Christmas 2014

This year around Christmas,

I was not feeling so "Christmasy".

The weather had been so hot and dry.

Still the rains did not come.

I am one who loves to decorate my home.

It is so fun to put out all of the Christmas things that remind me 

of home, family, and Christmases past.

This year was a bit different.

I had nothing to use (everything is still in South Africa in storage).

Thankfully, my dear friends at the plant nursery

lent me this 2 foot high tree, which I decorated with handmade things 

(from seed pods found in the bush, toilet paper tubes, 

paint, washi tape, and glitter).

It still didn't feel like Christmas,

until I found the above nativity.

That was what was missing.

I collect nativities, but this one meant alot more to me 

because I had nothing else.

~~~

Over the last few weeks, 

as I have been working on the Christmas program with the children,

the Lord impressed on my heart the grand joy that surrounded 

the birth of the Christ-child.

The shepherds and angels gave glory to God.

The Bible says that even the rocks and hills cry out.

Every week, I would go home after hearing the kids sing-

"Joy to the world,

the Saviour reigns,

let men their songs employ;

while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,

repeat their sounding joy,

repeat their sounding joy,

repeat, repeat their sounding joy,"

I began to listen more closely to the sounds of nature around me.

The bleating of the sheep,

the wind in the trees,

the bird's song,

the tree frogs,...

all repeating the sounding joy of my Saviour!

My Christmas Eve this year was not different

than that night so long ago when the Saviour came to earth.

As I sat around the table with new "Church family & friends",

there were sounds of laughter and joy. 

Conversations of the Lord's goodness to us and our thankfulness for God sending His Son to earth were the praises sounding joy from our lips.

IBC Ladies group singing "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"

Christmas Day began with a breakfast with friends

and then we headed over to church for Christmas Service.

After service, we went back to share gifts, eat delicious leftovers, 

and just spend some time together (I even took a nap!).

I hope that you too had a very MERRY CHRISTMAS

filled with joy for the Saviour's birth!

Luke 2:10-11

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, 

I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord."