Christmas Blessings

Merry Christmas

& A Happy and Healthy New Year  

to all my wonderful blogging friends!

I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely Christmas. I am on a short blogging break but I thought I should let you all know that I will be back next week and resuming all my blogging as well as my 49th Tea Time Tuesday party.

In the meantime, dear friends, have a lovely holiday and know that I love you all! God bless!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Merry Christmas ~ Spiritual Sundays

Merry CHRISTmas to all my bloggy friends! I pray your holiday will be beautiful and blessed.

Today I am sharing the fifth candle which is the Christ Candle.
We have already lit four candles; the Candle of Hope, the Candle of the Way, the Candle of Joy, and the Candle of Peace.

Fulfilment of Prophecy~ "...For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord." ~ Luke 2:11

The Christmas story, recorded in Matthew and Luke, has become so familiar that I wonder if we grasp the reality of what actually happened: An angel told a young virgin that she would conceive a child by the power of the Holy Spirit {Luke 1:26-38}. The angel then told her fiance to marry her and name the baby Jesus, "for He will save His people from their sins" {Matthew 1:21}. Shepherds saw angels in the sky and were told of a Saviour's birth in Bethlehem {Luke 2:11}. Wise men traveled hundreds of miles to worship the One, they said, "has been born King of the Jews"{Matthew 2:2}. Amazing!

Equally astonishing is that Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men did exactly as they had been told. Mary yielded herself to God; Joseph took her home as his wife; the shepherds went to Bethlehem to find the Baby in the manger; and the wise men followed the star. With no idea of the outcome, they all took the next step by faith in the Lord. Amazing!

When you and I obey the Lord, the outcome is truly amazing! ~ David McCasland {Excerpt from Our Daily Bread}

The first time Jesus came to earth,

Humble was His story;

But He has promised to return

With power and great glory. ~ Sper

I'm so happy you stopped by today! Please visit Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays to be encouraged and inspired. Just click on the link- http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

Wishing you and your loved ones A Blessed Christmas! May the New Year bring many blessings from the Father's hand!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

A Christmas Tea Time Tuesday

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas;

Soon the bells will start,

And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing

Right within your heart.

Welcome dear friends to my Christmas Tea and my 48th Tea Time Tuesday. This will be my last tea party until after the holidays. So please come in and make yourself at home. I am delighted you have stopped by.


Are you ready for the holidays? I'm almost there. My home is decorated, the presents are all wrapped, and most of the baking has been done. My youngest son, who has been away at university, just flew in this afternoon to spend Christmas with us and it's wonderful having him home again! It has been a long year and we haven't seen him since last Christmas. These reunions are always sweet!


Today I have the inlinkz thingy hooked up so you can just add your link at the bottom of my post.

Today I am serving tea in my favourite red transferware teapot. I found this lovely teapot at the hospital's gift shop several years ago and I love it. It's not a Christmas pattern but the red toile is always right for any season. This pot is such a pretty shape and is adorned with raised roses.

Are you comfortable? Let me pour you a nice cup of tea. The refreshments are being served on my red transferware tray today. There are festive sugar cookies, cherry macaroons, and Swedish butterballs. There are some homemade Cranberry Pumpkin muffins fresh out of the oven waiting under the cheese keeper. I have fruit cake too if you'd like to try a piece of that.

Tea is instant wisdom - just add water~ Astrid Alauda.

A fruit cake is always pretty with tea this time of year. This is the Sultana cake which I make every year and it is my mother's recipe. One nice thing about the holidays is there are always lots of goodies around!

I thought we would enjoy our tea once again by the Christmas tree.

The plates on which the muffins and fruit cake sit is a pattern made by Johnson Bros. called Historic America, a view of Boston, and they were given to me by my friend Heather who is a local artist. The little plate was a gift from my Aunt Judy and it is also made by JB and is called English Gardens. The pretty lacey spreader is a Cream Lace pattern by Skye McGhie, as well as the saucer under the teacup.

The muffins are still warm so they are steaming up the cheese keeper.

The teacup is part of a snack set and I am using it without its mate today. The saucer is from my Cream Lace set. I think it looks pretty mismatched.Each of the tea things bear this mark on the bottom; the tea pot, teacup, sugar and creamer, as well as the transferware tray. I have no idea what it means but I'm sure someone out there could tell me!Mmm, homemade muffins!The other day we drove by one of our local churches and they had this on their sign,

Mary wrapped the first Christmas gift.

I thought that was a rather endearing way of putting it!

Speaking of gifts, I received a very thoughtful hostess gift in the mail last week just in time to share on this post. One of my lovely participants, Judith @ Lavender Cottage, wanted to show her appreciation for my hosting these tea parties. Wasn't that darling of her?

Included in her hostess gift were a sweet little tea pot book mark which will come in handy... ..a snowflake for the tree.....a packet of Friendship tea; yummy blueberry.....and a silver sugar tong.She knew I didn't have sugar tongs so she thoughtfully sent me one. Thank you my dear friend, it is so sweet of you to think of me! You may visit Judith at her site- Lavender Cottage- http://lavendercottagegardening.blogspot.com/

I have made some really wonderful bloggy friends since I started blogging but especially since I started this tea party meme. As Judith so nicely put it, "...hosting Tea Time Tuesday each week gathers bloggers together with the same interests." I am pleased that Judith and all of you enjoy it so much! Friendship is a special blessing and I want you all to know that you have all been such a blessing to me!

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

As I mentioned earlier in my post, this will be my last tea party until after the holidays because I will be taking a blogging break. I hope you will all take some time for yourselves as it is a very busy time of year. Why not curl up in front of the fire with a good book or magazine such as Victoria and a hot cup of tea. It is sure to lift your spirits! Here, a Victorian family stands nearby singing their carols and the young laddie plays the violin.

Christmas began in the heart of God. It is complete only when it reaches the heart of man.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." ~ John 3:16

I'm delighted you have stopped by today and I hope you have enjoyed your visit. I will do my best to get around to visit you all but it may take some time, what with my son home and all.


Ladies, please use the inlinkz at the bottom of the post; thank you.

I am also joining the following hostesses for their parties:

Victoria- A Return to Loveliness

Kathy~ http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Table Top Tuesday

Marty~ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Tea Cup Tuesday

Martha~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Terri~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://silkenpurse.blogspot.com/

Pam~ http://breathoffreshair-paperbutterfly.blogspot.com/

Tea Cup Thursday

Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/

Wishing you all the true gifts of Christmas~

The feeling of Christmas is JOY

The spirit of Christmas is PEACE

The gladness of Christmas is HOPE

The message of Christmas is LOVE

And may Jesus - the reason for the season,

fill your heart and home

with all these things.

Have a Blessed Christmas everyone!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Spiritual Sundays

Hello dear bloggy friends~ A warm welcome to Spiritual Sundays hosted by Charlotte and Ginger.

Today I am continuing the Advent candle celebration.
I think this is a lovely way to celebrate as we count down the weeks till Christmas!

The first candle was The Candle of Hope or Prophecy. The second was The Candle of the Way and the third candle was The Candle of Joy.

This week's candle is the Candle of Peace.


Prophetic verse: "For unto us a Child is born; unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be on His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." ~ Isaiah 9:6-7

Fulfilment of Prophecy: " ...the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." ~ Luke 1: 78b-79

"And when the parents brought in the Christ Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 'Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared for the face of all peoples; a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.' " ~ Luke 2: 27b-32


Please join Charlotte and Ginger and all their participants for encouragement and inspiration by clicking the link ~ http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/
NOTE: Those of you who have been praying for my DIL Carina, I want to thank you. She is doing better and for those of you are not aware, my DIL gave birth to my first granddaughter on the 4th of December. Carina fractured her coccyx or tail bone while delivering little Jenna-Lynn and she was home only six days when her cervical artery hemorrhaged causing her to lose 2 liters of blood. She is still quite weak so I ask that you would keep her in your prayers.
Thank you for praying and the Lord bless you all! Merry CHRISTmas and let's all remember the Reason for the Season is Jesus!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Prayer Request

Hello dear bloggy friends~ I hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

I have a prayer request...

As you all know I was blessed with my little granddaughter on the 4th of December. Her mother, my sweet DIL Carina, fractured her tail bone or coccyx while delivering her. Then over the weekend her cervical artery hemorrhaged and she lost 2 liters of blood. She is very weak and of course being tired as all new moms are. Please pray for her that she will regain her strength and she will heal up quickly. Thank you so much and God bless you!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

The Reason For the Season Party

Hello everyone~ I am joining Lynn @ Happier Than A Pig In Mud for her Reason For The Season Party.

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! It's pretty decorations and festive food, gift giving and joyous times with family and friends. But it's so much more than that!

"For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." ~ Luke 2: 11-12

If not for Jesus Christ coming to earth as a Babe we would not be celebrating this wonderful season at all. So, here is my Reason For the Season Nativity.

A gentleman at our last church made the stable for me. The figurines which date from 1981-1989, are from Avon and they are all gifts from family and friends. Made of porcelain, they are lovely and they fit into the stable perfectly. This is the opening in my china cabinet which I had designed myself to display my Nativity.

Thank you for visiting and please join Lynn http://happierthanapiginmud.blogspot.com/

and her participants for this lovely party.

Jesus is the Reason For the Season! Merry Christmas everyone!

My Tea Time Tuesday party is below this post.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Tea Time Tuesday

It's the most wonderful time of the year...
There'll be much mistletoeing
And hearts will be glowing
When loved ones are near...It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Welcome my dear friends to my 47th Tea Time Tuesday. Christmas is almost here; are you ready yet? I'm just about there!

Would love to find this under the tree! Isn't it adorable?

It is a very windy day here on the Island. It's a good day to sit and enjoy a cup of tea while listening to the Christmas music.
So, please come in and don't mind the bells hanging on the door knob! Believe it or not, those bells decorate my door knob all year round! Yes, they do! I'm not kidding!

You see, I have a son, my oldest actually, and he likes to sneak into the house and surprise me.
Well, I'm not getting any younger and surprises aren't always a good thing. So, I fixed him! After asking him several times not to sneak up on me, I hung the bells on the door knob and now whenever he comes over, I know when he's here because the bells tell me. Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! They make for quite a conversation piece in the middle of the Summer!

Isn't this a sweet cup? I would love to find one like it sometime; maybe under the tree?

Have you been busy? I'm sure you have! So, why not take a break; sit down and have a cup of tea with me. Today I am sharing a few sentimental things so I hope you will bear with me!

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

I am offering tea and hot chocolate as well as some wonderful cookies.
These little gingerbread boys are tending to the tea today and they just love to frollick when there are cookies placed in front of them!

These are my Christmas mugs. I thought they were so pretty with their bright poinsettias and snowdrops. I also liked the message they had inscribed on them; Thank you Jesus!
My Christmas mugs are getting old. I had special-ordered five of them when my boys were small, one for each member of my family, and there are only three mugs left now.

Would you like some hot chocolate? Marshmallows?

This old-fashioned looking mug was a gift to my middle son from one of his little class mates when he was in Sunday School. Somehow it has survived all the Christmas seasons.
The Christmas cardinal tea-for-one set was a gift from my hubby once upon a time. There are no markings or stamp on the set.
I love the bright red birdies and the pine cones; makes for a nice Christmasy set. We don't get cardinals here on the Island which is too bad because they would look so pretty with their bright red plummage in the snow!
Cinnamon Spice tea seems right for today's tea.

If tea bags are served, be certain to have a place for their disposal. Might as well use your tea bag holders!
I love the reflection of the tree lights in the tea!

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. - Burton Hillis

I have brought out my red-rimmed goblets for anyone who would like some eggnog. I started collecting this glassware when I first got married. I have many pieces of it including a beautiful punch bowl set which my brother gifted me with for Christmas when I was first married.

The glassware is especially pretty and festive this time of year.

The greatest Christmas gift of all Was never placed beneath a tree,

But lay within a manger, Beneath a star, for all to see.

This is Love - not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. ~ 1 John 4:10

Thank you for joining me today for Tea Time Tuesday. I hope you have enjoyed your visit and will come again soon as I do love your company! Next week I will be serving my Christmas Tea and I hope you will join me.

Should you wish to participate in Tea Time, please email me ahead of time or let me know in a comment. I will gladly add your link to my post. Please share a favourite teapot, teacup, or mug. You may do coffee, iced tea, or hot chocloate instead of tea if you wish. You may even want to do a punch or eggnog like I did. The Tea Time Tuesday button near the top of my sidebar is available for you to use in your post if you wish. Please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way here and visit with all my lovely participants.

The participants listed below are listed in the order in which they first started to participate.

PARTICIPANTS

Carolyn~ http://warrengrovegarden.blogspot.com/

Judith~ http://lavendercottagegardening.blogspot.com/

Beth~ http://foodasart-beth.blogspot.com/

Lorena~ http://rosechicfriends.blogspot.com/

Bernideen~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Debbie~ http://adebbie-dabblechristmas.blogspot.com/

Sarah~ http://hyacinthforthesoul.blogspot.com/

Suzy~ http://atthefarmhouse-suzyq.blogspot.com/

Heather~ http://heathersblog-o-rama.blogspot.com/

Johanna~ http://silber-rosen.blogspot.com/

Sue~ http://stressedbutblessed-sue.blogspot.com/

Kelsie~ http://kelsie74.blogspot.com/

Kathy B~ http://cedarpond.blogspot.com/

Xinex~ http://christineshomeandtraveladventures.blogspot.com/

There's more, much more, to Christmas than candlelight and cheer;

It's the spirit of sweet friendship that brightens all year.

It's the thoughtfulness and kindness, It's hope reborn again,

For peace, for understanding, And for good-will to men! - Unknown author

I am also joining the following hostesses for their parties:

Marty~ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ - Table Top Tuesday

Martha~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ - Tea Cup Tuesday

Terri~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ - Tea Cup Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://silkenpurse.blogspot.com/ - Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday

Pam~ http://breathoffreshair-paperbutterfly.blogspot.com/ - Tea Pot and Tea things Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/ - Tuesday Tea for Two

Lady Katherine~ http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/ - Teatime Tuesday

Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/ - Tea Cup Thursday

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Spiritual Sundays

Hello friends! Another week has flown by and once again it is time for Spiritual Sundays.
The past couple of weeks, I have been sharing about the candles of Advent.

The first candle was The Candle of Hope. The second was The Candle of the Way.

This week's candle is called The Candle of Joy.


The third candle indicates that the only lasting JOY which can be found in life on earth is through Jesus Christ. All other joy is fleeting and does not last.

"...and the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away." - Isaiah 35:10

Fulfilment of Prophecy~ "Then as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olive, the whole multitude of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the the mighty works they had seen, saying, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' - Luke 19: 37-38

The Ultimate Completion of Prophecy~ "And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.' "

Thank you to our hostesses Charlotte and Ginger for hosting Spiritual Sundays every week.
http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/
Please visit their site to be encouraged and to find fellowship. Have a blessed week everyone!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Pink Saturday

Hello pinkie friends~ Welcome to my Pink Saturday post.

First of all I want to thank Beverly ~ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/
for hosting this fun event.

Before I share my favourite holiday movie, I would like to share a photo of a precious little pink bundle who arrived way ahead of her due date which was on Christmas Eve.

Jenna-Lynn was born last Saturday afternoon, December 4, to my middle son Joel and his wife Carina. Jenna-Lynn is a baby sister for Zachary and our first granddaughter. We are so pleased!

Now on to my favourite holiday movie! I have several favourites actually and if one of them is on, I am just as excited to sit down and watch it as I am the others.

The 1946 movie, "It's A Wonderful Life," tells the story of an angel who helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like had he never existed. James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore stared in this poignant film which I feel teaches a great lesson. The film won five Oscars.

Thanks for stopping by and have yourself a wonderful weekend. Merry Christmas!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Christmas Cloche Party

Hi everyone~ I am happy to be joining Marty for her Christmas Cloche Party today. http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ This is my first time participating and I have a few cloches to share with you.

This small one I have had for a few years now. It's the perfect size for a small nativity or demitasses.



This one holds my kissing angels.

This one is on the mantel and holds a small glittery church.

A little glass house which my DIL gave me years ago looks pretty all lit up for the Holidays and no, it is never left unattended. A topiary jar filled with Christmas bows stands beside a musical Gingerbread house in the kitchen. The Gingerbread house has a doorbell which when you ring it, the gumdrops will light up and keep time to the music while the house plays Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy. It is a child's delight!
Would you care for a freshly baked Cranberry Pumpkin muffin before you leave? They are just out of the oven and I had to lift the dome several times to clear the condensation off the glass.

Well, those are my cloches. Thank you Marty for hosting this fun party and thank you everyone for stopping by. Merry Christmas!


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi