the most beautiful story ever told

Despite the high 60s North Carolina has been experiencing this week, I have found myself in such a Christmas mood. Christmas carols, gifts, decorations, and yummy treats have filled my mind and I am loving the fact that it's almost that time of the year! In light of this advent season, here is the beginning of the most beautiful story ever told [but let us not forget that the real beginning of the story is Genesis 1:1 - just a little shout-out for what we've been teaching our Route 56ers all year...you can ask me about that later :)]

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." 

      And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

      And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38, ESV

Merry 18 days until Christmas!

Love, Kayla

excited to make these for my freshmen girls Christmas party!! they count as festive, right?