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Hello, Reader.

I love Christmas lights and carols and trees and decorations just as much as the next person. Maybe even more than most.🥰

But if we don't focus on those first five letters in "Christmas," we'll miss the most important part of the holiday. So that's the purpose behind this week's link list: to help you focus on the Savior whose birth we celebrate.

Free resources for you this week:

• ​For Unto Us a Child is Born - can you identify the source of these messianic prophecies?
• ​What Child Is This? - take our trivia test to see how much you know about Jesus's birth
• ​Christmas-Themed Gospel Tracts - choose from six different free printable designs
• ​Glad Tidings Word Find - race family and friends to see who can locate the whole list first
• ​Glad Tidings Coloring Page - I love the woodcut design of this simple rendition of Luke 2:10
• ​Nativity Craft - color and/or cut out your own paper Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus
• ​Put the Baby in the Manger - this child's party game is played like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey
• ​The Word Became Flesh Coloring Page - "...and we beheld His glory, full of grace and truth"

What I'm reading this week:

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​Joy to the World is a little devotional journal for advent I created several years ago, and I pull my copy out every December to re-read and complete a few more pages. This year is no exception. The book is filled with writing prompts, word studies, Bible verses, and some of the most beautiful vintage artwork you will ever see. For me, it is the perfect thing for helping me savor the season and keep my heart and mind fixed on the real reason we celebrate!

What we're watching this week:

While the rest of the family was playing pickleball yesterday afternoon, my 88-year-old mother and I stayed behind at the Airbnb and watched Christmas Child, which just happened to be playing on TV at the time.

We really enjoyed this story of a 40-year-old workaholic whose adoptive father left behind some mysterious mementos that sent his son searching for information about his roots -- and got more than he bargained for in the process.

The funny thing is that neither mom nor I had ever heard of this film before (nor read the Max Lucado book was based on), but when our son-in-law walked in toward the end of it, he immediately recognized it. "Oh, is this Christmas Child?" he asked. "This is one of my family's favorite Christmas movies. We watch it every year!"

This week's reader request:

A reader named Wendy wrote to ask for an editable version of my 2026 scrapbook calendar. She uses these calendars in her work with seniors to help them keep track of upcoming events. She was able to add text to the 2025 calendar, but not to 2026.

Until now... I've added the editable version to my free 2026 calendars page, in case you'd prefer that feature, as well.

On the podcast this week:

I'm hoping to get back to recording new episodes soon, LORD willing, but since I'm presently vacationing with my family, I'm sharing another episode from my podcast archives this week.

Loving Life at Home: Episode 23 ​A HILL COUNTRY CHRISTMAS​ Our whole extended family is in San Antonio this week doing basically the same things we do a week or two before Christmas every year. So rather than rehash it all again for you, I'll just share an episode I dedicated to the topic two Christmases ago.... Listen Now

Progress on last week's goals:

I accomplished almost all the goals on last week's to-do list: I ✅ addressed/mailed Christmas cards, ✅ starched/hung snowflakes, ✅ put up our Christmas village, ✅ posted semester grades for my algebra classes, ✅ finished sorting & wrapping gifts, ✅ sent package to son's family in South Korea, ✅ finalized San Antonio itinerary and shared with family, ✅ bottled a new batch of Winkie's Tonic, ✅ planned meals & ordered groceries, ✅ packed Christmas crafts to entertain kids and grandkids, and ✅ made a felted nativity scene.

The only thing left undone? I ❌ did NOT prune my inbox down to 50 or fewer emails (though I'm well under 100!)

Personal goals for this week:

• enjoy our remaining days in San Antonio
• celebrate our youngest son's 18th birthday
• post our Christmas update on the blog
• record a new podcast​
• print my new day planner
• lay away half a dozen new freezer meals
• share a few vacation photos on Instagram​
• edit movie for grandson's film festival

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Thanks so much for all your help! I'll be back next week with more links, reviews, and resources. If you have any special requests, please let me know. 😊