Brown Paper Packages Tied Up With String!

This year I decided to go with simple gift-wrapping and if you love The Sound of Music as much as I do, you too will be familiar with gifts of "brown paper packages tied up with string" (and tape because I'm not that good!). We spent $8 on 90ft of brown paper that can be used year-round for all types of projects! If I had a lot of money and beautiful paper and bows, I could probably find myself spending way too much time and money on just gift-wrapping alone. I've really enjoyed Christmas shopping this year: 1. We've had the money to do it and 2. Most of our gifts have a lot of thought put into them. We really tried to be extra-special with gifts this year as I hope for every year! Personally, I would much rather a cheap, but thoughtful gift over something expensive just for brand-name's sake. Most gifts we are giving were hand-made [by me], local and small-business, and bargain or refurbished gifts! Yay! Most of our shopping was done before December and we've stayed pretty close to our budget... but we did go over :(
But, aside from earthly gifts, we cannot forget what they represent. We love the season of Christmas because ALL have received an amazing gift we do not deserve. GRACE! We have received grace through the birth and life of Jesus Christ. Boy, have we done a bad job at representing grace at Christmas.Think of what Christmas turns into each year. Please, let's not get caught up in our decorating and perfecting [Rahel]. Enjoy the raw meaning of Christmas. Enjoy family, friends, and the fact that we do not have to live in fear of this world. Find JOY in our Savior, Jesus Christ the King.
Enjoy the holiday spirit and be thankful for all the blessings the Lord has made.