A Very Merry Christmas

Gerard van Honthorst Adoration of the Shepherds

     I really enjoyed listening to the Christmas story in Luke this year while studying this painting.  I was struck by the warmth and joy surrounding the birth of Jesus.  I was also thinking about how Mary was very likely away from her family, as she traveled with Joseph for the census.  I'm sure it was hard to be away from what was familiar and those she loved- in such a life-changing time as the birth of a baby. Her first baby!  But God provided.  He provided a quirkly group of shepherds who shared in the joy and amazement of Jesus.  I couldn't help but think of the parallels of being away from our family in America and missing them during the special season of Christmas.  But how God provides a special group of people for us to celebrate with- people from Romania, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Russia, and the USA.  He's so faithful to meet our heart's needs.

     Each year we enjoy the tradition of a team Christmas party on the 24th.  We always act out the Christmas story.

I love watching everyone get into it!

Here were the actors in our little play.  There were 26 of us total.

 Bruce picked out special gifts for each of the kids to open from the team.

     Some of the kids played some Christmas carols that we sang along with.  Anneka played "Silent Night".

Ella played "Away in a Manger"

We also enjoyed an indoor snowball fight.  Guys against girls.

     The adults had a gift exchange.  Nettie made me homemade applesauce, which I LOVE!  Also, a group of us went ice skating (too cold for pictures!) and others stayed and played games.  When we returned we ate dinner together and then sang more Christmas carols by candlelight.  A very special time!

     Our family has the tradition of sleeping in the living room the night before Christmas.  We awoke and saw that Mary and Joseph had a baby in Bethlehem (our nativity set has a pregnant Mary until Christmas morning).  We opened stockings and had our traditional Swedish pancake breakfast.

     At church that morning, the kids put on a Christmas play.  Ella and Anneka were stars and did a great job!

Ike was a hedgehog and also did great!

Then we came home and opened gifts.  Ella got this life-sized doll.

     We were so blessed by friends who sent gifts.  Ike got a Lego set that he could construct easily by himself.  He was soooo happy.

Anneka got her very own camera.

     Our friend, Lena, came the next day and shared with us a song that she wrote for Christmas.  She said that for several years she's wanted to write a Christmas song, but she never had the words.  This year it just came to her- in like 10 minutes!- and it was beautiful and worshipful.

Thank you, God, for your many blessings!