Christmas...Where to begin...wow...i can't comprehend the amount of love Christ has for us that He would leave His glorious heavenly home and come live among us depraved people, knowing many would laugh at him, many would spit on him, many would curse him, many would not believe him. he was disowned, hated, beat, and killed, but he loved us anyway. Why? I can't fully understand. He wanted to make a way for us to have a direct relationship with our Creator. he chose to have a relationship with us instead of perfect heavenly beings. how could i ever think i deserve anything at all? He deserves more than i could ever give him, so at least i can do my best to give all that i can, everything of me. why is that so hard? it doesn't make since. i can be so stupid. God's patience amazes me.
Christmas is my favorite time of year. Christmas eve is my favorite day of the year. This Christmas has been very different for me than any other.
Christmas eve morning i woke up before most people, so i watched Merry Christmas Charlie Brown for the second time. after reading a little bit, i attempted for the first time to make a chocolate chip pound cake for Jesus's birthday cake. Mama guided me through most of the steps. Then, mama, kristen, and i spent all morning in the kitchen together cooking food for christmas breakfast and lunch. That harmonious time together was priceless. We all knew this year that santa was our parents, the presents part was not a big part of this Christmas, it was the priceless things that made it so special. This seems fitting, since Christ, the first gift of Christmas, was priceless. after cooking and "straightening up the house" all morning, it was unofficial family exercise time. then time to get ready for our Christmas eve candlelight communion service. my favorite service of the year. my dad sang mary did you know, and my grandparents lit the Christ candle. Then we visited with some church family friends and headed home. once home, i put in The Christmas Box movie, and by the end, all my siblings were watching it with me. Then, what my family treasures, our homemade gift exchange. we drew names at thanksgiving, and we had to make a present for the person we drew. we dont buy gifts for everyone in our 7 people family, we make something for our one person. we like it this way. the picture is of kyle and me. he drew my name and sawed/carved/sanded/and crafted a picture frame for me. He spent so much time on it. I will always treasure it. mama made daddy a desert he really likes with icecream sandwiches and butterfingers. kristen made a pastel picture of a cat for ashley, ashley made a picture collage with a beaded merry christmas for mama, kevin made kristen a fishing rod out of a tree limb, i made kevin a desert treat he really likes and the promise of my time to have our lord of the rings movie marathon he asked to have with me, and daddy made kyle a "mama saver". it was funny. it involed a funnel and a tube set on a stand. guys can use the bathroom without lifting the seat and without splattering on the seat. yeah, thats my dad for ya. gotta love him. the time of being together and seeing the love put into the crafts was so special. kevin read luke 2. then, its early bedtime.
my grandparents arrived at 7:30, granddaddy said Merry Christmas and we all went into the den for gifts. i got a cassete tape with my granddaddy reading Green eggs and ham, we all listened to it. he is the best book reader i know. it's probably his last Christmas. then, my daddy helped mama make homemade buiscuits and we had real grits, breakfast casserole, and buscuits for breakfast. towards the end of breakfast, mama and daddy told us that Uncle Ted died. he is mama's uncle who is really the rest of her dad. he was the one who went to furman to tell my mama that her dad had died. Ted was an incredible man. he was a pastor, sub teacher, paper route guy, and i think something else. he was 61 and died of a heart attack while driving on christmas eve night. he was adored by so many, he loved so many, and always shone with Christ's love. he lived about 30 min. away from us.
then, we went to church. i wish christmas was always on a sunday. kyle, ashley, and i sang a song called "start at the manger and go to the cross". it was a very meaningful service. we ended with my favorite christmas song- go tell it on the mountain. then we visited and came home to cook a little, straighten up, and get ready for company. though there was hurting, we had each other, and were able to laugh and smile. granddaddy led us all in singing happy birthday, and then for the blessing, mama requested that me, kyle, and ashley sing the song we did at church. we couldn't really say no. this is getting long, but its almost over. the family time was great. pictures were constantly being taken. hugs were given. stories were shared. we were together and knew why and who we were celebrating. not every family has this blessing. after daddy's family left, we went to peggy's our "adopted grandma" and exchanged small gifts and had more chocolate chip pound cake (she makes it real good) and hot chocolate. she crochets us little snowflake ornaments every year. they cover our tree. then we came home. prayers would be greatly appreciated. mama just came and asked me to reply to a funeral prep. email with tears in her eyes. the next few days are viewings, funeral, burial stuff. its hard not to ask why? kyle and i were talking. we dont really know what to do. i cant seem to wrap my mind around the dead word. it was so unexpected and doesn't seem real. we've never had a close family member die in our lifetime. i guess that is a blessing right there. we are together though, and Christ is with us. how people get through this stuff without Christ i dont know. Christmas is a day set aside to especially remind us of the immensity of God's inexplainable love.
love you all, and let those you love know it, cause you never know when your last conversation with them will be.
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sorry this was a long one