This is an excerpt from my writings about our early years in the ministry...when we had moved all the way to Ohio from Florida so my husband could attend seminary...and we were a very long way from home for Christmas....and a bit homesick (at least I was...don't think the rest of the family even noticed!)
“I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas…”
Psalm 145: 15-16
“The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food
in due season. You open Your hand and
satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
Our first Christmas so far away from home was on its way. Although we were happy in our home and our
work, and John was doing well in Seminary, we missed being near our family for
the holidays. We had managed to get
through Thanksgiving by being with other families in our church. But Christmas was different…everyone had
their own extended families to be with and we really didn't want to intrude on
that. We had met another Pastor and
family at a conference who also were far away from their own relatives. So we
invited them to come have Christmas dinner with us. They accepted the invitation very
graciously.
Christmas morning arrived cold and gray. The forecast did not call for snow, but
possibly just rain and dreariness! I was
a bit disappointed because I had really been looking forward to having a white
Christmas. But we put on the Christmas
music, opened our gifts, and I started getting ready for our company to arrive
before noon for dinner. Around 11:00
a.m. the phone rang, and it was our guests calling to tell us that their
children had awakened with the flu, and they would not be able to travel to our
home after all! Talk about disappointed!
Of course I understood their situation and certainly did not want them
to travel to our house when they were sick, but now what were we going
to do? I just couldn’t imagine having
Christmas Dinner alone! I was having myself quite a pity party as I started slamming pots and pans around in the
kitchen and putting back the good china and pretty dishes I had planned to use
to serve our guests.
John and the boys
were perfectly happy, perhaps even relieved!
They really did not want to have to clean up the living room and put away
their new toys to make room for strangers!
I realized that I was the only one who wanted to have company
anyway!
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| John and the boys in their jammies, enjoying Christmas morning...showing off their new headgear and toy guns. |
As the hot tears stole down my cheeks, I stood staring out the bay
window in our dining room, feeling very sorry for myself. Suddenly I noticed something different
outside our window…something white and light and fluffy descending out of the
sky! It was snowing! The snow came down haltingly at first, and
then in a great flurry of excitement it started accumulating on the windowsill
and the ground! It was beautiful and
clean and bright, and my whole countenance lit up as I began to sing and dance
and clap my hands in pure joy at this delightful turn of events! We were having
a white Christmas after all! I danced back into the kitchen and started getting
the good china and silverware back out of the cupboard, and setting the table
with the prettiest things I could find!
I realized that my own precious family was the most special and deserved
to have the best Christmas ever! I
started singing Christmas Carols and soon the whole family joined in. As we gathered around the table that
Christmas Day we celebrated with the true Spirit of Christmas in our hearts!
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| Christmas Dinner...boys still in jammies, but we have the candles lit, and the good china set out! |
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| John and boys waiting to start eating! "Could we dispense with the pictures already?" John seems to be saying... |
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| And after dinner was over...there I am, out enjoying the beautiful snow! |
“Joy to the
World! The Lord is come; Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart
prepare Him room, and heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature
sing, and heaven, and heaven and nature sing!”
So...all's well that ends well...we had a perfect
Christmas after all...and it was a WHITE CHRISTMAS to boot!
And I learned a valuable lesson...spending time with my own dear family and making happy memories together...regardless of where we are or whatever disappointments may come our way...those are the moments that define and bind us with cords of love that are not easily broken when the real difficult times come along. I'm glad I learned that early on.
Oh this brought tears to my eyes! And I so loved the pics of you and your family! I can relate on many levels. This kind of post really makes me love the whole Random Journal Day thing so much!! Love you Pam!
ReplyDeleteSusie
I know what you mean, Susie! RJD has been such a fun way to connect with each other, sharing our innermost fears, feelings, joys, and sorrows...allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, and realizing that it's OKAY!! We are not alone in our thoughts and frustrations! We are sisters in so many ways!!!! Thank you for being here!!!
DeleteAw...that is just precious. I love the way you wrap up at the end... so true. And the slamming pots and pans in the kitchen? Well that is my specialty! So appreciate you sharing and posting the story, pics and insights. You are a blessing, Pam!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I still tend to do that pot slamming thing when I don't get my way...but no one seems to notice...it just makes me feel better...and at least it's only metal pots and pans that are bearing the brunt and not the rest of the family. Thank you for making RJD possible for us. Please don't change a thing.
DeleteWhat a blessing from God, He truly loves and wants His children to be happy. He sent you the snow to show His Love.
ReplyDeleteYeah, some people might think snow was a curse and not a blessing...but I know differently! God knew exactly what I needed at that moment. He's so good at that!!!
DeleteOh wow, how I can relate. Our first Christmas without family was very much like this--even down to only ME noticing that it wasn't the way it was SUPPOSED to be. Thanks for the glimpse back at your life, the reminder of mine...and the knowledge that we're aren't in this alone. EVER. There are always others who can relate to those feelings. That's what I kept thinking as I read this. There's another like me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYes, we've had some very similar experiences in life...and any of us especially who have stepped out in faith to follow the Lord in some kind of service/education,missions, etc....know how often we have to create our own family traditions away from home...and actually "adopt" others into our family for holidays, etc. But those were actually some of our best holidays ever. We adapt for the sake of the call...and God blesses us in such unique little ways in the process...a white Christmas when no snow was in the forecast is one example of His love for His children. Yes, we are sisters in the faith in many ways. I love this.
DeleteHi Pamela! Doesn't God have a way of telling you that it's all in his will? What a beautiful snowfall, just for you! It is so hard to be away from family during the holidays, but your Father was there the whole time. This is such a lovely piece of your life. And I love the photos!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Ceil
Thank you Ceil. I wish I had made notes of ALL the times God showed me His tender love and care in such special ways that I know were just for me...but that would be a long book! I think if we all paid attention we would realize just how much He cares about the little details of life.
DeleteThank you for stopping by and visiting with me again...and allowing me to reminisce way back to the "olden days". Yes, the photos kind of tell it all...we knew how to have fun. Typical Christmas mornings with little children!
Pamela- I love this story...it is truly a testament of God's grace and tender ways with us! Thanks for bearing your heart and I am thankful that He had you record this moment...it is so easy for the mama bear to get disappointed while the papa and sons roll with the punches...I have two boys and many a time I have been in tears bkz along with their dad they don't get that emotional about things...but they do have a some sentimental places in their heart, bkz they had a mama bear who cared to create traditions and Christmas cheer...my boys are in their twenties and they still look forward to certain traditions that we created early on...someday soon they will be making their own...
ReplyDeleteYes, I have found as our boys have gotten older they love to carry on our family traditions and remind me of the things I must do each year! They do help now, so that is a wonderful blessing. One adult son actually does our family cookie baking, following my grandmother's special recipe...and that is his gift to our extended family! Another son is carrying on the family tradition from his grandfather (my dad) of creating something special out of wood for each family. Special moments captured in our memories forever...linking us to each other generation after generation. Thank you for being a fellow mama bear of boys! We are a special breed! Merry Christmas!
DeleteI want you to know---I have the biggest grin and I shall tell hubby this, smiles.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad this made you smile, Linda!! Praise God for all kinds of special blessings and miracles!!! (((hugs)))
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