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What a wonderful, cool, sparkly time of the year!

I love the smell of fires with the fragrant wood burning, not to mention the heat for our hands and feet as we sit on our porches or living rooms, where we have a Franklin Stove that heats up our whole cottage.

There’s so much to celebrate at this time; taking communion every chance we get, as the Bible says in I Corinthians 11: 23-26 to break the bread and do this in remembrance of Me, and whenever you take the cup, the New Covenant, do in remembrance of Me.

“Taking communion can  break the influence of the enemy and you can receive, by faith, different aspects of Gods power to make you victorious in any area of your life.” — Joseph Prince

Thank God for being our Lord and Savior, forgiving us and giving us Eternal Life, and promises for this life on earth as we open our hearts for His Love and direction.

If you don’t have this relationship with your Heavenly Father, all you have to do is pray and He’ll come into your heart and set up housekeeping with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Just do it and have Christmas, everyday.

We all hear the exhortation around us to remember what the reason for the season actually is. I will say to you to not be pressured by the time frame, presents, parties and expectations. Pressure yourself from the inside out with His peace and joy.

Know that Christmas Day comes anyway and you shouldn’t be a panic situation.

Enjoy your family traditions or make some new ones: a cookie, candy or an evening of driving around looking at lights on homes and buildings, or perhaps a meal with friends.

I know you will think of lots of them to add to the list.

I get my Christmas Decorations Tub out of storage, the day after Thanksgiving and begin decorating for Christmas, because we only have the month of December, so, I want every day filled with “eye candy” so to speak.

We have a skinny, 7-foot tree by a window in our living room,  so pretty, and people can see it driving down our road or from the other side of our cottage on our deck by the water as they zoom by in their boats.

We live on a river and enjoy seeing who’s the brave and dedicated fishermen in this cool weather with their thermal, camouflage jackets, heading out to the lake for their catch.

Our Great Dane, Candy, tries to warn and tell them to slow down (our no wake zone) and turn around as she “gallops” down the yard, to the bulkhead, barking her low, loud bellowing woof, woof.

My husband, Mike, can walk out to the bulkhead dock, toss in a line and come into the kitchen with a redfish for lunch. Yay! Talk about the “catch-of-the-day” wow, so blessed.

I have a “Nutcracker” collection and enjoy taking them out each year and adding a new one if I find one that’s unusual and will fit into my collection.

Usually, I put them all around the house on tables or book shelves, etc., but this year they’re all together up on my piano, out of dog-reach, with wrapped, presents, so our Great Dane doesn’t eat them!

She’s 4 feet tall, so, some items and food need to be up out of temptation. One tall, Great Dane we had breezed through our kitchen, snatching a pump bottle of butter off of the sink, jumping up on my bed and began chomping and squeezing butter all over a beautiful comforter. Yellow, butter fun was everywhere, ugh.

So, enjoy your December, Christmastime and ask God into your life. Be at peace in your homes and workplace, giving of yourself and whatever you give to family and friends without pressure and with joy!

Merry Christmas and a very happy, prosperous, peaceful New Year to you all.

Kathie Deasy writes about religion for Orange Newsmedia. She can be reached at kathiedeasy@hotmail.com.