I can’t believe today is already the Sunday before Christmas. This year has literally flown by. We are nearing the beginning of a new decade of 2020, but first we pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus, God’s eternal gift to us. Our children and teenagers at CLC will present a special Christmas musical at all three services today. That is always a great time of worship and celebration; filled with the hope of a new generation of believers.
As always, this year has presented me with blessings and trials. As I get older, it seems the blessings far outnumber the hardships and challenges. I think that might be because I appreciate the blessings, large and small, more than ever and my attention is focused on them instead of my pain and limitations. I miss my sweet wife of five decades and I will every day until I join her in heaven, but I am not at all alone or depressed. God’s Spirit within me and the thoughts and prayers of those I love will not allow it.
Christmas isn’t until Wednesday this year, but I have already received cards and presents in the mail, which I ripped open immediately like a child on Christmas morning. At my age, I love to receive gift cards. I have $100 worth of them for my favorite store and restaurant so far with another one on its way in the mail. I also received a very generous amount of cash that was transferred to my PayPal account. All of that will be put to good use, but a present I am looking forward to opening on Christmas day is a quart of BarBQ pork from my home town of Evansville, Indiana, where they know how to do BarBQ you all! That is a Christmas dinner I am really looking forward to.
My caregiver and sister in Christ will be here for six hours on Christmas Eve to make sure I am comfortable and prepared for the holiday. I look forward to her visits and all that she does for me. God is good and He has been so good to me. I just wanted to share what is happening in my life in this blog post and wish everyone reading this a blessed Merry Christmas with family and friends. Cherish every precious moment with them as you remember the gift from God of that baby in a manger; the son of God who became a man so that we might become God’s children too. Bless you all.