. Simple and Sweet .

. Simple and Sweet .

Celebrating Christmas in South Asia this year will be different for sure.
Family will be far.
Embraces will be missed.
But if I can be honest, this has been such a purifying time for my heart...
A time of refocusing, of re-thinking, and of being intentional.

Oh how I love love love to decorate for Christmas.
This year I will continue to decorate, but I felt the Lord impressing on my heart to find meaning behind all that I do.
For my own heart, as well as for Levi to learn as he grows.

We will continue to put up a TREE:
(In the future years, I would like to do a Jesse tree with Levi and maybe some of the neighborhood kids could participate as well)

Meaning behind a tree...
well this was best described in a song I know:

The perfect tree grew very long ago
though it was not decked with silver or with ornaments of gold.
But hanging on it's branches was a gift for you and me,
Jesus laid his life down on the PERFECT TREE.

Thus, we will also still give gifts.
(Although not going over board :)
We will use this as a way to teach Levi about this gift God gave us,
the gift of grace and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

I brought and hung our ornaments that celebrate our King
(and a few of Levi's 1st Christmas ornaments from last year)

Levi has his little Charlie Brown Tree
(thanks Aunt Amanda)

*Levi LOVED the little red bulb that came with it- but thought it was a "ball" so it didn't quite make it very long hanging on the tree.
So we replaced it with his other ornament... which also made it's way to the floor a few days later:))

These two painted porcelain pieces tell the beautiful truth of our Savior:
A love that came, that conquered, and that amazes...

And the BEST for last:
A nativity to display the night our King was born
A night that changed history
A night that has forever changed my life

My prayer is that God will continue to turn my heart toward Him.
That he would get my full attention this Christmas and this year, for that matter.
That I would truly render to Jesus the WORSHIP that is due Him,
and do it with diligence and anticipation.

My prayer is that He will do the same in your heart and home as well.
May we discover how simple and yet magnificent our Savior truly is.
Will you pray this same prayer with me?

~In Awe of My King~