Christmas Day

Today has been a great Christmas!! This month at Eden Church the messages have been all about having the best Christmas ever. Well, today certainly makes the list of best Christmases. Christina and I left her house at 8 a.m. this morning and arrived at my home at 9:30. We opened gifts at around 10:30. It seems as though we had fewer packages this year, but in reality, I think that we had more gifts but they were in smaller boxes. Some great gifts:

• My brother Aaron received: toilet cleaner (he is a bachelor who lives like one), gift cards, a fire exting., and a few other things.
• Dad got a a few DVDs and I gave him a gift card to Borders because I forgot the books he wanted.
• Mom got a new angel for the top of the tree from Christina and I; a biography on Condelizza Rice from me; A candle from Christina; a DVD from dad; a calendar from Aaron; and some other stuff.
• Christina received: A computer game from me; a book from me; some clothes from Mom; a stereo from Dad; I got her several other nice things. This year we started our Christmas Village. Mom got Christina and I several new accessories for our village.
• Here's the run down of what I got: From Chrissy-- The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren, The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a blanket she crocheted for me ( I LOVE IT!), a DVD, and a bunch of other things; from Mom-- a Hallmark ornament, a few books, some clothes, including a new dress shirt which I desperately needed, and a few other things one would expect from their mother. Dad got me a gift card to JC Penney's and Aaron got me a gift card to Olive Garden and a new wireless Internet router. Yea! Now I can surf from the comfort of by couch or bed. Gee... Could I get any more lazy?!

We had a great home-made meal today at 2 PM. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, home-made 12 grain bread, corn-cornbread casserole, and a green bean casserole. An older couple who are very dear family friends (the lady was my baby sitter and is like another grandmother) came down and gave us a wonderful home made red velvet cake. Awesome.

As I write this, surrounded by the lights and loved ones watching Christmas movies, I can not help but feel very blessed. At the same time, keep thinking about others. My mind keeps going back to the first family we took a food basket to a few weeks ago. My heart just keeps breaking for them. I had no idea that they would be gone the next day. The youngest girl of those three (who couldn't be more than 4 yrs old) told us, "Thanks for all the presents!" The oldest, who was probably 8 said, "Look, mom! There's more!"

I'm not rich. If I didn't still live at home, I'd be way below the poverty level. But, I am so blessed. God has given me so much. I am so very grateful for His Son Jesus, my Forgiver and Leader. That is the greatest gift of all. But on a more earthly level, I am so blessed. These people who go without. I don't mean going without getting the latest I POD or going without a new PlayStation 3 or what ever. There are people going with out food and shelter and love and peace, and people who are going to hell without Christ Jesus. We are called to be the Church, the body of Christ, but how often are we reaching out to others with the Love of God?

I am really praying that God will richly bless that family. I want to see them accept Christ and get back on their feet.

Merry Christmas to All!