Happy Valentine's Day from Onward & Upward!

Valentine's Day is a special day to give us a chance to tell each other "I love you". Sometimes we don't take the time to say that enough! It's a day to celebrate romance, and those close to our hearts. (It's also a day to enjoy flowers and candy. :-) Hehe)

And now, one of my favorite romantic verses from the Bible (I guess I identify with having to wait for a loved one!):

"So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." Genesis 29:20

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." Isaiah 62:5b

"In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed. In Your strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling." Exodus 15:13

My birthday is one week from today! I am very excited, because this is my first birthday spent with my hubby. Even though I've known him for over 5 years, we've always (understandably) been apart for Christmas. I'm not sure what we're doing yet for my birthday, but I hope it's a fun day. One of the perks of being a Christmas baby is that I've never had to go to school or work on my birthday, so I've always been able to choose the daily activities.

Christmas is my favorite time of year! I love the lights, the decorations, the movies, sending Christmas cards, connecting with old friends and relatives, and most of all, the music. I love the Christmas Eve candlelight service, coming up with gifts for everyone, and pretty wrapping paper. I love nativity sets, caroling around the neighborhoods, and church cantatas. And of course I love that my birthday is during this time of year. If I was born in a different season, I would have wanted to have a Christmas wedding like Beth (happy anniversary tomorrow!), but it didn't work out that way.

This year has been fun because it is my first Christmas with my husband. I have been able to, for the first time, share my Christmas memories with him. Here are a few of the decorations around our apartment:

I got a Precious Moments "Our First Christmas Together 2006" ornament

I used to make "Kitty's First Christmas" ornaments for my cat when I was growing up. The one on the top left is from 1993, with each subsequent year until 1995. The bottom one is crosstitched. I like how they become progressively more complex as I got older.

As I said, I was born the day after Christmas in 1982. This stocking is what the stork brought me in. :-) Actually, it was made by hospital volunteers. The tag reads:
"This Red Christmas Stocking
Symbolic of the time of year
was made by the KHV's [volunteers]
to hold your baby dear.

We've enjoyed having you with us
for the past few happy days
and we wish you a Merry Christmas
and many joys along life's ways.

Kennestone Hospital Volunteers"

This ornament makes me smile because the inscription says: "Baby's First Christmas 1982". However, I wasn't born until the day AFTER Christmas in 1982, so my first would have been in 1983. It makes me laugh to have a "First Christmas" ornament with the wrong year on it :-)

What special Christmas memories do you have?

I thought this was quite funny. FYI "faffing" means "wasting time doing nothing", and "Tesco's" is a supermarket/department store in UK.

Went to Abigail's school Christmas concert (no "proper" Nativity this year ). Each class did a little something followed by a song or 2. Anyway, Ab's class did a Nativity scene, with Ab as Mary ( How proud was I?). A few mins into their bit Ab promptly lifted her dress & shoved baby Jesus up it. The script then wandered away from what they'd learnt & goes as follows....

Joseph: "What are you doing?"
Mary: "I'm feeding our baby"
Shepherd: "Have you got a bottle up there then?"
Mary: "Don't be silly he's having milk from my booby"
Joseph: "That's disgusting"
Mary: "No, that baby milk they have in Tescos is disgusting. My baby's having proper milk"
Shepherd: "What's a booby?"
Mary: "Those sticky out bits ladies have"
Shepherd: "They're not boobies, they're nipples"
Mary: "No they're not, they're boobies"
Joseph: "So why can't Jesus have milk from a bottle then?"
Mary: "Because I haven't got a breast pump with me - you forgot to put it on the donkey"
Shepherd: "Can't you ask the teacher for a bottle to feed Jesus with?"
Mary: "No because this is the best way to feed Jesus. Anyway bottles haven't been invented yet & even if they were I've just had a baby so if you think I'm faffing about round Tescos to buy baby milk when I make proper milk in my boobies you can think again"

I felt a teeny bit sorry for their class teacher - she did try her best to steer them back towards their proper lines but she was laughing so much she didn't really stand a chance. The line about Joseph forgetting the breast pump finished her off - she slid to the floor & couldn't get up for laughing....

I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I am very thankful to have a day to sleep in, and that my husband has the day off too! That's a rare thing in our lives! :-) (Now just pray that he gets Christmas off...)

Yesterday a customer called me to see if there was any way he could get a circular printed before Christmas. He had cancelled his circular back in October, he explained, because he was in the hospital and the doctors had told him he wouldn't live. However, he had defied the odds and is now back and able to run his store! Even though I don't know him personally, or any details of his illness, I was rejoicing with him about this unexpected gift of life.

I thank God for loving me enough to die for me, for loving me despite my inconsistent and fickle nature, for loving me enough to always be there for me. I praise Him for my health, my job, my freedom, my family, my hope for the future, for a house over my head, for two kitties to love, for friends, for a car to take me to work and take me to visit friends. There is so much I am and should be grateful for this season!

And I should end with saying that I get to see my dear friend Beth in only a few hours. Hooray! :-) This time we won't forget to take pictures. ;-) What are you doing to celebrate today?

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." Psalm 100:4