What Christmas Day Was Like For Us

(Pictured from bottom left - back and to the right - Mark Boyce, Mary Ann McMillan, Mary Donnelly, Shawn Sanson, Joshua Post, Elijah Lackey - and of course Tim and Marsha)

We have received many emails with Christmas wishes - and we loved everyone of them.  And some people braved snail mail and we have received about 8 cards through the mail.  After the first one came, I've had Tim go down and check our mail every day!  They are precious - precious - precious to me!  (If you were wondering how to do this you can call our church and they can send you labels or an email with a printable address - 336-665-1944).

I was a bit fearful about Christmas Eve and morning.  Thinking that it would be so difficult, I anticipated it would be a sad day.  I missed David and Sarah more than I expected.  (David, aren't you glad you spent last Christmas Eve at home with us?)  David always passed out the presents.  This year, Tim did that.  We always took turns opening things up because Sarah would have all her gifts opened in about a minute if we didn't.  We took turns this year and we photographed every gift.  As usual, Angie and Stewart (my sister and brother in law) were much too generous.  My brother Craig and his wife, Janine sent us one of my favorite movies and our favorite candies - loved it!  My mom and Hank sent me a new cross necklace which was a real blessing because I had looked for one before I left but hadn't found one that fit in my new budget.  So many gifts.  They were great - but gifts don't make holidays good or bad (really they don't unless it's an Apple product - no, just kidding).  

Christmas is about the one true gift given freely to all.  It's about Jesus.  Whether or not we know when he was actually born, the important thing was he was born.  He was born of a virgin and he was born to die for you and for me.  As I thought so many times about how deeply I miss my Daddy, I thought of how deeply God must love me to have sent His son as a babe in Bethlehem knowing what his earthly journey would be like.  How could Christmas not be a "good day" regardless of where I was or who I was with, or who I was without?

We invited the Journey Ms and the Hands On Ms as well as our friend Mark for lunch.  They were my "kid-fix" and I loved having them here.  I know their moms would have loved to have them home so I gave each of  them a big hug for their moms.  We had turkey - 19 pounds of turkey!  We had dressing, gravy, green beans, bean salad, deviled eggs, olives and bread.  I tried to make a strawberry congealed salad - but oh yea, no jello!  Scratch that.  I wanted to make broccoli casserole - but oh yea, no canned soup!  Wanted to make Pumpkin pie - you know  the rest!

It was a good day.  The only time I lost it in tears was reading a card from Sarah.  (Thank you sweetie.)  Had we spent the day looking back, it would have been difficult.  But, looking ahead and looking at Christ - it became our day with Him!  No matter where we are, everyday is a good day with Him.  Yes, it was a good day.  I'll always cherish it, just like all the other Christmas Days!  They're all special!  (I'll send photos later for you to see).  I'll add it to the other precious Christmas memories I have.  As I file it away in my mind, I hear my Granddaddy Thompson singing "Happy Birthday" on Christmas Eve, year after year when he was living.  It was his birthday but he never wanted us to forget that it was Jesus' birthday.  And I'll file it away with the memory of my Grandmother Britt's passing away on Christmas Eve many, many years ago. How hard that was - but how precious a memory she brings to me!  I'll file it away with the memory of getting a tape recorder when my Daddy taped a message thinking I would believe it to be "you know who".  Yes, those memories are filed in my heart and my mind - thank you Lord.  They're my memories, both good and bad.  I treasure them all!

Lastly, it was my first white Christmas.  We had spent Christmas Eve watching the movie "White Christmas" (thank you Michael).  When it ended, I went to the porch and opened the window hoping to see snow (just like in the movie)  but no snow!  However, 2 hours later I got up and looked out the window and it was snowing!  We have a fresh layer again this morning.  It's not an Eastern NC snow - it's a real, white, fluffy, dry, blowing snow.  I know I'll get tired of it through the winter - but for now it's a great reminder of my position in Christ - righteousness as white as snow!

Christmas 2008 is over in the U.S.  I get to celebrate it all the way through January 7 with the Ukranians.  I'll write more about how they celebrate later.  For now, I hope you've had time to focus on the reason for Christmas - the one who secured your place for all eternity, if you've truly placed your faith in Him