For some reason, earlier in December I told my husband that "it just didn't feel like Christmas" and I have often been thinking about how it does not feel like "the most wonderful time of the year" for so many people. No, I haven't been a Grinch 😆, but I have just been more retrospective and thoughtful. I guess God was preparing my heart to deal with some heavy stuff. Since our last blog post, we have had a Christmas program, a school excursion, a birthday, a wedding and a death. We have rejoiced, laughed, celebrated, sobbed, hugged, smiled, cried, and surrendered it all to Jesus. In some ways, I think this will be the best Christmas yet - it will really hit home to us how Christ's birth was a story that encompassed it all - rejoicing angels, weary travelers, scared and uncertain new mother, the pain of childbirth, the hope of Simeon and Anna, grateful magi, adoring shepherds, grudging innkeepers, caring and protective new father, and mourning mothers of the babies murdered by hateful Herod.
We were blessed by a sweet little performance of this story by some of the students on Wednesday night. With costumes, songs, and quoting verses from the Gospel of Mark, they portrayed the Christmas story. Huge thanks to all the work put in by Mrs. Hostetter to make this happen.
The next day was Our Day (the last day of school for the first term) and our fun excursion this time was to the theater to see The Grinch. What a special treat! And what a fun movie!
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| First time to the theater! |
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| The littlest ones fell asleep! |
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| Thanks to the W&D Cinema for giving us a great deal! |
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| We filled all the seats! |
Later that day was the sad news that an old friend, Mr. KK -who has been part of our lives since I was a little girl, was in the hospital with advanced cancer. I wasn't prepared for the worse, though, and when I got to his bedside and heard the death rattle in his breathing, I felt heartbroken. The next day was full of tears and uncertainty as they transferred him to a larger hospital and then early in the morning came the news that he had passed.
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A joyful memory of Mr. KK from just a few months ago.
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We spent that morning comforting and consoling the family and grieving and mourning but also had Jonas and Abiba's wedding to prepare for later in the day.
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| Decorating the cakes |
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| Baby's first wedding |
It was also Galilee's birthday. Our sweet, slightly shy three-year old is gentle, petite, and such a delight!
And so we are in a season where there is much festivity and joy and happy memories to make for the kids' sake especially and yet there is also the process of grieving and mourning and funeral plans to be made. Please keep us all in prayers!
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