Merry Christmas

Well, here it is Christmas Eve. I am a little blue this morning thinking about my Grandma Dreffs. We always went to Grandma's Christmas eve. It is difficult to not be a little sad that those days are only memories now. I can picture the house, the tree with all those gifts beneath, Dad, Mom, Rob, Mark, Aunt Bernice, Uncle Ron, Aunt Doreen, and Uncle Lew. The food, enough to feed and army, had a family in need come to the door we could have fed them and still had leftovers. The carols would play and we would eat, drink, and be merry. Grandma was all about the love, the food, and the gifts for the kids. If we were happy she was happy. I miss her an awful lot. In thinking of Christmas at her home, I am also missing the rest of my family. My dad who passed almost 17 years ago, my brothers who are with their families and their wives families for Christmas, and my mom who is enjoying time with the three grandkids, Rob & Narci. Oh, I am happy that they are with their families and it is the natural order of things......but holidays all together are superlative.

I know tomorrow we will be with Todd's family enjoying the holidays. There will be food, gifts, laughter, and family. We will miss his brother's family as they live in another state. Like my brother they were home in the summer for a visit.


And we know the truth as wonderful as it is to all be together for the holidays, somehow there seems to always be a little bickering or someone goes too far with teasing. The kids get crabby as the adults take way to long to allow them to open their gifts. One kid decides to touch anothers toy and the wailing begins. That is the reality but who would trade that for all the world. Even with bruised feelings, crying children, and the tension and mayhem that sometimes rules a family gathering we tend to remember the best parts of the holidays and one another in the years to come. We know how fortunate we are to have loved ones to spend the holidays, some people are not as fortunate.

So as I sit here feeling a little melancholy, well my Grandma is not here to do it, I have to smile that I am blessed to have family. We will be with Todd's family tomorrow (please nasty weather hold off). We will be with my family for New Years Day. I pray this next year brings favor and blessings galore.

I think we also must say a prayer for all those who are lonely and without close family and friends to celebrate. Some of these people have outlived their friends and family, others are homeless, and still others have family who does not take the time to see them. We pray they have peace this holiday, that someone takes a moment to show them a kindness, and that they have food for their bellies and a pillow for their head. We pray for those who have fallen on hard times especially with children. That they will have a service organization or a neighbor bring them food and toys, and that the New Year brings them a new job. To all those men and women serving their country in far off lands, we pray for peace, we pray for your safety, and we pray for your family back home.

To all of you may " The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you , and give you peace." (Num 6:24-26)
In Jesus' Name we pray.

God Bless and Merry Christmas!!