hunt! They absolutely loved it.They are all grown up now but we still talk about that year, it made an impression. I love the Lord and all of my Siesta girlfriends! I pray this will be a wonderful year with many treasure hunts from God!!! Happy New Year!!!
I thought this was soo cute this year. Every year I would buy my daughter some new pj’s for Christmas Eve. I would wash them and put alot of fabric softener on them so she could wear them that night. Our son was married in Jan. 09 so last year I bought my daughter-in-law some pj’s but didn’t wash, etc. incase she wanted to return them. This year, yes, we still make Christmas lists,
my daughters list said “pj’s” mom should buy these…my daughter-in-laws list said “pj’s” the kind mom buys for Angie. So..yes..this year..both the girls received warm
comfortable pj’s, washed and a lot of fabric softener added. 🙂 P.S. Beth, my son-in-law just received a job offer (Dec. 22) and they’re moving back home. I share your joy of having both of our children and grandchild back home!!!
The Christmas tradition I have for my little family is making a huge Christmas breakfast. My son and his family come over early Christmas morning, kids still in pjs. We open gifts and gather around the table for a Christmas breakfast feast. There are a total of 10 of us,my oldest son,daughter-in-law,my second son, my daughter,son-in-law, 2 granddaughters and 2 grandsons. We range from 50 to 2 yrs. My oldest son gets in the kitchen and helps me prepare breakfast. Eggs,bacon,biscuits,tamales,chicharrones,pancakes and potatoes. This year we played Christmas bingo.
I truly cherish this time celebrating the birth of Christ with my family.
I wish I could upload a picture, so a word picture will have to suffice! We have a very ecclectic tree of decorations. My absolute favorite ornament is one my son (now 23) made in school one year. It is a pinecone angel and he used green sequins for the eyes. We called it the alien angel for years. One year, one of the eyes fell off so now it is a “one eyed alien angel”. There are stories behind most of the ornaments. This year, my daughter was putting them up with a girl who was staying with us for a few months. I loved hearing KK tell her friend the meaning behind all the ornaments! I too, hand stitched stockings for my children. Sadly, this past year, something happened to the box the stockings were in and mine and my daughter’s stocking were mildewed. She said, “Oh no! Mom! Those were made back when you knew how to sew!” Oh my! Guess I will have to make new ones and prove I still know how!
Dear Beth,
I was so touched by the part of your story today about your Mom’s sewing skills.
Blog statement:
“My mom could sew anything and I didn’t have a store bought dress until junior high. My older sister, Gay, and I dressed alike all our young lives and still think it might be fun.”
My Mom, also, could sew anything. My Mom, at the age of 92, passed away in April 2010. So, Christmas memories about Mom were very cherished this year.
Also, I attended your August 13th & 14th, 2010 Living Proof Live Conference in Lexington, KY.
I got out my notes from the August 2010’s Eat, Pray, Love Conference. A “Special Praise” on Sat. 08-14-2010 was given to your older sister’s victory of being sober for 16 months. Today 12-30-2010, I lift up your sister in prayer to remain strong and to accept help to resist the addictive strongholds of drugs, alcohol, homelessness, and the loss of her husband.
In your blog posting, your older sister’s name was Gay. So, my heart holds a special spot for her, especially with our names matching. In my 59 years, I have not met many people sharing my name Gay. And our culture in recent years has put a very different spin on the meaning of the name. As a conservative Christian, I consider my name as a “Joyful, Happy” name.
Beth, Blessings to each member of you families.
In God’s Love,
Gay Beck
you posted this a few days ago, so i don’t know if anyone will see this comment. but i have been married for two months, and just found out last week that i’m pregnant! i’m thrilled and scared to death at the same time! we’re both in grad school and not exactly financially stable at the moment. so the thought of a child is a little overwhelming. i honestly feel like God had you post that you had amanda that early into your marriage. the tears of fear have stopped now and i’ve been thinking, “if beth moore did it, i can do it!” thank you for writing that.
I am a little late posting on this on but I wanted to add my two cents on the Christmas traditions. My all time favorite tradition from childhood was baking with my grandma. I would go to my grandparents house the week before Christmas and I would spend the week baking with her. We would sing hymms and Christmas carols and bake the day and night away. As I now have 2 boys I realize how special those moments were. (my boys have NO desire to bake with me) I grew up in a Christian home but I can honestly say that like the song, “I learned about Jesus from Grandma’s Rocking Chair.” Thankfully, my grandma is still with us but being stationed overseas as a military wife, I do not get to spend holidays with my family back home. So I treasure all those sweet memories and I am so thankful that God chose to send me into a family of Christian heritage.. A family tree that is rooted at the foot of the Cross!
some of my favorite traditions are we start decorating right after Halloween, we play christmas music or a movie during decorating the tree, my girls and I would make new ornaments each year to share.we get together and make cookies and watch a movie while eating the cookies..I make my special hot chocolate complete with whipped cream and sprinkles.On christmas morning My hubby and I would get up early and turn on music and make coffee and sit and listen to the music and the kids werent allowed to come down to the livingroom till we called them..lol drove them nuts till they got older and we had to make them get up! lol we have christmas lunch and open our gifts.hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a very happy blessed newyear!
So many magnificent memories, but the most remembered & loved is my 90 yr old Dad & me, on his last Christmas with us, in the middle of the floor, for hours,trying to find enough strings of lights out of a huge box to decorate an 8′ tree. He was a fixer & had them all working by the end of the day!!!!
Your sweet family stories bless me.
What a fun post. I love pictures. Especially pictures from other peoples life. You and your daughters are so beautiful. You always look so well put together. Happy New Year from a siesta in a tiny town of Lafayette, OR
I almost died when I saw Melissa’s stocking! That is the exact one my Granny made for me almost 29 years ago when I was born! She makes one for every member of the family whether they are married into the family or born into it and God bless her, I think this year she will have made about 40. (and they’re all different!) It is for this reason that I thought she made them from scratch and I now know they were from a kit (which she obviously didn’t tell us on purpose) so although my Granny may not be quite as crafty as I thought she was, my stocking couldn’t be any more precious to me.
(Toni, Mississippi – Psalm 29:4) The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic.
Stephanie, La Habra, CA “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light in the darkness,’ has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Cor 4:6 NLT
Sarah Boyd, Brownwood,Texas
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the broken hearted, and to proclaim that captives will be released, and prisoners will be freed.
Isaiah 61:1
Jennifer, Aberdeen SD “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 ESV
Vicky, Overland Park
Psalm 105:4 NIV
Look to the Lord and His strength; Seek his face always.
Kristin, Raleigh, NC “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7
1/15/11
Stephanie Chambers, Kings Mountain NC
James 1:19 “So then my beloved brethren. let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;”
Michelle Lutz
2Tim 1:7
Young’s Literal Translation
for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind;
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
2 Corinthians 4:16