Merry Christmas! (A Sunday/Monday Post)

How many kings step down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that is torn all apart

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me

Downhere from their Christmas CD How Many Kings (read my review here) (listen to the full song here)

I'm gonna walk around that broken Earth

Trading in these streets of gold

So if you ever wonder how much you're worth

You should know

You're the reason why I'm leaving Heaven.

Matthew West from his Christmas CD The Heart of Christmas (read my review here) (listen to the full song here)

Mystery, how He came to be a man

But greater still

How His death was in His plan

God predestined that His Son would die

And He still created man

Oh, what love is this

That His death was in His hands

I am just a man and can't begin to comprehend

When You look into these traitor's eyes,

What do You see that justifies the Lamb

Selah from their Christmas CD Rose of Bethlehem (read my review here) (listen to the full song here)

Merry Christmas!

Yes, this is a Sunday/Monday post, and yes, this is already much more than I usually post on Christmas.

Obviously from what I've posted the last couple of weeks, I love so many of the traditions around Christmas.  I love the decorations and the music and presents.  And yes, I'm aware that Christmas Day isn't the day Jesus was really born.  But I still love that we have a time to reflect on what His coming to Earth means for us.  It really does boggle my mind that God became man to pay for our sins.

The lyrics I shared are from three of my favorite non-traditional Christmas songs.  They are songs that humble me and wow me each year when I reflect on what Jesus's coming truly means.  I hope you give them some thought as well in the middle of your busy Christmas.

And I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas with family.  I most definitely am.  I'm going to keep the rest of this short.  Yes, I'll still be linking up to the usual suspects:

Sunday Post
Sunday Salon
Stacking the Shelves
Mailbox Monday
It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Before we get into the usual segments, I do want to ask about reading challenges for 2023.  I will be signing up for the ones I am doing this year again.  (Here's the list of my current challenges.)  But if you are hosting or participate in any that you think I might like, feel free to drop a link in the comments.  I'd love to take a look and potentially join.  I'll be officially joining 2023 reading challenges next Monday, but I can always sneak more in later if you see this later than that.

This Past Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Book Review: Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger

Monday - TV Show Review: The Santa Clauses - Season 1

Tuesday - Book Review: Slay Ride by Diane Vallere

Wednesday - Ornament Review: Storytime Snuggles

Thursday - Book Review: Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews

Friday - Friday Post featuring Rum and Choke

Saturday - Weekly TV Thoughts

This Coming Week on the Blog:

Sunday - Merry Christmas (you are here)
Monday - Disney Pin Review: Sully's Safaris - Windows of Main Street
Tuesday - Book Review: Rum and Choke by Sherry Harris
Wednesday - Ornament Review: Season's Treatings #14
Thursday - December Reading Summary
Friday - Friday Post
Saturday - 2022 Reading Challenge Wrap Ups (multiple posts)

Book Haul:

At one point, I thought I might not have anything for this part since it's right before Christmas.  Yeah, I don't know me too well, do I?

I blame Diane Vallere's weekly email.  She is doing cooperative marketing with other authors, and that means free books.  How can you pass that up?  I can't, which is how I got copies of Limoncello Yellow and Franki Amato Mini Mysteries, both by Traci Andrighetti.  And it's how I got Murder, Curlers, and Cream by Arlene McFarlane.

And yes, I did buy a book as well.  Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White crossed my radar a couple of months back, so when the Kindle version went on sale this week, I couldn't pass that up.  Sounds like a fun middle grade book.

Currently Reading:

As I type this, I'm in the middle of Gone for Gouda by Korina Moss.  Since I'm celebrating Christmas with my family, I don't expect to get a lot of reading in this weekend.  That's too bad because so far, I'm enjoying this book.  A fun fact - it is set in Sonoma County.  I'm currently in Sonoma County celebrating Christmas.  Coincidence?  Not in the slightest.

Again, have a merry Christmas and a great week.