The Christmas that Bible Study Made

I've been quiet for the past few weeks, because life simply fell into the normal.  The girls settled quickly into school, fall sports finished and winter sports began and life regained a standard routine again - and with remarkable speed!

But the Christmas season has reminded us that we're not living in our home.  After a lovely Thanksgiving with friends, it felt rather sad to look upon the Christmas season and see such a stark landscape.  We essentially live in a hotel, and everything in the apartment is brand new.  We value each of these things for what they are, but Christmas is more about tradition and warmth and we were looking at an apartment that felt sterile and cold.

I asked the ladies in Bible Study to pray for an abundance of blessings for our family this Christmas season, and not only did they pray but they also organized.  These women loaned us a creche, cookie cutters and Christmas tree lights;  someone sent us to chop down a Christmas tree on a gift certificate.  Another woman brought her kids over to help our kids make homemade ornaments.  Our home feels warm and cozy, full of brightness and light - each item with a real person behind it.

They did literally deliver little bits of Christmas to us.  But they also prayed, and we have been provided a lovely Advent.  Lilly will perform in the nativity pageant on Christmas Eve, making the whole afternoon feel festive for our family.  And after the pageant, another family from church will follow us home for a turkey feast and lots of Christmas cookies and movies until all of the children need to go to sleep.  Our family will wake up Christmas to Santa's deliveries - of which there are many this year, with so many things honestly needing to be replaced.  We will feast later in the day and enjoy a cozy Christmas Day in a very festive, cozy and warm home.

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas to all - it certainly is in our home!