Christmas After Thoughts

Many will be taking down the Christmas decorations in their home in a few days. Trees will be out at the curb and those credit cards bills will begin to arrive.

Some after thoughts about Christmas:
*Now is the time to plan out that spring garden. Seeds will go on sale soon after New Years.
*Before you throw out those Christmas Cards consider this idea. Pick out your favorites and cut off the backs and paste the fronts together. Then punch holes in the top and bottom. Attach them together with red or green or white ribbon. About 8 or 10 make a great chain. Hang them up each year before the new cards begin to arrive.
*Pray for each person or family who sent you a card this year before you do the project previously mentioned.
*Great time now to buy next year's wrapping paper and cards! Up to 65% off in some stores.
*Make pictures up for those older folks who still do not have a computer. Mail them out this week.

Have a Happy New Year!

A Memorable Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve 1981 along New York's Southern Tier brought a major snow storm. As the day went on the snow began to pile up. Our plan was to hold the Christmas Eve Service in the little chapel I was pastor of and then head out to my folks 150 miles down Route 17. The snow continued past dark. The wind howled and the snow drifted.

By the time of service people began to fill up the buildng. There were many people I had never seen. The story came out. Area churches closed due to the weather. People found ours opened and came in. They continued to come after the service had begun.

Since I was a young pastor and went in where angels feared to tread and also because I lived right next door to the church in the parsonage, the thought of canceling one of the most important services of the year never entered my mind. Besides I had recently learned that The Night Before Christmas had been written by a New York City pastor for his children. I would like to think that before Momma was in kerchief and Poppa in his cap, they had led their parish's Christmas Eve service.

We ended up with standing room only that snowy Christmas Eve. It was a amazing. The little chapel I was the pastor of those 2 years never looked or sounded more sublime. The warmth on the inside was contrasted with the winter storm on the outside. The singing of the Christmas Carols drowned out the howling of the wind.

We did make the trip after that service. The snow had subsided. The roads were cleared. On the way there beautiful Christmas music filled the car. Nana and Poppa were waiting for their grandkids as they arrived.

Make plans to attend your church's Christmas Eve Service no matter what this month. It is the most wonderful time of the year!