Merry Christmas

 The day is coming to a close. My heart is full. 

God has blessed us beyond measure. 

I thought of my dear grandmother (who is with the Lord)

often today. . . I made our Christmas meal,

hosting nearby family,

and relied heavily on Mama Jo's cookbook. 

What a sweet legacy she has left me. 

And what an impact she has made on my life.

The way I show hospitality, decorate, and serve my family

are reflections of her example to me over the years.

 

 The Christmas Menu~

:: Hot apple cider ::

:: Spinach salad w/ cranberries, feta, and almonds ::

:: Grandma Sutton's black cherrie jell-o ::

:: Honey ham ::

:: Rolls ::

::Mama Jo's sweet potatoes ::

::Hash brown casserole ::

:: Peas ::

:: Mama Jo's Chocolate Chess Pie ::

:: Mama Jo's Lemon Chess Pie ::

How thankful I am for the age of technology that we are living in.

Before our big lunch, we had a nice long video chat with our far-away family

(who were celebrating in Georgia)!

It sure makes our separation a bit easier when we can actually see their faces,

show them around our house and what our Christmas morning looked like! 

And how sweet it was to celebrate Christmas. . . 

for the FIRST time 

with our now-near family! 

God is good.

May the Lord richly bless you dear family and friends

as we celebrate anew the birth of our Savior. . . 

and may the reality of that manger stay close to our hearts

as we say good-bye to Christmas until next year.