Christmas 2016

Festival of Lights at the zoo on Christmas Eve eve

Kase and Grandpa on Christmas Day

We have been blessed by many of your Advent wishes as you have shared your favorites with us.  Here are a few that have spoken powerfully to me:

• We have prayed daily that God will hold us closely each day and night so we all loved the images of Christ’s love and care spoken by Bishop Lancelot Andrewes of Chichester and shared with us by Tim Leugs from Michigan:

I have always loved that passage from Genesis 15. 

Especially in the Advent season, it's good to have the reminder that 

God is "Within me, to strengthen me; Without me, to keep me; 

Above me, to protect me; Beneath me, to uphold me; Before me, to direct me; Behind me, to keep me from straying; Round about me, to defend me" (Lancelot Andrewes, 1555-1626). 

• Vicki Den Ouden – an old favourite Advent song.  The last 3 lines have been especially meaningful for me this Advent season.

We'll call him Jesus, the name the angels whispered 

We'll call him Jesus, sent from heaven to be our King

We'll call him Jesus, the sweetest name in all the earth

We'll call him Jesus, he'll save us from our sins.

But when your heart is full of joy, you'll call him Wonderful 

And when you've almost lost your way, you'll call him Counselor 

And in the midst of your confusion, whisper Prince of Peace

And when you're all alone, he'll be Emmanuel. 

God with us, indeed!  Our family prays that you will experience God’s intimate touch in the coming year!  

- Doug