Have Yourself a Merry LITTLE Christmas!

I love Christmas!  I love the church services, the gathering of family, the music, the baking, the gift buying, wrapping and opening and I love decorating for the season!  Last year at this time I was getting married in 9 days, and we had a lot of Christmas decor in our wedding and got a lot as gifts.  It was really beautiful, and the best day of my life so far!

This year however is a little different for me.  Joe and I spent the first 6 months of our marriage apart, but now we have a place together.  It's grand being together.  We're both enjoying it so much, and I'm incredibly content.  Here's the catch though, all of my Christmas decor is in storage in Phoenix, and we are in Pasadena.  And even if the decorations weren't in storage, our apartment is 560 sq. ft.  If we cleared out everything else, we would have a lovely Christmas apartment.

But you know what?  I don't care at all.  In fact, I love this Christmas as much as all of the rest, if not more.  I'm finding that keeping it simple is allowing me to appreciate all that I have and to focus more clearly on the first Christmas in which Christ came to earth humbly.  But there was still a little celebrating when the angels told the shepherds the Good News that the SAVIOR had been born!

Our first Christmas tree!

So this year, I pray that you may have a merry LITTLE Christmas as you celebrate our Savior's birth.

I leave you with the King James Version of Luke 2: 1-20 because it is truly beautiful.

Luke 2
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherd. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.