Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is also my grandmother’s birthday so every year we go to the Christmas Eve service at my church and then we come home and have Gramma’s birthday dinner. A couple of really great things happened at the service. First of all, we took a cash only offering and the pastor said we were going to give it to someone outside our church family. Later in the service he started to say that he had told his wife that he would take care of Christmas Eve dinner. Then a pizza delivery guy came in and handed him some pizzas he asked his name, the guy says he’s Zach, asks how much it is and the guy says it’s $20. He hands him some money and then the pastor says “We took a little tip earlier, I think there’s about $2300 in there. Merry Christmas.” I was totally not expecting it! I thought it was a really good idea. I prayed that it worked out well for that delivery kid when he got back to the pizza place.
Another thing I’d like to share, is related to my volunteer work at MOPS(Mothers Of Preschoolers). I lead the song and snack time there, the kids are 2-5 and this semester I taught them Away in a Manger which they sang for their moms on the last day. I actually did the first and third verses with them, which most people wouldn’t do. During the Christmas Eve service the worship leader brought all the kids up front, asked them questions, etc and then they sang some songs. They came to Away in a Manger and one of the little boys I teach is doing the hand motions, I look over to the other side, and some of the little girls I teach are over there singing clearly. They move on to the other verses and most of the kids don’t know it. When they get to the third verse, my MOPS kids are doing the best of all! One of the girls is singing strongly and the worship leader gives her the microphone. She sang a good part of the verse. I was so excited and proud of the kids, I teared up a little.
Christmas Day
We needed to get to my uncle’s house before my cousin left for her mom’s house, so we woke up at 8:30 and my husband and I exchanged our gifts to each other. We were low on stocking stuffers this year, all I had for Jerrod was a bag of Starburst Favereds, but he didn’t have anything for me so it was okay.
I gave him a Tanooki Mario shirt. The tanooki suit from Mario 3 is his favorite.
I also crocheted him a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. It’s Donatello which is his favorite. It was really hard to get it finished without him seeing it, but he really liked it.
Then we went over to my uncle’s house. My cousin Sidney opened her present from me first. My present for her was a case for the iPod touch I knew she was getting. When I showed it to my mom she said that my cousin is “Just junior high enough” that she might not know what it’s for and I should put in an iPod cutout. On Christmas Eve Sidney told me that she knows everything. The following is an account of the conversation when I gave it to her.
Sidney opens her box and there’s a brief pause.
Me: Do you know what it’s for?
Sidney: No
My Mom: See, I told you.
Me: It’s an iPod case.
Sidney: Oh!
My Mom: You should have put in an iPod touch cutout.
Me: I was going to, but then yesterday she told me that she knows everything!
My Mom: Bazinga!
My sisters both seemed to like their scarves. Holly said she didn’t have a yellow scarf and wore it for the rest of the day and today when we met for lunch she was wearing it again.
My mom wore her wrist warmers, too!
My aunt Melodee seemed really happy with the Penguin I made her.
Before dinner, I read the Christmas story. I read from Matthew since they read from Luke in church the night before.
Christmas Eve family picture at church including both of my sisters. It’s my niece Lane’s first Christmas!
He’s hiding in the tree.
Shannon Kay 