Book Review-Total Christmas Makeover- 31 Devotions To Celebrate With Purpose

About the book 

"Are you tired of just letting Christmas happen at your home-and praying merely to survive? No more! Now you and I can be absolutely intentional about embracing

all the fun, faith, family, and friendships of this amazing holy season. Melissa Spoelstra's Total Christmas Makeover gently guides us through everything seasonal around

music, food, scripture reading, extended family gatherings, serving, and especially how to rest in the midst of it all."

---Lucinda Secrest McDowell, author of Ordinary Graces andDwelling Places

"Jesus picked a busy time of year to have a birthday! Although I am saying this in

jest, there is nothing funny about how the frantic nature of this season can rob one

of joy that Christmas represents. In her latest project, Melissa Spoelstra gives candid

and practical tools to help the overcommitted and overwhelmed put the merry back

into 'Merry Christmas.' "

---Amberly Neese, speaker, author, humorist

Do you find that you too have been caught up in the Chistmas have to's instead of the God-centered love to's? Give your Christmas a makeover with this practical approach to help your family learn what it means to truly celebrate their Savior.

In Total Christmas Makeover, author and Bible teacher Melissa Spoelstra provides ways for you and your family to turn your attention toward God's grace day-by-day as you prepare for Christmas. This 31-day devotional presents key scriptures, ideas to implement with each reading, and questions for reflection to guide you in rediscovering the meaning behind traditions we often lose sight of in the chaos. Melissa divides the book into 3 sections, focusing on the following three common elements of biblical celebrations:

• Ritual: Special activities out of the ordinary routine were planned to help remember what God has done.
• Relationships: People spent time together preparing special foods, eating, gathering in holy assembly, and explaining their traditions to children.
• Rest: Regular work was to be set aside for planned times of celebration and rest from activity in order to reflect on God.

Mindfully take time to listen to how God continues to speak through the Christmas story as the Gospel narratives centered around the birth of Jesus provide encouragement and revelation concerning the love of God and his wisdom for us today.

And I thought

Just in time for the holidays.  A great devotional for the busy mom who wants to have a more meaning Christmas for her family. 

Melissa Spoelstra begins the book sharing her families Christmas experiences.  From her own experiences as a child and her husbands.  They took their own experiences and tried to blend a 

special time for their children.  

With frank honesty Melissa shares how the early Christmas' were a bit of a failure with a 6 year old, 1 year old twins and a 3 month old.  

As the attempted to bring meaning into the holiday season they read Bible stories and tried to make the season center around Christ.  

I loved the frankness as she shared how her 6 year old was 

thoroughly enchanted with the event.  While the 3 month old fell asleep.  And then there were the 2 year old twins happily exclaimed when asked "Who created the world."  One twins response was "I did!"

Many of us have been there.  Trying to bring significance to the holidays and remind and remember the reason for the season.  

With this small devotional a mere 203 pages Melissa shares thoughts ideas and suggestions to make this season one that is special and centered around Christ. 

The book is a fast and easy read.  With some humor to make the reading light and enjoyable.   

The book is made up of  3 separate sections:

Ritual with 10 days of devotionals

Relationships with 10 days of devotionals 

Rest with 11 days of devotional

Each short devotional begins with a scripture and ends with a prayer, followed by questions for reflection and a practical approach filled with suggestions and ideas. 

I would suggest this great book to everyone.   

This would be a great gift to give to an adult child at Thanksgiving. 

I think it would be a great book to read with a group of friends as a Bible study for the holidays.  

Whether the application group study or individual study you'll 

come away feeling a little more relaxed and ready for the wonderful season of Christmas!

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse.

This review will appear on retail sites where the book is available.

This review will appear on Good Reads and on the Litfuse tour page. 

Available

Amazon CBC Lifeway

Visit the tour

Read more reviews at the Litfuse tour.  Click here.

Visit the author

Click here to visit Melissa website

Merry Christmas

Wordless Wednesday/Merry Christmas

          

Merry Christmas

Linking with Create With Joy, Wordless Wednesday, Imagine-n-ing, Share Your Cup, 

The Art of Homemaking, Count Down To Christmas

Cocoa Bar Ready For Santa

Are you counting down the days?  Santa will be here soon. 
We've got cocoa ready. . . 

I had a hard time this year getting my little space looking just right.

I changed it a couple of times.

Then I found this darling plaid that brought a smile to my face!

The cocoa bar is set up on the tea cart my mother gave me.

Displaying the mugs is a tiered retro looking server I got at a resale store. 

It was marked $12.00.  They were having a 90% off sale! 

What a deal!

I'm wondering how Mento's will taste floating in cocoa?

They are displayed with my little butter spreaders in a glass dish another gift from my mother.  

It was the family pickle dish for all the holidays.

The packages of cocoa are ready and at hand displayed in an 

old pottery crock that I found in the yard. 

Yes it was randomly half buried in the ground!

I think this yard has many stories to tell!

A glass jar candle to make the room cozy.

My two ice trees that I bought back in the day. 

I have no idea where I bought them.

The "S" ornament was another 90 off purchase at Kirkland's last year.  

The sweet sign my DIL painted.

It's super cold here.  It was 19 went I went out to work.

I have no idea what the temp is now.

But I think it's time to sample that cocoa!

Merry Christmas

Come by The Holiday Blog and enter the giveaway!

Click Here

Linking with: The Art Of Homemaking, Create with Joy, Dream Create Inspire, Share Your Cup,

Thrifty Thursday

What's Under The Tree. . .

. . . This week I had a little help finishing off some decorating,
I saved our vintage wooden train set for our grandson to put under the tree . . . 

It was a fun photo shoot.  He took great care putting the animals around the train just right. 

When he was done I wanted a better shot so I had him crawl under the tree . . . 

    

Ever  so carefully he inched his way under the tree. And then posed for the camera  . . . 

With a cheesy grin. And then he had to fix the animals that fell down. 

A couple of days later we were cleaning out some things we had in storage.  We found one of the boxes of a small collection of antique toys . . . 

We added our cow.  Who likes like a giant! Those poor animals 

I bet they are so afraid of him.  We walks and Moo's!

We also found this primitive one. He is on a wagon and rolls. 

He isn't old but I love him anyway.  He was a present from my sister one year.  

We had a great week bringing things home from storage.  It was almost like Christmas!

So that is what's under my Christmas tree.  What's under yours?

Linking with Blue Monday and some over my favorite parties.  The list is on my parties page.  

I am also linking with Count Down To Christmas it's over here at my other blog. 

I hope you'll get a chance to visit and link. 

There is a Giveaway. 

Sharing The Love/Merry Christmas My Friend

This summer I started a new project.  I joined a group that swaps paper.
                            
Last year I became enamored with Altered Books and Junk journals.  I decided to incorporate the Scripture theme Journal that I made for my daughter last Christmas into a Junk type Journal.

I love my new hobby!  Do I love it as much as quilting.  I am not sure.  For me for now it's easier than sewing.  I am actually having a hard time getting my sewing room in order after the move. 

That's another story for another time though.  

Today I am sharing post cards that I made for all the people that I have swapped with this year. 

Since they should be arriving soon or already arrived I think it's safe to share a few!

These are so fun to make.  I haven't flattened this one yet so it looks a little wonky.  The images are cut from a collection of Christmas cards.  I don't use just one card on each post card. 

The parts all come from different sources.  On this one the base is scrapbook paper. 

One of my favorites.  I used images from three different sources.  The background is scrap book paper.  I used glitter glue and covered the entire card. 

Another favorite.  Again I used three different sources.  The 

background here is a silver piece of paper I received from Singapore.  The edges were already cut with scalloped scissors.

Oh my goodness I think I actually love them all!  The images were so sweet.  It's hard to see but there are hand cut snowflakes that my grandson made.  I am not sure I like the background paper but it was all I could find that was the right color!  

I truly do love this new hobby!  I love it so much that I want to share!   I am offering over at Our Holiday Journey a Christmas Junk Journal.  I will include in the Journal 12 Christmas post cards.  The journal will be made custom to the winner.  If you want space for recipes or places for lists or spaces for photo's I will make the journal custom to your requests!  

Come over to the link party at Our Holiday Journey and enter to win a custom Christmas Junk Journal made by 'Moi'.

 

Did you know you can link all your Christmas posts at The Count Down To Christmas Party?  Come and link your new and archived posts!   The party is over Here

I hope you enjoyed visiting today!

Merry Christmas

A Cozy Christmasy Friday Nigh

There is nothing I like better to do on a 'home alone' Friday night.
I enjoy a cozy evening when it is frigid outside staying indoors and visiting amazing quilt bloggers.  

I spend the evening visiting Crazy Mama and her Finish It Friday party.  Today I found . . . 


Jocelyn at Happy Cottage Quilter shared this work of art. 

Then I found this . . . 

with a super precious post over here.  You have to visit!  You'll smile. 

This was a fun surprise. . . 

Kat with a 'K' shared the stockings she is crafting.  Click here

to visit her post. 

And another fun surprise . . . 

What a gorgeous rug. Visit the post to see her other creations. 

Click here.

Over at The Finished or Not party I found. . . 

I found this adorable pillow

 

Click here to read the post. 

At another party I found this . . . 

Love this pillow made by Patty.  You have to go over and read the post at her blog.  Click here.

So that is how I spend my Friday evenings when The Cowboy is at work.  At least until he comes home early and interrupts me.  

Dawng it! 

Linking this not finished post with Count Down to Christmas. 

Click Here to join the party. 

So how do you spend your Friday nights?

Oh Christmas Trees

Hello

Happy Tuesday everyone!  

Today I'm sharing my Christmas trees.  I enjoy putting up lots of trees . . . 
The main tree is in the living room.  I usually do it 'dressy' this year it's just Red. I've never done that before.  I think I like it. 

Do you?

please forgive the bad photo. I am having to use my phone.

I usually only put one tree in the living room.  This year I did something a little different.  I put a second tree along the wall that 

faces the fireplace . . . 

                                            

Even before we moved I had planned this wall for the Christmas Cowboy's gallery wall.  The tree just spoke to me and said I want to be there.  

I needed to use a small tree because we just began collecting the ornaments.  I wasn't sure what to put it on.  We are lacking in tables.  Here's what I came up with . . . 

Next I'll show you the little tree in The Cowboys Room.  His 'man' cave.

This tree he picked out at Hobby Lobby last year when we were shopping a few days before Christmas.  It was 90 off!

He added the ornaments.  Also in his room is the tree that I started a few years ago.  I added the cowboy ornaments until this year when I had enough for an entire tree . . . 

A very different kind of tree.  I know.  But like any other tree it is filled with memories.  I'll share in another post.

Next I'll share one you've already seen but I wanted to include it in this post anyway.  I hope you don't mind a second look . . . 

You now how I love Santa Claus!

And next my room that I think I love as much as my sewing room.

I love this room. It is so cozy.  The only thing it's missing is a fireplace.   This room has a bunch of trees.  I'll show you more when I feature the room.  

But I do have one more last tree to show you today . . . 

This is the tiny tree that my DIL made me for my birthday a few years ago.  It is a mini and all the ornaments are handmade.  

I hope you enjoyed the mini house tour.  I'm trying to post everyday even if there is a book review scheduled.  If you come by and a review is posted look at the post just below.  

Next week I'll include featured posts on the sidebar.  This week I'm keeping the Count Down To Christmas post featured.

Have you joined the party? 

Come and join the fun!

It's over Here.

Linking with the regular parties.  Check out my parties page.

Santa Claus Has Come To . . .

. . . my new and fabulous sewing/crafting room!

I am super excited to show you this one!  Yes it is a puzzle that we did last year.  I got it the year before for my birthday.  Started it then put away.  it was probably the hardest puzzle we've ever done. Definately the hardest quilt I think I have ever pieced!

The mantle is very different from last year.  And honestly  I am really not enchanted with it.  Especially since seeing this 
photo.  
Here's last years . . . 

Do you see what's or should I see who is missing?  The big 
Santa waving was replaced with the quilting Santa.   He has a new special place...but that's another post. HeHe.

The mantle does look so different this year.  I know I'll 'tweek' it
I always do!

I played around with Picassa because my computer won't load Picmonkey or BeFunky (don't know what is up with that.  insert pout!)

This guy joined the collection last year.  A thrift store find. 
He's wearing a warm and cozy coat and carrying his ski's. 
He has some goodies in his bag . . . 

A sweet little jointed stuffed Teddy Bear.  

And a wrapped package.  I wonder what might be inside.  He has some greenery with berries in his bag that ties with a shiny red cord. 

I have two Santa's that have a list . . . 

He arrived last year too.  I hope he doesn't check that list too closely.  My name isn't on it.  He is comfy in his stuffed chair.  See the little red button on his left?  His head moves while he is writing.  I guess maybe he is adding my name!  I need to push that button!

I have another list making Santa.  He is much older . . . 

I have had him since the '90's.  His bag used to be bright green. It has faded over time.  I don't remember where I bought him.  I didn't thrift shop back in the day.   I was dumb. 

One of my newer favorites is this guy . . . 

He's apparently had a hard season!  

I know how he feels oh I'd love a bubbly bath!

I wish I could get a shot of the whole mantle.  My camera is on the funk so I'm having to use my phone.  

Here's a shot of who's on the other end . . . 

Santa and Mrs. Claus with a few reindeer.  They have such happy faces.  I guess they were happy The Cowboy rescued them from a thrift store.

Standing behind them is another new favorite . . . 

He stands 28" tall.  He has wood inside him for stability but no stand.  He is one of my favorites because of his coat.

His coat is wool edged in sherpa (I think that's what it is called). There is wire in the edging so his coat has some body.  I really like the flowers embroidery on the coat.  His bag is a wool plaid and holds . . . 

I love the bright striped candy cane! He has some packages, pine cones, greenery and some berries.  He's been loved awhile but I don't know how old he is.  I love him anyway.  I just need to get him some new berries and fluff him a bit and he'll be good as new! 

I hope you enjoyed the tour of the mantle in my new sewing room. 

Next time I'll be giving you a quick tour of the tree's in the rest of the house.  There's a Cowboy tree, a snowflake tree and a simple tree trimmed in _________.  HeHe it's a secret.  You'll have to come back to find out! 

Until then you can go over to Our Holiday Journey and link your Christmas posts and visit some other great blogs!                              Click Here

Linking with my favorites.  The list is on my parties page.