Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! ~ Charles Dickens
The Christmas memories that flood back on me are the ones where family is involved. One Christmas, when Madison was a little nipper, she was cast as a lamb for a nativity play the kids and adults were putting on. The shepherd who was holding her, I was not cast as her shepherd and neither was Rachel, was a little to close to the microphone so she thought it would be a good idea to grab it and say the word we taught her. So, instead of the wonderful story of the birth of Jesus, all anyone heard for a short while was, "BAAA, BAAA, BAAA!!!!" It echoed through the auditorium and caused a good amount of laughter! There are many memories good and bad from various Holidays. I remember as a kid, one Christmas all I got was: socks, underwear, a promise of $5, and a book. I was so angry with my parents and grandparent! I went and hid and pitched a small fit! Cried and griped all the rest of the day... Big ol' whiney time... The next day after I had made everyone have a rotten Christmas, I was sitting for some enforced "quiet time". (Needless to say, I was not sitting with Comfort and Joy. Had to ride that chair side saddle till the redness went down.) The book that was given to me as a gift was dropped on my lap and I was told all I could do was read. Funny thing, that book is still one of my favorites after 20 something years.
God works in such amazing ways. He is so good. The story about where we were and how we came to be here is something Hollywood couldn't have dreamed up. God took so many people out of their usual way of life and decided it was time for them to be or go where He wanted them to go. Abram, father of the Jewish people, had a really good life and was a very well off tribal leader when God said, "let's go!" Moses was doing well in the palace for nearly 40 years when God said, "c'mon Moses." David was tending sheep when Samuel called him out of the pasture and said, "you are going to be king." The judges of Israel, various kings and queens, most all of the prophets were called out of where they had been to something so much better. Even though we are not "Bible Heroes", God has brought us here to be in fellowship. We are looking forward to deepening our relationships with you all and being here for you in whatever ways we can be. May God bless and continue to bless us as we live and work here together! Have a great day!!!
The Christmas memories that flood back on me are the ones where family is involved. One Christmas, when Madison was a little nipper, she was cast as a lamb for a nativity play the kids and adults were putting on. The shepherd who was holding her, I was not cast as her shepherd and neither was Rachel, was a little to close to the microphone so she thought it would be a good idea to grab it and say the word we taught her. So, instead of the wonderful story of the birth of Jesus, all anyone heard for a short while was, "BAAA, BAAA, BAAA!!!!" It echoed through the auditorium and caused a good amount of laughter! There are many memories good and bad from various Holidays. I remember as a kid, one Christmas all I got was: socks, underwear, a promise of $5, and a book. I was so angry with my parents and grandparent! I went and hid and pitched a small fit! Cried and griped all the rest of the day... Big ol' whiney time... The next day after I had made everyone have a rotten Christmas, I was sitting for some enforced "quiet time". (Needless to say, I was not sitting with Comfort and Joy. Had to ride that chair side saddle till the redness went down.) The book that was given to me as a gift was dropped on my lap and I was told all I could do was read. Funny thing, that book is still one of my favorites after 20 something years.
Maybe it's nostalgia that gets me thinking all the thoughts of old family times around the holiday season. Perhaps it's the 1700+ miles I'm away from my family this time of year. It might be all the already hyped up Christmas specials many of which deal with loss and then redemption. There is no telling why this season brings up all the feelings that it does, like it does. So, in honor of all the good, deep feelings and memories of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and all the nostalgic days in between, We want to say THANK YOU for being our family. The Westside Family has been so loving and accepting of the six of us. We have been very blessed in our short time here!
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| Had to put this in here, it's tradition! |
