CHRISTmas in JULY!!!!

 Luke 2:11 KJV  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour,  which is Christ the Lord.

Merry CHRISTmas!!! yes, I said it!!! It is CHRISTmas in July, here at the Simple Gift. Here it is, EXTREMELY hotttt...!! My family and I just returned from our annual family beach vacay. We have enjoyed yummy meals, long lounges on the beach, homemade ice cream, shopping, eating, playing games, eating..., swimming, oh, and I forgot, eating!!!!! We had a fabulous time, but would have enjoyed it more, had my parents came. They did not make it this year.. It did not seem right without them.. While we were there, we often talked about how Christmas was just around the corner!!!! It just seems like I just got all my decor back up in it's corner in the attic!!!I have already seen decorations out for this season!!! YIKES!!! This seems unreal..

Last year at Christmas time, I was seriously just going through the motions!!! I love Christmas time, but did not feel like celebrating at all... My heart was NOT in it.. I had just lost my grandmother, at the end of November.. All I could think about was her being gone, and how we would NOT be celebrating with her this year... I had just celebrated with her Thanksgiving just a few weeks before.. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving. I never imagined the LOSS our family would feel without her. I could only think back at our ''LAST'' Christmas together, and all the good times we shared, our time of gift exchange, pictures, etc. This is HARD!! AND believe me, it STILL is. I have to depend on the Lord to help me through it, and He has, but I still miss her so much.  I can only reflect on our happy memories, the great experiences I had with her in the kitchen, and knowing that it is temporary!!! My family and I will see her again.

I am looking forward to Christmas this year. I don't have to wait to December 25.. I can celebrate it 365 days a year... We took our youth choir to sing at this nearby church, back in the early spring. My Mother is the youth choir director. While we were there, our choir sang, ''I CALL HIM LORD''..... i was singing with them too, it was such a sweet, spirit of  God, that I felt there that night.. It kind of made me feel like it was Christmas again.. I was singing all these words about Jehovah, MESSIAH, mighty GOD and KING!!!!  AND it wasn't just a Christmas carol, or just a crazy kid's Christmas play.. IT was REAL.. it  WAS real to me..IT is amazing to know that HE is LORD.. and HE provides for ME!!

''and the angels called Him JESUS, born of a virgin, Mary called Him, JESUS, but I CALL Him LORD!!!''

That was a beautiful song, even still is, and It doesn't have to be just at Christmas!!!

So, as I sit here , I am still feeling IN the CHRISTmas SPIRIT... i am anticipating it!! I am keeping my memories of Past Christmas's in my heart.. But I  know my Grandmaw had the best Christmas EVER this past year, and will continue!!!  Merry Christmas ''in July'' Everyone!!!!

 I BOUGHT THIS SWEATER FOR MY GRANDMAW,SHE LOVED IT, AND ALWAYS LOOKED SO PROUD AND FESTIVE WHEN SHE WORE IT!!!

this is her Christmas tree.. this was the last time it was put up.... so pretty!!!!

BY HIM

What comfort by HIM do we win,

Who made Himself the price of sin.

To make us heirs of Glory??

To see this babe, ALL innocence,

A martyr born in our defence:

Can a man forget this story?? - Ben Jonson