the Grabers: Christmas celebrations

Friday, December 20, 2024

Christmas celebrations

The birth of Christ is a reason to celebrate! Really it's a big deal! After all, it is His birthday! (Except, He probably was born in late fall, not December 25.) When I realize it really is one of the most important parties we can prepare for, it makes me think differently about decorating; not dreading it but looking at how to make my home inviting for the month long anticipation of Christmas Day. Several of the young moms go all out for their kids' birthdays. Well, Jesus' birthday is even more important!! We used to make a birthday cake for Him and sing "Happy Birthday"!

It took me 3 days to finish. I can't do things like I used to as I move at a little slower pace and peter out easier. But the house finally came together. Some of my friends have gone to a table top Christmas tree and a couple other decorations. That will be me one day. But not this year.

My neighbor and I went for a walk in the woods and picked up a few branches. The birch limbs were from our tree and the berries from our holly.

My mother gave me the creche that we had in Japan when I was little. The horses ears are broken. I think I played with them quite a bit.

I don't purchase new decorations any more - at least not much, but I couldn't resist the JOY plaque to put in the stairwell.

"There is JOY in His Presence forevermore!" - Psalm 16:11

Allen and I worked on our annual Christmas letter and addressed a lot of cards.

Our children at church had a sweet program on Sunday morning.

My young mother's Bible study had our Christmas party. Everyone brought a treat to share.

I gave a little devotional about snow. I was inspired from an article by Christopher Asmus, lead pastor at Vertical Church in St. Paul. Did you know that snow is purposed by God to glorify Him and to "do His bidding"?

Job 37:6 "He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'"

Psalm 147:16 "He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes." That is so poetic!

Snow visibly reminds us that our sins have been covered by "winter-white grace" through Jesus' blood-red cross.

"Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool."

Isaiah 1:18

Then when Daniel saw the Ancient of Days, he noted that His clothing was white as snow (Daniel 7:9) and Jesus' own disciples saw Jesus at the transfiguration and were struck by His radiant, dazzling brightness! Next time you are driving along and the snow is so blinding, let it remind you of Christ! Pastor Asmus says "Preach it, snow!"

"The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow." Revelation 1:14 Share these things with your children and grandchildren!

We made snow pretzels.

We played a snowman game.

Everyone had brought gifts to exchange. Each girl received a snowflake card and I put a different snowflake on her gift. When it came time to exchange gifts, they had to find the gift with the snowflake that matched what they had.

I gave each one a glass snowflake ornament.

Our church has a women's gathering each quarter and this month it was a Christmas party.

There were 4 of us who shared about a Christmas hymn and what it meant to us. The song I shared about was Silent Night. And how it wasn't a silent night.

If you want to watch it, you can do so.

Last weekend we went "home" to Pretty Prairie to have our siblings Christmas party. Because Allen's youngest brother was sick, we couldn't go to the house Al grew up in as planned, but our nephew and wife opened up their home to us.

They have incredible views of both sunrises and sunsets!

They live on the original family farm that the Graber ancestor's built their home on when they came to America. This house burned down in the 70s, unfortunately. I remember it though.