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The above picture was taken right before Christmas.
This picture was taken a little over 2 weeks after the first picture (also- can you tell I’m wearing the same sweater in both pictures?! oops).
Obviously you can see that it’s grown out quite a bit, and I’m going to end up taking it off this weekend. To get my nails done and have it last almost three weeks is pretty amazing, and this experience definitely won me over. I’ll be going back to regular nail polish now, but will definitely be getting gel polish at some point in the future.
Ok- now onto some random Friday facts:
1. There’s a Starbucks that I’ve been to a few times (it’s not really close to me, but a do-able drive) that has a FIREPLACE in it. I posted about it last January on the blog (I went drove there to work for an entire day that month, just to change things up), and I ended up visiting a friend and going there again. It’s SO cozy to be able to sit next to a fire while drinking coffee!
2. I filled up for $1.82 earlier this week. It was amazing and I almost felt like I was getting my gas for free. The next day it dropped to $1.76 in the morning, and then had jumped to $2.15 by the end of the day. That’s a HUGE jump in a nine hour timespan!
3. I usually leave my Christmas decorations up until January, and then will often leave a strand of white lights up in my living room until sometime in February. I feel like the extra lights help to liven up a few cold and dreary months.
4. I love being able to look back and realize that I accomplished all 14 of the challenges I set for myself last year, but I get a little annoyed that everything resets again and I’m back to square one with mileage and things like that for the year. What a silly thing to be annoyed about, right?
5. A year ago this week I was in Ecuador, so I took some time to look back at the posts I wrote about, and it made me want to go back again soon (let’s be honest… very rarely a week goes by that I don’t want to go back). I know that a lot of you reading didn’t read my blog back then, so I thought I’d link to a few of the posts here: Cuenca, Ecuador, Dos Chorreras (one of the prettiest places I’ve been on this earth), Piedra de Agua (I went to a spa in the side of a volcano, and had the strangest massage experience of my life!), and Eating in Ecuador (sharing some of my favorite foods from Ecaudor!).
Now it’s your turn to share! Tell me something exciting about your week! What’s one of the prettiest places you’ve been to?
Happy Thursday! It’s a snowy day with a “feels like” of -25, so I’m staying bundled up inside (but am planning to go on a walk later today!). Here’s what I’m thankful for right now:
I’m thankful for a really good three weeks “off”. The past three weeks I’ve mostly had off. My primarily job was officially off for three weeks, although I went into work 2 days the week before Christmas. My other counseling job I’ve done 3 days in the last three weeks, so that’s not felt like much either. I’m thankful for a good chunk of time to get things done, rest, and spend time with friends!
I’m so thankful for supportive friends. As I’ve said, I had some huge goodbyes that had to happen over Christmas break, and that was difficult. I’m so thankful for all the texts and phone calls that friends sent to encourage and support me throughout the week. I’m so luck with the people I have in my life!
I’m thankful for a job I love. Regardless of how much I love my job, it is a little hard to leave break, but I’m so thankful that I have a job I love. It’s nice to not dread heading back to work.
I’m thankful for tea. For the last week and a half I’ve had an annoying little cold- sore throat and coughing mostly. I’ve been drinking lots of tea (sometimes with honey), and I’m so thankful for it! I’m especially thankful right now for how soothing and calming it is when I’ve been coughing for awhile.
I’m thankful for a new car. My last car was almost 15 years old, and while it still worked amazingly well (I’ve had to do nothing for it outside of the regular upkeep that you have with a car), it was time for a new car. It was sad to say goodbye, but I’m happy that soccer brother is now enjoying that car. I’m thankful that I was able to get a new car (and I’m especially thankful for the heated seats as it’s dropped below zero this week). I’m hoping this car will last another 15 years for me! 🙂
Now it’s your turn to share! What’re you thankful for today?
Here’s my final update:
I challenge myself to run 200 miles. DONE! I’m at 261.5 miles for the year. This has been, by far, my highest mileage year yet. I know that for many of you, this seems unbelievably low, but with POTS, it’s amazing I can do this much. My year in running has been absolutely amazing, and I’ve loved the progress that I’ve made- like setting a new PR in the half marathon!
I challenge myself to walk 275 miles. DONE! I’m at 298.5 miles for the year, which already has me over my walking mileage for 2013 (although I walked far more miles in 2012). I’ve mostly just really enjoyed being out in the sunshine and getting to be in nature throughout the year.
I challenge myself to bike 900 miles. DONE! I’ve passed this goal as well, coming in at 1,125.7 miles for the year. I’ve fallen more in love with biking than I thought possible this year, and that’s definitely reflected in my numbers. I think I biked 600 miles total in 2013, so this is a huge jump. What can I say? I love my sweet country roads, and I’ve been so thankful for my bike trainer as well.
I challenge myself to 75 hours of pilates. DONE! I did 76.5 hours, and I’ve really enjoyed it! I absolutely love pilates and pilates barre, and think the benefits are absolutely amazing. I love how grounding both of these are as well.
I challenge myself to 250 minutes of planks. DONE! I tend to be really good at doing planks from October-April or May, but I tend to really slack at them over the summer, and this summer was no different. This year I did 252.5 minutes of planks– somehow they don’t seem to be getting any easier though.
I challenge myself to run 10 races for the year. DONE! I’ve ended up running far more races than I thought this would, and have finished 12 in person races and 5 virtual races so far this year.
I challenge myself to read at least 14 books. DONE, and this one has been so fun! This summer I read more than I have in a LONG time, and I really enjoyed it. I’ve slowed down since work started again, but I’ve currently read or listened to 31 books (and have read at least half of 3 or 4 others). Getting into listening to books on tape this summer has been pretty fantastic too.
I challenge myself to go through all the clothes that I own. DONE. This one I finished at the end of January when I got rid of 54 or 56 (I forget which) items of clothing. I just did another haul at the beginning of June, getting rid of another 75ish items. My most recent haul, while the smallest of the year, showed just how much I’ve grown in this area. I think that just shows how much I’ve really held on to over the years that’s been ridiculous! This podcast (Freedom From Stuff) has been inspiring! The second half of the year I worked on following these steps to help mean clean up some of the extra clutter.
I challenge myself to continue to be present. DONE! Am I present every single moment of every day- no, but I don’t think that’s fully possible for most of us! But being present has really changed my life, and I’m continuing to enjoy this challenge! I try to put down what I’m doing regularly to just pause in the moment. I stop and look at things in nature when I’m out on walks, and I check in regularly to see how I’m feeling, etc…
I challenge myself to continue to hunt for provisions and blessings (continuing to develop gratitude in my life). DONE! I’ve written it down twice a week, and am really enjoying it. I even started a gratitude journal outside of this blog, and it’s great to have a hard copy I can flip through. The practice of gratitude has really deeply changed my life.
I challenge myself to read the entire Bible this year. DONE! I found a plan online (it’s this one if you’re interested) and have been following that. I don’t necessarily exactly read what is outlined on the day, as sometimes I get ahead or behind (and then have to catch up). I don’t know if this really counts as cheating, but starting in November I started listening to an audio recording online, so I could get in my Bible reading while getting ready for work in the morning. That was helpful in catching up when I fell a bit behind this summer.
I challenge myself to publish an article this year. DONE! FINALLY! This article has been hanging over my head since October 2013, and my article has been accepted and has a publication date. This feels SO good, and I love knowing that something I wrote is in an international, well respected research journal.
I challenge myself to put more time and energy into friendships and relationships. Done! I had no idea what would come of this when I wrote out this challenge in January. This one has been so much fun, and I’m loving the relationships that I’ve either strengthened or built over the last three months. I’ve even made some new blogging friends, like Melissa, Caitlin, and Meg, and I have some new coworkers who I’m really enjoying getting to know. This goal gets a big thumbs up!
I challenge myself to be brave. DONE! This year had so many hard things to it, and facing those things and allowing appropriate emotions to come is a brave thing (and so hard to do… and is something I regularly talk to my clients about). Facing choices and making the brave decision, even when it’s been hard, was so helpful. I kept this word in my head every week this past year.
(Total mileage: 1690 for the year). I’ve completed these goals above and beyond what I could imagine. It’s so helpful for me to put these challenges out on the internet where I have a little more accountability for myself. I’m so pleased where 2014 has taken me, and I’m thankful for the miles run, things I’ve accomplished, books I’ve read, and friends I’ve made. 2014 has been beautiful.
Now it’s your turn to share! How did your goals/resolutions/challenges go in 2014? What went well, and where would you like to put a little more energy?
So often our language is passive- we speak without thinking, and this causes damage in our relationships, and can increase anxiety, depression, and distress within ourselves. As we start a new year, I want to challenge each of you to really think about the words you choose to you use. Yes- it’s hard work, and Yes- it takes effort, but it’s SO worth it. Before You Speak… Think – and enjoy the journey through 2015!
If you’re up for the challenge, here are some posts that can help guide you along the way:
Here’s a list of the books I’ve read in 2014:
Health
- Healthy You! While this book is primarily about weight loss (and I am in no way trying to lose weight at all), I won the book back in 2013 and decided to give it a quick read. The second half of the book includes some good recipes.
- Notes From A Blue Bike: I wrote an entire post about the book here. Check it out! I really loved that book, and would definitely go back and read it again.
Books Based On Real Life
- The Bible: One of my challenges in 2014 was to read the Bible from cover to cover in 12 months. It was a great experience.
- Stories I Only Tell My Friends. This is Rob Lowe’s autobiography, and it was really entertaining. I had no idea how he really came into most of the roles he’s had in his life, and it was fascinating.
- Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? And other concerns: This is Mindy Kaling’s book, and I found it fairly humorous. It wasn’t deeply moving like The Hiding Place or The Fault In Our Stars, but I laughed and it was a fun little read.
- The Hiding Place: I wrote an entire post on this book here. This is a book about a family who chose to take in a number of Jews during WWII, and their subsequent experiences in a concentration camp.
- Mistaken Identity: The story of a car accident that left 4 students (and 1 staff member) dead, and 1 student alive. The identities of the student that lived and one who died were mixed up, and this error wasn’t discovered for 5 weeks. This is a really interesting read.
- The Lost Childhood: This book, by Yehuda Nir, is an autobiography, outlining his story of life in Poland as a Jew during World War II. The book was absolutely fascinating, especially as it was through the eyes of an adolescent male.
- 4:09:43: This book about the Boston Marathon Bombing included eye witness accounts from 70-some eye witnesses (I think it was that many). It was a quick read (I read it in an afternoon), but was really interesting.
- Elizabeth Smart: My Story: This is Elizabeth’s Story (that she wrote) about her 9 months spent being kidnapped and sexually assaulted. The story was inspiring (obviously not what happened to her, but her resiliency and mindset and strength within it), heartbreaking, and terrifying. It made me sick to read, but like I said, her resiliency and the strength she showed during those 9 months are pretty amazing.
- One Thousand Gifts: I didn’t love how this book was written, but I love the concept behind this book (gratitude and creating intentional focus on the gifts we have in life). This book explores how one woman’s life was changed by the practice of gratitude. I actually use an app that is based off this book to keep track of my “gifts” in life.
- Escaping Auschwitz: I just finished this book in mid-December, and I loved it! While it’s not a true story, it pulls together the stories of multiple people who did actually escape from Auschwitz during World War II. The book held my attention and I ended up staying up until 3 am to finish it because I was hooked!
Fun/Enjoyment/ Inspiration:
- Innocent Man: This was my first John Grisham book that I read. Based on a true story about a man on death row, this book was gripping and held my attention from start to finish.
- Playing For Pizza: Another John Grisham book about a man from the NFL that went to play in the Italian football league. I didn’t even know that Italy had a league until I read this book, so it was interesting (and a quick read!).
- The Street Lawyer: Another John Grisham book about a lawyer who, through a life-threatening experience, has a change of heart. This was fascinating.
- The Pardon: by James Grippando. This book was right next to the John Grisham books, and I grabbed it thinking it was a Grisham book, not realizing my mistake until I came home. His style is very similar to Grisham’s, and I really enjoyed it. It definitely had me on the edge of my seat most of the time.
- Gone Girl: This book was about a wife who goes missing, and a husband who is blamed for her disappearance. This book was brilliantly written, and every other chapter switched between the wife’s journal the the husband’s present-day story. FASCINATING.
- Sharp Objects: This book, by the same author as “Gone Girl”, was about a journalist who was sent back to her hometown to report on a case of two missing girls. This book provided a lot of entertainment, kept me guessing, and I loved the suspense. I definitely didn’t guess the ending!
- The Fault In Our Stars: Amazing- JUST. AMAZING. If you haven’t read this book yet, sprint immediately to the store and buy it asap. It was awesome, and I’m not sure I’ve felt so much emotion in a book before. I loved it.
- The Magician’s Nephew: The first book in The Chronicles of Narnia series. I read this book back in 4th or 5th grade, but haven’t read it sense that time. This sets up the creation of Narnia!
- The Horse and His Boy: The 3rd book in The Chronicles of Narnia. I’d never read this one before, so it was good to read it finally.
Books On CD
- Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay: I’ve read this series twice in 2012, and once in 2013, and knew I wanted to read it again this summer, so I found them on CD at the library and listened as I drove!
- Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings: This book was written by Michelle Knight, the first of three girls kidnapped by Ariel Castro in Cleveland. This book told her story of growing up (which was fascinating and heartbreaking), as well as her time in the house and her adjustment to life after. Like I said, this was absolutely heartbreaking and very interesting. There were definitely moments where it was really hard to listen, though.
- Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography: This book by Neil Patrick Harris is a funny (and sometimes a little bit annoying) twist on an autobiography. There were some parts I was genuinely uninterested in, but overall it was pretty interesting. I’m not sure I would’ve kept reading if it had been in book form, but it was enjoyable enough when I was sitting in the car anyways.
- Sunrise Over Fallujah: I’m not sure what led to me grabbing this book on CD off the shelf, but I did. I didn’t love it, but wonder if I would’ve enjoyed this particular book more if I could’ve read it instead of listening to it while driving.
- The Divergent Series: Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant. It was sort of one of my hidden goals for the year to get these books checked off my list. I had forgotten about it until I saw the series on CD at the library, and snatched it up! I finished allegiant in mid-December. I enjoyed the series, and can’t wait to see the next movie!
- Orange Is The New Black: This was on my list of books to read since 2013, so when I saw that I could borrow it from the library via my phone, I knew this was the book that I wanted to listen to on the long drive to visit my parents over Christmas. I just finished this book on December 29th, and I found it SO interesting. I’ve watched both seasons of the TV show, so I enjoyed hearing what she actually wrote (and figuring out what things were just added for the show!). I loved this one.
I’ve really enjoyed listening to books on tape. I’ve been able to listen to all sorts of great books, and it’s made the hours I spent in the car a lot more fun and relaxing (over half the week I end up driving at least an hour a day). I’ve been able to listen to some books that have been on my list for awhile, and I love being able to get more than one thing done at once! Books on CD will definitely be part of my plan in 2015!
Now it’s your turn to share! Did you read any good book sin 2014? If so, share! Any suggestions for my book list for 2015?
This was a few days after I got the manicure. I really love that I can be as hard as I have been on my nails, and now, even though it’s been more than a week, they’re still in great shape!
And now for some Friday Facts for you all!
1. Earlier this week I filled up my car for $1.92 a gallon- how unreal is that?! I can’t believe that gas costs half of what it did this past summer, and I’m really hoping that it’ll stay low for a little while now.
2. These hard candies. Every Christmas for as long as I can remember, we’ve had these hard candies out starting on Christmas, and they really taste like my childhood. Have any of the rest of you ever had them?
3. For the first time ever, Melissa and I got to participate in #bibchat at the same place! We are both BibRave Pros, and try to participate in the #bibchat twitter chat on Tuesdays at 9est/8 cst each week. Have YOU ever participated in bibchat? (if not, why not kick 2015 off with joining the chat next Tuesday?!)
4. This year my parents decided to get each of us a few 1/4 zip shirts, and almost all of mine come with thumbholes. I now have enough to last me a full week… and I think you all know what I’ll be living in this winter 🙂 (I’m wearing one of them in the above picture).
5. As I was going through a box of old things at home, I realized that I had gotten a letter in high school (as in a letter for a letterman’s jacket). I really had no recollection that this had happened, so I was pretty surprised to see that!
Now it’s your turn to share! Have you used gel polish before? Tell me a random fact from your week!
Happy Thursday and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope you each had a good night celebrating the end of 2014 and the start of 2015! On this first day of a new year, it’s an ideal time to focus on gratitude. Here’s what I’m thankful for right now:
I’m thankful for safety during Christmas travel. My brothers and I traveled for a combined 48 hours on the road (I did about 1,100 miles myself) to be together for Christmas, and I’m so thankful for the good weather and safety that each of us had on the road. It’s definitely not something I take for granted.
I’m thankful for time with both of my brothers. Time with them is so rare with our lives today (before December 23rd, we’d only spent 36 hours together in all of 2014), and I’m so thankful for every moment we have together. I’m thankful for both of them, and I’m thankful that we all have great relationships with each other.
I’m thankful for all my sweet friends, both new and old. “I get by with a little a lot of help from my friends”. I have so many people in my life who I value so deeply, and have been so supportive and encouraging to me this year. I only talk about a few of them on the blog, as I try to keep anyone who doesn’t blog off of my social media (so yes- I have far more friends than what you all see and hear about here!). I’m thankful for the people who are in my life.
I’m thankful I got to meet Andrea! I’ve read Andrea’s blog for awhile now (probably for 2ish years?), so when I had the opportunity to have coffee with her over Christmas, I was pretty happy! I love to meet people “behind the blog”, and we chatted for a few hours on Christmas Eve.
I’m thankful for memories. I love holding onto the sweet memories I have in life. I’m thankful that, even when we lose people and things in our lives, we still have dear memories to treasure.
I’m thankful for 2014. It’s been a crazy year- travel, lots of ups and downs, tough losses, beautiful celebrations, and so much love and laughter in my life! This year in running and in biking have been great, and my year as a whole has been one that I will treasure.
Now it’s your turn to share! How did you celebrate the start of 2015? What’re you feeling thankful for today?
What a year 2014 has been. I think I’ll always look back at this year as being a big year in my life, filled with hard things, losses, huge accomplishments, and love and laughter. Here are some 2014 Highlights Of The Year!
January: I kicked off the year by traveling to Cuenca, Ecuador for work. I love it there, and was so happy to be back again! One of my favorite posts this month was “Thriving In The Winter” (<- check that post out! there’s lots of great suggestions for staying mentally healthy during the cold, gray months ahead!).
February: I started the month by getting a surprise snow day from work, and enjoyed it by working out, making Valentine’s day cookies, and spending time with my soccer brother. In the middle of the month my grandpa died, and a kind stranger held my dad’s phone for the entire funeral so I could FaceTime in (it’s been almost a year and I still feel so thankful to that nice woman for giving me that gift). One of my favorite posts from this month was “Is Happiness Possible In The Winter?”
March: When I think about March, I think about passing my mental health licensing test, which I had spent a ridiculous amount of hours studying for. Instead of traveling for spring break, I had a fun “staycation” instead, and had a great 7.5 mile run.
April: This month was all about the Carmel Half Marathon, where I met Melissa! I enjoyed hosting friends for Easter, and having a great Greek meal with them!
May: My baby brother graduated from college this month, which made the month equal parts happy and sad for me. Having him live near me for 4 years was great, and I really miss him being around. This month I really got on a kick of making homemade peanut butter cups– yum! This month I also got back on the road for biking after being on my bike trainer all winter, and I had one of the best long runs I’ve ever had.
June: I started a new job (to add into the ones I already had), which definitely took a bit of adjusting to. At the start of the month Melissa and I ran Indy Women’s Half (what a wreck we were!). This was the month that Melissa, Meg, and I all really started hanging out (and we spent the rest of the summer spending weekends at the pool!). This was the first month that I set a biking PDR of 50 miles!
July: At the start of the month I moved to self-hosted, and rebranded my blog to be “The Little Things”. Melissa and I traveled to Chicago and had a fun race-cation there– and I accidentally ran a half marathon! I got my first tattoo this month too (although I didn’t share it on the blog until September).
August: Back to work/birthday month! I kicked off the month by celebrating my birthday– and biking a metric century! My little Pooky died towards the end of the month, which was heartbreaking for me. I biked 50 miles to Mackinaw City, and enjoyed a day on Mackinac Island.
September: Officially back in training for Monumental this month! I adjusted to fall biking, which felt totally different than biking in the summer. I finally shared a bit of the story behind my tattoo.
October: This month was all about cross training as I had a slight case of shin splints- I biked a lot, which was fun, even on crisp fall mornings. I DNS’d my first race, but spent the day raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society instead.
November: I kicked off the month on the 1st by setting a new PR during the Monumental Half Marathon. Melissa and I drove to Ohio to visit Cait, and all 3 of us ran the Hot Chocolate Race there.
December: When I think back over this past month, I think a lot about all the announcements for ambassadorships in 2015 (BibRave Pro, Nuun, and Rock ‘n’ Blog), and that has me all excited for 2015! Melissa and I ran a Caribbean Christmas race to celebrate her birthday. This last week has been full of emotion, both because I packed up my childhood home, and because I had a really tough goodbye- both of these things will be discussed in January here.
This year has been full of all sorts of little joys and laughter, and I’m so excited for the friends and family who have walked through the year with me. I also want to again say thank you to each of you who read my blog! Thanks for the comments throughout the year, the advice you’ve given on training posts, and the encouragement and cheers you’ve given me through races!
Now it’s your turn to share! What’s one of your best memories from 2014? What’s one of the accomplishments from the year that you are most proud of?
Best Race Experience? Sadly, I didn’t do any sort of racing in 2014, as I didn’t do a triathlon this year.
Best Bike Ride. It seems almost cruel for me to have to choose just one or two rides, as all my long rides this summer were really fantastic. My two favorite rides were: My birthday ride where I biked a metric century. It was a hot afternoon, but I went on a trail I’d never been on before, and I hit 64 miles! A week and a half later, I went up to Michigan as part of my job, and biked 50 miles onto Mackinac Island. It was an absolutely amazing ride with beautiful scenery, and ending on Mackinac Island with all the fudge was ideal!
Bike on Mackinac Island
Best new piece of gear. My bike shorts were new this year, and I spent January trying to break them in. They’ve been really comfortable, and I’m happy with the purchase! In August I got new biking gloves (the ones I was using were many years old, and I started to get blisters from them), and I absolutely love them as well. They have great padding on them, and I wish I had gotten new gloves earlier!
Best piece of biking advice received. FUEL MORE. In the spring I really struggled with feeling weak at the end of my rides especially, and I realized that I really wasn’t fueling well at all. I changed up my game and had far more successful rides.
Most Inspirational Biker: I still don’t really have one…
If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would it be? Progress and enjoyment. I had so many really fantastic rides this year (like my sweet country roads ride, watching the corn dry as I biked past, and even the ride where I ended up getting chased by dogs (although that was scary).)
Most exciting biking moment of 2014. I think that maybe my bike ride to Mackinac Island (and then biking around the island the next day) was probably my most exciting biking moment of the year. I was with a large group of people, and we had such a great time biking past absolutely beautiful scenery. It was pretty amazing.
Now it’s your turn to share! Do you have a favorite biking moment from 2014?
This was a note my great grandpa wrote to my great grandma (whom I was named after) on Christmas in 1923. Adorable, isn’t it?
Back in 6th grade I convinced my younger brothers to join me in memorizing this passage, and since then I’ve had it memorized. From Luke 2:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
