Tag Archives: Christmas

Family and Friends, Life at Bass Lake Lot 205, The Adventure

We made it to Three!

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That’s Day Three of this new year!! I hope you’ve had a good start to this New Year – ours has been a little sniffy and bit cough-y, but we’re still anticipating a good year! But before we get TOO far into this new year, I’d better do a bit of catch-up about our Christmas! Because it was on the quiet side – but delightful nonetheless!
We enjoyed a beautifully simple Christmas Eve gathering, complete with carols, readings and candlelight with our new community.

And then Christmas morning, we got an early start,  heading to Waco to spend the day with our Texas kids!

(Gotta love Christmas morning traffic!)
They saved opening their gifts until we arrived (needless to say we were greeted with great joy!).
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and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the paper tear and listening to the shouts of glee as presents were opened and enjoyed.
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In true Conrad tradition, everyone stayed in their jammies all day! We played a couple rounds of Bingo
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(Yes, Gary is taking advantage of the relative quiet and catching a quick snooze!)
and then we settled down to watch the Christmas ‘classic’ (?) ELF.
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(First time for me. Maybe next year we can watch “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Now THAT’s a Christmas Classic!)
It was quite the lovely day!
The next morning Pops and I took Anderson out for an early Birthday breakfast (he turned 7 on the 29th).
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Then we took a short Birthday shopping trip to Walmart. In true seven year old fashion, he chose – a fake snake (to scare Meemaw), a slinky (because his brother got one but he didn’t), one of those pin art sensory toys (because it was “so satisfying”?), and of course – Legos. Cause what’s a birthday without some Legos! It was a fun morning,  one-on-one with Anderson and we were so glad we had the chance to do it!
We also stopped to see where Josiah is working these days (he started a new job this past summer), so it was fun to see him in is workday habitat (even though it was incredibly quiet given the holiday).
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We were heading back to Lindale by early afternoon (not wanting to drive in the dark really is a thing when you hit 70!), and snuggled back into our sweet little house by dusk. It was a quick trip – but oh, so special!

Our first Christmas in Lindale. Filled with community, nearby family, and sweet memories. A very good beginning, I think!

Happy New Year, friends! As we look forward to the newness of this year – may this still be our prayer –

Blessings,
Steph

The Adventure, The Cabin

Tis the Season to remember the Reason

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In the fullness of time – when everything was in perfect position – God sent his only Son to make us His own!

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Ephesians 1:7-10

Sabbath Rest, SOWER Projects 2018, The Adventure

Sabbath Rest – Joy Has Dawned

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And here we are – the final Sunday before Christmas Day! Hopefully amid all of the hurry and hustle of these next few days, you’ll find the time to reflect on this miraculous gift – Jesus. Son of God, Son of Man.

Not with fanfares from above,
Not with scenes of glory,
But a humble gift of love—
Jesus born of Mary.

Joy has dawned upon the world,
Promised from creation—
God’s salvation now unfurled,
Hope for ev’ry nation.
Not with fanfares from above,
Not with scenes of glory,
But a humble gift of love—
Jesus born of Mary.

Sounds of wonder fill the sky
With the songs of angels
As the mighty Prince of Life
Shelters in a stable.
Hands that set each star in place,
Shaped the earth in darkness,
Cling now to a mother’s breast,
Vuln’rable and helpless.

Shepherds bow before the Lamb,
Gazing at the glory;
Gifts of men from distant lands
Prophesy the story.
Gold—a King is born today,
Incense—God is with us,
Myrrh—His death will make a way,
And by His blood He’ll win us.

Son of Adam, Son of heaven,
Given as a ransom;
Reconciling God and man,
Christ, our mighty champion!
What a Savior! What a Friend!
What a glorious myst’ry!
Once a babe in Bethlehem,
Now the Lord of hist’ry.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing,
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo

WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY & STUART TOWNEND

Life at Bass Lake Lot 205, SOWER Projects 2018, The Adventure

Christmas 2024

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For the first time in twenty (20!) years, I am decorating a house for Christmas! Mind you, my Christmas decorations all fit in a large cookie tin (save the sleigh in the header), so I am somewhat limited. But our little tree is up, my eclectic selection of ornaments have been hung, and I have candles (battery operated and they come on magically each evening! So fancy!) in the windows.

I haven’t quite figured out where (or how) to hang my Christmas wall hangings so they are in drape mode so far, but I did pick up a nice wreath at a local thrift shop to hang on the front door.
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To say it’s a work in progress would be an understatement! But it’s been fun to conjure up a plan to put in place as I slowly collect more decorations. But not this weekend! We’re ‘out of pocket’ this weekend – apparently there are some critters in Waco that need some attention while the family is away! But maybe I’ll be able to bulk up our Christmas decoration stash while we’re out and about!
So have a great weekend, everyone! We’ll see you next week!

Steph

Sabbath Rest

Sabbath Rest – Labor of Love

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Well, here we are – Christmas Eve! Maybe you’re going to church this evening, or maybe it’s a stay home and enjoy the family kind of night. But 2000+ years ago, in a cold dark stable, a teenage girl was about to give birth to our Savior. As we celebrate the wonder of this season, let us never forget…
t{That} the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David’s town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother’s hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph by her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
On the streets of David’s town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

Labor of Love (feat. Jill Phillips)
Andrew Peterson