Christmas Joys

Gere's table

There are many things to love about the Christmas season.  One of our neighbors has a Christmas tree forest glowing in their yard.  It is a beautiful sight.  If that doesn't get you into the Christmas spirit, your string is broke!



Family:  Celeste, Rema, Cheryl, Patsy, Melinda
Ruth, Gere, Me





Ship table



My sister Gere's Corinth, MS church hosted a woman's night out.  The ladies decorated their "Tables of Testimonies" for the occasion.  As our table host, Gere chose "He calms the storm so that the waves are still." (Psalm 107.29) as her ship inspired decor. It was a wonderful time of fellowship with our family of natural and spiritual sisters. We were all impressed with the creativity and hard work put into each table. Each was truly a labor of love.

Friday night our church choir presented Joel Raney's "A Thrill of Hope" to a standing room only crowd.  It is a Christmas miracle and fire marshal secret as to how 400 people were seated in an auditorium that doesn't seat that many! Sunday morning we celebrated the lighting of the advent candle of peace.

Last night, perhaps our favorite, the children's interpretation of Christmas.  They selected "Show & Tell" as their worship.  Adults were included in show and tell.  One adult shared her favorite Christmas ornament. Her family's original Christmas star was broken the first Christmas.  A star was made from cardboard and aluminum foil.  It has been a family tradition to place this special star on top of the tree since the sixties.

The children performed with all of their hearts.  Simply, pure and sincere as only a child can be.  As the unexpected is expected with children; the chicken had to make an emergency bathroom break.  Love, love, love these precious little ones!


Children worship Jesus -- including little chicken!

 Christmas simple as a child born in a manger; complicated and heart breaking as the baby growing up to die on the cross as our Redeemer.
It is our church's practice to have the youth pastor dismiss in prayer.  At the end of the children's performance he chose to read a scripture in lieu of prayer.  Our hearts were filled and broken.


Jesus Blesses the Children


 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.  I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”  Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.  Mark 10:13-16