So after four very busy, but oh so fun weeks, I am back and ready to update you all on my life! Strap in, put your antlers/Christmas stocking on and get ready for a very long blog entry.
The month of December has brought some very cold weather and what I have deemed to be “fake” snow. This is the phenomenon of very white frost in the morning. On numerous occasions I have awoken to white grass; my excitement is quickly dulled when upon walking outside I find slippery sidewalks sans snow. I will admit to singing “White Christmas” very loudly in the hopes that my vocals would coax the weather I am dearly missing.
On the first of the month I was lucky enough to travel north to Manchester to meet up with a couple of other YAGMs and explore the German Christmas Markets. The day brought lots of laughs, great stories, and the joy of spending time with some wonderful people. I will continue to say it, I am very blessed to be a part of the YAGM program and have had the opportunity to know and serve with these amazing people.
Enjoying the German Markets with Claire, Rachel and Caitlyn.
At the beginning of the month I got to do one of my favorite things...decorate Christmas trees! And this year it was not just one, two, three...but FIVE trees! The church sanctuary is home to an eight foot beauty decked in red and gold. We did have a small curfuffle when it came to the lights...we didn’t have any that worked. So, in order to determine just how many lights we would need, I went to ask a very wise source...Google. According to Google, you are to have 100 lights for every foot of tree. As I pondered this, I realized I would not be able to justify buying 800 lights for the tree. I settled for 600, of which 400 were placed on the tree.
After putting up the four trees in the church there was still a boxed tree left in storage. Oddly enough it was the perfect size for my room. I was a sight to be seen toting my Christmas tree up the road to the house from the church. Two hours of “some assembly required” late, my tree was up and ready to be decorated. The theme you ask?...The Ornament Grave Yard. That's right folks, all of the ornaments hanging were deemed unfit for service to hang on the Lea Road Sanctuary Tree found refuge on my tree. Our motto: No Ornament Left Behind!!!!! I love real Christmas trees; but, I will admit, this is probably one of my favorite trees I have decorated. It is amazingly beautiful in all of its “Charlie Brown Christmas tree” pitifulness.
My "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree!
Then finally a much anticipated day had arrived. December 10th to be exact. The day of the Mumford and Sons concert. Again, I ventured north again to Hazel Grove, a small city just south of Manchester to meet up with Caitlyn, a fellow YAGM and Mumford fanatic. As excited as I was about the concert, I enjoyed the earlier parts of the day getting to see where Caitlyn is serving and what she does on a daily basis. We went to Caitlyn’s home to have a bite to eat and get ready. I was suddenly overwhelmed by her host families generosity. It was amazing to me that even having never met me, they would graciously open their home to me. After eating a delicious dinner, we happily made our way to Manchester and saw one of the best concerts I have ever been to. If you have not listened to/heard of Mumford and Sons, I suggest that after you finish this delightful entry, you go and have a listen. They have a fantastic sound, and are one of those bands that look like they are having so much fun while performing. It was an amazing night...one I will not soon forget!
Caitlyn and me, eagerly anticipating an awesome Mumford and Sons concert!
The rest of the month brought about all necessary preparations for Christmas...decorating the church, listening to the Christmas stories (both classic and biblical), decorating/baking cookies, building the nativity, and lots of Christmas carols.
Ok, so now I need to do a bit of bragging...I have the BEST home congregation at First Lutheran Church in Springfield! Becky Christian, our pastor’s wife, organized a wonderful treat for me! She had practically everyone from the congregation write me a Christmas card and she divided them up so that I would receive them throughout the month. If love was measured in Christmas cards, I feel like one of the most loved people in the world. It was a joy to come home from work everyday to one, two sometimes four cards waiting for me! I cannot thank all of those enough who participated because it absolutely made my Christmas season!
So this is where I will leave you...The next post will include Christmas Day and New Years festivities!!!!! I hope everyone has had a very wonderful and blessed Christmas!
Ok, so now I need to do a bit of bragging...I have the BEST home congregation at First Lutheran Church in Springfield! Becky Christian, our pastor’s wife, organized a wonderful treat for me! She had practically everyone from the congregation write me a Christmas card and she divided them up so that I would receive them throughout the month. If love was measured in Christmas cards, I feel like one of the most loved people in the world. It was a joy to come home from work everyday to one, two sometimes four cards waiting for me! I cannot thank all of those enough who participated because it absolutely made my Christmas season!
So this is where I will leave you...The next post will include Christmas Day and New Years festivities!!!!! I hope everyone has had a very wonderful and blessed Christmas!
And it couldn't be more evident that Life is Great and so is God!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
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