MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
Christmas was different this year compared to any other year of my life. It was warm outside without any snow. I woke up to a mountain top view and children running all around! For the first time we were the parents, giving gifts to all of the children, taking pictures of the children opening gifts, and seeing their smiling faces. All of the traditions that I am use to doing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were all almost completely different this year. This was the first time I have missed a Christmas with my family. But from all the broken families we created a very large one this year.
We enjoyed a somewhat traditional type of Christmas Eve service with songs and scripture readings and of course some candles. On Christmas day we gave gifts to the children and decorated the sugar cookies they made the day before. A midsized black mamba was chased and killed right before lunch by the high school guys. The children were served a nice lunch while we saved our fancy meal for dinner. In the afternoon we went Christmas Caroling to some of the nearby neighbors. Many worked all month on making a dollhouse and soccer goals for the children. They both turned out great! In the afternoon my team revealed our secret Santa’s to each other and gave our final gifts. Christmas evening we had an amazing meal of fried chicken, rolls, mashed potatoes, potato salad, and ice cream with apple pie! We finished the night with the largest “White Elephant” game I have ever played. We all gave gifts from stuff we already had, which was quite fun. It took about 2 hours for all 50 swaps to take place.
This will definitely be a Christmas that will be remembered. For the most part it was empty of the commercialized hustle and bustle of America and filled with the purest parts of what Christmas is about. Spending time with loved ones and remembering the true reason we celebrate. The birth of our Savior, and the love that He has poured out on us.
Clarification: The snake we killed after further review was not a black mamba from a past blog. Next month I will be in South Africa. We leave I believe on January 1st from El Shaddai. Our final financial deadline is Jan. 1st Please pray that we have safe travels and we all meet our deadlines. As always thank you so much for all that you have done for me and all the prayers.
