OK I DID IT!

I can't believe it! I actually took down my fall harvest decorations and put up Christmas. Now nicely packed away for the move are all the orange, browns and bronze colors and out comes the red, green and white making way for a shinier and brighter motif bringing forth the LIGHT of the World.

My favorite thing to unpack and hang is my Christmas Stocking. Its a knitted stocking in red, white and green stripes with my name knitted in there. It was a gift from my Godmother for my first Christmas ever! I am astounded that I haven't misplaced that all these long 65 years! Then a nativity set that was my mothers...Joseph got lost though.

I'm keeping it simple this year...no tree, no elaborate lights and just using what I have kept over the years (and I got rid of a ton of that while packing...off to Goodwill it went). I just saved some of my favorite things -- I think no more than 10. I did dress up the geese on the porch though..so cute.

I am learning simple. I am beginning to appreciate it so much. It's a much easier and peaceful way to live. As I've sorted though everything and I mean everything in the past couple of months, discarding the unnecssary, keeping only what I cherish or need, shredding til I'm shredding in my sleep all the papers of years gone by of my life and Jeff's, eating on a schedule, going to bed early and sleeping all night, becoming organized in all areas of my life I feel as though the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.(And 40 lbs off my body) :)

Sure, the 'situations' still exist that cannot be reconciled quite yet, the lack of money, the tribulations of the world in just being alive in 2008 are extraordinary and yet I feel peace and joy, deep within. Thank you Christ Jesus. You came into the world in the most simple way. Let me learn from that.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27 KJV)

But to His disciples He said, "My peace, I leave that with you; that is My legacy. My joy, I give that to you."