A GIVE-AWAY...sharing the blessings!

      Christmas is over now, but I want the spirit of giving to live on through this new year about to emerge. I am so very thankful for the precious gift God gave us on that first Christmas day - His Son Jesus. The day that divided the calendar and time began anew.
As I looked at the china cabinet and tried my hardest to cram, shove, pile, and rearrange the cups, saucers, and plates to fit, it hit me...not only does my life overflow with blessing, but my china cabinet is overflowing too! So, in the spirit of giving, I have decided to practice what my Father has taught me...to give.

      Every month of this fabulous new year - 2012 - I will give away a teacup. My prayer will be that whoever wins it, will be blessed as much (or more) than I have been. That they will be reminded every time they fill it with tea, that there is One who desires to fill their lives to overflowing with blessings from above. He gives good and perfect gifts... like love, joy, and peace.

I hope it will be you!

Here is the January GIVE-AWAY...

Bone China

Queen Anne

Made in England

      All I ask is that you mention the GIVE-AWAY in your comments during the month of January and make sure I have a way to contact you when you win. If you would like to become a follower, that would be great. I love meeting new friends!

The winner will be announced on January 31, and the new GIVE-AWAY will begin on that day.

Blessings,

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." James 1:17

Lunch with a friend...

      Last week I joined the Gingerbread Tea Party. I saw so many lovely post with gingerbread themes. On Friday I visited a friend who invited me over for lunch. Her home was beautifully decorated in gingerbread, I couldn't help asking if I could take a few pictures.

I wanted to share them with you...

 We had a wonderful lunch and visit.

My house is decorated in traditional Christmas red and green, but I thought I would share the few things I have that are blue....

Brr...it's been icy cold outside this week.

Snowmen fall from heaven... unassembled.

~Author Unknown

      I found this cup and saucer at a second hand store. I'm not sure they're a pair, but the color is the same. The cup doesn't have any markings, but the saucer has this printed on the bottom...

Liberty Blue

Historic Colonial Scenes

Old North Church

Made in England

 

Here is another second hand store find.

This is stamped on the bottom...

That's all the blue I have.

Thank you for visiting me today.

      I hope you're having a wonderful week and enjoying this very special season, celebrating the birth of Jesus. May you be blessed with His presence and the love of family and friends.

Catching the Gingerbread Man...

"Run, run, as fast as you can....

You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"

 

      I've been running, but not after the Gingerbread Man. It's my grandson I'm trying to catch! I've been watching him and my granddaughter on the weekends and Mondays...which is why I am late getting my post linked up...and behind on laundry, dishes, and...

When I heard there was going to be a gingerbread tea party I was so excited, then I missed it!

      Once my little Sugarbugs went home, I decided to pull myself together and join the party late. My plan was to make cookies, and perhaps I will tomorrow, but for now I've made gingerbread.

 

      As I write this, I'm sipping on a cup of Ginger Snappish Herb Tea (with lemon). There's a fire in the wood stove and the house is quiet. I can almost hear the lights twinkling on the tree. I see prints of tiny fingers smudged on the sliding glass door as I look out over the tree covered hills. They remind me how blessed I am to live here in the foothills and have little ones to hug and love...to have a home filled with family to serve and friends in which to share a cup of tea.

      Sometimes I run so fast, chasing after something that can't be caught, like the Gingerbread Man in the nursery rhyme. I forget to see the precious little hands on the window and thank God for the child they represent. And thank Him for another child, His Son, whom He sent on the first Christmas day to bring salvation, love, and hope to a world who needed to see Him, touch Him, and know Him in a personal way.

If I could share one gift with you as we drink a cup of tea together, it would be the gift of knowing Him.

His Name is Jesus

By Charlotte Foster

May your Christmas time be filled with Him,

The one who came to heal our sin.

That little child within the manger,

The one whom angels hid from danger.

 

Though in a tiny manger bed,

He wore God’s crown upon His head.

The babe who came to be our king,

To Him the heavenly anthems ring.

The Prince of Peace quietly laying,

While people all around were praying.

To send His Light and God had heard,

In the manger lay the Living Word.

God’s own Son, the Lord of Hosts,

The very one He loved the most.

He came a ransom for our sin,

To heal the broken hearts of men.

This Holy One, the Great I Am,

To be the sacrificial Lamb.

 

And as He slept that Christmas day,

In the shadow of the cross He lay.

So as we give our gifts of love,

Remember the one who came from above.

And give Him praise for all He’s done,

The King of Kings, God’s only son.

“For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,

Hath shined in our hearts to bring the light of the knowledge of the

Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

Celebrating Christmas!

Once a year our Women's Ministries hostesses an

"Evening of Inspiration"

During the month of December.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful table settings. Each table was hosted by a different woman who brought her own china and decorations. I love seeing all the different decorated tables.

It was a fun evening with a Christmas message, music, and food...a potluck!

The desserts are always my favorite!
They look so festive on the buffet table.

This was my table. I used the Royal Albert Autumn Rose china my grandmother gave me.

It isn't "Christmas" china but it has red flowers in the pattern. I know my grandmother would love the idea of me using it at church...she would be pleased. I always think of her when I use it.

I didn't get pictures of all the tables, but here are a few.

"Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance -

 each beautiful, unique and too soon gone."

~Deborah Whipp

It was a fun evening; the best thing of all was the time spent with the other ladies. They were all special and unique, like the different tables in the room; each lovely in their own way.

Thank you for joining me today and letting me share this special Christmas event with you.

Have a blessed Christmas,

I wrote a Christmas poem on my other blog. If you would like to read it, come on over...

The Christmas Letter