These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I was feeling a little unmotivated this year to decorate the tree.  Maybe because I'm all decorated out from moving.  Believe it or not, the Energizer Bunny Decorator has run out of steam.   But when I started to pull out the ornaments, my spirit was lifted up as I remembered some of the wonderful memories we have kept over the years.  For the boys, when you read this one day you will know the ones that are most special to your mom.

I have to share the coolest one first.  Check out the glitter writing.

So these two ornaments were packed in a bag together.  Patrick made this ornament in 1968 when he was two.  Look at the initials.  S.S.  In the same bag, there was another one made when he was seven years old in 1973.  When I first pulled these out our first Christmas together -- I thought for sure we were meant to be! I was Soryda Seng who was born in 1973!!   It was destiny. :)

Here's one his late grandma Marion gave him as a child.

She is thought of much at Christmastime.

 

This one always brings a smile.  Caelan has one too.

And if we're lucky (or I'm hinting the reader who buys this)

we will get one for Tristan, too!

 

And my friend Michelle who got married around Christmastime, gave out these ornaments as favors.  They chose a horse because they owned a farm in Clifton.  Funny thing about that is that I wasn't even invited to the wedding.  Patrick was and invited me as his guest.  Little did I know that the bride would end up being one of my favorite people and dearest friends!

 

This was a cute one my Mother-in-law gave us the Christmas after we visited them in Cape May and went up the lighthouse.  Lots of winding stairs!

 

I'm becoming quite fond of this ornament below.  It's the plainest one on the tree.  I gave one of these to all my girlfriends last year as a reminder that it doesn't matter how fancy your tree is or how much you do,  God sees the heart and sees through all that stuff.  So, worry less about the "doing" of Christmas, and focus on the reason that we celebrate it.  I can't put this one up without that reminder, it's great!

The King of Kings who sits upon the Throne, humbled himself as a man and was born in a lowly manger.  He came to serve and to die as a ransom for many.  This one came with the nails that hung him to the tree.

When I start to get anxious about the gifts to buy, and having the house ready for guests, and all the time it takes to make casseroles and baked goods for others, I am reminded gently that joy is in the giving because the Lord gave us the greatest gift we could ever have.   He gave us the Savior of the world.