Friday, December 30, 2016

Merry Christmas

We enjoyed a very Merry Christmas with wonderful friends.  It very well might have been the best yet!  Minus the family and friends that we are missing in the states, this Christmas was so full!

I would say that its richness began right after Thanksgiving.  We really enjoyed the lack of shopping, parties, performances, over indulgent food and all the hustle and bustle of the season.  It was nice to not even have the option.  It was nice to not have all the cultural promptings of Christmas (snow, lights, sweaters, green & red decorations, Target's Dollar Spot lined with toys, gift exchanges, Christmas carols sung, school recitals, etc.).  We all mentioned that it didn't "feel like Christmas."  Nothing in our environment "felt" like Christmas.  Nothing was ushering us into the warm fuzzies of the season.   No pumpkin lattes,  just the standard 75-80 degrees and partly cloudy.  So I would say that we each had to dig deeper into Christmas as truth, not a feeling.  Christmas in the raw.  Christmas without sparkles, cinnamon, and fireplaces.  Thankfully, fortunately, the Lord met us all and revealed a new detention and perspective. It was fresh and good.  Besides our DIY Christmas tree, we didn't have one man-made frill.  And let me tell you, its really satisfying.  My cup overfloweth.  

The kids each received one gift and Jim and I didn't exchange anything....it was awesome!  Only the day to reflect on. Only Jesus. Nothing cluttered our view of Him. Nothing cluttered our time with Him.  What a gift!

We spent the morning as just the five of us.  Then, for lunch we had over our current guard & his family, our previous guard & and his family, and a sweet couple we have become really good friends with from EMI.   The day was full of fellowship and games.  Jim led in an Advent reading, songs, and prayer.  We then played Ludo, an old African game (actually originated in India).  As well, we shared a simple meal while each person shared their testimony of the Lords Glory this year.  It was such a good celebration of Christ's birth, as we honored his presence in our lives.  We were blessed.

Wonderful Christmas Uganda, Thank you!



 Enjoying a competitive game of Ludo
 Player Architecto
 Allison watching Jolly (and her two daughters) knit a flower. Allison received a knitting kit for Christmas.

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