It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It doesn't "feel" much like Christmas (but isn't that one of the greatest lessons in life, we can't completely trust or rely on our "feelings"???  at least that's been a big lesson for me...but let's put that bunny back in its cage/burrow/hole/home before it gets too far down the trail...) -- regardless of feelings, it's begining to look alot like Christmas around the Africa Mercy....and, truth be told, it really is starting to feel like Christmas, too.

The Cash Crew decorated our cabin last week...complete with Christmas music and a lively game of Christmas tag (and Christmas dancing, of course!)...

Our very own St. Nicholas hanging up the fireplace
(never done that one before....)



"Putting up the Christmas Tree" takes on a whole new meaning when it involves a sheet of plastic & magnets!

The stockings are indeed hung by the chimney with care...very thankful that we have our stockings here! 

Little bit of decor on our door...we may be adding more, we'll see.

Catching on to the theme word?  It's kind of fun what you can create with a little bit of paper...

A Favorite Christmas tradition - the "Countdown to Christmas Calendar"!!  It's incomplete right now...more things will be added - just need to get the Africa Mercy Christmas calendar so that we're not double booking ourselves...

It's been fun for the kids to stick ornaments on the tree...and to figure out which magnets work on the plastic and which slide right off....

Blue Bunny's stocking even made it!  (just to the left of Eli)

One of Nick's favorite things about Christmas (and maybe even life in general?) - WHITE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS!!  Thanks to the generosity of another, we have some in our cabin!



After decorating, the kids got to listen to a surprise recording of "Snowmen at Night" read by Grandaddy!!

Mercy Ships is going to be a special place to celebrate the birth of our Savior!  There are activities throughout the month - meaningful, purposeful ways to connect with one another and with our God.  The community did a tremendous job of decorating on Saturday - it's amazing how a few Christmas trees, garlands and lights can help get you in the "Christmas Spirit" (by that I mean the "feeling" of Christmas - not the True Christmas Spirit of giving, loving, sharing, hope, joy -- it is our desire to have that year round!!) 

Here are a few pictures from around the ship (a fun way to see some parts of the ship!!) (courtesy of a sweet girl named Suzanne!):

This is Midships (The Town Square), by the cafe and the ship shop...

The Dining Room!

The gangway even got lights! (Random PS - I love pictures of the ship at night!)

This is the Starbucks cafe (this picture was taken from the stairway in the other picture!)


Admittedly, there have been moments of sadness as we've entered this Christmas season (at least for me!) - just missing our living room & porch on 19th Ave and the thoughts of all the wonderful traditions that were born in Columbus...missing cool weather and candles and our Willow Tree Nativity...missing family & friends (and already missing the gatherings that will take place throughout the month) BUT the good news is that Jesus' birth is just as worthy to be celebrated on a ship in Guinea as it ever was in a house in Georgia!! The good GREAT, AMAZING, INCREDIBLE, MIRACULOUS, AWESOME, HOLY news is that GOD sent His Son -HIS SON- to this earth as a baby so that through Him and His sacrifice we would get to experience His love & life.  Oh what a Savior!

Surely there will be more to come (but not the Christmas container...at least not yet....we got news that it most likely won't make it before Christmas.  Somehow that news wasn't hard to hear...just means we get to extend the celebration!  Takes even more focus off of the 'getting'...)

Yes, there will definitely be more to come.  Merry Christmas!  Happy December!