A strange Christmas Day

Christmas eve was a nice relaxed affair. With the boys reading in their books and writing in their moleskins.

Dad was practicing his music for the Christmas eve service (below). It was an awesome service. The Christmas eve service is a highlight of the year for me. It began at 10:30 pm with gorgeous music performed by the choir and violinists, organist, piano, drums, chimes, horn, etc. The choir director broke down during one of the songs--her mom had died recently and she experienced a (not sure what to call it) a feeling of being in the presence of her mom and dad and a glory of what is to come. The entire Choir felt this---it was as if they were in a bubble of glory! The entire service was such a rejoicing of what we have in Christ and his gift to us.

Christmas morning started with a call from the nursing home informing us that Gram was sick with a temperature and was being put back into bed. Sooooo she couldn't come home for a visit. Plus my daughter's kids were sick and they couldn't come. My hubby was feeling like he was fighting a cold also. So we kicked back and slowwwweeeedd down. Opening the stockings slowly and having breakfast around 10:30 or 11!

The above picture is the old one ;-)---geeeeeee (I am looking older than gram!) and the bootso.


A favorite cup was in the stocking!

My youngest modeled his casual look.

My oldest son was trying to smile like Mr. Rogers--since he got a book about Mr. Rogers.

More books and an electric razor (spelling??)

a book for the history buff

Visiting by webcam with Eowyn and kids.

The little ones had colds so they could not be here for Christmas day! Webcam is a blessing!

The little one is in constant motion and teething!

Next we went to the nursing home to see gram

She had lots of goodies and suffed animals to keep her company.

Looking at some photos. She was very much under the weather , but she was "with it"--which is amazing and a blessing.

At the end of the day Grandpa went back to his place, quite tired out. We then had a late dinner of Turkey and fixings. We also watched a really interesting dvd of Israel called Against all odds. This was interesting because it had true accounts that occured in modern day Israel that were quite amazing. One interesting thing was concerning some Israeli troops that were in a mine field. It was important that they get somewhere rather quickly. They couldn't---they had to slowly use their knives to find the wires and mines, when suddenly a strong wind came upon them , uncovering the mines---then a full moon came out and they were able to see all of the mines and wires! There were many other neat true stories of providential happenings that helped modern Israel come into being.

So the day, was quite unlike our normal Christmas Day--but a nice one, none the less. My oldest son, Chip (or Chris), made an anonymous 4 cd (which he read about in the Fred Roger's book--) --it is a Gregorian chant type music , only with women.

Also in the book was the prayer that is called the prayer of St. Francis--which I like, and I will end here , thinking on it:

Dear God, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred , let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon,

Where there is doubt, faith,

Where there is despair, hope,

Where there is darkness, light,

Where there is sadness, joy,

O Divine Master,

Grant that I not so much seek to be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Lastly--it is in reading books of real people that often bring me to see more of my own sin. The book about Fred Rogers and a friend of His, called "I'm Proud of You, My friendship with Fred Rogers"---showed me a lot about real friendship and unconditional love. Convicting, really.