Merry Christmas! It's the week of Christmas - some of the best time all year. I'm sitting in bed at my parents house. My child is asleep upstairs (yes, it's very hard to sleep on a different floor than him!), my husband is out watching Tron with my brother and our brother-in-law. I was puzzling (started the annual Christmas puzzle) while my sister TV-surfed, another sister is out with friends, the two other siblings are at their respective homes in Portland, and my parents have turned in for the night. Feels just like home. It's so funny how life goes on and things change... and yet so many things stay just exactly the same. Being in my childhood home is always homey, especially at Christmas. I love it.
The weeks before Christmas were unexpectedly very busy and stressful this year due to my new calling at church. My stress reached the not-sleeping-at-night-cause-I-can't-stop-thinking stage, which always means a few things need to change: pray more, do less, and let go of the details. Somehow everything got done... I'm so grateful for how the Lord just steps right in to help when I really turn to Him. And even though that wasn't what I was expecting this Christmas season, it really made it all the more Christmasy.
We want to tell of you how much we love and appreciate our relationships with you. Tyler and I spend so much of our conversation time talking about you: how you're doing, what you're doing and when we'll get to see you next. We receive so much joy from our associations with you and for that we are very grateful. Thank you!
We also want to say this Christmas that we believe with all of our hearts and souls that Jesus Christ really is the Savior of all mankind. He is our Redeemer from death and sin. Only through His atoning sacrifice can we enjoy eternal happiness, surrounded by our families in God's presence for the eternities. It is our conviction that Jesus really did come to early as a divinely conceived baby boy, who grew and learned whilst living a perfect life and teaching the truths of God. He established His church and then suffered in Gethsemane and died for us on Calvary. Then He rose again - in a perfected body of flesh and bones, never to die again. We testify that He still lives. He is active in our lives today - especially as we invite Him to be. My personal relationship with the Savior is one of the most precious gems of life. We are so happy to celebrate His birth this week.
May each of you have a blessed and wonderful Christmas celebration. We love you!
We liked your card a lot! And, what is your new calling? Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletewhat's the new calling?
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love being at home with family for Christmas? So comfy and cozy! I'm so glad I live close(r) to you guys now! When shall we get together? :)
ReplyDeleteYour response to I-can't-sleep-at-night-because-of-my-calling is exactly right. So wise for a daughter so young. Don't forget that. You will need that again in the future.
ReplyDeletelove, Dad