Christmas Surprises

Our Christmas Eve surprise was a major leak in our water main from the meter to the house.  The leak is under some concrete, which will have to be bored out to replace the pipe.  Since it has been Christmas, nothing will be able to be fixed until at least tomorrow (Tuesday).  We were planning on leaving for Pismo Beach this week, but our trip will be delayed for at least a day or two. 

In the meantime, we've been able to use our water as needed and then Dave turns it off in-between uses and during the night.  It makes me realize that I would not make a very good pioneer!  If the problem can't be fixed this week, Dave and I are thinking about turning off the water, which we do anyway when we travel, and getting the problem taken care of when we get back home in a few months.  To all the full-timers who don't own a stick house, this is a problem that you won't ever have to deal with!

On the brighter side, before the water main pipe broke, we celebrated an early Christmas with Tim, Kiersten, and Sophie on December 23.  It's always good to see them and Sophie was delighted to be celebrating her first Christmas.  One of the traditions that we started this year was to read the nativity story to Sophie.  In this case, we used a nativity set, "What God Wants for Christmas", that I ordered from Family Life Today.  It beautifully presents the true meaning of Christmas, along with seven boxes to open, which contain the angel Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a shepherd, and a wise man.  The final box contains a mirror (which Sophie loved) indicating that the gift that God wants for Christmas is YOU! 

Sophie, 8 months

Since Sophie didn't have a box to play with, she decided to play with the tag.

All that activity made Sophie thirsty!

Christmas Eve Dave and I attended a new church, Trinity Church of Portland.  The church meets at the chapel at Western Seminary in Portland and the pastor is Dr. Art Azurdia.  He is on the staff at Western and is a dynamic speaker.  We enjoyed the reverent, traditional Christmas Eve service and decided to attend church there on Christmas Day, too.  What a great service.!  Art  preached about how the true meaning of Christmas is often lost in the midst of the sentimentality of the season.  The true meaning of Christmas can be summed up in eight powerful words:  Christ came into the world to save sinners.   It was a powerful message, and good powerful Christmas hymns added to that message.

We are happy that the Trinity Church sermons are podcast, so we'll be able to listen each week, even when we are in Pismo Beach.  Click on sermon archives to find out how to listen to these fine sermons by Art Azurdia. 

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"