A Thrill of Hope...

As we draw nearer to Christmas day, I keep having these words play over and over again in my mind... 

"a thrill of hope... the weary world rejoices"

Looking around us at the world we live in, we truly do need a thrill of hope, our weary world needs something to rejoice in. This Christmas season, let's turn our eyes to the reason we celebrate, the birth of Jesus. Jesus this God-man who walked the earth and changed how we did everything. 

He was the biggest revolutionary in history. He fed the poor, spoke life to dead people, healed the sick, loved the orphan, and invited the widow into society.

In our world, we need this revolutionary, we need Love, the love that He spoke of, we need it for ourselves and for our neighbour- no matter the colour, the creed, nationality, or beliefs. He spoke Love.

This season, let's speak love, share love, be love... 
after all Christmas is all about love,
M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 Thrill of Hope, Christmas 2016, Personal Use Only, www.lostbumblebee.com

Star of Wonder.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN | Star of Wonder | Personal Use only | www.lostbumblebee.net | 72 dpi not for print

I know, I know, my American friends are still waiting for Thanksgiving, but my Canadian friends are all up decorating for Christmas- and so have I.

Here in Vietnam we miss the markers for Christmas, the time doesn't change, sun rises at 5:30 am, and starts to set about 12 hours later, the weather doesn't change (or at least not enough for me to think about the holidays, the Vietnamese all start wearing sweaters and coats... but it is still 32 degrees celsius, so I probably won't be donning a new winter jacket any time soon.)

It is a weird feeling, and I am trying to ward off nostalgia, because that will make me sad, and then I will get into a funk, and I will spend too much time wishing for what isn't, and missing the 'what is right now'. So I am trying to celebrate with gusto, and enjoy where we are in the moment, and just enjoy the moment. It is easier said than done.

But in light of all of that, I have decorated for Christmas! When we showed up in March, we had 3 suitcases and 2 boxes for a two year stay in Vietnam. In those boxes were my favourite Christmas ornaments tucked away, waiting for the special day to unpack them, and enjoy them. If I'm being honest with you, I've unpacked them a few times and looked at them, and got all nostalgic, and repacked them, waiting for the moment... waiting to put them up. Now they are all up, and I love staring at my tree... it makes me really happy, and I have stories for all of my ornaments, and I have new ornaments that I bought here, which in a few years down the road I will look at and be over come by nostalgia, and they too will have stories.

It's hard to sit in the moment and enjoy, we often find ourselves waiting for what is next, instead of just doing, being, enjoying what is now. It is a lesson I learn daily, a lesson I have to practice daily, I am a dreamer, I can see into the future to what I want... but I have to reign myself in, slow myself down, and just breathe in the moment.

Do you get ahead of yourself in life? Do you find it hard to stop, breathe, be in the moment?

Share the love,
M.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
Star of Wonder Christmas Card Printable (5x7)
Personal Use Only, www.lostbumblebee.net

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
Star of Wonder Christmas Card Printable (5x7)
Personal Use Only, www.lostbumblebee.net

Novembermas!

I'm so excited it is officially November ...  which means I can start listening to Christmas Carols and starting to get into the festive mood of the most amazing holiday we get to celebrate. I. Love. Christmas.  I love everything about it, I love the advent, I love the reason we celebrate, I love the festive spirit that people get into, I love that it is a time to give, I love that for a few days of the month people are kinder to one another, kinder to those they see on the streets, kinder to people serving them in stores, kinder to the dog... just plain kinder. Kindness abounds... and for good reason. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus. The revolutionary who claimed love is the only way. Whether you are a Christian or not, it is hard to refute that Jesus was an amazing revolutionary, who still has followers to this day, some 2000 years later, and that so much of what we do (whether we know it or not) comes from His teachings. It's kind of mind blowing.

So in celebrate His birth, or just His teachings of love and kindness, this is an awesome time of year...

If you don't know why we celebrate Christmas and the birth of Jesus,  you can read the Christmas story here at Why Christmas. 

These 3 cards are verses from the Bible all about Jesus and His birth... If these aren't up your alley- please don't fret, I've got lots and lots of Christmas cards full of cheer and holiday spirit that are not religious.  I'm happy to share and really Happy that you've chosen to celebrate and spread good cheer, kindness, goodness, peace, love, joy and holiday spirit with your friends and family during this special time of year!


Share the love,
M.

In Canada, we try really hard to wait until after the 11th of November to begin Celebrating the Holidays. I personally do not feel that Christmas in anyway takes away the specialness of Remembrance Day. I don't feel that celebrating Love, Kindness, Peace, and Joy can in anyway take away the sacrifices of the people who gave their lives so that we can be free to celebrate these things. So please don't shame people who start their celebrations early... please choose to spread love and kindness... instead of judgement.

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
CHRISTMAS 2016 Isaiah 9:6
5x7
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www.lostbumblebee.net

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
CHRISTMAS 2016 Luke 2:11
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www.lostbumblebee.net

LostBumblebee ©2016 MDBN
CHRISTMAS 2016 Luke 2:14
5x7
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www.lostbumblebee.net