This Christmas was very, very special!
A dream came true for Jonathan and me!
We were blessed to have a Hindu family originally from India and Malaysia to celebrate our Christian Christmas with our family!
You can see them to the left of the table. And on the right are mutual friends, the Tapios, who first met Gaya before she was married, when both she and Mr. Tapio were working at the famous Broadmoor Hotel here in Colorado Springs.
A few weeks ago, Gaya was yearning to spend Christmas with a big family, and begged if they could spend Christmas with us
just at the same time that we were getting ready to invite them!
So we knew God was working it out!
So--that is the little story behind the way a beautiful lady in a gorgeous Indian sari
and her professional husband and beautiful little daughter and three friends
arrived at the humble Lucas ranch on a Christmas morning, 2017!
At the table we learned more about their lives. Both Gaya and Dan Tapio have been used to working at the Broadmoor, a 5-star hotel, so it was kind of interesting, I'm sure, for Gaya to come into Anna Lucas's home and kitchen where things are very humble and lowly!
She was such an energetic help in the kitchen.
Outdoors after dinner, Rose gave horse rides to the little girls.
Mr. Tapio took a turn.
Gaya's husband, Makesh, a professional wrestler, took his first horse ride ever!
Indoors, Gaya shared stories of her life with us, times when she prayed in desperation to God.
"I believe there is a God," she said. "And I think He heard me because things changed after that!"
"He did hear you,"I agreed, hugging her as I listened in awe to God answering the prayers of this little mother.
"God is real!" I told her.
Later, we had some music. Gaya's little girl wants to learn piano, and Hannah and Crystal were helping her learn a little ditty.
Carrie played her violin on "The Birthday of a King," then played her piano solo.
Jonathan said Gaya's face was beaming as the girls played.
Then Crystal, Hannah and I sang, "O Come Little Children" in medley with "Isn't He Wonderful?"
The gospel comes through in that song of praise to our Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.
It seemed that God's presence settled near as the Christian song came to an end with soft and reverent, "Wonderful, beautiful Jesus!"
And so His name was exalted in song in a lowly Christian home on Christmas Day--
together with friends from a faraway nation.
Not preaching, not pushing, not pressuring--just singing and worshiping our King Jesus together.
And of all the years for me to decide to decorate our Christmas tree with blue and silver!
Gaya said that is the colors she uses to decorate! They talked a lot about our tree we got from the mountains.
We discussed the lessons we learned in the mountains as we hunted for the "perfect tree,"
about imperfect reality versus fake perfection, and about how much better two trees look together than just one spindly one, just like how a husband and wife can balance each other's weaknesses out.
Gaya and Makesh added thoughts of their own to the discussion.
"This is one of the happiest Christmases we ever had," Makesh said as everyone hugged all around before they left.
"The happiest one!" he decided.
just at the same time that we were getting ready to invite them!
So we knew God was working it out!
So--that is the little story behind the way a beautiful lady in a gorgeous Indian sari
and her professional husband and beautiful little daughter and three friends
arrived at the humble Lucas ranch on a Christmas morning, 2017!
She was such an energetic help in the kitchen.
Outdoors after dinner, Rose gave horse rides to the little girls.
Mr. Tapio took a turn.
Gaya's husband, Makesh, a professional wrestler, took his first horse ride ever!
"I believe there is a God," she said. "And I think He heard me because things changed after that!"
"He did hear you,"I agreed, hugging her as I listened in awe to God answering the prayers of this little mother.
"God is real!" I told her.
Later, we had some music. Gaya's little girl wants to learn piano, and Hannah and Crystal were helping her learn a little ditty.
Jonathan said Gaya's face was beaming as the girls played.
Then Crystal, Hannah and I sang, "O Come Little Children" in medley with "Isn't He Wonderful?"
The gospel comes through in that song of praise to our Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God.
It seemed that God's presence settled near as the Christian song came to an end with soft and reverent, "Wonderful, beautiful Jesus!"
together with friends from a faraway nation.
Not preaching, not pushing, not pressuring--just singing and worshiping our King Jesus together.
And of all the years for me to decide to decorate our Christmas tree with blue and silver!
Gaya said that is the colors she uses to decorate! They talked a lot about our tree we got from the mountains.
We discussed the lessons we learned in the mountains as we hunted for the "perfect tree,"
about imperfect reality versus fake perfection, and about how much better two trees look together than just one spindly one, just like how a husband and wife can balance each other's weaknesses out.
Gaya and Makesh added thoughts of their own to the discussion.
"This is one of the happiest Christmases we ever had," Makesh said as everyone hugged all around before they left.
"The happiest one!" he decided.
What a gift God gave us all this Christmas!
How thrilling for you to be able to share Christmas with this Hindu family! I know God blessed you for it, and THEY will cherish the memory of the time spent in your happy Christian home. The Holy Spirit is working even now in their lives, wooing them to Christ.
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