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We studied the stars without tire;
Our hearts burned as with fire,
For You, O Lord, are our hearts’ desire
And it’s You we long to worship
We no longer live in exile here
For the glorious star has appeared.
We’ll travel far without fear
For we so long to worship.
Our hearts burned as with fire,
For You, O Lord, are our hearts’ desire
And it’s You we long to worship
We no longer live in exile here
For the glorious star has appeared.
We’ll travel far without fear
For we so long to worship.
A gingerbread house, crisp, fragrant and brown
Could a sweeter dwelling ever be found?
Encrusted with sugar, yet vacant it stands,
Soon to be subject to small, hungry hands…
While dingy and musty, o'erflowing with smells
In the humblest of structures a treasure indwells
Within these frail walls born what none can destroy –
The fulfillment of ages; let the whole world rejoice!
For these earthly homes – though lowly or grand –
Each wall time will crumble to reveal what’s within.
Through this babe in a stable, God with us may reside,
So choose you this day, what ‘neath your roof abides.
Joshua 24:15
Could a sweeter dwelling ever be found?
Encrusted with sugar, yet vacant it stands,
Soon to be subject to small, hungry hands…
While dingy and musty, o'erflowing with smells
In the humblest of structures a treasure indwells
Within these frail walls born what none can destroy –
The fulfillment of ages; let the whole world rejoice!
For these earthly homes – though lowly or grand –
Each wall time will crumble to reveal what’s within.
Through this babe in a stable, God with us may reside,
So choose you this day, what ‘neath your roof abides.
Joshua 24:15
The pathway is long and strewn with pain
Our bodies and souls always strain
But still we journey through the rain
Something still whispers… “worship”
Our hearts o’erflow with joy exceeding
For we’ve arrived where our hearts were
leading
Because without fail, the Lord was repeating,
“Come…Come and worship.”
Matthew 2:10-11
Our bodies and souls always strain
But still we journey through the rain
Something still whispers… “worship”
Our hearts o’erflow with joy exceeding
For we’ve arrived where our hearts were
leading
Because without fail, the Lord was repeating,
“Come…Come and worship.”
Matthew 2:10-11
When I was growing up, Christmas was
for me.
I “helped” Mom make the cookies and
looked under the glowing tree.
The hours were filled with excitement,
and nights up late
For the ultimately greatest day, I could
hardly wait!
Now that I’m almost grown the
stockings continue to hang.
But now I know what the shepherds felt
when the angels sang.
Their hearts were overflowing and their
joy great!
When He was foretold of, everyone
could hardly wait!
And Jesus did come with love flowing
through His veins
But it took three nails piercing Him to
cleanse our sinful stains.
There’s much to do till he returns; on
this I’ll concentrate
But though I work, I still look up, for I
can hardly wait!
So… What are you waiting for?
Romans 8:25
for me.
I “helped” Mom make the cookies and
looked under the glowing tree.
The hours were filled with excitement,
and nights up late
For the ultimately greatest day, I could
hardly wait!
Now that I’m almost grown the
stockings continue to hang.
But now I know what the shepherds felt
when the angels sang.
Their hearts were overflowing and their
joy great!
When He was foretold of, everyone
could hardly wait!
And Jesus did come with love flowing
through His veins
But it took three nails piercing Him to
cleanse our sinful stains.
There’s much to do till he returns; on
this I’ll concentrate
But though I work, I still look up, for I
can hardly wait!
So… What are you waiting for?
Romans 8:25
On a sleepy night in Bethlehem
A babe was born for all
His mother snuggled him closely
As they dreamt within a stall
Lamb of God shepherd of men
He brought life to those who came
And even the children He hindered not
And loved them just the same
A Lamb came down to shepherd the
world
He found us lost and scattered.
He drew us close, safe to His heart.
And showed us what really mattered…
Isaiah 40:11
A babe was born for all
His mother snuggled him closely
As they dreamt within a stall
Lamb of God shepherd of men
He brought life to those who came
And even the children He hindered not
And loved them just the same
A Lamb came down to shepherd the
world
He found us lost and scattered.
He drew us close, safe to His heart.
And showed us what really mattered…
Isaiah 40:11
This card was inspired by
a gingerbread house. It
was embellished with
white puff paint frosting
and each card was
heated with a hair dryer
to puff the paint.
The drawings inside were
done by all three kids,
and they also helped to
decorate with fabric
paints. I wrote the poem,
but it's not my favorite. I
like the point though.
a gingerbread house. It
was embellished with
white puff paint frosting
and each card was
heated with a hair dryer
to puff the paint.
The drawings inside were
done by all three kids,
and they also helped to
decorate with fabric
paints. I wrote the poem,
but it's not my favorite. I
like the point though.
Here we have another
contender for most time
consuming card. We
wanted to do a theme of the
wise men and worship, and
we decided to do a stained
glass card. The card is
black cardstock, and the
wiseman pattern was cut
out with exacto knives on
each one, and colored
acetate was carefully glued
to the back of each one.
The effect, was very nice
though.
Hannah did the stained
glass design, and Jordan
wrote the poem this year.
She struggled with the
poem for a while, and then
all of a sudden came out
with this, and it was perfect.
contender for most time
consuming card. We
wanted to do a theme of the
wise men and worship, and
we decided to do a stained
glass card. The card is
black cardstock, and the
wiseman pattern was cut
out with exacto knives on
each one, and colored
acetate was carefully glued
to the back of each one.
The effect, was very nice
though.
Hannah did the stained
glass design, and Jordan
wrote the poem this year.
She struggled with the
poem for a while, and then
all of a sudden came out
with this, and it was perfect.
Another poem by Jordan. I enjoy
having the kids do more and more
of the card each year.
This card incorporated black and
white pictures of the kids when
they were little, metallic paints, and
wire elements. Jordan did the
lettering.
Waiting was a theme of this card
and this year as we had submitted
our dossier to adopt from China
this year, and had begun our wait
for Maggie.
having the kids do more and more
of the card each year.
This card incorporated black and
white pictures of the kids when
they were little, metallic paints, and
wire elements. Jordan did the
lettering.
Waiting was a theme of this card
and this year as we had submitted
our dossier to adopt from China
this year, and had begun our wait
for Maggie.
Throughout the years, there have been more and
more options for creating the card, as new technology
and new creative supplies were available to us. This
year we decided to make use of the many
scrapbooking papers available. The design theme
was folk art, and Hannah helped a lot with this. For
this card we had to cut out hundreds of different
pieces, and carefully assemble each one. Then there
were paint and pen embellishments. The final card
was one of the prettiest I think we've done.
Jordan wrote the poem again. The envelopes were
made of crumpled brown paper bags, with a lamb
cutout on the front for the address. Each year the
design of the card also includes designing the
envelope, which some years is no small task.
As you can see in the photo, this was our first
Christmas with Maggie.
more options for creating the card, as new technology
and new creative supplies were available to us. This
year we decided to make use of the many
scrapbooking papers available. The design theme
was folk art, and Hannah helped a lot with this. For
this card we had to cut out hundreds of different
pieces, and carefully assemble each one. Then there
were paint and pen embellishments. The final card
was one of the prettiest I think we've done.
Jordan wrote the poem again. The envelopes were
made of crumpled brown paper bags, with a lamb
cutout on the front for the address. Each year the
design of the card also includes designing the
envelope, which some years is no small task.
As you can see in the photo, this was our first
Christmas with Maggie.
Each year when we begin the Christmas card, we brainstorm what we can do that we haven't
done yet, or what materials we can use that we haven't used before. Each year this seems to get
more challenging.
The theme of this card was Christmas lights, and the string of lights were tied together with cord
and placed in pockets so that each bulb had to be removed to turn the next page. The lights
were actually made with colored acetate so they would shine. The style was black and white, with
a light and darkness theme. Even the envelope was made to be half black and half white, with
black and white writing on it.
This card did not have a poem, but just a Scripture verse as its message.
done yet, or what materials we can use that we haven't used before. Each year this seems to get
more challenging.
The theme of this card was Christmas lights, and the string of lights were tied together with cord
and placed in pockets so that each bulb had to be removed to turn the next page. The lights
were actually made with colored acetate so they would shine. The style was black and white, with
a light and darkness theme. Even the envelope was made to be half black and half white, with
black and white writing on it.
This card did not have a poem, but just a Scripture verse as its message.
This card highlighted Hannah's artistic abilities and
expansive knowledge of animals. She drew a
panorma of dozens of animals, and the card opens up
to reveal several panels full of animals lined up to
worship the baby.
The animals were decorated with tiny strings of seed
beads strung on gold thread and sewn to the card.
This was, incidentally, very time consuming.
Maggie was with us for her third Christmas, and Silas
for his first. Maggie was able to help with this card by
painting the yellow glow around the manger. Maggie
and Silas also helped stamping cheetah patterns on
the envelope and adding stickers and stamps.
There was no poem this year, just the Scripture verse,
lettered by Jordan. The emphasis was on the artwork,
and the list of animals was on the back of the card.
expansive knowledge of animals. She drew a
panorma of dozens of animals, and the card opens up
to reveal several panels full of animals lined up to
worship the baby.
The animals were decorated with tiny strings of seed
beads strung on gold thread and sewn to the card.
This was, incidentally, very time consuming.
Maggie was with us for her third Christmas, and Silas
for his first. Maggie was able to help with this card by
painting the yellow glow around the manger. Maggie
and Silas also helped stamping cheetah patterns on
the envelope and adding stickers and stamps.
There was no poem this year, just the Scripture verse,
lettered by Jordan. The emphasis was on the artwork,
and the list of animals was on the back of the card.
This card had a theme of
"newness", appropriate
for many things that year,
but especially our move
to North Carolina that
summer.
Hannah did the hand and
music note drawings,
Jordan drew the
snowflake, and the
nativity on the last page
was done by Maggie.
The pages were held
together with jeweled
brads. The borders were
sprayed on with watered
down metallic paints, and
the edges of the cards
were handpainted.
This card was begun
before our trip to China
the end of November,
and finished up after we
arrived home December
9th with Eden.
"newness", appropriate
for many things that year,
but especially our move
to North Carolina that
summer.
Hannah did the hand and
music note drawings,
Jordan drew the
snowflake, and the
nativity on the last page
was done by Maggie.
The pages were held
together with jeweled
brads. The borders were
sprayed on with watered
down metallic paints, and
the edges of the cards
were handpainted.
This card was begun
before our trip to China
the end of November,
and finished up after we
arrived home December
9th with Eden.
“God is light; in him there is no
darkness at all…
“If we claim to have fellowship with
him yet walk in the darkness, we lie
and do not live by the truth.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is
in the light, we have fellowship with
one another…” 1 John 1:5b-7a
“…For this reason I was born, and
for this I came into the world… to
testify to the truth. Everyone on
the side of truth listens to me.”
John 18:37b
darkness at all…
“If we claim to have fellowship with
him yet walk in the darkness, we lie
and do not live by the truth.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is
in the light, we have fellowship with
one another…” 1 John 1:5b-7a
“…For this reason I was born, and
for this I came into the world… to
testify to the truth. Everyone on
the side of truth listens to me.”
John 18:37b
A cry of new life broke the still of the night,
And soon a new morning would bring its first light;
For with this new baby whose cries pierced the dawn
Came new chances, new promise, new hope and new song.
New life, new beginnings, like new fallen snow…
Softly covering all past with redemption’s pure glow.
All heaven rejoiced and bid all men choose…
Join in their new song and go out, tell the “news”
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams
And soon a new morning would bring its first light;
For with this new baby whose cries pierced the dawn
Came new chances, new promise, new hope and new song.
New life, new beginnings, like new fallen snow…
Softly covering all past with redemption’s pure glow.
All heaven rejoiced and bid all men choose…
Join in their new song and go out, tell the “news”
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams
While walking down a road one day,
I met a stranger on the way.
He was in need and in distress,
In want of food and care and rest.
Without stopping to decide
I quickly helped him come inside
And after he was well and fed
I let him sleep in my own bed
The next day as I walked around
I heard a quiet, whimpering sound
Another person was in need,
Should my heart stop at one good deed?
I helped this one and calmed her fears;
I listened, and I dried her tears.
They say, "You cannot save them all!"
But I knew that this was my call.
I may not fix all that's gone wrong.
I won't pretend that I am strong.
But my duty is to those I see
On the path God gave to me.
"Dear children, let us not love in word or tongue,
but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18
I met a stranger on the way.
He was in need and in distress,
In want of food and care and rest.
Without stopping to decide
I quickly helped him come inside
And after he was well and fed
I let him sleep in my own bed
The next day as I walked around
I heard a quiet, whimpering sound
Another person was in need,
Should my heart stop at one good deed?
I helped this one and calmed her fears;
I listened, and I dried her tears.
They say, "You cannot save them all!"
But I knew that this was my call.
I may not fix all that's gone wrong.
I won't pretend that I am strong.
But my duty is to those I see
On the path God gave to me.
"Dear children, let us not love in word or tongue,
but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18
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| The following pages show a summary of our homemade Christmas cards over the past several years. Whether this is your first year receiving our card, or you have been collecting them since 1990, we hope you enjoy looking over the history of the Baker Christmas card. (All poetry and artwork on these pages is copyrighted, and may not be used without permission) |
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