She who walks with Integrity ...

I've been so enjoying taking photographs of God's beautiful creation and adding beautiful scriptures to them.. Here's a new one ... 

She who walks with Integrity walks Securely. Proverbs 10:9

Enjoy .. and feel free to share ...

until next time ..

A New Year Start ~ Stength for Today and Hope For Tomorrow !

 

 A beautiful Friday Morning Devotion

 

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As Your Days…

As your days, so shall your strength be.
Deuteronomy 33:25

Recommended Reading Deuteronomy 33:24-27

Only one man is listed twice among the presidents—Grover Cleveland. He served two non-consecutive terms, so he’s listed as the twenty-second and the twenty-fourth president. Cleveland was a Presbyterian preacher’s kid who was trained in Christian truth. He faced a lot of troubles in office, but was considered honest. His dying words seem to have summed up his life: “I have tried so hard to do right.”

Cleveland had a motto he lived by, and it hung directly over his bed where he would see it every night on retiring and every morning when awakening. He once said, “If I have any coat of arms and emblem, it is that.” It was a verse of Scripture—Deuteronomy 33:25: “As your days, so shall your strength be.”

That’s a verse for you too. As we face a new year, none of us knows the challenges ahead. But if we have God, we have the passion of God’s power and strength within us. He will give us strength for each new day. In Him, you’ll always find strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.

At home or abroad, on the land, on the sea, as thy days may demand shall thy strength ever be.
From the hymn “How Firm a Foundation,” attributed to John Keene.

 

Devotion By: Dr.David Jeremiah, Shadow Mountain Church, El Cajon, Ca

 

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Wishing you all a Beautiful New Year .. May your Strength be enough to walk through each day and may you have bright hope for all your tomorrows of this New Year. Our Lives can be overflowing and with joy and yet equally overflowing with sorrows .. God never told us life would be easy but he did promise to help us through it.  I know sometimes there are great chasms where we have felt like God is not there, or does not hear us, but I have learned that he is there and he does here. These are times he requires our patience and trust in him. A time for growth in our life.

 

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

The Lord is always there through our times of unending joy to the moments of our deep sorrows and pain, we may not always "feel" his presence but he is there. He will give your strength for today and Hope for tomorrow...

 

Blessings .. Saa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Origin of the Christmas Stocking ........

Merry Christmas Y'all .. Hope you are all having a beautiful start to your weekend ..

 

Abbey and I are enjoying a relaxing morning with the fireplace going after a beautiful rainy day yesterday ...as it's a bit chilly today.

 

This morning I opened my daily devotion from Dr. David Jeremiah of Shadow Mountain Church .. and wanted to share it with you all.

 

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(courtesy of  La Petite Cuisine )

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fireside Chats: Christmas Stockings

 

 

So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury.”
Mark 12:43

Recommended Reading
Romans 12:9-21

 A poor man, father of three beautiful daughters, had no money to provide for their marriages or their futures. Hearing this, Saint Nicholas secretly put a bag of gold in the daughters’ stockings, which were hanging by the fireplace to dry overnight. Upon rising, the family was overjoyed. Ever since, children have hung up stockings on Christmas Eve in hopes of a visit from Saint Nicholas.

 That’s the closest we can come to the origin of Christmas stockings. Regardless of the origin of the practice, one thing is evident: Christmas stockings can only hold small gifts. Indeed, what would fit in a child’s stocking was the extent of the earliest Christmas gifts from parents to children. And therein is the lesson: It’s the little things that matter most at Christmas. Jesus Himself revealed the true meaning of value when He commended a widow in Jerusalem for putting two pennies into the Temple treasury.

 

 

As you plan your Christmas giving this year, keep “value” in mind. Gifts wrapped in Christmas love are the most valuable of all.

Read-Thru-the-Bible
2 Thessalonians 1-1 Timothy 1-6

 

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Have a Beautiful and Merry Weekend ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ Devotion ~ Our Daily Bread........... and a Devotional Giveaway !

 

Good Saturday Morning to you all ...

 

Well it's a Hot Humid Day here already .. supposed to hit 100 degrees and I wouldn't be surprised if it actually ends up hotter .. Hope you all are enjoying a cooler day wherever your neck of the woods is !

 

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Have you ever had one of those moments where a single word stands out to you more one day than it ever has before ..

 

Well I had one of those days today !

 

 

As I was reading one of my daily devotions ... the actual devotion was just about that "DEVOTION" ..

 

What the word actually means ..

 

 Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.
Ezra 7:10 (NIV)

 

 

Here's an excerpt from this mornings devotion:

 

Are you familiar with phrases about having our daily devotions? Where did that term originate? We don't know when the word devotions was first used for our periods of Bible study and prayer, but it's appropriate. The word devotion means "earnest affection for a person or a cause." It's a better term than the word commitment. We can be committed to a cause out of sheer duty; but to be devoted implies commitment plus affection.

 

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I love how that excerpt defines devotion as "earnest affection for a person or a cause" because that's how I feel about my Dear Sweet Lord Jesus !  ..

 

However when reading my devotions in the morning be they in book form or e-mail .. I won't say I thought of them as sheer duty ... but it was something I did before starting my day because I wanted too, because it was a tool for learning, because it helped me through my day, but I never formed the thought or word affection with it .. however there is true affection in all of my reasons for reading my devotions and being committed to doing so each day ...

 

As I have grown older words and their meanings have grown more important to me. We have become a society that throws words around that have significant meaning yet we use them so lightly or in ways that are inappropriate. I love learning the true meaning and definitions of words it helps me see and understand things clearer in life.

 

 

One of our Favorite Devotions here at Sweet Magnolias Farm .. is

 

"Jesus Calling" By Sarah Young

 

 

 

 

About 10 or 12 years ago ..I can't remember the actual date or Year .. we were going though some rough times in our family. I had been earnestly praying , reading my bible and searching for God's answers and for his help to walk me through the dark valley we were living in .. I went to Wal-Mart..yep good ol' wallymart ... I imagine for groceries or incidentals .. and I wandered onto the book aisle something not unfamiliar for me to do ..I have always enjoyed reading for pleasure and learning.  I was searching through the books and I saw this Jesus Calling Devotional .. Picked it up flipped through the pages to see what it was all about ..landed on a devotion ..read it .. and it was meant to be .. God Spoke to my heart that day right in the aisle of Wal-Mart through one devotion off the pages of this book .. and I was reminded once again he was with me and would indeed walk me through the difficulties we were facing. And Yes he did .. it was a long journey but it was worth the uphill battle that ensued for nearly 2 years ..and in the end we came out better for it.  Of course I purchased the book that day .. and all these years later I love it as dearly as the day I purchased it ..

 

Since then I have also purchased Sarah Young's second devotional .. Jesus Today

 

 

It's also a beautiful devotional to start or even end your day with .. at one point I was reading Jesus Calling in the morning and Jesus today before going to bed each night ..

 

 

 

Have you ever read the story in the front of the Jesus Calling Book about how Sarah Young came to write "Jesus Calling" .. if you haven't it's a must read ! We have the original devotional "Two Listeners" which Abbey found in an antique mall that inspired Sarah.

 

 

If you are wanting a devotion that speaks to the heart .. messages sent from God .. then Jesus Calling and Jesus Today are what you are looking for ..

 

There are several places that offer them for sale online .. Christian book.com  offers them individually or the pair HERE

 

I think Wal-Mart, Sams Club and even recently they were at Costco for your brick and Mortar shops .. and I'm sure others also.

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 And If you want to try your luck ..

 

you can enter the giveaway below ...

 

There are no mandatory requirements for entering .. if you would like to share about this giveaway that's completely up to you .. Otherwise all you need to do is enter below by using your FB info or your e-mail ..neither of which will be used for any purpose other than picking and contacting the winners.

 

Please only Enter if you are in the contiguous 48 states.

 

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There will be 2 Lucky Winners which will each get the Pair of Devotions ..

Giveaway will end on Saturday September 13th

Winners will be notified Saturday Septemer the 13th and will have 24 hours to claim their prize .. if not claimed in 24 hours a new winner will be picked.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Daily Bread .. Girlfriends in Christ

 

 

 

Do you have a daily devotional you enjoy ?

 

As many of you have seen on my sidebar my favorite devotional is "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young.

 

I recently purchased her newest devotional "Jesus Today" while on a trip to Costco. I was surprised and delighted to find them in their book section. I have also been enjoying this newest devotional and would recommend it as much as "Jesus Calling" especially if your walking a hard road in life right now as Sarah wrote this newest one while facing a very long term illness, and that most definitely comes through in the daily devotions.

 

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About a Month back my friend Christie e-mailed me this great online devotional she wanted to share with me .."Girlfriends in Christ"

 

I loved it so much and found that it was a daily devotional delivered to your e-mail box and signed up immediately ..

 

Each day I thoroughly enjoy it .. without doubt it's food for the soul .. it's a way to start out a beautiful day to fill the tank if you will , to put on the armor of God ..to ready yourself for whatever the day may bring.

 

Today's devotional I really loved ..because Sharon who wrote today's devotional uses her flea market find to give us a visual look at how God works in our Lives .. and I wanted to share that with you all today ...

Source: theoldpaintedcottage.com via Sweet Magnolias on Pinterest

 

 

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June 11, 2013
Shabby Chic Refinishing
Sharon Jaynes

 

Today’s Truth

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

(2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV).            

 

Friend to Friend

Junk. That’s what my family and friends thought of most of my purchases. But to me, they were treasures waiting to be revealed.

When I was in my late teens, I had an unusual fetish for beat-up antique furniture. While most of my friends were at the mall shopping for clothes, I was at estate sales, flea markets, yard sales, and auctions hunting for antiques. Often, when I brought my purchases home, my family would roll their eyes and say, "I can't believe you paid money for that old piece of junk." But I never saw my purchases as junk. They just needed a little work…okay, sometimes a lot of work. But I loved the shabby chic projects!

At one estate sale I spied a little drop leaf kitchen table with three spindle-back chairs. I could just imagine a sweet little older lady spending many years sitting at that very table drinking her morning coffee or perhaps her afternoon tea. I could almost hear the faint whispers of thousands of conversations from generations past. The set was painted a hospital green, but I saw that it had great potential. Obviously the other bidders didn't recognize a treasure when they saw one, because ten minutes and $35 later, the set was mine.

I brought the dinette set home, all excited about my great buy, and couldn't understand why no one else shared my enthusiasm "Sharon, do you realize how much time and energy it is going to take to make that old green rickety table look even slightly presentable?" they asked.

 

 At that point in my life, I had a lot more time than money, so the time wasn't a problem.

Refinishing furniture is a dirty, grueling task. First, I stripped off the paint with paint remover and discovered that not only had the table been green, it had also been blue, and before that white. But underneath it all was pure walnut.

The paint remover raised the grain of the wood, so I had to go back and sand it smooth. If the sanding isn't done well, the finished product will always be a little rough. A few joints were loose from wear and tear, so I glued them back together. Then I applied a warm walnut stain which deepened its color and made the beautiful pattern of the wood grain stand out. Finally, I applied a polyurethane coat to seal and protect the piece.

As I worked I began to think of the old broken table as a symbol of my own life. I was also on the auction block, and God had purchased me with His Son’s precious blood. I had layers and layers of my old self that had to be stripped away to reveal the beauty hidden beneath. This raised my grain, but God sanded me with life experiences and trials to remove the rough edges. He glued my loose joints and mended my broken pieces, for He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Then He put a sealer not only on me but in me – the Holy Spirit who brought out the beauty of who God created me to be.

After I finished refurbishing the old table and chairs, I sat in the garage thinking about all that God had done in my life. My mom opened the door, looked at the old table, and said, "I never thought something so ugly could turn out to be so beautiful."

I said, "Amen."

Where are you in the refinishing process? It’s never really over, this side of heaven. But as we listen to God day by day, He will show us what needs to be stripped off, sanded away, and polished smooth to be all that He has created us to be.

 

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I was such a mess before You transformed me. Thank You for restoring my soul, renewing my spirit, and redeeming my life to become Your treasured possession…a true work of art.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

 

Now It’s Your Turn

Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-21 to learn more about your refinishing process.

Think back over the past year. What has God used as His sandpaper to refine your rough edges?

What has God used to glue your broken pieces back together?

What has God used to polish your shine?

 

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You can Sign up for the "Girlfriends in Christ"  devotional ... HERE  Just look in the top right of the page for the sign up.

 

You can visit Sharon's Blog HERE

 

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Wishing you all a beautiful and blessed week ..and that God's refinishing process in your life like mine is making you a beautiful Person on the inside and the out.

 

 

 

A Simple Christmas ....

Good Day After Christmas ..to all my Kindred Friends.

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It was a truly wonderful Christmas here at our home. " A Simple Christmas " ... I'm calling it this year. At first I was a little hesitant to how a "Simple Christmas" was going to feel ..But now that I have been through it ..I must say it was ever so refreshing !

It was just the three of us this year ..My parents and myself. We decided on No decorating outdoors ..because we have an impending move this spring and felt it may be to overwhelming. I had all the plans though to decorate inside ..and well I ended up with three little table top trees by my computer. However I never had the feeling that it wasn't Christmas.

The week leading up to Christmas ..Mom and I kept thinking of things we could do to celebrate Christmas in a different way this year .. We considered taking a trip up north for a few days ..but that seemed like such a lot of hub bub. Then we talked about a trip to Disneyland ..we haven't been there in over 20 year ..but ..something just wasn't grabbing us with that idea ..so we thought and thought and thought ..then Mom mentioned that there was a Christmas Eve service at a church we dearly love that's a 2 hour drive from us ..and that we might enjoy that ..I agreed ..it really focused on the reason for Christmas ..but being such a long drive ..it seemed we should come up with something else to do. Several days earlier I had received my AAA magazine and Chart House a restaurant I went to a few times as a little girl was advertised in it. I mentioned it was on the way ..and wouldn't that make a Beautiful Christmas Eve Dinner and then Church service afterwards ....

So our minds we made up and that's just what we did. Note: Chart house sits on the ocean ..we arrived early enought to ask for seating by the windows overlooking the break rock and the seaside. And we arrived just in time to enjoy and savor our dinner while the sun set ..

I don't think any Christmas Eve could have been more perfect ...eating a Lovely dinner and overlooking God's Beautiful and Perfect creation.

Spent with 2 people (my parents) God's gift to me. A memory made with them I shall never forget and will cherish forever.

As we were sitting and watching the sun go down ..off in the distance ..I saw a spray come out of the ocean ..then a few seconds later ....a large body arched out of the ocean and once again a large spray arose ...it was a Whale passing by ...I'm sure on it's journey to warm waters. I had to stop a moment and think ..and glory and God's creation ..what marvelous ideas he had and what a creator he was ..I'm so glad I love to create ..It draws me closer to my creator.

As the sun went down ..the beautiful glow of the horizon was left behind the clouds ...

I had to share a little of our dinner with you ...on the menu they had Fried Macaroni and Cheese ...O.k. I admit I am a fan of mac and cheese ..and once on the Food Network .."Ham on the Street" did a deep fried segment and one of the items was Mac and Cheese ..I had always wanted to try that ...Soooooo Here it is .. Not your normal Mac and Cheese though ... this mac and cheese was made with a smokey cheddar cheese ..onions and deep fried in a panko crust ...At first bite your expecting Mom's mac and cheese fried ..so your brain and palette are not sure what to think ..but after that initial taste ...you begin to taste the goodness. I must admit I enjoyed it the day after even more ..!!!

Our last bit was ended with a yummy volcano cake ..drenched in chocolate ..vanilla ice cream and heath bar crunch ... we said good bye ..to a wonderful almost end of the day ...but Christmas Eve service still lyed ahead of us.

We arrived at the church ...and it was beautifully decorated inside and out.

There is one thing about this Church that I rarely have felt in others ...and that is without a doubt the prescence of Christ ... Church is just not a building but a place where God says he dwells and will meet you there ..and This Beautiufl Christmas Eve ...he did not fail ..and met us there.

I had never been to the candle light service on Christmas Eve ..and was anticipating what it would entail. First off ..there were instumentalists ..that came and played Beautiful Christmas songs ..that lulled you to a sweet peace.

Then Dr. Jeremiah ...came out and filled us in on the do's and dont's of lighting candles and such ..and the service began ...it was beautiful ...between Christmas songs representing our Lord Jesus ...we would read the Christmas Story out loud ..Men some parts ..women others and then some sections all together ..

It was truly a Glorious evening and put the spotlight right where it should be ..On Christ the Saviours Birth ....on Christmas Day ! The service filled me with Peace, Joy and gratefullness, sorrow, and kindness, and above all ....Love ..

The service ended on a Very Simple yet Very Powerful Lighting of the candles ..representing the light being born into the darkness of the world ...the lights in the church were dimmed ..a procession of candle bearers ..walked to the alter ..and Dr. Jeremiah ...lighted each of their candles ...they in turn began lighting the candle of the person sitting at the end of each pew ..and in turn we each lit our candle off the other. Within moments what was a very dark Chruch was alight with hundreds of candles ..it was not just light ...but a warm glowing light ..that filled you with the sense of what our Dear Lord is ...Warm and Welcoming .. He is always there for us ..waiting on some ..welcoming others ...and a warm place for his children to come.

As the last Candles was lit ...the Piano began to play ..."Simply" ... "This Little Light of Mine" ...

The words to this song are so simple yet so powerful ...

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This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Don't let Satan blow it out,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Shine all over


I'm gonna let it shineShine all over


I'm gonna let it shineShine all over

I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine til Jesus comes,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,I'm gonna let it shine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine,
Let it shine,
Let it shine.

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After we sang this song ...and the service was coming to an end ...Dr. Jeremiah spoke one last time ...saying that we as Christians have a light to shine... and that in this last year our world has grown darker ...and that as this new year approached ...to Let our "Light Shine"

I challenge you ...to let your "light Shine" too. This world needs the Love of Christ more than ever ...and to know God is to Know Love ..and to follow God is to spread Love. "Love is the Greatest thing" .

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My Hope is that you too had a Very Merry Christmas ..and even if like me it wasn't filled with lots of family ...or friends ..or spent buying and recieving gifts ...but it was simple and quiet ..that you reflected on what it was all about ..not what the world has made it for themselves ..but what Beautiful Gift ...an "Eternal Gift" ..that was given us ...long ago. No one person ..family or friend ..could have bought or provided you a gift so wonderful ....We are so very blessed !

As the New Year approaches ...May God's Blessings Be on each one of My Kindred Friends ..May his love be shown to them and may it radiate from the. Bringing the light of the world to banish the darkness ...

Wishing you all Warm Winter Blessings ...

Your Kindred Friend ...Sara

The Poinsettia ..Did you know ?

Did you ever wonder what the Poinsettia had to do with Christmas ...?

Did you think it was just because of it's festive Red leaves that it became a symbol of Christmas ?

I wondered myself ...and so I went to researching...what the truth behind the Poinsettia really is.

Some believe the poinsettia also has a Christian significance. Although we now think of the poinsettia as a distinctive American symbol, one tale suggests that it was first brought to this country by Dr. Joel Poinsett from Mexico. It was in 1825 that Poinsett, then U.S. Minister to Mexico, became familiar with this beautiful crimson plant that covers the hillsides in Mexico.

After four years, he returned to his Charleston, S.C., home and brought with him some of the plants. The Mexicans call it the "flower of the holy night," and associate it with a story about a little girl who wept on her way to church on Christmas Eve because she had no gift to bring.

As she knelt on the ground to pray, she saw this lovely plant and gladly took its red beauty into the church as her Christmas gift to the Christ child. Even the holly plant can be viewed as a symbol that points Christians to Jesus. For centuries, holly symbolized the coming of spring.

Its thorny leaves prompted Christians to use it as a reminder of Christ's passion during the joyous Christmas celebration.

Legend has it that a shepherd brought a sprig of holly to the stable on Christmas night as a gift to the Christ child. Its leaves glistened in the moonlight, and its berries were snow white.

As baby Jesus reached out to receive this humble gift, the berries suddenly turned a deep red. Holly has since become a symbol for many of the expectation of Christ's passion. The prickly leaves represent the crown of thorns, which Christ wore during his crucifixion, and the berries symbolize the blood Christ shed for humanity. hope is these legends will bring Christian significance to a holiday that has become so secular. May you not look at a Christmas tree or a holly plant or a poinsettia in the same way again.

My Christmas wish is that when you look at these various symbols of Christmas, you will not only appreciate their beauty, but also see the face of Jesus Christ.

Warm Winter Blessings ...and Merry Christmas

Sara

My Newest Offering ...

With Christmas just a few short weeks away ..we are winding down here at Sweet Magnolias Farm.

This last week ..while preparing an order of our Vintage Snow Bells ..and after watching ..the movie "The Perfect Gift" ..these Christmas Crosses were put on my heart to make.

The Beautifully compliment ..our Vintage Snow bells, Icicles, and Candy Cane ornaments that we are offering this season.

But Most of all the represent the True Meaning of Christmas.

Our Crosses have Beautiful meaning behind them ..and why we designed them in the pure white with Holly and Berries Attatched ..They represent .. White for the pureness of Jesus Christ .. and Holly has since become a symbol for many, of the expectation of Christ's passion. The prickly holly leaves represent the crown of thorns, which Christ wore during his crucifixion, and the berries symbolize the blood Christ shed for humanity. We thought these would be a nice touch to a Beautiful Tree, Garland or even wreath to remember what the season is all about.

We are offering these Beautiful Ornaments in sets of "3". They can be purchase on our website on page 2 of the "Merry Days of Winter" section or in our Etsy Store ..You can just click on the highlighted links in red to view them either place.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas ..

Your Kindred Friend Sara ....