I wish you a joyous and happy holiday filled with wonderful moments, enough to make loads of happy memories. Thank you for making my days bright by stopping here and sharing your time with me!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
May you feel His peace today and always!
I had to share this lovely post from Sandy, Reluctant Entertainer. What a beautiful way to preserve family memories.
Sandy writes……
When my mother passed away, I inherited a large box of some of her Christmas decorations. After a few years of lugging this box in out and out of the attic and re-taping it each time, the box literally started falling apart.
So last year as I was getting ready to recycle the box, I cut out my Mother’s precious writing of “Christmas” from it and tucked the piece away in my hutch for an entire year.
I couldn’t wait to pull it out this year, because I knew I had plans for this cardboard piece. It also reminded me of this song, and the power that heirlooms can hold in a family. When Amy Grant sang this popular song years ago, my good friends Debbie Meador, Jane Houston and I also sang it at our Christmas service. Little did I know, a few years later, the impact of these words after I lost my mom to cancer.
Up in the attic
Down on my knees
Lifetimes of boxes
Timeless to me
Letters and photographs
Yellowed with years
Some bringing laughter
Some bringing tearsTime never changes
The memories, the faces Of loved ones, who bring to me
All that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I’m going to be
My precious family
Is more than an heirloom to meWisemen and shepherds
Down on their knees
Bringing their treasures
To lay at His feet
Who was this wonder, baby yet king
Living and dying
He gave life to meTime never changes
The memory, the moment His love first pierced through me
Telling all that I come from
And all that I live for
And all that I’m going to be
My precious savior
Is more than an heirloom to meMy precious Jesus is more than an heirloom to me
(Sung by Amy Grant, here.)
My Mom, Millie, is very dear to my sisters’ and my heart, as we miss her very much. It’s very special how the memory of a loved one can live on through heirlooms, pictures, videos, letters, and even writing.
So this year, this is what I gave my sisters for Christmas.
I stenciled Mom’s writing of “Christmas” with a black Sharpie marker onto stencil paper.
Then I cut it and glued it onto a white glass plate.
I poured a high gloss finish onto the plate.
And used a hairdryer to get the bubbles out.
They are not perfect, but I think they turned out nice.
One for my sis Di, my sis Linda and me, with black plate stands to display and to keep Christmas alive, through our mom, in years to come, which hopefully we’ll pass down to our kids!
More than anything else, I’m thankful for my family at Christmastime. I feel blessed. Yes. Very blessed.
What have you done to preserve your special family heirlooms or memories?
(Thank you Kelli Novak, for the inspiration! You may also enjoy An Elegant Toga: Grandma’s Tablecloth, or a bit about sisterly love, or Can I please hold your hand? A Mother’s Day Gift. Above photo is my beautiful Mother and her mother, Grandma Dubs.)
I absolutely LOVE this keepsake and thank you for giving me a fabulous idea for next years Christmas gifts. 🙂
What a great way to keep your Mom’s memeory close. It brought tears to my eyes. I too am dealing with what to do with all of those inherited pieces of the past, and I find that even getting rid of a cardboard box seems like a betrayal. And how great it is that you have sister’s that appreciate a gift like this! Hope you had a great holiday.
Love the idea of the plate with your mom’s writing. What a treasure for each of you. My dad was a minister and brought back a china cup & saucer for my mom from every country he preached in through the years. After they both went to heaven, I took about 15 of the cups and saucers and filled them with sugared pecans that first Christmas, wrapped them all up in bows and clear shiny paer, along with a note telling each friend or family member how I value their friendship, and how my mother would have loved sharing this with them. It was a huge blessing for me.
Tears in my eyes reading your post! What a beautiful idea. Handwriting is such a personal, intimate expression of an individual. How special to have your mom’s precious lettering with you all through the Christmas season!
Hello again. Question for you. I purchased the products to make this for a friend but I don’t know what the high gloss finish is. Can you advise me? What it is and where to get it? Is it easy to use? Would decopage (sp?) do the same thing? Thanks for your help. I really, really LOVE this.
Thank you for posting that song. Yesterday when I talked to my very ill father, he told me that it will probably only be a few more months. As I’ve been trying to deal with that. This song really touched me. Once I was actually able to fight back the tears to read the words. Very touching… Thank you.
This just completely floored me. How beautiful. I bring my mother’s ornaments down from her attic every year and she still exclaims the meaning of each ornament as she opens the box, as if I’ve never heard them before. Cherished memories. Plain and simple.
Just a lovely idea. Your blog is terrific!
You certainly know what is important. Thank you for sharing this beautiful lesson. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and your family.
what a great idea!!! thanks
What a wonderful way to preserve that memory! Beautiful.
This year I could not think of what to give my two daughters (both in their 30’s) for Christmas. I decided to make each a scrapbook of their lives, but not to fill the albums. The albums are titled “My friends and family”, and they wll now have to complete the albums temselves. Both were thrilled with their gifts. I am now thinking of making each a family recipe book with their favourite “mom’s” recipes and space for their own recipes.
What a sweet idea!! I lost my beloved mom a few years ago and I recently found her last hand-written christmas list..this would be perfect for my sister and I!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
This is such a lovely lovely post. What a perfect and heartwarming idea!
Merry Christmas Cindy!
I don’t comment often, even though I should cause I always use your stuff on here. But this story just touched me so much!! we lost our Christmas decorations in hurricane Katrina and it just breaks my heart every christmas. I will never see my mom’s writing on the ornament box ever again. I know exactly how that touched your heart and why you kept it. I’m glad you had it!! I think your gift is beautiful. not just in physical beauty, but the spirit.
A friend made a recipe book for me with photos of my mom and her handwritten recipies. I display it in my kitchen proudly. I love this idea too. Would be great to give to my sisters!