A party, peppernuts, and presence (and presents too!)

 Sunday morning started out a little foggy.

 We went to church in the morning and then took a nap before heading out to Al's sister's house.  Our extended family Christmas was in Little River this year.

 Many of the family were not able to come.  It gets harder as the family gets larger.  Ashley and Chris were there from Texas!

 James and Katie brought their dog along.

She is a real beaut.  I don't much care for dogs - have had one too many attacks in my life - but she was very sweet and I even petted her a few times!   She was always right by you if you had any food at all.  She even enjoys raw carrots!

Julie had some games for us to play.  Like Name that tune.  Not where you play part of it on the piano until someone guesses it, but a phrase from a Christmas song was given and you had to guess what song it was.  For example, if it was "the silent stars go by", what song is that? 

(Seems like Chris has given up.)



  It is "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem".   Gayle won the game and received a little prize.

 Julie had told us to bring a pair of socks that had been wrapped.  Then she read a Christmas story that had the words "Left" and "Right" in it.  If she said either of those words, you had to pass the gift right or left.  At the end, you kept the gift that you ended up with.

A fun family time!

On Christmas Eve day, Al had to work at the hospital.  I did some house cleaning since our kids are coming this week.  Then I ran to a shop downtown to use up a $5 off coupon that would expire that day.  The aroma of this place!  Lots of peppernuts or pfeffernuesse cooking!

 If you make these German little Christmas cookies at home, most people do not have an automated machine.  It takes lots of time to roll them out and cut them.  My daughter and granddaughter made some!

When Jill asked me for a recipe, well, there are lots of different ones from the several Mennonite cookbooks I have.  But I knew I could trust Ruth's recipe!  She was the BEST Mennonite cook!

When I got home it was time to watch our kids on-line!  Our daughter's family were having 3 Christmas Eve services in Wisconsin and at 2 of them, there was a prelude before the service, where several from the congregation either sang or did instrumentals.  Their family played "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".   LOVE that we can watch even though we are miles away!!  Maybe they will perform for us at our family Christmas!

Jill also did a piano trio piece and Adam her her both accompanied other groups.

This Christmas Eve, a couple of Al's co-workers had invited us to their church for services there, so we went off to Wichita.  

It was a pretty amazing service!  The invitation to accept Christ was compelling and my prayer is that many gave their lives to Him.  Wouldn't Christmas take on a totally different meaning?  Emmanuel - Christ with us.  Not just about Santa and gifts under a tree,  No.  That is not what it is about at all.  Christianity is NOT about trying to be good and hope that God accepts you.  He gave His life for you - what a gift!! - and loves you so very much.  It doesn't matter if you don't think you aren't good enough.  None of us are!  Christ came into the world to save sinners!  Accept that He loves you!  That Baby came to die for you and take that penalty for you.  We cannot get to heaven on our own merit.

I wasn't sure any restaurants were open Christmas Eve, but there were!  We chose Red Rock Canyon, one of our favorites and they were busy!!  We shared a delicious meal and still had some to bring home.  

Afterwards we drove around town looking at Christmas lights.

When we got home, we watched our church's Christmas Eve show on-line.

"We celebrate the Light that penetrated the dark world."

He is the Light of the World!

And today is Christmas.

Our Christmas will be celebrated later this week after all the children arrive from the north, the east and the west!   We can celebrate the coming of  the Lord any time of the year, not just today!   (His real birthday wasn't this particular day anyway.  The shepherds were out in the field and that would have been anytime between end of April and end of September). 

 He came for each of us.  Jesus changed history!  Can you imagine this world if Jesus had not come?    That was my reading in "Streams in the Desert" today.  Read it here.

“Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.” —Matt 1:23

There is no better gift than to have Him with me!  Always!

He never leaves us nor forsakes us!!

His present is His presence!