The Jesus is Christmas!

As most of you know I love holidays and really love Christmas!  It is the beauty of it, excitement, it is special, it is the lights, music...but it is more than that for me - it truly is a reason to celebrate my Savior!  I love Him so much.  He is my life and I want to take every opportunity to honor Him and share Him.  So yes, I decorate, have parties and give gifts, but without Jesus it would all be meaningless. 

I love being creative and being creative is essential to decorate and do crafts in Africa.
My house is almost the only sign of Christmas around.
After all my Christmas crafts and decorating, my kids asked if I thought we had enough Christmas decorations.
I said I want every room to look like Christmas.  It is so much fun!

Made some Christmas pillows :)

I love my girls!  They helped me with decorating, crafts, baking and getting ready for our Christmas tea.

Our annual ladies Christmas tea started with crafts - ornaments and candles.

Yummy Christmas goodies!

Grace and Emilie

Gift exchange

Lydia and Abbie

I also made a Christmas banner for our church.  Christmas is really just one day here and too often the church misses out on celebrating the birth of our Lord.  I hope this can help them to remember to adore Him all month.
(Yes, I even try to dress like Christmas everyday!)

It says in Ateso, "Jesus Christ the is born today"

With so much Christmas in my house and on my heart, I am daily reminded that all this Christmas is a luxury.  All of my friends and neighbors here in the village are living to survive, day to day, meal by meal...  They have no extra money, time, room!  A Christmas tree isn't even a thought, Christmas lights don't work without electricity, gifts take money...  I realize once again how many of my Christmas traditions are extras and if I am honest meaningless.  I learn so much from people here and they don't even know it.  Jesus is Christmas and my friends and many of my neighbors have Him.  God continues to teach me that it is all about Him, for Him and from Him.  He gives purpose and everything else is meaningless.  So, as you too celebrate Christmas with all it's business, money involved, and beauty remember it is all for those so privileged yet without Christ there truly is no Christmas.  

Just a quick addition, I have so much in my heart to share with you but I don't want to overwhelm you with too many blogs and you fail to see them.  So, I just wanted to give you heads up that more is to come soon.  I will share what God is teaching about His second coming, our conference at church this week, love for the people here, my birthday, friends moving (pray for us!) and Mary's recovery, and prayers for wisdom with Achia...  Oh my, I told you there is a lot!