SALT Challenge - O Holy Night

Greetings all! We're finally back on line and have power restored after our big ice storm! (Julie has some great photos from the storm). We continue to wait for the lines to be fixed for our pastor and his family, who have been staying with our family for about a week now. We're actually having a great time!! The worse part is that I need to work during the day and can't spend my time just visiting! LOL! However, in the midst of all our activities I did manage to get something simple created for the SALT challenge this week, which is "O Holy Night" - perfect for the upcoming holiday! You can read the write up on our challenge and see what the design team has come up with - some beautiful stuff - by visiting the SALT blog. I haven't had as much time as usual to prepare comments for this challenge so my card and post are both on the simple side. :-) I am a big fan of Christmas! Love all of the details of the holiday, from decorating the tree to visiting with family to seeing the excitement on the kids faces in the morning. The holiday is also a time when many celebrate the birth of Jesus and it's definitely a time to reflect on His birth, although as Christians, each day, we can praise God for sending Christ to redeem His people. The gospel of Luke records the birth of Jesus in chapter 2; a portion of that chapter, the glorious news announced to the shepards that the Christ was born, is noted on my card. The birth of Jesus was not a surprise event as it had been anticipated for hundreds of years by those who trusted in God's promises. Isaiah 9:6, written almost 800 years before Jesus was born, records that promise:

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgement and justice. From that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."

The good news of the birth of Jesus is not only that He came into the world but He suffered and died so that our sins may be forgiven, that we may be free from our overwhelming burdens and that real, deep, and lasting joy can be found. I pray that you and your family may have a blessed Christmas and that Christ will find a home in your heart each and every day! Please visit the SALT blog and if you feel inspired to create something based on this week's theme, please leave a comment with a link back to your blog or gallery.