Friday Foto Friends "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"

It's Friday night, and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our house...

Well, the tree is standing, and it has lights on it! Thanks to the kids coming over yesterday and bringing in the many boxes from the sheds, and they even set up the tree for us and then left the rest for us to finish...

Oh, I want you to see just what a wonderful daughter in law we have...while the guys were in the shed doing "something", who knows what, she loaded up all those boxes in the truck all by herself! Then they drove them over to our steps (no pictures of that) and yes, Benton and John did help unload them and bring them into the house.  But I just wanted you to see our super woman Rose at work!!!

Yes! She's definitely a "keeper".  

If' you've known me very long, you know I have this euphemistic dream of living in a log cabin, and since I don't think it's ever going to happen in real life, I can dream...and that becomes my "theme" for some of the Christmas decor...

Skating on the pond in front of the cabin...(at least that pond has some water/ice in it! LOL)

Sitting by the fire enjoying the view...

Oh, maybe my "real cabin" would look something like this...

Or this...

Or this...

But right now it's more like this...

Click HERE for more on the history of this little log cabin.

Complete with a tree house, another one of my childhood dreams...I always told my daddy I wanted a tree house, but he was never able to build one in our tall skinny pine trees in our back yard, so one year for Christmas after I was an adult and married with my own family, he gave me this tree house for Christmas!  I will always treasure it!

I think that little snowman needs some sled driving lessons!  Or maybe the deer ran out in front of him and caused him to run into the cabin!  Maybe the owl can tell us "whoooooo" did what!! LOL.

Speaking of water in the pond...the weather forecast says we are supposed to start getting some rain tonight around 9:00 p.m., and then we are supposed to have rain for the next three days!  Please pray that this forecast is correct!! That could help break the dry spell and begin the restoration of Still Waters Pond.

This is how is looked tonight when the Sand Hill Cranes and White Egret were out there hunting for some supper...

The clouds were building up in the western sky at sunset...

Although they say "red skies at night, sailor's delight"....I'm hoping these clouds mean sailors should take warning...

Time will tell...and you know I'm praying for that rain to come and stay around for a while...

I know these guys would sure appreciate it too!

Blackie was following me around while I was taking pictures of the clouds.  He's doing fine, but I know he's lonely since Sunshine left us.  He stays close to home and tries to get inside every chance he gets...

And today I received this very nice pet carrier for him from our neighbor's daughter across the street. This is from the home where Blackie and Sunshine were originally being fed, but the lady has since been moved to a Rehab/nursing home, and it's looking more and more like she will not be able to come back home to her house to live. I met her daughter there today, and she gave me this carrier so I will have it when/if I need to take Blackie to the vet. I am very appreciative of this!! Blackie probably won't like it, but still it's wonderful to have this available if needed.

Okay, back to the Christmas decorations...I finally was able to get to the box with the Nativity inside...

I always look forward to setting this up first, but I had to take things as I could get to them in the stacks.  This is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas, and without Jesus at the center of our home, there would be no reason to celebrate at all...

Hark the Herald Angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King"...

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled...

Joyful, all ye nations, rise,

join the triumph of the skies;

with th'angelic hosts proclaim,

"Christ is born in Bethlehem!"

Hark! The herald angels sing! Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ, by highest heaven adored,

Christ, the everlasting Lord,

late in time behold him come,

offspring of the Virgin's womb:

veiled in flesh the Godhead see;

hail th'incarnate Deity,

pleased with us in flesh to dwell,

Jesus, our Immanuel. 

[Refrain]

Hark the Herald Angels sing, Glory to the newborn King!

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by,

born that we no more may die,

born to raise us from the earth,

born to give us second birth. 

"Hark the Herald angels sing! Glory to the Newborn King!"

(Last night's full moon. Tonight it's too cloudy, praise God!)

Well, friends, I think I will leave it here for tonight. There's more to show, but I'll save that for another day.  I've been working a little bit at a time, and still resting in between. Today I have felt better than I have in over a week, so I am very very thankful that the medicine is doing its job and God is doing His work of healing in my body day by day.   Thank you for your kind words and prayers on my behalf.

I will close with these verses from our Advent readings from yesterday morning: (12/4/2025)

Jeremiah 33:14-16  NKJV

14 ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:

15 ‘In those days and at that time

I will cause to grow up to David

A Branch of righteousness;

He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

16 In those days Judah will be saved,

And Jerusalem will dwell safely.

And this is the name by which she will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

Our blogging friend Mary at Visits With Mary posted this wonderful list of Advent Readings for the 24 days of Christmas on her blog on December 1st.  You can click on that link to go to her page and see the list and perhaps you may want to follow it for your own Advent devotional readings each day. It's not too late to catch up!

However you may choose to celebrate the Christmas season, my prayer is that you and yours will celebrate the true "reason for the season"....the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord and Coming King! Amen.