Getting together with friends...

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received the food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people... ~Acts 2:46-47

What a blessing it is to get together with other believers and celebrate faith and friendship. Christmastide traditionally was a time for parties and visits from friends and family. Even in modern times, kids are out of school and many people take the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day off of work, making it a great time to socialize.

Of course, if your week between Christmas and New Year's is like ours, it is usually filled with organizing and cleaning and resting from the frantic pace leading to Christmas Day. The last thing in the world we would do is bring others into our "transitional" homes... homes that are in transition from the holidays to the daily routine of life in the winter. But let's take a challenge. Let's purpose in our hearts to fellowship with other believers sometime during the month of January.

It doesn't have to be at some one's home, but there IS something special about coming together in a home. Make it simple. Let the guests help. Here are some ideas...

~Host an ice cream sundae dessert. You provide the ice cream and paper products and drinks. Ask your guests to bring their favorite sundae toppings. Enjoy a couple of hours of fellowship in the evening.

~Game Night. Invite guests to bring their favorite sweet or salty snack. You provide drinks, paper products and games. Set up different games in different rooms and play for about 45 minutes, then rotate 2-3 times. Games like Pictionary, Apples to Apples, Charades, Catch Phrase and Mad Gab are great for large groups of people.

~Movie Night. This popcorn-filled night is perfect for anyone. Select 5 or so movies appropriate to the guests you invite and place them in a non-see-through bag. Ask the guests to bring their favorite soft drink or juice and you provide the popcorn and paper products. Draw a red star with a Sharpie marker on the bottom of the paper cups. Whoever has the starred cup gets to select the movie of the night out of the bag.

~Keepin' Warm Night. Ask guests to bring new winter scarves, gloves or hats for a local charity like the Rescue Mission. Serve tea, hot chocolate and coffee with a variety of creamers along with warm brownies or cobbler and ice cream.

~Pizza Night. Prepare pizza dough and sauce and ask guests to bring toppings. Let the guests take turns creating their own mini pizzas and sampling each other's. You provide paper products and drinks, in addition to the pizza "bases."

The only thing that would limit your celebrations is your own imagination. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you entertain:

1. Think about what groups of people would be a natural fit. You don't want to create any awkward situations if you can help it.

2. You don't have to have a full dinner party to enjoy food and fellowship with friends. Make it simple so that you can focus on your guests.

3. Guests generally want to do something to contribute to the evening, but not all of them want to have to stay in the kitchen all day cooking to be there. Don't be afraid to ask guests to bring something to the gathering, but be careful to make it something easy and inexpensive.

4. If you plan activities like a movie or games, incorporate natural breaks in which people can leave if they need to go early. Otherwise, make certain to specify a start and end time for the evening.

5. Inviting families to evening events can be tricky. Make sure you have available a place where smaller children can go to change into jammies or even drift off to sleep. Diaper changing and nursing areas are also a nice way to make families feel welcome. Many high schools now require students to have a certain number of community service hours to graduate. See if you can find 2-3 high school girls who would be willing to earn community service hours by supervising a kids' room during the party.

We would LOVE to hear the ideas you have for fun, simple entertaining opportunities. Please take a minute to share...

Friends' Brunch ... by Melanie

One of my favorite traditions for the last 15 years has been the Friends' Brunch. Having been in a Bible study that had fellowships which encouraged sharing what we had learned and how we had been changed by studying God's Word together, I was struck by the richness of fellowship with women that I didn't even know that well. I thought what a blessing it would be to have that kind of sharing with friends with whom I had a history, but didn't get to see as often during the year. That began the tradition of gathering friends (new and old) for a brunch in the weeks before Christmas to focus on Christ.

At the brunch, everyone has an opportunity to share specifically a lesson the Lord has taught them over the past year. After we eat, there is a spiritual prompt for sharing, such as,

*What has God taught you about Himself this year?
*What atribute of God has been most precious to you this year and why?
*How had He encouraged you through His Word?

Each year, it is an encouragement to hear ones so dear share of God's sovereignty and faithfulness in joys and in sorrows.

In the first years I cooked all of the food, used the fine china and silver... but now many bring a dish to share. The sharing time is more important than the food---but the food is always good! Who doesn't love a brunch?!

Each year I pray for some visual reminder that each woman attending can take home with her -- sometimes it's a verse on a pretty card or bookmark. One year we made attribute ornaments together. One of the first years we each wrote down on a piece of paper what we were giving to Jesus for His birthday that year. Each of us had a small box and we used those scraps of wrapping paper (that never fit anything you wrap, but you still don't' want to throw them away) to wrap our gift to Jesus to put under the tree or in a place that it would be seen to serve as a reminder that we are celebrating Jesus. Each year God is faithful to bring to mind some little goodie that points us all to Jesus to share with each of those who come.

As we focus on Him, we are all encouraged.

Christmas traditions week...

This week we begin sharing our Christmas traditions. Can you believe that Christmas Day is just a little over a week away? How exciting! We are busy making plans for the present-opening and big-meal-eating day when we celebrate Jesus' birth. But let me tell you something, girl to girl. My sweet husband gave me a HUGE word of encouragement. He looked at me yesterday on the way home from church and said, "You know what? This has been the best Christmas I can remember. I really like that we're celebrating a little bit everyday and not just making everything ride on December 25th." Yay!!! God is so good!!!

Doing this blog has been a challenge at times, especially in my personal time management. And then there's the issue of being sincere. I've always heard the expression, "If it don't work at home, don't export it," so my husband's words were like a great big hug from heaven. We struggle y'all. Just like everybody else. So even though the seven-year-old climbs across the back of the sofa and thumps the dog on the head during devotionals, it's good to know that God is still working in spite of our mess.

The other HUGE blessing is hearing from YOU! It seems from the comments posted that everyone loves to hear others share what Jesus has done (and is doing) in their homes and lives. I wanted to take a quick moment and share with you a few more pictures from our Friends who are celebrating Christmas along with us. Here are a few from Karen:

... Advent wreath...

... Jesse tree...

...countdown chain...
Karen has young children who participate in Advent celebrations by tearing off a link in the day each day until Christmas Day. It gives even the small ones a way to "see" how close we're getting to the birthday party.

... fur wreath...
No, you didn't miss a post. We didn't actually talk about it on this blog, but Karen found the directions on another blog and made this really cool wreath. If you find directions for cool decorations or homemade gifts, let us know. We'd love to post the link! Or if you have a tutorial you'd like to share, please send it in.

We have many wonderful traditions to share with you in the coming days, but there is still room if you want to send in YOUR family tradition. We'll be posting more frequently in the coming days in order to share all the neat ideas. Jump in and join us!

Check back early Monday afternoon for our kick-off post on traditions.

Giving of your gifts...

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts -- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones , to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers...."

Exodus 35:30-35

Our Friend, Susan, is an artist. Recently she's begun to market her art more widely. She's named her line of artwork, "handmade to praise His name!" We used one of her pieces in an earlier post. Take a look at a few of the other beautiful things she makes:



"handmade to praise His name!" How perfect! Nothing we do is of ourselves. Our skills and craftsmanship, our gifts and talents, are from the Lord Himself and for His glory.

How are you blessing others with your gifts this season? Are you giving handmade gifts? Are you baking goodies to share? Are you babysitting a friend's children so that she and her husband can go to the company Christmas party? Are you writing a special note in the Christmas card that goes to an elderly friend? Are you singing His praises in the choir or leading others in worship as a musician? Are you being a shoulder to cry on for a neighbor who just found out her husband didn't make it past this round of lay-offs? Are you smiling and saying "Thank you" to the store clerks and wait staff and flight attendants and receptionists who help you everyday? Are you teaching a skill or a lesson? Are you stitching with love? Are you documenting life with joy? Are you organizing special teacher appreciation events at school? How are you being a blessing just by being you?

As I cooked dinner one evening recently, I stood in my kitchen looking at the beautiful artwork Susan had painted for me and listening to the CD my friend, Mary (an accomplished pianist), gave to our family a couple of Christmases ago. While the entree was simmering, I wandered into the office and started blog-surfing through my friends' sites. The words, the pictures...everything about the way they shared their hearts made me smile. I am blessed by the gifts my Lord has given to my friends.

The thing is, we don't have to aspire to see our works enshrined in a museum someday. Or our deeds formally recorded for posterity. We just have to be faithful to the gifts He has given to each one of us. (And if for some reason you think you might not be gifted at all, please see I Corinthians 12.)

Do you want to bring glory to the name of Jesus this Christmas season? Then do what He's made you to do. It's that simple.

Celebrating the Circle of Friendship...

Good friends. Now there's a treasure. I don't know whether you've had the blessing of being part of a circle of friends who make meals when a baby arrives, babysit so you can have a date night, bring a box of old books/ CD's/ DVD's/ children's clothes to Bible study and announce, "I don't need these anymore. Take what you want," comment on your blog, send you silly virtual Christmas gifts on Facebook, share fresh veggies from a special garden, shoot an email to follow up on a prayer request you had three months ago, drop cookies by your house because they made a few extra, etc. The list really could go on and on and on. But if you have been part of a group of ladies like this, you'll know that it is a living testimony of the love of Jesus in the church.

This season, take time to connect with your friends. There are many things you can do to get together and celebrate. Whether you meet at a home or a restaurant, for coffee or for a meal. Whether you have a potluck dinner or a catered affair, the main point is to be together and enjoy one another's company. Catch up on what has happened since you were all together.

And add in a little fun, like...

... swap cookies and recipes
... exchange white elephant gifts
... trade Christmas ornaments
... bring wrapped handmade gifts and draw to see who gets what
... make a Christmas craft... ornament, jewelry, gift bag, storage bin, recipe holder, etc.
... donate socks or blankets or hats to the Rescue Mission
... collect books for an after-school tutoring program
... make a giant gift basket of pampering items (nail polish, lotions, bubble bath, etc.) for a group home for girls
... bring a baby gift or gift card for a local pregnancy support agency
... assemble exam survival kits for college students
... sing Christmas carols
... update the praises and prayer requests since you last met
... bring a picture of your favorite Christmas as a child... put all the pictures on a table... guess who is who... share your Christmas memory
... exchange teas or coffees or scarves or mittens or socks or Christmas cards or coffee mugs or tea cups or t-shirts or notepads or framed hand-written Bible verses or books or DVDs or hand lotion or candles/tarts or dishtowels, etc.

Whatever you do... have fun together, building each other up in faith and love.



Got an idea for a great Friend Gathering? Make sure you share it in a comment!