December Day #18

 It is interesting, I think, that the stuff around us and the circumstances of life often clutter our thoughts so that we are not able to see the beauty around us as easily as we ought.

These are 2 views I have from inside my house.  When I sit quietly and reflect on these photos (taken by Butterfly) I am humbled at the gift of beauty painted right outside my window just waiting for me to notice it.

Our angels are hiding in a cupboard today! Holding a candle.

When the cupboard is closed it is dark.  If you lit a candle inside the cupboard it would be filled with light.
Our hearts are like the cupboard; dark with sin.  Jesus is the light of the world; when we open our heart to Jesus, He fills us with His light.  
"The light shines in the darkness; the darkness can never put it out."  John 1:5

*{No candles were lit inside small cupboard spaces in the enacting of this lovely little devotional analogy!}*

 Butterfly and Arrow opened books today.

The books are:

• The Gift of the Magi.  I'm never too sure what to think about this story.  It is endearingly sweet that they would each sell their most precious possession in order to buy the other a gift.  But then tragically sad that the very thing they sold was the the reason the other bought the gift they did.  The love aspect is nice though.
• With Love At Christmas.  Tatty Ted pictures with greeting card phrases on each page.  I bought it because Crystal loves teddies.

Arrow and Cedar sharing popcorn while watching Veggie Tales The Toy That Saved Christmas...again!

Hanukkah Day 2, we made oil candles.  One was SCARY!  Consensus = wax candles are much safer!

Oil candle with a candle wick

A button lamp like Ma Ingalls made in the Long Winter

I read this from Derek Prince a few months ago about oil.
"Now the oil is always in Scripture a type of the Holy Spirit.  ...  The candlestick, in itself, is incapable of producing light without the oil and without the fire."

 ~Lorna