Wow! Guess I let myself fall into that "busy" track and have neglected to post here in awhile. So sorry if there really is anyone out there trying to stay caught up on the family, and I haven't made the time to update. Last time, I mentioned the "Christmas Tree" hunt; well I did take a Monday off from school a week or so later. Dear Bride wasn't scheduled to work, so we dropped the kids at school and headed up to my folks. We had found a potential tree that was easy to get to during our Thanksgiving strolls. It had obvious landmarks nearby so was easy to locate again, and it still looked to be a very promising candidate for "Beautiful Christmas Tree '08." We gave it one more lookover and decided it was the one, abruptly chopped and sawed a bit, drug it up a slight hill to the truck, tossed it in the bed, and proceeded the remaining half mile to Mom and Dad's house. We were just in time for lunch --tasty leftover meat and potatoes, as I recall. Even had time for a good visit with the folks before needing to leave so we could retrieve our son from school after Speech practice. What a good day with family!
"Beautiful Tree '08" is now secured snugly into its brass stand, draped randomly with a twinkly kaleidoscope of colored lights, and proudly occupying half of our living room. Yes, it's a very full tree. We have yet to hang our pretty and fun ornaments to complete the tree decorating, but plan to get to that soon. Remarkably, the entire process seemed a bit too simple this year; no several mile trek in our searching, no binding on saw blade, or misplaced axe strokes complicating the severing of the tree from its stump. The drag back to the pickup was the shortest its been in years, and it fit into the pickup bed without a fuss, and the rope for securing it in for the haul back home was right where I thought it was. It did stay in the pickup for a few days, but I had taken it from the pickup and laid it in the yard the morning before we planned to bring it in that evening. A winter snowfall began that day, but I was able to get the tree inside before it was caked with wet snow, and I only had to remove one round of boughs and saw off the trunk once, having it be just the right height when I first stood it up. There wasn't even any repeated adjustment with the tree stand needed this year; I twisted each clamp screw in only once, and when my faithful assistant --dear bride-- released her grasp on the tree, it stood reasonably straight and quite secure all by itself. Quite the blessing! God does reveal His deep and personal care for us in remarkable, yet simple ways, doesn't he? We praise Him for his "mysterious ways."
Speaking of "Praising Him," our daughter's high-school choir concert on Thursday was truly a beautiful display of musical praise to the Messiah of Christmas. The five choir groups combined with the school orchestra for the program and it was lovely and engaging from beginning to end. Choral selections were interspersed with orchestral pieces as each group performed a captivating array of seasonal music --much of it sacred pieces-- culminating with all 100+ voices joining with the orchestra to the jubilant strains of the Hallelujah Chorus. It was indeed a powerful and moving performance. And, so cool, the true meaning of Christmas was proudly proclaimed in a public school Christmas program. We are so proud of the precious daughter! She sang beautifully throughout both performances, and she sings with such joy and expression that it is jolly fun to watch her.
Our family all participated in "praising Him" at our advent service at church on Wednesday evening as well. The service used many Christmas carols and Bible readings to tell the Christmas story as the Sunday School children portrayed the events, and joined in with cute actions to a few of the simpler hymns. Lovely bride played the piano for the liturgy, and both she and daughter sang with the choir helping to lead the singing, while son and I took turns narrating. It went well, and was a worshipful and meaningful service.
Son was at an out-of-town Speech Meet last weekend, and had a college application interview in the same city the next morning, so we decided to drive there to meet up with him and stay overnight. Our winter weather hadn't been too wintry here until that Saturday, when it decided to snow a bunch and get very cold. So our drive in the dark that evening was somewhat stressful, being uncertain of the road conditions, and hoping to make it to the school to retrieve our son before the team was ready to come home on the bus. God was with us though, and we had no travel troubles from ice or snow, and made it to the town just in time. The interviewer met son in the hotel lobby the next morning and they chatted over breakfast. We enjoyed swimming in the pool and soaking in the jacuzzi hot tub for a couple hours before we drove home on Sunday. It was a cold (-5) day but bright and sunny. Driving conditions were reasonably safe and definitely nicer in the daylight, so we sailed home easily. Always adventures to be had, and we are so blessed having a loving Lord who guides and protects us through all our adventurous moments.
We are all mightily grateful that vacation is here. As you may be able to deduce, the last few weeks have been jam packed with many activities, homework, preparations, practices. . . sleep deprivation. We do need a respite, and how wondrous that not only can we find it in the less-ordered, less-demanding days of a vacation schedule, but we can find it in the gift of the Christmas babe that God sent to our needy world, setting us free from all the stresses and strains of our sin-sickened lives, and offering us true Hope, certain Peace, and eternal Joy in Him. He is truly our respite, our "resting place." During this too-often too-busy time, may we all strive to find our rest in the Joy, Peace, Hope, and Love that Jesus, the Savior of the World, so freely gives --the best Christmas gift ever.
God bless you all abundantly this Christmas!
