*The Christmas Season*

Our Family Room Tree

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care"

Our Living Room Tree


The pretty garland around the banister




The "Willow Tree" nativity set that my sister gave to my mom.

*What Christmas is all about*

I am FINALLY home! After 3 months of living in Idaho and being homesick, I am back in my hometown. I was so excited to be able to just be home with the ones I love, and feel the Christmas spirit which was HIGHLY lacking in Idaho. With no decorations or any Christmas feel in Idaho, I was so caught up in the lights, the tree's, the shopping, and all of the decorations that I was literally THRIVING in the Christmas Spirit. But today when I went to church I came to the realization that yes all of those things make Christmas what it is, but it is not what Christmas is all about. And, if I had been smart, I could have been feeling the Christmas spirit the entire time I was up in Idaho reguardless of decorations. You see, Christmas is about serving, family, and love. It's not about the gifts that are wrapped under the tree, or the milk and cookies left out for Santa Christmas Eve. It's about helping and elderly person with their groceries, shovelling someones sidewalk, cleaning a room for your parents without being asked(which I still need to do), doing something for a neighbor, calling people you miss, spending time with those that mean most to you, telling people you love them, and most importantly becoming like Christ.

I am not perfect but today I decided, in this last week before Christmas, I am going to make sure to do at LEAST, TWO random acts of service every day and try to spread the Christmas cheer so that EVERYONE can feel special this holiday season. I want this to be an unforgettable Christmas and I feel that if we all do this, we can all participate in one of the most giving Christmas' of all time. Maybe it's not doing two things for someone every day, or even once a day, but I challenge you to at least find ONE way that YOU can make this Christmas more Christ like, and an all around unforgettable Christmas for you, your friends, and most importantly, your family. For that is what Christmas is all about.... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade!