Christmas Eve

December 24, 2017

As I write, it’s actually Christmas Day by about an hour and a half. But my gratitude comes from Christmas Eve. Beginning with worship this morning, the day has been outstandingly good, with but one little blip, and even that had good in it. 

Last summer, I was asked to do a little pulpit supply at the Dunkirk church. I agreed, and here I am, still at it. It’s been slow work, with an average attendance of about 30. Last Sunday, we gave out bags of cookies with the instructions to take them to friends and neighbors while inviting them to church. Today, the sanctuary was filled; more than double our usual attendance. Worshipping in a full house is a glorious thing!

Some friends stopped by in the afternoon for a short visit that lasted about an hour and a half, then Linda and I bustled around, getting ready for tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s gathering. We had dinner with Matt and Jeanine and her folks, followed by the Bailey Christmas Eve gathering at Nate and Deb’s. It is a beautiful sight to see our kids and grandkids all together, exchanging gifts, and having a good time. That is, until Jo cut her thumb almost to the bone trying to open a package. A quick trip to ER and six stitches later, she’s fine. Even made it back in time for the 11:00 candlelight service, which was another gift from God.

Seeing your successor take what you spent thirty years of your life building, and going farther with it, is a wonderful treasure. I looked around the sanctuary and saw so many people I don’t know. I know pastors who have never had that privilege. And even Jo’s thumb is a blessing in disguise, for in many places of the world, a competent ER with the equipment, medicines, and trained personnel would be only a dream. She is back home, sore to be sure, but with little danger of infection that in generations past killed so many people in the wake of relatively minor injuries. 

Now today is Christmas. The snow has been falling, as has the thermometer. But tomorrow we have no place to go, so we can enjoy our white Christmas from the comfort of our home. We are blessed indeed!