Memories and Traditions/ Music and Songs/ Friendship and Food/ Glory and Praise

"For unto us a child is born, a son is given.."

Unto to us a child is born. That's what the Word says. Usually when a baby is born one says, "Sue and Matt had a baby girl" The child was born to them.. But this special baby was born to us, not just Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men or the house of Israel. He was born to us, and we needed him. No rule book could give us what we needed and no behavioral modification course could control our issues.

We needed this child whose birth we now celebrate this Friday.

We needed a savior. And God sent his son.

So we glory in His glory in our lives this season.





Friendship and food, so closely connected. Lots of parties and lots of wonderful delicious food. A new game introduced, Mexican Train Game. I highly recommend this group, family game. So much fun!

Eight lovely guys, almost nine but one had to work, and three girls for breakfast Sunday morning. Strata and homemade applesauce and the introduction, to those not in the immediate family, of fresh Swedish limpa toasted with mounds of butter. Yum! They all loved it and Ben is going back to his Swedish Grandmother to ask about this new breakfast treat.

We've seen wonderful friends and family this month and, and long for the time when we will not be so far apart for extended periods of time.




Decorating a gym for a wedding. A transformation of trees, lights and candles. Two young people in love and so anxious to start their lives together. So much fun to see their excitment and anticipation of a new life together, forever.





Celebrations all through the month. A house decorated in anticipation of happy events, friendships celebrated and traditions continued. A home reaching out to embrace family and friends in memories and love, commitment and joy.





Shopping in new cities this year. At first disappointment that New York City was not an option this year since the whole city is appointed in it's finery for Christmas and I love every bit of it. But we got to visit a new city this Christmas and we were quite impressed with their version of a city decked out for the holidays. Lovely lights everywhere and at the end of the square a regal church showing us the real reason for the season.






And a tree. Not our usual huge tree, right to our 12 foot ceilings, but a nice tree. Elizabeth called it our see-through tree. But it's ours. This tree decked out in lights and glass bulbs, smelling of the forest. Clean and fragrant. Beautiful. And packages gathering at its base. Gifts, not quite gold and myrrh but tangible expressions of love for family and friends. A tree is appropriate. It foretells of another tree, not lovely and gracious but vicious, hard and bloody yet necessary to bring what we need. Freedom and belonging. A reconnection to our royal heritage, bought by a Father and Son who loved us so. Sonship, victory, hope, and a new life.

Thank you, Father, for this child born unto us and continuing to reach down through the ages to transform lives and bring grace and peace to all men.