Last night was the annual Christmas Party at our house. Yea, it was a little late this year. We knew that going in, but with all the other commitments and children's athletic events, we had little choice. This year December seemed to fill up incredibly fast.
We invited the usual twenty five to thirty folks, but only a handful were able to attend. As it turned out, though, that gave us ample opportunity to talk to people for more than just a minute hear and there. That was a blessing in several ways. First, the majority of the people in attendance were our neighbors. Although we have lived here for four years now, building relationships with the neighbors has been difficult. We have managed to start a little with some, but not so much with others. Last night gave us opportunity do do a little better and I am thankful for that. We also invited some folks from church that we have not really done anything with. They came as well, and we got to know them better. What a joy it is to open our home and have others over to share.
Today, we will attend morning and evening church services. It has become our tradition to go to the Christmas Eve service as a family. After the service, we return to the house and exchange "Stoking Gifts." we made a conscious decision not do do the Santa thing with our kids. That has also been a blessing. The giving of the Stoking Gifts on Christmas Eve ties in nicely with the message of Christmas. It allows us to express our joy of giving and receiving in light of the most precious gift of all, Jesus Christ. Additionally, it takes a lot of pressure off of Christmas morning and allows time for other family to join us for a grand gift opening time together.
Its time to get ready for church, so I'll wrap this up. Merry Christmas! Praise God for the gift of His Son, that He might call us to Himself saving us by his grace and blessing us in His mercy.
