Curioser and curioser.

My 'paper-whites' (see blog below) are long dead.  Pretty while they lasted.  I plan to plant them in rocks again.
At our Christmas eve table last night, Scott the head of house here, read the Luke account of Jesus' birth.  I love that my children all remember Jesus first at Christmas, presents and decorating second.
This is the first Christmas without my husband alongside me in 53 years.  He hadn't been able to hear the season tunes he loved for 30 years; I'd guess he's singing them now in person to the Lord!  Here's a photo of the first Christmas I knew him (I'm sitting on his lap...my personal Santa):

 

 

The curioser part is when I wonder what it looked like:
the look on Mary's face when she learned she would soon give birth...

the community of shepherds that went back to tell others of the Babe they saw...

the wonder felt by Simeon and Anna at the temple complex...

And so many more queries I have.
A joyous and blessed Christmas to any reading this.

Paperwhites in my kitchen

Heavily scented, white trumpeted flowers, the Paperwhite Narcissus is a joy to grow. And, easy to grow, too!
I've wanted to try this for several years.  Bought the last bag of bulbs at Lowe's a few weeks ago.  Filled some odd jars with river rocks or marbles, set the bulbs, topping the rocks, filled with water to slightly above the root end up the bulb.  They need daily addition of water to that level as these are 'thirsty little buggers'.
After a few days, they begin to sprout beautiful long green leaves.  Then the lovely flowers begin to show their beauty to the world.  Below are mine in the kitchen window...

 

They are a small member of the Narcissus family (Daffodils and Jonquils are larger family members).

Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

   Luke 12:27

I read Luke every December

and learn something new from it often.  Gotta love it!
This morning I thought, "This account was before Jesus was born.  God gave special, holy insight to Luke to write this true account."

As I feel my age first early in the day, I sympathize with Elizabeth.  She was 23 years older than I.  How could she:
1.  conceive     
2.  carry and birth a baby     
3.  patiently raise a boy to become a godly man????
God amazes me constantly.

I was raised in a family that NEVER mentioned the Bethlehem account or Jesus at Christmas.  How could that be?  I mean, CHRIST MASS.  The very name of the day should have been a clue.  But their traditions were built on the tree, sweets, a present or two.  Instead of a candle light service on the eve, we listened to John Barrymore (an aging actor long before your time) dramatize the story about Scrooge.  I still have memories of all of us huddled around the radio, night time with only the tree lights glowing, hanging on every word.  That was every year! 
Mother put up a faded and bent fake brick, cardboard fireplace against the wall.  She hung 3 pair of Dad's white work socks from the mantle (I had two sisters); late that night she placed one orange and a couple walnuts (still in the shell) in the sock.  Oranges when they were available or we could afford it.  I'm thinking they weren't sold during the war years...sent to the troops??  I would have been 4 to 8 years old during the war time.
I was a new believer when my children were young, but I always tried to center the season around the Christ and the manger account.  (Do you notice I always say 'account'?  Not story?  It really did occur and that's important to remember.)

One of my daughters over 50 yrs. ago.

"... there was a priest named Zechariah,...  And he had a wife ... and her name was Elizabeth.  And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.        Luke 1:5,6  (liberties taken by me).