All Wrapped Up

WOW! Just 15 days until Christmas!

Today we shall talk about wrapping! I love to wrap presents; it's a true art! Every year I always make the same lame joke:

"This white girl can't rap, but this white girl can wrap!"

Haha but for real, it's true! 

Normal families wrap their gifts, write the receivers name on them and then put the gift under the tree. Sweet, simple and trusting...and it's a total surprise on Christmas Day. Well, my family is not normal (Shocker right?). 

You see there are certain people in my house who like to solve a little mystery. They have the crazy ability to pick up their gift and guess what it is. And then to make matters worse they try and guess what's in your present. So to fix this problem my mom had to get smart. Now instead of our names there is a code on the gifts. 

You read right. Our gifts are coded. CODED. And every year the code is different. You never know whose gift it is, unless you break the code. We haven't seen the code for this year yet...however our track record isn't very good. I'm not sure we have yet to figure out one code yet (My parents are smart). But I'm totally ok with that though, I love a surprise! 

Do you have to do anything like this to keep your family out of the gifts? Have you even wrapped your gifts yet? Last year I already had my gifts wrapped...this year I'm not even done shopping yet! *Gasp!* Please share on Facebook and Instagram! Don't forget to use the hash tag #janellschristmascountdown !

See you tomorrow for more Christmas fun!

A Cozy Christmas Craft

16 Days Until Christmas!

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn." Luke 2:7

Now if Mary's home town would of had a Hobby Lobby or a Walmart near by she may have stopped in and bought a crochet hook and some pretty yarn, and made Jesus a Christmas afghan on the donkey on the way to Bethlehem .

OK so probably not but had she known that a place like Hobby Lobby existed she would have.

Since Marry didn't get a chance to make one, this year I decided that I was going to make a Christmas afghan…well I was actually in the yarn aisle and the Christmas colors were calling out to me saying "Buy us! Take us home! We are beautiful!" and well...I gave into the voices...And those little yarn bundles were right! It made a lovely Christmas afghan! 

You can make one too! I followed these videos on how to make a granny square  (it's super easy I promise).

And then I used these lovely colors to create my "Cabin Christmas" afghan:

Red Heart Holiday Yarn: Aran-Gold (3)
Caron Simply Soft Party Yarn: Chocolate Sparkle (2)
Red Heart Super Saver : Hunter Green (2)
Red Heart Super Saver : Burgundy (2)

Now the wonder of the granny square is that you can create it how ever you want! I turned my squares on this one to make a diemond shape. But you can mix small squares and big squares for a really neat looking afghan! This will affect how much yarn you need to buy.

Oh and feel free to use non Christmas colors (gasp…did I say that?) too!

I'm am not a pro when it comes to this kind of stuff. That being said, I know you can do this one because I can! This is a great thing to work on when your watching a Hallmark Christmas special or waiting for your Christmas cookies to bake!

If you decide to make one post a picture of you working on it and use the hashtag #janellschristmascoundown and I'll share them here on the blog!

See you tomorrow for a sepical Christmas Challenge!

We "Belize" You a Merry Christmas Part 2!

17 days to Christmas day folks!

Our trip to Belize was so good! Like I said before this was the first time I had been on a mission trip during Christmas time. So since I had never been in December I had no idea what Christmas was like down there.

All of the stores have Christmas decorations such as lights, ornaments, all kinds of different and unique to me Christmas trees, dancing Santa's and a few other fun things. 

I loved driving in the villages at night, because a lot of homes had Christmas lights!

My Youth Christmas Party was a hit! They loved it! We had a worship service, I gave a word about what God wants for Christmas, we played a silly reindeer game (found here: http://intelligentdomestications.com/2013/12/christmas-party-games.html ).

Then I had a photo booth set up (that was one of their favorites!) and then we had Christmas goodies like Little Debbie cakes, Christmas cookies, candy canes and hot chocolate(all of which I brought with me). Then we watched the movie "Elf" in Spanish and they laughed all the way through!

One of my Friends down there said that his favorite part was the food! 

Then the next evening was the Christmas Mother Daughter Tea and that was really special! We wanted to serve and honor these woman and girls. So the whole night was us loving on them by serving them hot tea and cookies and then giving them gifts. Then we played the reindeer game again with them and it was hysterical! I think they had more fun than the youth! Then we each shared a little message that was on our hearts for them. It was really special. The woman were so touched.

Thank you all for praying for our team. We not only had a blast throwing Christmas parties but God showed up big as always in the meetings and then where ever we stopped. People were healed and divine appointments happened the whole trip. God is just so good! 

So again thank you for covering us in your prayers!

See you tomorrow, for more Christmas fun! #janellschristmascountdown

"I've Always Loved The Christmas Lights"

18 More Day Until Christmas

As a kid I can remember driving around with my family and seeing Christmas lights on the outside of the houses. As we have gotton older we rate the houses, as to which ones we liked best. As for me I love tasteful and uniformed Christmas house lights. What are your favorite kinds? At our house my mom is probably the one who loves them the most. She loves the lights on our house!  It's not just my mom though, I love them too (who do you think I get it from?)! 

There's just something about light shining in the darkness. I can't put my finger on it. There is just something about light. The Bible says that darkness can't come close to figuring out the light. Light is powerful! 

"The light shines in the darkness; and the darkness could not comperhend it." -John 1:5

As I looked at the lights this year it was like they were declaring something wonderful. I have never thought about that until now but I think they have always had a message. 

I think our lights might be saying:

"Hear Ye! Hear Ye! The Savior of the world has come to break the back of darkness! He is our King forever! Be merry and celebrate! Tell everyone you know! We are no longer slaves! Our King is here! Merry Christmas!"

Or ya know, something like that! What do your lights say? Have you even thought about it? Snap a picture of your lights post them to Facebook or Instagram with the hash tag #janellschristmascountdown and share with your friends what your lights say! I'll re-post some of my favorites here on the blog.

Every picture was taken by me 
using a timer on my camera
and sometimes I wouldn't 
make it in time!

Christmas Socks? You Bet Your Jingle Bells!

19 Cozy Days Until Christmas!

OK  we need to talk about something super serious......Christmas socks….they are the bomb! Ha ha I have many pairs of Christmas socks. I may or may not have a problem…But let not focus on that…lets focus on the fact that Christmas socks are so festive and fun! I mean look at these! SO.AMAZING!

Ha ha and I want to give away a pair of Christmas socks! All you have to do is tell me why you think you need and should win these Christmas socks HERE ONOW THE BLOG (if ithe won't work for you select "anonymous" and include your name]. That’s it! I'll pick the winner tonight anncounce the win tommorrow, then I'll send these little babies to you! There is a catch though. You will receive two pairs. One for you and another to give a way to a non family member. I want to you to pray over the socks as Holy Spirit prompts you and then give them away to the person that God puts on your heart (I've prayed over your socks too).  Then just let me know what happens! When we step out and do something that requires faith that’s when it really becomes fun!

Now if you don't win the socks you can drive yo self to the store get you some Christmas socks and do the same thing. Pray over the socks, declare that the person who wears them will be filled with the peace and joy of God every time they put them on. Or if they are sick, pray healing over the socks. This is totally in the Bible by the way if your thinking I've totally lost it. They probably didn’t use snowman socks in the bible…or did they? Ha-ha 

If you do decide to give some socks or just got a pair for yo self share your story and pictures with me by commenting below and/or sharing it on Facebook or Instagram using the hash tag #janellschristmascountdown ! 
See you tomorrow!

Ps. Today the team and I are traveling back to the USA today!  Please pray for safe travels and that we make all of our flights!  Thanks! 

Add A Little Punch To Your Life

20 days to Christmas Friends!

When I was little my mom created a cook book for our church. It was filled with recipes from the members and our family. Well I was too little to enter so my mom entered a recipe and put my name down as the contributor. What was recipe you might ask? Christmas punch!

So since Tis' the season I thought I would share "my" recipe with you! Try it out! It' guaranteed to put you in the Christmas mood…you know if you need any help with that!

Janell's Christmas Punch

1 (32 oz.) bottle Cranberry juice
1 (12 oz.) can frozen Orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 T. Sugar
1/4 tsp. Ground allspice
1 (1 liter) bottle Ginger ale, chilled
Lemon and Orange slices, optional

In a large container, combine cranberry juice, orange juice concentrate, sugar and allspice; mix well. Cover and chill at least two hours. Just before serving your chilled Christmas in a cup, add the ginger ale; mix well. Garnish with lemon and orange slices. Yield: 18-20 servings of 1/2 cup each.

And that’s all she wrote! ;)  If you make my punch please take a picture and hash tag #janellschristmascountdown so I know how you liked it! 

And now a word from the Word:

See you tomorrow!

You're The Reason For Christmas

I forgot to take a picture so I made a sign and these boys saw me and asked what I was doing. So I invited them to take a picture with me! 21 days!

To The One Who Stand Christmas,

While it is super hard for me to understand why you don't like Christmas (because it's amazing), I realize that you are out there and your reasons are valid and sometimes really sad. This time of year reminds you of the family you don't have, the spouse that has passed away, the feeling of deep depression that rolls in with the jiggle bells on a one horse open slay that you just can't put your finger on. The loved one who is serving your country, and won't be home to kiss you under the mistletoe. Or perhaps you just think that Christmas has just become too commercialized for you and so you don't celebrate anymore. 

Whatever reason you have for disliking or even hating Christmas, I do have good news for you. No it's not that this Christmas is going to pass by without even saying "hello". No I have better news than that. You that are hurting, lost, depressed, angry; this whole Christmas season is actually for you.

You might be scoffing at me and are thinking "Janell, go knock yourself out with some hot chocolate." Hear me out, and then I most likely will.

When God came to earth he came to make some things possible. He made hope, peace, love, acceptance and family accessible to every person with breath in their lungs. Ever since the fall of mankind the world and all humanity has been deficient concerning these things. Jesus opened the door for this to fill the earth again. And this season celebrates when these wonderfully needed things entered into the hemisphere in the form of a baby. The impossible story of a child being born of a virgin. If you try and make any other person or thing the reason for the season then hope, peace, love, acceptance and family will not happen.

Look I know you’re hurting, you have your reasons for being blue this time of year. But why not let this Christmas season change you for the better? You might think that it isn't possible to feel again. Or you just can't let go of the past. Why not let that dark place in your heart be flooded with light and love? 

Jesus said "...A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of..." - John 10:10 MSG

That life is for you to enjoy right now if you choose it. Let Jesus in and I promise it will be the best Christmas you have ever experienced.

Love,

Janell

Do you have a hard time during Christmas?  I really mean it when I say you can be happy. You can experience hope, peace, love, acceptance and family. I would love to pray for you. Just comment below and say what your request is or just say unspoken. I love you!

Or do you know someone who struggles this time of year? Share this with them or go talk to them and tell them that Christmas is actually for them! And I would love to hear your stories of you do!

See you tomorrow! #janellschristmascountdown