Merry Christmas!! This is the day we traditionally celebrate the birth of Christ. Happy Birthday, Jesus. Growing up we always had a birthday cake for Jesus and my sister, Cathy, still does. That always kept the true meaning of Christmas in our minds and hearts. Also during the Advent season, Mom always told us that we had to be good (not just so Santa Clause would come) in order to make a soft crib for baby Jesus in our hearts. When we did good we added straw to His crib and when we did bad we lost straw and put stones there instead. What kind of crib do we want in our hearts for baby Jesus? A very soft bedding for the Son of God, our Savior.
Years ago when my sisters were getting married and starting families of their own, Mom said it was time to begin our own family traditions and we did not gather on Christmas eve or Christmas day. At first, being single with no children, I felt abandoned. My sister, Mary, would have Christmas eve with friends that were alone for Christmas. We would go to mass then to her house for dinner or snacks and movies. We called it our orphan Christmas. I did this for a few years then I went to Wichita to spend the holiday with Karen and her family. Later I joined Cathy and her family. My family was wonderful about including me in their gatherings. At times I just wanted to stay home. The past few years, Kevin would have all the family that was around come to Colby and we'd gather at the bowling alley for fun and games then go back to his house for soup supper. Everyone would bring all their left over holiday treats to share since we'd do this usually the weekend between Christmas & New Years. I have not really set up any personal Christmas traditions.
This morning I decided to surprise Mom & Dad by doing the chores before they got home from church. I broke the ice from the tank and hooked up the water to fill it. I fed grain to the horses. I called the baby calf and grained the mother so the baby could nurse. I put grain in for the steer. He came on a run. I thought he was coming to the grain pan since I was dumping grain into it but--oh, no. He knew I did not lock the gate and decided to sneak behind me and get out. He wondered onto the road and as I would try to walk around him to herd him back to the gate, he would run, jump, kick and twist. He was having a blast. It was like he just wanted to play. He wondered to the grinder then on down the hill to the feed bales. I got the 4-wheeler because I was tired to trying to chase around him. He then decided that we should run down the road, through the ditch, and into my back yard. I drove around the shed to come in behind him, not knowing how far beyond my yard he was headed. He just looked at me and took off across the front yard and stopped by the mailbox and looked at me again. I took off towards him and it was as if he was grinning at me then finally took off and ran right back into the pen where he was to start with and ate his grain. Ornery thing, his day is coming. He does not know why he is being grained while all the others are in the pasture.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not parish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
May the love of God fill you with rejoicing!
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