A great way to spend Christmas Eve...........

Ken and I spent this Christmas Eve with these cuties at their church.  It was a wonderful service of Christmas carols and candle lighting. As usual, Gwen was singing and "fluting" (as her kids say). So it was Tim and Ken and I and the 4 kids, sitting together.   Is there anything better than children dressed up in their Holiday best, holding a candle, in the hushed darkness?  The best part (and the most memorable for me) was that Tim was holding Anna on his lap and she was obsessed with that candle!  Every time that Tim lit his candle off of Zeke's, Anna would promptly blow it out!  And then smile! So Tim would relight the candle.  This went on for the entire song!  All I could think was Anna would be more than ready in a month, to blow out those 2 candles on her birthday cake!  I got to have some cuddle and talk time with each of the kids.  All of them are so excited for Christmas.  Each told me about the special presents that they had opened from their Godparents.  It is such a blessing that Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna each have Godparents who are praying for them and remember them is such special ways.

And of course there are the special new Christmas pajamas for each of them.  Yes, the Christmas spirit is certainly at work tonight.  I can't wait for our family celebration on Saturday.  Today was just a little taste of the wonderful hugs and kisses in store for me!  

Now for the real "God surprise" from today!  While we were standing in the entry of Gwen's church, waiting for Tim to arrive with the kids, Gwen mentioned that they had received an email about the destination of their Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  I immediately checked my email and there it was...... emails regarding the 4 boxes I had packed and sent.  Here is the real amazing thing..... some of my boxes went to KENYA!!!!!  What are the chances of that happening?  They send these all over the world to over 100 countries.  Yet the boxes I packed happened to end up going to Kenya.  This is just one more way that Jesus is reminding me that I have a tie that can not be broken to Kenya and the precious people there.  You can read about Operation Christmas Child - Kenya by clicking this link.  If you take the time to click and read this, you will see something even more amazing to me.  One of the stories that they share on this page is about shoe boxes delivered to Kakamega children.  Unbelievably Kakamega is one of the places I visited in 2004!  Really, what are the chances that this would happen?  This is not a large city!  It is just a small town. Only Jesus could arrange something like this.  

These are a couple of the kids I met in Kakamega.  We packed our boxes in honor of Lucas and I have been praying for the little boys that will be receiving them.  Now it is even easier to imagine the faces of the little ones who might open those boxes, as I remember the many, special children I met on that trip.  I have blogged recently about feeling called back to Kenya.  And this special Christmas present from Samaritan's Purse just confirms that Jesus is up to something!  I can't wait to see what is ahead for me in 2016.  

Jesus, thank you for this wonderful celebration of your birth.  What a joy it is to hear the stories and sing the familiar carols when surrounded by children.  Thank you for Samaritan's Purse and Operation Christmas Child.  Bless all those who move those boxes around the world and for each of the special connections that you are making through these boxes.   Amen

A very different Christmas Eve....

Yes, we are having a very different Christmas.  There are so many things that have changed and so many things that are different.  But there have also been some that have remained the same.  Ken and I spent the day yesterday with Gwen, Tim and the children.  This was a new thing for us - we were missing Doug and Susie very much.  And we were missing Lucas.  Even this low key celebration was just to hard for them. We understood.  It was a much quieter day than usual.  Each of the kids seemed to appreciate every present.  As expected, Anna loved the paper and ribbon as much as the present inside.  There were presents for the children and a few presents for us.  Including this really amazing tree.

Gwen's family got this sculpted tree from their church.  It was created in Haiti and is made out of a steel oil drum.  

Just holding this in my hand is quite an experience.  To imagine that it was once a steel oil drum that someone spent hours hammering and working....well that is really something.  And it is truly a thing of beauty.  I am so thankful for the heart of Gwen and Tim to support these ministries.  And for Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna who decided to gift this to us.   It will grace our wall for a long time.  

We snacked on some wonderful food that Tim had made and got ready to go to church.  Gwen was singing and playing at the service so she left early.  Ken and I (and Tim and the kids) left a bit later.  

With the kids dressed in their Christmas best, we headed out to church.  There had been a prediction of snow for the afternoon, but it was just a light rain.  Not really very "Christmasy".  The service was really nice.  It was so good to hear Gwen singing some of my favorite carols.  And during the worship service she played flute.  This was especially a treat for Ken (who always laments that Gwen did not decide to play flute professionally!)   Then there was the traditional candle lighting during Silent Night.  

Even Zeke held his own candle this year (with a little help from me). There is something about seeing the faces of the kids reflected in that candle light that brings the familiar story to life.  By the time the service was over, everyone was ready to return home.   Ken and I got home around dinner time.  In the evening, we decided to watch the old movie "A Christmas Story".  It was good to laugh while munching a Christmas cookie.  

Yes, it was a very different kind of Christmas Eve for us.  The thought of all that has changed in our family was very near the surface in everything that we did. But also very present was the hope of Christmas.  Everything that Jesus brought to us when he came to the world as a tiny baby.  He is the rescuer who came to bring us the assurance of an eternity with him in heaven.  Knowing that Lucas is safe with Jesus makes this Christmas more bearable.  And it reminds us how necessary it is for us to share the good news with all those we meet.  It seems so important to be like the shepherds and go out praising God and telling everyone about Jesus.  There will be much to ponder in the days ahead.

Jesus, thank you for the traditions that help us keep Christmas focused on you.  Thank you for family and friends that stand with us.  Help us to hear the message of the angels to the shepherds.  Let us be free from fear and boldly tell the world about your amazing birth.  Thank you Jesus for being our savior, our ever present friend and our strength.  Bless those workers in Haiti who labor over oil drums and bring forth beauty.  What a powerful reminder of your work in our lives.  Bless all who struggle with lose during this season.  Help us to hold on to hope!  Amen

Christmas blessings and memories

Late last night all I could think about was a very special memory I have from a Christmas Eve in 1994.  The picture above is of my sweet Lia (in red) from 2009, when Gwen used the same format for her church Christmas program.  Here is my memory for 1994.....

I found this program in the late 1980's but never had a chance to use it until the early 90's.  The idea is that it is a "no practice" Sunday School program that lets kids decide what part they play.  During those years it was quite typical to do large, performance based programs that unfortunately excluded kids who, for whatever reason, couldn't make multiple rehearsals.  Someone quite brilliant came up with this format, and I loved it!  You prepare about 6-8 simple props for each of the "parts" of the Christmas story.  A paper heart necklace for Mary, a strip of cloth that become either a belt for Joseph or a headband wrap for the shepherds, a circle of tinsel for the Angels head piece, paper headband "ears" for the animals, and simple paper crowns for the Kings (we used Burger King crowns - they were perfect!).  I finally got the chance to actually use this program in 1993 when my church and Pastor always had a simple family Christmas Eve service where the Pastor dressed as a shepherd and told the Christmas Story interspersed with the singing of Christmas Carols.  (Thanks Faith Lutheran Church and Pr. Dave Dorpat).  I set up several rows of little chairs around the wooden manger, some for the Marys and some for the Josephs.  The first year was magical.  We had about an even mix of kids choosing the parts and the front of the church was filled with the faces of the sweet children.  So many thankful Grandmas and Grandpas and moms and dads sat in the pews watching these little ones act out this familiar story.  Yes, it was a big hit.  Many said that they never thought that their children would have a chance to be in something like this.  It was a blessing.  Then, the next year, I was asked to help with the same program.  So, I willingly prepared all the props and got ready for the service.

But something really extraordinary happened during that Christmas Eve service in 1994, First of all, the weather was terrible and it looked like the attendance would be very low for this service.  It was a weekday and many families had to work and the service was quite early in the afternoon.  Pr. Dave did not seem the least bit worried.   Families started to fill the pews and the service started.  When it was time for the Marys to come forward only one little girl came to the front.  I thought this was strange since you would expect 4 or 5.  Then the Josephs were called and again, only 1 little boy came up.  We had 1 little animal and 1 angel.  And then the shepherds were called to the front.  When 6 children stood there waiting for their headbands, I realized what an amazing gift we were witnessing.  That night, Jesus reminded us all that we need to listen and hear the message of the ages.  "Fear not, for unto you is born this night, in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord". 
And then we need to drop everything and go and tell everyone what we have heard. 

I remember reflecting on that particular Christmas Eve service so many times.  You see the shepherds were really the lowest of the low in this story.  They were sitting out in the cold, in the fields, doing a job that not many wanted to do.  It was most often the youngest and the least favored in the family who drew the lot to do that job.  Yet, the most important and world changing message was sent FIRST to these common men.  I loved that the children were drawn to be shepherds.  I wanted to be a shepherd right along with them.  Thankfully, Pastor Dave also saw the miracle of this event.  He spoke at great length that night, himself dressed as a shepherd, about the gift and the reminder that we had been given through these little children.  It was a teary and wonderful service that I will never forget. 

So, today, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  I pray that you will all spend just a moment reflecting on those shepherds, doing their jobs and going about their business out in the fields. Take just a few breathes and then be amazed by the Good News from the angels. 

Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to all!