Friday, December 25, 2009

Christmas 2009

Wow. Well there are many things that we will remember and celebrate regarding Christmas 2009. Where do I begin?

Let's start with, I got up at 6:30am. My wife was already up and about. This is the first time in 23 years that I was not the first one awake on Christmas day.

Snow. A lot of snow. So much snow that for the first time in 25 years, we are not going to Cathy's parents for Christmas day.

Snow. I have to get down the shovel. By the way, if you want your driveway shoveled, I have an 18 year old son that is looking for work. 373-1525.

Services last night. Well, we had them. All six of them. Yes attendance was off, but not really that much. Cumulatively on the day, we still had just over 2,000 people in worship. The music was beautiful, the atmosphere was electric. Everyone that made the extra effort to attend will surely remember the Christmas eve of 2009. Regarding the message, one of my kids came up to me afterwards and said with tears, "Dad, I so needed to hear that." Well it doesn't get any better than that.

Today. Watch the news. Listen to Christmas music. Wait for the kids to wake up. [isn't that a switch. When they are little, they are in your room at 5am trying to get you up on Christmas day. Now at age 18, 20 and 22, they may sleep til 11:oo.] What else today. Shovel the sidewalk. Eat the food. Eat some more. Take a nap. Watch the movie, the Christmas story. Give thanks to God for the many many blessings.

I want to take a moment to wish each of you the Merriest of Christmases. The kind of Christmas that will last beyond today and stretch into tomorrow and the rest of the year. You and Jesus, with something really good going on. God's love, pouring into your heart, and a year filled with love pouring into you and out thru you to others.

Merry Christmas!

It is a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

3 comments:

petro said...

Jeff:

Thank you for a wonderful sermon. There is a song out there that says if you strike one match in the dark, you change the world. Each one of us needs to be that light.

Thank Alli for her song, it was awesome.

Last night was so typical of 2009. It was tough this year for so many, but like last night, if you made the effort, He does reward you. He is not the God of just good enough, but the God of everything we need, want, and deserve.

May you and everyone else find peace in the coming year.

God bless you all.

Be of Good Cheer!

Bill

Anonymous said...

Jeff, I didn't feel safe coming out on the ice last night so missed the services. Made me sad not to have been there. I'm always moved to tears during Silent Night. May God continue to bless you and yours. Betty

Anonymous said...

Just wanted you to know....

Because of our grandson's age, we had intended to go to either the 4:00 or 5:30 p.m. service. Due to the realization that these two services would be very, very crowded, we elected to take the family to the 10:00 a.m. service, instead.

I can honestly say that we were pleasantly surprised to see what a beautiful service this has become. The lights were low, the sanctuary was lit beautifully, the stained-glass windows were beautiful as the daylight fell through them, the music was very sweet and inspirational...and it was quite well-attended, to our surprise. (This could have been in part due to the forecast but also asking those attending the 4 and 5:30 to worship in either the Lecture Hall or Fellowship Hall might have encouraged more to attend the 10 a.m.) Regardless, it was a beautiful service, very much like the evening services as far as lighting, but with the advantage of having the daylight coming through the stained-glass windows.

You mentioned that one of your children said your message was "just what I needed to hear" or something to that idea. I agree. This is a message that I welcomed that morning sitting there with our daughter and family. Thank you.

Beautiful service. Wish we could have heard Alli sing. Sorry we missed it.

M.A.