Living the Refreshed Life : December 2013

In the whirlwind that is my year, Christmas has come and gone. I cannot believe how incredibly fast life is moving these days. I remember as a kid thinking that the days would drag on and that I would never grow up, but here I am no longer a kid wondering where those days went. I promise not to get too nostalgic in this post, but there is something about Christmas time that makes me reminisce. Christmas morning at home, where I would squirm at 4am wondering when I could get out of bed and finally at 7 giving in to my excitement. My brothers and I would sit at the top of the stairs and wait for my dad to get the video camera. He would film us going down the stairs and get a good shot of our excitement as we saw what lay under the tree.
I don't get as excited about the gifts on Christmas morning as I used to, but let's be honest, I still really love tearing into a beautifully wrapped present!
My parents have taught me many Christmas traditions that I hope to teach Judah, but one of my favorites has already made it to my dining room table.
Every Christmas when my mom recieved Christmas cards she would hang them up in a beautiful display. This is pretty typical, most families show off their cards in some way. But, what happens after the new year begins... We start cleaning, working out, and eating better. Somewhere in that hustle and bustle the cards make their way to the trash. My mom had a different idea. Every year after Christmas she would save the cards and put them in a napkin holder on our dining room table. She would separate the cards, taking the beautiful front designs off and use them for gift tags for the next Christmas and then take the signiture side and keep it. Every time we ate together at the table we chose one card and prayed for the family that sent it. We've had some fun experiences as children trying to read adult signitures (we still pray for the Jones "Fanny" sometimes). This sweet tradition has made it to my table.

Josh and I started doing this right after we got married with the cards we had be given and after those cards ran out we started with Christmas cards. I love seeing the sweet handwritten notes again and having a specific family to pray for each night. I strongly encourage you to do this with your family! This years pile is a little bigger because I added some baby shower cards.

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy," -Philippians1:3-4

Here is a recap of my Christmas Extravaganza...