Nannykim suggested I post some pictures of the “misfit ornaments” I mentioned the other day. I would so love to do that! I think it would be a lot of fun, and I’m in the mood for it. I’d love to do that today — but I must exercise self-disciple and get some things done. I’m kicking myself not so much because I am running behind, but because it is my own fault. So I am thinking maybe Saturday — though weekends are usually low blog-reading days for many — maybe early next week. If WordPress would support Mr. Linky I’d even think about setting it up where others could post links (but then that would be assuming that other people save their misfit ornaments like we do!)

This is a busy week — ladies’ group party was Monday (fun!), Jesse’s first basketball game was Tuesday (more on that tomorrow, hopefully), prayer meeting at church last night, Jesse’s piano recital tonight, then another basketball game tomorrow night. Plus some of my stuff to do from last week didn’t get finished then. So it’s been “lite” posting this week, though there have been some deep thoughts along the way. 🙂

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, my blog stats go way up because of several things I posted my first year of blogging. I had a lot of poems, quotes, etc. gleaned from several years of compiling our ladies ministry newsletter, and evidently people do a lot of searching for that kind of thing this time of year! I didn’t know some of you then, and I didn’t want to repost them but thought I’d post the links if any of you has time and inclination to look around. I’ll post some of my links first and then some other links around the blogosphere that have caught my eye recently.

My Christmas links:

• Christmas devotional reading. Links to devotionals and Christmas-related articles by Elisabeth Elliot and others.
• The Perfect Christmas
• Mary’s Dream
• Mary’s Virginity
• Ten free gifts for Christmas
• For God so loved that He gave…
• If I were a goose. I know this doesn’t sound like a Christmas piece, but it is a beautiful illustration of one man’s realization of what salvation is all about.
• Christmas-based I Cor. 13.
• Christmas quotes.
• Christmas funnies or jokes #1 and #2.
• Christmas Grief
• Missionary Christmas gifts.
• Christmas gift ideas for the elderly.
• Primary purpose of a home.
• Christmas craft links gathered last year.
• Poems and hymns: A Hymn on the Nativity of My Saviour, The Babe in the Manger, Immanuel by C. H. Spurgeon, Christmastime Poem (starts out “‘Tis the week before Christmas, we’re all going nuts…), He’s Emmanuel, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly (one of my favorite Christmas hymns).

Christmas links I have seen elsewhere lately:

• Miss Sandy’s family’s gifts of time, treasure, and talents one year.
• Seven tips for sparkling Christmas newsletters.
• Top 10 ways to be more organized for the holidays.
• Cutting Costs at Christmas: Low-Cost, No-Cost Ways To Celebrate with Kids
• Whole sites about Christmas organization: Organized Christmas, Christmas Organizing.com, 100 Days to Christmas.
• Christmas crafts: Ice Wreath, Candy Wreath, Christmas magnets, Mitten ornament tutorial, How to make a beautiful paper snowflake, Little house ornament, Christmas block ornaments, Tiny button tree.

One word about Christmas crafts: I see all these cute ideas during during December bur don’t have time to try them then. So the past few years I have made some in the week or two after Christmas. I’m still in the mood and the stores still have some Christmas supplies (though you could get the supplies earlier, if you’re afraid they’ll run out, and just make them when you can).

Happy reading!