December 2017 42 Reserve Your Tour Today! Wickenburg, AZ Explore the BeautifulSonoran Desert by Jeep! bcjeeptours.com The Rustic Lifestyle THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS By Desiree’ Byrne, Founder of Front Porch Pickins What was the BEST gift you ever received for Christmas? Think about it for a minute or two. So many years, so many gifts. What stands out? I’m a Christmas baby. My birthday and Christmas are only separated by two days. This can be a great thing or a horrible thing. On one hand, you get birthday presents wrapped in leftover Christmas wrapping paper, gifts that are often re- gifted, and no one can come for a party because of family traditions or traveling. On the other hand, some people combine the two celebrations into one massive gift that you would never receive under any other circumstance. My parents always tried to do the latter. One year, I received a king-sized platform bed. I was in high school, and it was perfect as it gave me the opportunity to transform my bedroom into my own living space below the bed. I was extremely popular and often had many guests over… Kelly, Zach, Jessie, Lisa, Slater. Oh, wait. Those were” Saved by the Bell” characters. Perhaps I was popular in my dreams? Another memorable gift I received was a new-to-me car. This beauty was a silver Mercury Capri convertible, which due to being a uni-body involved in a collision, had been totaled by insurance. With a salvage title and the generosity of the prior owners who were family friends, my parents were able to swing the surprise. Because of the collision, it was involved in; the car came with front body damage. But, based on my dad’s lack of mechanical skills, combined with his gift for creativity – he ordered a car bra that completely hid all of the damage! I was shocked when they took me to the garage to reveal the BIG gift! I remember cruisin’ my neighborhood with the convertible top down, leather coat and gloves on, with the heater going full blast. It was December, but I didn’t care! Backstreet Boys songs were loudly playing from the CD player, which was often interrupted by the grinding noise and sudden jerking of the car. I may or may not have been ignorant when it came to this silly little thing called a clutch. It’s fun to recollect about gifts that were/are meaningful. As you hustle and bustle about this season shopping for that perfect present – remember the most important one: Jesus. He was sent to give the world hope and peace. I pray that you welcome Him into your home and experience this hope and peace firsthand! “So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger because there was no room in the hostel. There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: a Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace to all men and women on earth who please him.” – Luke 2:5-14 (The Message) Note: I’ll be at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler every Friday – Sunday from Nov 24th – Dec 24th for Winter Wonderfest! If you haven’t heard about this event, you’ll want to make plans to attend! The North Pole invades Arizona with tons of family-friendly activities, shopping (by Front Porch Pickins of course!), food, Santa, and more! Learn more at WinterWonderfestAZ.com The Rustic Lifestyle column is dedicated to sharing about all things related to country living: home décor, travel, fashion, family, faith, and more. Desiree’ Byrne’s photo by Jim Byrne, SurrealMediaAZ.com. “Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum. To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum.” – Katherine Kennicott Davis