2015 - what will it bring??

It is almost impossible to think that the New Year will be here in a few days. Sometimes the turning over of a new year is a more important milestone than a birthday. Birthdays come and go, but it seems that the changing of the year presents a bigger challenge. What will this year bring??? We often worry about what tomorrow brings, forgetting that we need to live in today. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27. Worry involves a lot of "what ifs" - we create many scenarios of what is to happen, which most of the time never comes to pass. I remember my mother telling me not to make her worry about me - in my young ten-age intelligence I told her to just not worry. Right!!! When I became a mother, I understood the meaning of her words. Try to live in the moments of today - yesterday is past history, tomorrow is yet to come.

We spent Christmas Day at the hall in our park, celebrating with many residents. Chaplain Bill came in to pray and greet us all, but left as his wife, Ali, was a victim of the illness in the park. It is not the bronchial flu but the stomach variety - it has affected many residents. Pray for relief from this bug as it makes its rounds.

ready to sit down and enjoy Christmas dinner - this is one section of our hall and not as crowded as prior years. Many people are ill, and many more seem to have gone "back home" for the holidays.

our table filling up

there was not enough room for all of us, so we shared a smaller table with friends, Roy and Margaret. Are we still seated at the kids' table??

  Our little Christmas tree

 

 

Christmas Eve service at the park was beautiful - it included many Christmas songs by the choir and the congregation, a short sermon by Chaplain Bill, and the candlelight ending with everyone holding up their lit candles in the dark and singing "Silent Night". A peaceful, moving time to remember what Christmas is all about.

 

We spent the day on Wednesday at Border Missions serving a Christmas dinner to over 500 people. Beans, rice, a roll, a hot dog casserole, and fruit cocktail was served to all of those who came to eat a warm meal, to listen to a Christmas message, and receive beans, rice, donuts, tortillas, produce, toys for the every child, candy canes and Christmas wishes from all of us. What most people do not realize is that the food items we distribute are not supplements to their diet - they are food items that actually sustain them from one week to the next. As the weather is in the midst of a winter chill ( 40 degrees or less which is very cold to those in this area) it is a great effort to walk those few miles to Border Missions to receive food - for the soul as well as the body.

 

With the dawning of 2015, let us be thankful for everything that we have - looking forward to serving our Lord in every way we can by obeying as He commands us to obey. "And He has given us this command, Whoever loves God must also love his brother," 1 John 4:21  "The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me". Matthew 26:40.  

 

May you have  a wonderful and prosperous coming year.