Christmas WAS...

One of the nativity-related ornaments on our Nativity Tree
After posting "Christmas Is" yesterday, I decided to follow it up THIS way. 
Christmas WAS...
  • Sunny.
  • Cold.
  • Very windy.
  • Joyful.  Our morning worship service was well attended and filled with sincere greetings, smiles, and celebratory spirits.
  • Simple.  I took a crockpot meal of sweet/sour meatballs with onion, green and yellow peppers, pineapple chunks, and potato slices to share with my parents. (I also took cranberry relish, having missed it at Thanksgiving somehow.) My sister and her family joined us.  She brought taco soup and a cauliflower salad and snacks for the afternoon.
  • Fun.  We sat around the table and played Balderdash for a l-o-n-g time.  We're a game-playing family.
  • Family.  Our children called from IL, Mexico, and KS.  We plan to see them this weekend except for the Kansas contingency.  Our daughter is recovering from gallbladder surgery and they (wisely, I think) decided not to make the trip.
  • My birthday.  Yes.  I turned 63.  I keep repeating that number with incredulity!  Where HAVE the years gone? 
  • Reflective.  As per my usual birthday habit, I listed people, events and "things" I have been thankful for over the past year to match the number of years I have lived.  Every year it takes more time to compose because of the added year!  Some items on the list never change from year to year.  Particularly I am thankful for the grace and mercy of God that saved me and give me hope.  There is GREAT hope in His Name!
 "A bruised reed he (Jesus Christ) will not break, 
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he has brought justice through to victory.  
In his name the nations will put their hope."
Matthew 12:20-21

9 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday!! Sounds like you did it up with the ones that matter and will celebrate with the rest soon. Enjoy!

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  2. Happy birthday, Rebecca! I love your birthday tradition of numbering graces along with the years...I think that I will adopt that tradtion myself!
    Your Christmas day sounds lovely...

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  3. So now we go... move on and take the truth of Christmas with us into this week and into the new year. You and I have a year to live in the knowledge of fullness of Jesus Christ. Your 63rd year, my 45-46th! What treasure we hold, dear friend. Keep to it.

    peace~elaine

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  4. We played Balderdash also. !! Happy Birthday.....63 is young. I like the sound of your Christmas Food.....very different. Sometimes I'd like to shake things up....skip the turkey.

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  5. Beautiful post! I'm glad you enjoyed such a Special day surrounded by love, and joy, and family! Perfection!
    Love and Prayers,
    Eileen
    PS ~ Ours didn't go at all as planned, as so many family members were sick with colds and viruses. Those that did make it here had a good time though and we all joked about how it sounded like a 'sick ward' here! SO MUCH coughing, wheezing, and sneezing going on! But through it all there was love, and joy, and family here too, so, I guess, all in all, PERFECTION!
    PPS ~ My verification word is 'bless'!! How wonderful!

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  6. Belated birthday wishes, Rebecca! It sounds like you had a wonderful family Christmas. I look forward to all that the Lord has planned for His people this year. I believe He is going to show more and more that we are His lights in this dark world. Others will see the peace we have and want to know the God we serve.
    Blessings~

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  7. Well, Rebecca, Happy Belated Birthday!
    Keeping that lil secret quiet there and tried to sneak it passed us, huh!! lol

    Sounds like it was a good one, and what an honor to share the birthday with Jesus. How neat is that.
    My hubby and sons fav game is balderdash, not so for me, I don't mind playing tho, unless there is tons of people playing, cause then it takes soooo long,
    and you have to repeat stuff. That gets to me after a bit.............lol

    Sounded like a nice stressfree fun time.
    Good for all of you!!

    Blessings and Happy Happy birthday.
    63 is not so bad, your still just a spring chicken, if 60 is the new 40, then you are only
    43, so there, doesn't that make it better!! lol

    Take care hon, Nellie

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  8. So thankful your day was blessed with family and a joyful time. Our service was a blessing and the whole day seemed to be blessed with God's presence.

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  9. Rebecca,
    I loved reading this post... Christmas was. It is concise, but says so much. First, belated birthday greetings. What a special birthday you have... Christmas day! You get to have a really great celebration each year. Second, thank you for sharing the crock pot dish. I will copy that idea and make it for our New Year's Eve family dinner. Yay! All of my children will be home and we will be complete again! I'd be grateful if you could share the recipe with me, also for the taco soup...

    With prayers for a meaningful year end...

    (Yes, year end. I want to acknowledge how this year has been, before letting it go.)

    Much love
    Lidia

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Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)