Merry Christmas to all

Ah, Christmas. It really is a wonderful time. It was great to be at First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, MO for Christmas Eve. I helped out with the 5:30 family service and then just went and enjoyed the 8:00 traditional service. I found myself feeling kind of emotional while singing some of the hymns...memories of Grandpa...hearing the lyrics in new ways...feeling overwhelmed by the thought of God's grace and love manifested in Christ. That third verse of Silent Night was especially powerful for me this year. Love's pure light and all. There may have been some inner realization that this may be the last time for a few years that I'm actually able to worship in my home congregation on Christmas Eve. While I know that the church I'm called to serve will become my new home, there's something special about the place where I spent so many years discovering God and figuring out how to relate to the stories of Scripture. I'm so thankful for having a church home that feels so safe and warm.
Christmas day was good. The Bancroft family opened presents, ate, and relaxed. In the afternoon, we went to visit Grandma. She seemed happy to have the company. I hate it that we're unable to have her over to the house. I'm hoping that we'll be able to work something out so she can attend my ordination. I think she would like that. I think Grandpa would have liked it too. He was such a man of strong faith.
The next couple of weeks I'll be hangin' around Columbia. Flying here was great, but having no car may become more of a headache than I'd thought. I'm so used to coming and going as I please. More than ever, I'm thinking that I should give up driving places alone for Lent. I think that will lend itself to much reflection, especially when I'm walking or riding my bike everywhere. :)