From the critters, Country Boy and me – we are offering prayers that you have a blessed and Merry Christmas this year.

2020 has brought us less than joyful days. The ‘gifts’ it brought us were all filled with concern, frustration, uncertainty, and for some of us, even death. We expected giving and receiving gifts that brought smiles to our faces, not tears to our eyes.

But to have a blessed and Merry Christmas, and finding the joy in the season can overcome the hardships. Instead of the tough times, we need to refocus on the thoughts, emotions and prayers of the heart.

Christmas is a time when all of us revert to back to children.  We have a joy and excitement that bubbles within us. We may be alone this Christmas, or our celebrations smaller than we ever dreamed, but we can still feel the excitement of unwrapping once again the best gift we could ever have.  The gift of the Child within us.

In the silent moments this morning of walking the farm, feeding chickens, checking on cattle, and opening the gate for later visitors, I can’t help but wonder about the joy and smiles in the hearts of Mary and Joseph, as they sat looking upon the Glory of the Christ child.

Their child, but really God’s Son. Were their hearts filled to bursting when the Wise Men finally caught up to them and delivered gifts to Him? How precious each of those moments in time must have been. I can only imagine.

And as I journey through this wonderful day with the Country Boy and family, I will ponder and keep that thought in the forefront of my mind and heart, and know that the true celebration is the special love and joy that was placed in our hearts on that early morning in a stable.

A gift that has been unwrapped every day for centuries. A gift of love and joy that has withstood the centuries, and will continue to do so throughout eternity.

For all my readers, we hope you have a Blessed and Merry Christmas, with all the love God has to offer. After all, no gift we receive this year, or any other, will equal the gift we have already received.

Julie Murphree is a blogger, newspaper columnist, and speaker on all things ‘Living a Simple Life on the Farm’. She is the author of \\\'The Farm Wife – Living a Simple Life on the Farm. She and her husband have 60 acres in NW Louisiana where they actively work on living as sustainable as possible.

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