Christmas Every Day

I love the Christmas season, don't you?  The carols, the sharing and laughing, the advent season, the gifts , the snow (maybe), the trees and decorations.  The lead up to Christmas is so palpable and we get so hyped up that sometimes on the day of Christmas , its a bit of a ...let down?  It seems just like every other day and then its over.  All the busyness and visiting and carols and singing and gift giving, its just over... and that seems... a bit of a downer.  I know that Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ and there is so much anticipation during Advent and that is good and proper, yet  ... maybe that sense of Christ's presence on earth with us should continue and be celebrated not just on one day, but everyday.  I know, I know, we can't be so busy with all the trimmings all the time, and that's ok.  I just want a sense of His presence with me  every day.  An open eye and heart to see Him in the people around me and see the miracle of Jesus love working through us.  You know... those God moments when you know you just received an amazing glimpse of God's presence here on earth as we serve each other.    Yah,, that's what I would like for Christmas, how about you?


 Reminder that we are having our Christmas Party this Thursday.  Hope you can all make it.

 We will also have an opportunity to support Ganene from Africa with some books for University as he has been accepted and received his visa to attend the Leadership Program at Trinity western University in BC.

Finally on another note:

Lynn H.  sent me a wonderful story to explain the 12 gifts of Christmas and I would like to share that with you:

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.  What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? This week, I found out. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. -The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. -Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. -Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.- -The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John. -The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament. -The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. -Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. -The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes. -Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. -The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments. -The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. -The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed. So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'