Christmas Blessing to You All!
It really is the day before Christmas! Where has this month flown to! Remember when we were kids, how we thought Christmas would NEVER come!
The gifts are wrapped and sent, the tree looks so pretty and everyone has their lights up. We had some really cool nights this week...reminded me of being home in Vermont with the north wind whipping around every unsheltered corner. Our evening stroll in coats and hats and even mittens became a brisk walk. As we met others on their nightly strolls, we passed on by with a brief greeting, no lingering to visit this time. We did get our first frost that night. That was Friday, today is a pleasant 68 degrees just after noontime.
Baking day for me. I made some loaves of Grammie Richardson's Cranberry bread to give to my neighbors and friends tonight. Then made 4 doz. dinner rolls to take to our Sunshine family dinner tomorrow. They just came out of the oven.... can't you just smell that fresh baked bread aroma? Oh yes, you are probably enjoying that very same wonderful aroma in your kitchen today. I will make the Raisin sauce in the morning. We are having ham this year for dinner and we are used to having the raisin sauce with it. Nobody here does that so guess it's up to me. It does make a hit and usually there isn't much left.
Church yesterday was a real blessing. The choir is so very good and the pastor's sermon was very moving and thought provoking. He spoke of the meaning of Peace, 'The absence of conflict, strife and hostility'. And the meaning of the word Shalom which is not just peace but is 'the presence of the goodness of God'. The presence of wholeness, health, harmony, completeness, contentment... basically...friendship with God.
He spoke of Malachi 4:2 where the prophet tells that the coming Messiah would have 'healing' in His wings. The Greek word 'wings' or Kanaf, meant the border of His garment. We then fast-forwarded many years to Luke 8: 43-48 to the story of the woman who believed Jesus was the Messiah. She battled the crowds just to be able to touch the "hem of His garment, the Kanaf" and she was immediately healed. And how Jesus told her to "Go in peace.....Shalom". We were reminded that God wants to make us into the people we were originally created to be. He has greater plans for us than we do for ourselves!
Tonight I will go to the candle lighting Christmas Eve service and maybe afterward to a gathering at Sunshine Hall.... or maybe just enjoy being home. I am looking forward to a visit via Skype tomorrow with my family back home in Vermont. I am so glad they can gather together at this precious time of the year.
Dennis and I and Lizzie too wish you all a very Blessed and Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year !
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