Hannah's Holiday Highlights

I've been meaning to write a journal post for ages now, but it's been awful busy lately. It seems like Christmas just snuck up on us this year. I can hardly believe it's been here and gone already. I'm hoping you all had a lovely day celebrating our Saviour's birth. Well, I'm going to back track here for a minute and then get back to the present.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Mom, Lyd, Joe, and I went over to the garden center during the afternoon to pick out a tree. I can see why it would be easier to have an artificial tree, but I can't imagine not having the pungent scent of pine filling the house. For some reason it wouldn't feel like Christmas without it. So, we made our way to the tree lot at the garden center nearby and looked around. It seems like one has to pay an arm and a leg to buy a decent Christmas tree these days. All the pretty, perfectly-shaped trees were outrageously priced. Too bad! After looking around for a bit, Mom pointed out a scrawny little tree that looked like it was on a diet. Mom had us guard it while she looked further. Josiah joked that there was no danger of somebody else wanting it. Poor little tree! Well, we got it home and set up in the right spot. It actually didn't look bad at all. It fit perfectly in a snug corner of our living room, and Mom put the lights on that night.

Before church that night I set up our little village set, which is a mismatched set of little houses and churches and random Christmas ornaments, on the window sill. As a little girl, the Christmas village was the most fun. I used to envy Mom, but now I get the privilege of setting it up. For the next couple days we worked on decorating the house.

Friday, December 12, 2008

After talking with the Maynards and eating dinner, we went on a family walk. It was extremely cold outside, so Josiah brought Lydia and me back home. We were freezing. I decorated the tree with Lydia's help. I love that!!! It's so fun to unwrap the ornaments and think about all the memories connected with each ornament. It's nice to know that as things change throughout the year, we will always open the ornament box and find the same things as last year. It's good to know some things don't change.

Once that was finished we watched 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.' Dad always gets a kick out of the song. "You've got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch..." Ha! Then we spent the remainder of the night listening to Dad tell us stories about his childhood and pondering the goodness of the Lord to our family. It was a special time!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Daddy preached from Revelation 3 about the church in Pergamos. His message was about many things. Mary worship. Idol worship. Pentecostal healing. Drinking. It was good. After the preaching we served hotdogs, coleslaw, and chips for lunch. It was a hit, and people ate like true Baptists. Ha, ha! Then after lunch we watched 'The Nativity Story.' That movie is awesome. I like it better each time I see it. There were several times during the movie that I had to refrain from sobbing out loud--as Mary washed Joseph’s travel-weary feet, at the birth, and when the shepherds came....realizing that God really did humble Himself to become a baby. Herod expected a powerful man, but the Messiah chose to come in the form of a helpless infant. That thought alone is astounding!

We went to church in Panama City at night. The service was a blessing, as always. Bro. Buddy preached about the cities of refuge and how Jesus is our city of refuge. Praise God!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

My parents decided that their Christmas present to us would be to take us to see Handel's Messiah in a Reformed church nearby. The town was cute, but so tiny and crowded that I would never want to live there. Christmas lights strung festively above the street from house to house. It was very pretty! The church looked beautiful with the enormous dome pointing into the dark sky. It was a sight to behold.

The concert was wonderful; I loved it. Handel could only have been inspired of God to compose such heavenly music. The words are pure Scripture. I think the phrase that hit me the hardest was that Jesus was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." He knew sorrow so deep that no words would suffice and only groans could escape; He knew that kind of inner agony. He felt bodily pain as we do, and that is why He knows us so well. Because He lowered Himself to become human. Throughout the night that phrase continued to run through my mind. "A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

The Kamps and a sweet couple from their church were also at the concert. It was nice to see them and fellowship a little during the break.
We got home at 11 p.m., and Lydia and I sang the opera parts in the kitchen as we made a snack. Dad had to remind us that our neighbors were probably sleeping. (chuckle)

My parents were disappointed with the concert because they have seen better concerts in the past. I've been to a Handel's Messiah concert one other time, at Christmastime in 2006. We were in the States, and I went with my parents and grandparents to the Eastman Theater in downtown Rochester. It was so much fun and so very exciting!!! I sat next to Grandma in the balcony. I'll never, ever forget it!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

We had our big Christmas service today. Once we got to church it was the mad dash to get tables and chairs set up and the room decorated. Our family and Mischa worked hard. Mischa and I didn’t even get a chance to finished practicing the songs before it was time to start the service. I think the service went very well. I felt very calm as I played, despite the fact that I spent all morning racing from one thing to the next. Lyd and I sang 'Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming' before the preaching. It went perfectly, praise God! I know it was only the Lord, and I’m thankful to Him! Dad preached about God’s Word being sweeter than honey. After the service we had a potluck. The food was delicious. All the older kids gathered in the back room off the kitchen, and we played several games of UNO. It was late by the time we got everything cleaned up and headed home. I think we were at church for over 6 hours. Talk about being addicted to the ministry!!! (chuckle)

Getting set up!

Digging in!!!

Geertje and baby Ilona. Oscar and Geertje have faithfully been coming to our church for the past several months. They are such a blessing, and we have enjoyed seeing them grow in the Lord as they follow the Bible Way! Praise God!

My parents! Aren't they cute together?

Josiah and Jeremiah eating lunch.

Karin and Morena, our two sweet "widows." Pray for them as they raise their children alone in one of the most wicked cities in the world.

Baby Nathan getting a much needed nap. Isn't he precious? There are few things cuter than a sleeping baby.

We had an hour or two before 6 p.m. Then we gathered around in the living room and "went to church" in Panama City. Clay, Russell, and Bro. Buddy sang 'Mary, Did You Know?' as a special. I love that song! Then Bro. Buddy preached from Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23--"Immanuel, God With Us." It was good to hear a Christmas message about the Saviour being born! Later on, after church, Lydia and I talked to Russell and Clay. It was such a blessing!!! I'm so glad God gave us friends our age who are also in the ministry and know where we're coming from. We've had some deep spiritual discussions. Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

I spent the day cooking, wrapping gifts, running some errands with Dad and Lydia, doing some last-minute things that needed doing, and cleaning. Later in the afternoon Mom needed to go to the store, which worked out great for me. For the last few weeks the Lord has been impressing it on my heart to distribute tracts at the older people’s homes near our house. I told the Lord this morning that I would do it today. We have to walk past all those homes to get to the store, so I grabbed a handful of Christmas tracts and Lydia helped me. Mom went ahead to the store, and we met up with her when we were finished. I was able to give tracts out along the way and wish folks a Merry Christmas. It was really fun, and people were in good moods! On the way out of the store an older woman stopped me after I gave her a tract and asked what it was about. I told her what it was about and said we’re Baptists. She said, “Oh,” sounding relieved, “Then I will read it!” I was glad!
I got a few emails written before dinner. We ate our traditional Christmas Eve meal--turkey divan, with rice and salad. It was delicious! We cleaned up dinner together, Lydia and me emptying the dishwasher for the umpteenth time. Bless God for dishwashers!!! (chuckle) Then everyone went about their business. Lydia and I looked at the Jo-Ann Fabrics online magazine, then I picked up and vacuumed the living room. I had Josiah do the kitchen. I wanted the house to look clean for Christmas! We lit candles around the living room and then settled down as a family to watch a nice Christmas movie. Partway through the movie the Maynards contacted us. We talked for a while and watched them open our Christmas gifts. We wished each other a Merry Christmas, and then we resumed our movie. Afterwards we ate chocolate-covered coffee beans and a slice of Christmas apricot bread. It was delicious!!! We talked for a while and listened to a radio program. It was a nice, cozy, and pleasant evening. I really enjoyed being together! Christmas Eve is almost magical to me. I almost like Christmas Eve better than Christmas Day. I really do.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

I read the Christmas story in Luke for my devotions for the third time this month and prayed for those who are dear to me. I miss them! As a missionary, it's harder over the holidays. You really realize that you are AWAY as everyone in the States is busy preparing for Christmas, and sometimes it seems like they forget. I guess it doesn't bother me as much as it used to.
I sent a Christmas email to a few friends and the Maynards. By the time we were all showered and dressed and sitting down for Christmas breakfast, it was 11 a.m. or later. I made Brunch Florentine yesterday (a breakfast casserole with eggs, spinach, bread, onions and cheese), and we had turkey ham, hash browns, and Lydia made a delicious fruit salad.

Afterwards we cleaned up and sat in the living room to exchange gifts. I got Dad two bars of chocolate to keep him sweet (chuckle); Lydia, Josiah and I pitched in and bought Mom a beautiful Nativity scene (Mom was really surprised when she unwrapped it. She said she was going to buy it for Lydia and me, for our "hopeless chests"! Well, we beat her to it. Ha!); I bought 5 ornaments for Lydia; and Josiah got a pair of leather gloves. My parents gave me socks, a snowflake candleholder, a Pooh magnet, ribbon for my sewing, sparklers, three matching tree ornaments (pink, white, and gold), a little wire Christmas tree, mini ornaments, Handel’s Water music, a tea towel, and a tiny lavender frying pan for my hopeless chest. Several days ago Lydia and I went out and bought each other 5 Christmas ornaments, so I got that from Lyd, and Josiah got me a star-shaped baking tin. It’s funny, because I saw it the other day when I was shopping with Mom and commented how cute it was. Josiah had bought it for me two weeks earlier. He’s such a smart kid! I liked my gifts.
I was glad we didn’t do a lot of gifts this year. Christmas meant much more to me this year than it has in years past. It's not about gifts, it's about The Gift--Jesus Christ. As I'm growing up, I'm realizing that it's not about me; it's about Him. Besides, I don’t need gifts. Being together is good enough for me!

Dad read some Christmas stories about George Washington and an interesting article from World Magazine. To be honest, we didn't really do much of anything except talked and sit around and relax. For dinner we had turkey ham, baked potato casserole, asparagus, tomatoes, and cranberry sauce. It tasted great. After dinner we watched a Christmas movie together, and then we went to bed.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!