Christmas!

We celebrated the birth of Christ at home for we were iced and snowed in this year.

We had so looked forward to the services on Christmas Eve and day but alas,

God sent weather that made it unsafe to travel.

And so we stayed home, admired the beauty of the snow drifts,

warmed ourselves with hot tea and a fire in the fireplace.

Enjoyed the presence of our son and made sukiyaki!

Yes, our guys decided that was in order since

we would not be able to join others for the holidays.

And so they did go out, get the foods needed,

chopped, sliced, diced, and simmered until voila!

We had a super meal.

We ate on our holiday china, enjoyed conversation,

the warmth of our traditions, and celebrated Christ's birth as a family.

It was good.

It was simple.

It was just right.

And the evening ended with 40 minutes of seeing and speaking

with our daughter and her family in Kenya via Skype.

That was the cherry on our celebration of Christmas.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Truth For Life

Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast;

and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days,

the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it,

but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey;

and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.

Then, after three days they found Him in the temple,

sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers.

When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him,

"Son, why have You treated us this way?

Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."

And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me?

Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"

But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them.

And He went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and He continued in subjection to them;

and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2: 41-52