Early Family Christmas

Mom and Dad wanted to have family Christmas time early. They say we are leaving to go to Louisiana to see Nana and PopPop right after the Christmas Eve service. so, here was my experience with my first christmas presents...

The first picture was taken a couple of days ago...I was busted trying to sneek a peek at gifts a bit early (or maybe just wanting to get ahold of that pretty bow and eat it!) It was a pretty bow...until I untied it and took it off the present it belonged to...But I had a great time with it!


This is from our "Family time"...or should I say "Daddy time?" notice the bunny slippers? cute as can be and a gift from my great aunt and uncle. so cute and cozy - and they have ears that are fun to grab too! :)
ps. I love my daddy! can you tell?

I definitely think I had more fun playing with paper than anything else!


And eating the wrapped gifts... yum!


But when all was said and done, it was nice to just hang out with the family....or um...daddy :) ...relaxing after so much hard work - and all in my cute bunny slippers...


Have a merry Christmas!
Love, Bella

Christmas Excitement

Ribbons, bows, and shiny wrappings too
add to the chaos; dampen the Good News
Too many things done because we have to
another item checked off the list of things "to do"

no longer are gifts something given joyfully
the reciever expects them these days, you see
children waiting on what they will find
on Christmas morning when they open their eyes.

will they get what they wanted?
what they asked for? what they dreamed?
will their feelings be hurt
if they do not recieve?

rather than giving to those in need
we're selfishly motivated
and our kids learn our old schemes

The thought of Jesus' birthday
never crosses their little minds
even if they are reminded
by parents quite a few times

what makes us excited about this time of year?
is it the cold or the Christmas cheer?
or the presents we've received year after year?
How do we let God enter in and draw near?

Do we dare to be different?
Do we dare to make it real?
I wonder just how much better
Christmas would feel

If we dropped all the baggage
this time of year brings
and simply focused on the reason
we Celebrate these things.

out of love for us, God gave his Son
his birth led to the death
that gave us salvation.

Remembering that should simply be enough
so why in the world do we need all this stuff?

get rid of the lights, the candles, and the like
and remember that God saved us
from an eternity of strife.

because of his love for everyone
even me
He came so He could set us free!

what wonderful news
to human, fallible souls
as hard as we try
we can't do it alone.

And yet the One, who on this day
we all claim to adore
gets lost and forgotten
just like the years before

so instead of the wrappings, the ribbons, the bows
lets start telling the story - the way it truly goes

Jesus came
he's all we need
and with the angels we'll be praising Him
for eternity...

...if only we believe that He is THE way
Now THAT's something to Celebrate on Christmas Day!