It is so hard to believe that we are not going home to Canada for Christmas this year. This will be the first time we have ever spent Christmas apart from our children and extended family and its already starting to hurt, knowing the memories of past Christmas' and not being all together. Thankfully our son Dan, Arnie & Betty and their children and grandchildren are coming to celebrate Christmas with us.
This all starts becoming a reality when you see the decorations appearing on some local establishments and knowing that I usually would have battled a chilly Saturday with Calvin putting those decorations on the outside of our home. Cold fingers and snapping attachments. Thankfully the last few years, Bart took my place and helped Cal carry on the tradition.
This year Jane and I went Christmas tree and ornament shopping here in the Dominican Republic and it was soooo painful, buying my first ever "phoney baloney" Christmas tree. I swore in the past I would never buy one but after one quick look for a local real Christmas tree lot, proved "zilch". It still hurts,
(my first fake tree, it is so painful).
It really didn't take long afterwards when Jane and I got home and started unpacking our purchases that we really started enjoying making our home a little Christmasy. Putting our tree together and decorating our home for the first time in Christmas settings actually felt a little bit like when we were first married. Ah yes, that first Christmas together, just the two of us and now 28 years later, just the two of us again and we're still trying to find the right spot for the tree and a place for all the now displaced furnature still proves to be a bit challenging.
Well I got the tree together and started putting on the lights and the other things.
Jane did one of the things she is still awesome at doing and that is making our home just a bit better looking. She did the finishing touches on the tree and figured where the garland and other decorations had to go. I had the joy of supplying the back power while she directed. It wouldn't have been so bad but I was the only manual labor around beside herself.
Some how isn't amazing that the decorations and trees are really just a prelude to the most important part of Christmas. How incredible is that. Join with us in knowing the true preparation and celebration for the season is really this;
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6
Don't work too hard on the preparations, the real reason for the season is still "Jesus Christ".
Friday December 19, 2008 was the last day for the students at school in Los Algodones, now called Villa Esperanza (Hope). Another meal was sponsored by Paul and Tamara from the United States and the children enjoyed it as much as the one at Thanksgiving. These children will remember this special year because of generous contributors who made the school a reality and by our Lord´s grace.
Two teachers busily wrapping a gift for each student to take home.
The wrapped gifts are ready to be handed out after lunch.
Rice, potato salad, chicken along with grapes, apples, raisins and candies for dessert.
The children wait until everyone has received their meal, a prayer of blessing is asked on the food and then it's time to ....
ENJOY THE CHRISTMAS FEAST!
Our 4 batteries were tested and found "Finished", so we finally had to do it. Yes, I had to break down and buy new batteries for our house. The four batteries we had only gave us 3- 4 hours of energy out of them on a full charge and that was only if we would turn off everything, especially the fridge, and use as few lights as possible. 
Now with 8 batteries, we get almost 24 hours and that is with leaving the fridge on. The only thing that hurt about these batteries was paying for them and then lugging them up into the attic. Those things are brutes but they work great. How do I know? Glad you asked, our electricity went out on Saturday afternoon at 2pm and today, Sunday, the batteries ran out of juice at 2pm. So being the math and time scholar that I am, that makes 24 hours and we still don’t have any electricity and I’m writing this on Sunday at 5:51 pm on my computer battery power. By the time we did get electricity again it was Monday at 11:30 am. Just under 48 hours; technology is so cool!
Of the millions of things your eyes see daily some things just seem to stand out.
never had this before but it looks good
a very special meal. Thank you Lord for all your blessings!
