Sunday, December 13, 2009

Christ the real gift of Christmas

Hello everyone!

I thought I would share with you a frugal way to wrap your christmas gifts and my thoughts on the upcoming day of Christmas. Now my family and I never hardly buy wrapping paper because we have it from after christmas sales from the year before, but what we do have from the previous year also are christmas cards. You know all those beautiful christmas cards you receive from friends and family every year that you don't want to throw away?! My family and I save these and instead of putting them away into a storage box we save them and make them into beautiful gift tags!

Here are some examples of what you can do with your old cards. You can also do this with birthday and any other type of card by the way!

You just cut your card with pretty sizzors (as seen in basket)or regular sizzors and then punch a hole in the corner of your shape whatever it may be. And then you have a gift tag to put on your presents with ribbon and it looks great and is more personal. I love choosing ones that I think look like that family member or friends personalities and putting it on there wrapped gift.















You end up with a basket quite full of tags and sizzors in there to cut more cards into tags!




















Then you have all your different tags ready to be put on your presents.



















































































































































Now of course we should not make christmas about what gifts we are giving or how many gifts we receive, as always we need to keep our focus on our Lord Jesus Christ! During your christmas wrapping, baking, and listening to those christmas peices of music remember who came as a man and then sacrificed himself for you! Its the best gift you could receive, and that is Christ!




I love this passage where Mary is told she will give birth to a son and she says,


" My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, and he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." -Luke 1:46-55



She is a visionary here and sees how from generation to generation God was getting them ready for a Savior and that He is using her even though she is not strong, he is making her strong. God has used the humble and told the previous generations of His greatness.

Then later the Lord worked a miracle and Christ the Savior of Mary like Mary had been told!



" And she gave birth to her first born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were frightened. And the angel said to them, " Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign unto you, you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying," Glory to God in the highest, and peace among those with whom he is pleased!"
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepards said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the sayingthat had been told to them concerning the child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shephards had told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shephards returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." Luke 2:7-20

I just thought I would post the passages that always jump out at me every christmas. God is so amazing!

I thought this tag put my thoughts very well, "May the celebration of Christmas cause us to rejoice like the angels, hear like the shephards, and follow like the wise men!"

















In Christ,

Rebecca

5 comments:

Sarah said...

What a perfect idea to use up old Christmas cards! I hate throwing old ones out, but keeping them stored is really pointless. This is a great idea!

And thank you for sharing the beautiful Scripture passages! He has given us the Greatest gift of all.

Rebecca Ann said...

Oh thanks for your comment Sarah!

Yes I was so glad when my sister and mother came up with this idea about 2 years ago I believe. Its a great way to use those beautiful cards! Yes God has given us the greatest gift and I still am in awe every year!

Angel said...

Those are beautiful! I love this idea!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful idea!!! You are so very creative! :) {Visiting from Emily Rose's blog} :)

Rebecca Ann said...

Thank you christin and Angel for your comments! I am glad you enjoyed the post!