Merry Christmas!

Tonight my children and I attended our first Christmas Eve service at our home church in Denver. We have always either been in California, Montana or Spain for Christmas. It was very special to be worshiping the Lord and celebrating Christmas with so many good friends.

I pray that as each of you enjoy the season, you are reminded of the great gift we have been given in Jesus Christ! May the Lord bless you and your families!

December Update

God is Faithful!

This year was another year of transition for me as we moved to the Barcelona area. I have changed my place of residence seven times in the last 4 years. For someone who had made only one major move in her adult life (from California to Colorado) these transitions have been a bit stressful. Sometimes I think the Lord is providing me with new ways to lean on Him. The financial insecurity involved in being a missionary is also a new experience. My husband and I always had good, steady jobs and didn’t need to be concerned about the next paycheck. This too is one of the ways the Lord is stretching my faith and helping me to rearrange my priorities. In the midst of these “trials” God’s goodness is very evident in my life. As this year ends and a new one begins, I have many reasons to praise Him.

I am looking forward to spending Christmas in Denver with my children and dear friends. God has provided most of the funds for my ticket home (through my children and some friends). Perhaps He knew I needed this time at home to be encouraged, to recharge my batteries and gain a fresh perspective.

This month’s quotes:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord'.” Luke 2:8-11

“And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6b

You know you're in Spain at Christmas time...

It's been interesting to hear about different holiday traditions as Kathy and I have our English "students" share on Wednesday nights. Many of them are very similar to ours and others are very different. Folks decorate here with lights and Santa and Christmas trees, like we do in the States. However, I was a little surprised to see this decoration hanging from my neighbor's balcony. I've seen Santa climbing up the side of an apartment, but I've never seen the three kings doing it.

This highlights one of the differences between a Spanish Christmas and an American one. They celebrate King's Day on January 6 and for many Spaniards, this is when they do their gift giving, since this is when the child Jesus received his gifts. Some exchange gifts on December 25, and some do it on both days, but I think most wait until January 6.

I found this article regarding Christmas in Spain that you might find interesting. At the bottom they tell about a custom here in Cataluña that is unusual, to say the least.

I leave for Denver in less than week and I'm excited to have a white Christmas and see my kids and enjoy my first Christmas Eve service at our church (we have always been away for Christmas). I hope and pray you are enjoying the real reason for the season and not getting caught up in the media-driven, and perhaps guilt-driven, excesses that can so easily take over.

Thanksgiving

I know, I'm a week late. But I wanted to comment on our Thanksgiving celebration. We celebrated with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Jon & Kathy's home with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sweet potatoes, jello salad, biscuits, pumpkin pie and apple pie. Kathy worked very hard to make it as traditional as possible and Jon even drove to downtown Barcelona to find the turkey.

The three ladies in the photo are part of a family from our church (since Thanksgiving is not a Spanish holiday the husband had to work). The young man on the left is an American that is studying in Barcelona for the semester. His parents were missionaries to Spain and they were friends with our church family. So Isabel (the mom) wanted him to have a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and she was excited to try it herself, so Kathy offered to host it. It was great. We even did the three kernels of corn and I was able to tell what I was thankful for in Spanish!

After dinner, we watched a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and played Pit and had a very fun time. So even though I am far away from family, God provided people from my "family of faith" to encourage me. And I am very grateful.

Things that I'm thankful for...

It's always difficult for me to be away from family on holidays. This year seems especially difficult even though my teammates and I will be having a traditional Thanksgiving meal and sharing it with a family at church and an American student that is studying in Spain this semester. So I decided this morning that I needed to focus on all of the blessings that God has given me. Here is a partial list. I'm sure many of you will be making similar lists and possibly even talking about them today as you pause to celebrate this Day of Giving Thanks.

• I am so very thankful for my children. They love the Lord and they love each other. They also love and are ministering to the Body of Christ in the local church.
  
• I am thankful for extended family. Even though we are separated by thousands of miles, I know they are praying for me and surrounding me with their love.
• I am thankful for friends here in Spain who have made me part of their family and care for me in many, many ways.
• I am thankful for a myriad of wonderful, supportive friends in the States. Many of them support me financially so I can be here in Spain. Most of them email me on a fairly regular basis. They are a physical representation of Christ as they love and care for me and provide needed emotional, and at times physical, support.
• I am thankful for the love, grace and mercy of God that He has given me so freely and abundantly. I know I can never repay Him and it's wonderful to know that I don't even have to try.
• I am thankful for a job that contributes to the furthering of God's Kingdom here in Spain.
• I am thankful for the ability to learn another language at my age, even if I'm not fluent yet.
• I am thankful for missionary friends around the world that are giving up so much to bring the love and Word of God to the nations who so desperately need to hear the Good News.
• I am thankful for good health.
• I am thankful that I will be in Denver with my children for Christmas!

The list could go on and on. I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving celebrations and perhaps some of the things on your lists, if you'd like to share, as we celebrate all that God has blessed us with. Happy Thanksgiving!