10 on the Tenth

I'm joining several other bloggers by listing 10 of my favorite things on the 10th of the month... And what would I choose for Dec. other than CHRISTMAS?!

1. The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ! He changed the world for all time by choosing to leave the glory of heaven to come to be born in a filthy stable; live an earthly life where He was ridiculed, undermined, tortured, beaten, & put on a cross to die; & freely GAVE His own life to provide a relationship with THE God of the universe to those who choose to accept it.

2. Knowing that I belong to God & that nothing can ever separate me from His love... true throughout the year, but so evident when I reflect on the Great Gift He gave when He sent Jesus.

3. The excitement of children during this season; their joy is contagious! No matter what age they are, it is a time of wonder for them.

4. The beauty of the season: SNOW (depending on where you live...); outdoor decorations (I'm a sucker for these & LOVE to drive around, very slowly, to "ooh" & "ahh"); the sun shining through bare trees, in places where it doesn't reach when the leaves are still on the trees; little girls in holiday dresses & shiny patent shoes (which used to be only black, but now come in lots of colors..I have some RED ones!); "big" girls in holiday dress... at a party the other night, 1 wore a "necklace" that was twinkling tree lights, 2 wore red hats trimmed in white fur (you know the type...), 1 wore earrings that were Christmas balls, 1 wore a sweater with sequins that formed a scene w/a church (oh, that was me!)... isn't it fun that we wouldn't wear these these things any other time of year?! Also all the beautiful poinsettias in so many gorgeous hues & shades of pinks, reds, whites, & various combinations of the 3; the greenery, the red ribbons (red IS my favorite color...); all the various nativity sets; holly berries... the beauty!

5. Pictures of friends that come in the mail as cards, on cards, or in cards.

6. Baking & cooking lots of yummy "treats" to enjoy but also to share.

7. Getting together with friends who we don't make time for throughout the year.

8. Family "coming home", whether it is across the nation, a long drive, across town or next door (yes, we have family next door). At the USO, it brings tears to my eyes anytime to see families greet their loved ones who are serving our country, but that's magnified at Christmas time.

9. The lighting of the advent candles each Sunday during Dec., & hearing the Christmas message read by different families. The music at church (especially the annual musical), music on the radio ( I do NOT like the silly songs & get tired of all the secular songs, but love both old & new songs about the REAL reason for CHRISTmas!), & playing Christmas music in the house & the car.

10. The tree & all the decorations; I love the festive look & though I keep it pretty casual, I also enjoy seeing how others decorate even to the extreme.

My list could go on & on... I DO love CHRISTmas!