Christmas Season Begins

Sunday, December 01, dawned...SNOWLESS!  Since I, Greg, am writing episodes of this blog, the word has been capitalized because I don't miss the white stuff.  Now, Louise does like snow and so she would not have chosen capital letters for the word "snow".  In fact, she might have mourned the lack of the stuff on the ground.  Can you imagine that?!  Some people go "south" for the winter, i.e. Arizona, Florida.  Me ... I'd prefer to go "east"... all the way to Kenya!



Pictured at left is the southeast end of Jeff and Joyellen's house at RVA.  Our guest bedroom window is at this end.  Note the lavish greenery on the wall.  Note also the green stuff on the ground.  That's grass ... without snow... in December!  With sun!  You know, that bright orb in the sky which disappears from view in Michigan from roughly November to April.                            
                                                                                   
                                                                                   
                                                                                 
                                                                             

At right is another gorgeous view from Jeff and Joyellen's yard.  This is the small picnic area at the same end of the house.  In the far background below the clouds is Mt. Suswa and just in front of that is a smaller mountain named Margaret.  Both were created by volcanic action eons ago in the Rift Valley.  No need here to take down the umbrella and put away the picnic table.  This area is available for year 'round use.  That's because there is no sleet,  no "frzzn drzzl", no snow.


But enough about the weather.  This is the first of December and despite the lack of proper ambiance as claimed by my better half, (hint:  no snow) the time has come to put up the Christmas decorations, especially the Christmas tree.  When the time comes to dig out the Christmas ornaments, missionary kids are no different than kids in the States.  Excitement and anticipation are in the air.  They can't wait to help decorate.  Sure wish that level of motivation existed when they are asked to clean their rooms, pick up their toys, or help with dishes.   As I said, missionary kids are no different than kids in the States.  

Jeff brought in the Christmas decoration boxes from storage.  Megan, Lyndsey, and Ian opened the boxes marked "tree decorations".  The tree itself had been set up Saturday nite and the lites attached.  While Jeff, Joyellen, and Grandma put up the house decorations inside and out, the kids worked  placing ornaments on the tree.

Pictured at left are Megan and Ian getting decorations out of storage and then methodically placing them strategically on the Christmas tree.  This is a traditional kids' responsibility at the Hazard household.

As the ornaments reach farther up the tree, taller reinforcements have to be recruited to place the decorations at the increased altitudes.  Grandma answers the call.

 Finally, the tree is completely decorated.  Lyndsey, Ian, and Megan give the ole Tannenbaum a finishing inspection.  With the house and tree reflecting Christmas, the season has officially begun.  In fact, as I write this posting for the blog, Christmas music fills the air.  However, we mustn't forget the true reason for this season of the year ... the coming of God to earth as a baby to offer mankind salvation from its sins.  All other religions are examples of man reaching up to God and hoping good deeds will result in salvation.  Only Christianity has a God who, through great love, reaches down to us and offers us forgiveness and salvation through the birth, death, and resurrection of His son, Jesus.    

At this time of the year, we celebrate the birth of the Christ, mankind's only hope for Salvation.  In the words of Jesus himself:  "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6.  The greatest gift of this season doesn't come on Black Friday; doesn't appear under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.  No, the greatest gift came over 2,000 years ago to a manger in the small town of Bethlehem.  This gift came at great cost to God, but at no cost to us.  So enjoy Christmas this year.  Have fun giving and receiving gifts to one another.  But please remember to thank God for His indescribable gift to us all.  If you have not received this gift into your heart and have not accepted Christ's invitation to begin a relationship with Him, please do so.  Your life will be changed and you will experience the grace of God.



Tomorrow is another day ... and there is more to come.