Posted by caleb on Dec 25, 2009 in
Personal After waking up very early on a bright and snowy Christmas morning, we read both Luke and Matthew’s accounts of the Christmas story.
Soon after, we opened the presents under the tree and discovered five matching Santa hats!
Family at Christmas
Our good family friends, Vernon and Lois Wells, from (balmy) Beaumont, TX sent us stockings filled with goodies… most of them to remind us the frigid outside wasn’t everything!
My sister, Corrie, and Me
After we opened our gifts we decided to try everything out. Corrie was hooking up her new portable external hard drive.
Katie and Tucker
It was our yellow lab Tucker’s very first sizable snow- and he thought he’d woken up in heaven. He and Katie tore through the fresh snow, inspecting every smell.
We spent the afternoon running around with them, sledding, and thoroughly enjoying our first White Christmas in many years.
In all, it was a great Christmas Day. I’m so thankful for my family and the many blessings God has given us. May you always remember the love of our Savior: the true Reason for this most blessed Season.
To see all of our Christmas pictures, check out my MobileMe gallery.
Tags: Caleb, Car Grandma, christmas, Christmas 09, Christmas 2009, Corrie, Dad, Grandma Hays, Lois, Mom, Vernon, Wells
Posted by caleb on Dec 24, 2009 in
Personal And so was proclaimed the good news of the birth of the Son of God by the angels sent by God himself- not to the ruler, King Herod, nor to the high priest, but the lowly shepherds sitting out on a lonesome hillside, protecting their only livelihood.
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14 (NIV)
Thus began the greatest story ever told, that of peace, of grace, and of completely unconditional love. It truly was a night that changed our world forever. For it wasn’t just a normal birth. No, for God Himself came to Earth, not because He had to, but because He loved us with such a burning passion He could not bear to see us wither and die in our sin.
You see, we weren’t created to just make money or even give gifts. We were created with the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to our Creator. Sin, our wrong choices, our mistakes- they keep us from fulfilling our purpose and leave us more than empty inside- they hollow out our souls.
And that’s why Christmas is so important. With the birth of one child, God set out to rescue us from ourselves. He made the ultimate sacrifice: He gave His son so that we might live.
It is my mist sincere wish that you realize just how special you are to God’s heart, and how His love for you is unquenchable and neverending, no matter what you do. Tomorrow morning, when you get up with your family, think about His gift to you.
From our family to yours, Merry Christmas.
Tags: Christianity, christmas, Christmas 2009, Jesus
Posted by caleb on Dec 24, 2009 in
Uncategorized For the past few years, we’ve had to do without any snow whatsoever for Christmas, but this year, God was generous, and we had a perfect Christmas Eve snowstorm. In the end, we got about four inches, including some ice and sleet.
Safe travels to all of you still out there in it. Be safe, and Merry Christmas.
Here are some pictures of my parents’ house in the snow:
Christmas lights twinkling
Snow-swept front porch and Christmas tree
Snow flakes pelting the front lawn.
Tags: #KSBlizzard, #OKBlizzard, birth, Christianity, christmas, Christmas 2009, Christmas Eve, Jesus
