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Friday, December 26, 2008

The Day after Christmas

Although the church in Penrose did not have a Christmas Eve service, I conducted one. The pastor of Calvary Bible Church in Colorado Springs called me December 23 from Room 508 of Penrose Main Hospital and asked me to conduct Calvary’s Christmas Eve service. He had been admitted to the hospital because he was experiencing severe abdominal pain.

The Christmas Eve service featured excellent vocal and instrumental music, carol singing, a brief message from me, and candle lighting. Refreshments after the service offered the congregation the opportunity to fellowship and wish one another a merry Christmas.

The pastor was discharged from the hospital late Christmas afternoon and is taking initial recovery steps. I am glad I was able to pinch hit for him.

Gloria and I spent Christmas Day at Sherrie and Jim’s home in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. The celebration included our daughters Sherrie and Heather, son Brian, sons-in-law Jim and Brad, granddaughters Jessica and Kayla, and for a while, Sherrie’s next-door neighbor Ingrid. The family dogs attended too. Count them! Guido, Susie, Maggie, Ben, Molly, Rosie, Sadie, Duncan, and Rocky. That’s nine; and Sherrie and Jim also have several birds. The whole event resembled Christmas aboard Noah’s ark; and we may have had as much food on board.

I didn’t step on the scales today. I plan to wait until Sunday to weigh in. Today, I will have lunch with Norm, a former treasurer for a church I served as interim pastor a few years ago. We will chow down at a buffet!!!

So it is the day after Christmas, and all through our house not a creature is hungry,
Not even our dogs.
Our presents are unwrapped and plainly in sight.
We plan to put them away if it takes us ‘til night.

On this day after Christmas we reflect on family mirth,
But cherish most highly our Savior’s humble birth,
Sinless life, love, and redeeming grace—
Good news to share with the whole human race!

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