Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23 (KJV)‘Tis the season with all the hustle and bustle. Christmas shopping, list making, decorating, traveling, guests, and ever so much more. Our tree is up and decorated, there are already a few presents wrapped and under the tree, and I have Christmas cards nearby, ready to be addressed and sent. My husband took my boring Christmas letter (I was tired and unmotivated when I wrote it) and rewrote portions to make it more interesting for the recipients.
I’m starting to think about the menu for when my adult children are home. One daughter requested seafood chowder and we have made it tradition to have shrimp and cream cheese crab spread on crackers, but one of my sons has a special someone coming home with him to meet the family and he says she doesn’t like seafood. Hmm. To serve and make the family happy, or not to serve to make a guest happy. Oh, the dilemma.
People have their own traditions during the holidays – like in our house, the tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving. My dad’s Christmas village goes up the same day, on the top of the piano. We play Christmas music all month long. We hang candy canes on the tree and replenish the supply often. And we read the story of Jesus’s birth on Christmas morning before we open gifts.
I won’t argue. I know some of those reading don’t celebrate Christmas. Even some Christians argue it’s a pagan holiday and it isn’t really when Christ was born. Yes. I know all that. But it is also my favorite holiday—made only better if snow falls that day (rare in Arkansas,). I wanted to be a Christmas bride and I was (thirty years this year). I was born during this holiday season. It’s just exciting. Fun. And the fact that we’re celebrating our Lord and Savior just makes it better.
What are some of the traditions you enjoy? Which help you focus on Christ's birth?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
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| About the Author |
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| Laura V. Hilton |
Her publishing credits include three books in the Amish of Seymour series from Whitaker House: Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts (winner of the 2012 Clash of the Titles Award in two categories), and Promised to Another. The Amish of Webster County series, Healing Love (finalist for the 2013 Christian Retail Awards). Surrendered Love and Awakened Love followed by her first Christmas novel, A White Christmas in Webster County, as well as a three book Amish series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Jamesport series, The Snow Globe, The Postcard, and The Bird House in September 2015.
See below for information on Laura's latest, The Christmas Admirer. Other credits include Swept Away from Abingdon Press. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer.
Connect with Laura
http://www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q
visit her blogs: http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/ &http://lauravhilton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Laura_V_Hilton or@Laura_V_Hilton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vernetlh/
The Christmas Admirer
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| The Christmas Admirer by Laura V. HIlton |
Benaiah Troyer has loved Susanna King for as long as he can remember, but other than a lone summer filled with romantic buggy rides, marrying her remains an elusive dream. When his parents died in an accident a year ago, he broke up with her—for her own good. After all, they left him as the sole caregiver for his three younger sisters and his grandparents. What woman wants to step into a ready-made family like his? Still, he leaves her monthly gifts from “A Secret Admirer,” hoping she’ll know that someone loves her, even though he isn’t free to step forward.
Susanna has never gotten over losing Benaiah, and hopes he’s her secret admirer, but now the clock is ticking. Susanna’s father is remarrying in January and his wife-to-be doesn’t want to leave her Amish community and family in Iowa. So when Susanna’s daed sells his glass-blowing business to his right-hand man, Benaiah, she’s left with three options: 1) Go with Daed to his new home with a new frau and step-kinner, 2) Flush out her mysterious secret admirer, or 3) Resign herself to life as an old maid. She doesn’t want to follow Daed where his new frau is leading him. And number three isn’t happening. Marrying Benaiah is her greatest desire—but he broke her heart, and now he treats her like a pesky younger sister. Can she make him see her as a woman, one who could stand by his side as he cares for his family?
As Christmas approaches, Susanna and her friends start making gingerbread houses for select members of the community. Susanna plans for hers to go to Benaiah’s family. But while her gingerbread may find a home—will her heart?
For more posts by Laura V. Hilton, click here.
Nativity image courtesy Pixabay via CC0 Creative Commons, Free for commercial use, No attribution required
