"What did you get for Christmas?"
Isn't that the question you get asked the most after Christmas, my brother Gabriel asked during Sunday morning service at his church in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago.
"What if you used that opportunity to share Christ?" he suggested.
"Emmanuel! I got Emmanuel for Christmas--Christ with us!"
What if that were your answer?
What a beautiful answer and intriguing thought!
Sam must have seen how intrigued I was with the charming lamp my brother Fain had made, following the ideas of my Uncle Rod who used to make these kinds of lamps in his spare time when he was Fain's age.
Sam sent my brother a check to pay for the lamp and the postage, and this gift arrived a couple days after Christmas.
I was sooo surprised and pleased!
Everything is miniature, even the toilet paper!
This would be a charming lamp to put you know where!
I wonder how long it took to do all this stone work for the miniature fence.
Crystal had to wrap her gifts not quite done, but she finished an apron apiece for each of her sisters and her mom within a couple days of Christmas, each with a different pattern for the pocket.
Mine was the heart! Thank you!
My parents and our family growing up never exchanged gifts for Christmas, as my parents felt that took away from the real meaning of Christmas, and we children still respect their feelings on that.
However, we don't let it deter us from giving them gifts at other times!
Gabriel's family traveled down the weekend after Christmas to spend three days with Mom and Dad.
They brought early birthday gifts to give, since both Dad's and Mom's birthdays are in January.
Mom will be turning 80 on January 27th, and Dad will be 84.
Mom received a lovely nightgown.
And Dad some warm pajamas. (I asked Gabriel to send me some pictures for a photo calendar.)
And warm socks.
They hardly ever buy themselves new anything!
It was a great experience to get to meet their newest granddaughter, Eliana. I believe this is Mom and Dad's 55th grandchild, besides four great grandchildren.
Grandpa and granddaughter
Gabriel named this picture below, "Mom's Love Station."
This is her desk where she makes lovely homemade cards from others' castaways, and where she writes letters. Lists of addresses and phone numbers hang here and there.
Gabriel's family raked and burned lots of leaves, gathered up fallen limbs, and cleaned for Mom and Dad. They ate several meals together.
The boys were getting antsy the last night they were there, so books were pulled from Mom's wonderful stash and she read to the boys for about an hour.
Many thanks to Gabriel for sharing some pictures of their time there.
Whether we celebrate Christmas with giving gifts or not,
the greatest gift is Jesus.
Emmanuel.
God with us.
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