It`s early morning on Christmas Eve at Shalom Engedi Farm. I`m sitting in the soft glow of a look-a-like oil lamp wrapped up in a blanket. It`s still dark outside and the house is quiet - except for the dog snoring softly on the couch beside me.
I embrace this early morning peacefulness while anticipating the busyness that`s still coming over the next few days with a house full of family. Laughter and fun, board games and card games, shuffle board and too much food... talking over tea and cookies and munching on chocolate letters...seeing the new fallen snow... watching Home Alone 1, 2 and 3 - again. This year we`re squeezing in a scrapbooking day as well.
Our family Christmas traditions are like the ribbon on the package of family. Those are the things we do at this time of year that say I love you, I value you and you are part of our FAMILY.
Christmas matters. It colors our lives through the rest of the year - not because we have such great traditions or because we always get along perfectly but because it`s a time to say in words - we are family - through thick and thin - For Ever For Always No Matter What!
Those words ring true for us because someone else said them long ago. At Christmas we celebrate the coming of Christ the King - born in a manger as a tiny baby - who completely rocked this world. He came for us who had no-family-and-no-friends-and-no-place-to-belong and opened His arms and His heart and then gave His life for us so we could be part of HIS family For Ever For Always No Matter What.
Every day is different for me because I am part of His family. it changes everything. That little baby - that Saviour King - He changed my life - He GAVE me LIFE. He came for us.
“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.`John 3:16 (The Message)
So I`m sitting here on this Christmas Eve morning - in the quiet - remembering and being so grateful that I belong to His family and that I can experience the love of my family and friends this Christmas.
Merry
Christmas from Shalom Engedi Farm
I do agree with you! It will be much people in the house but also much fun and love. The greatest gift, yes, He came long ago! Nice that you all as the fsamily far away over seas, also are part of the fsmily thst started long ago because Christ chose to die for us all.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you all these days Anita, Hermen and your kids!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDelete