I am sorry for not sharing yesterday, but when we finally got home, we were exhausted.

We spent yesterday celebrating Christmas with our friends at Pensacola First Church of the Nazarene and it was a BLAST!! Here are some of the highlights:

– A little friend was in a Christmas play for her very first time. She was nervous and excited all at the same time. As her family watched, she did a marvelous job. My favorite moment was seeing the line of family members almost come out of their seats as they watched her (in costume) march to her place on the stage and begin to speak into a microphone in front of a large crowd. They had never ever seen her in this light. What a blessing! My second favorite moment during the play was when one of her cast members came over to her and pointing to a line on the script say, “You didn’t read that” to which she replied “Yes, I did.”

– Our choir rang the rafters with praises of the arrival of the Christ child.

– And, our pastor’s words touched my heart as he spoke of Jesus the man and Jesus the Savior.

– Our fast food luncheon with two friends brought laughter and tears to my eyes. It is a blessing to have friends that are family.

– I spent the afternoon baking sweet potatoes. (As we served them last night, someone said that the potatoes were delicious and asked me how I had prepared them for baking. My reply? “I washed them.” I am SUCH an amazing cook!)

– We helped friends prepare a banquet hall for 55 people and ended up serving about 120 folks. What a blessing!!

– I got to sing and to give hugs and to eat and to say Merry Christmas all day.

– Two amazing women and I worked in the kitchen and laughed together. What a blessing to work alongside sisters with servant hearts.

– And, my Sweetie and I got to pray with fellow believers for two amazing little boys who need the Great Physician’s healing touch.

When we got home after being gone all day, my legs ached. In fact, I woke several times in the night with my legs still struggling to relax in spite of the medication I had taken earlier in the evening.

And, what did this amazing day, this day that was so wonderful that my body was spent and pained, cost me? Only time and an open heart. The love shared in our fellowship flows freely. I can sing the praises of the Christ child and the resurrected Savior without fear for I worship in the land of the free and the brave. And, I am loved without judgement because our congregation consists of folks like me – sinners saved by grace.

Struggling to find the Christmas spirit this season? Try hanging out with some simple folk who know the story of the Christ child and have received the saving grace of the Savior.

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”  (Luke 2:11)

Love,

Jill (just one of God’s kids)