Silver Bells

Every time I hear bells ringing, I think of the song Silver Bells. Something about the sound of bells is very soothing - be it church bells or even the sound of the door bells. With the sound of bells comes all of the sights and smells of Christmas - the cultural Christmas that is, All of the Salvation Army volunteers ringing their bells, the Christmas displays in the stores enticing to you buy the "Perfect" gift for someone, All of the beautiful lights and Christmas decorations, the Christmas parties, programs, and celebrations. But I love the quietness of the Christmas season too - the beauty of the church decorated for the birth of our Savior - the singing of the Christmas Carols that bring back so many memories of Christmas' past, the warm and comforting smell of Christmas baking while the carols play on the TV, even the shouts of Merry Christmas as folks greet each other on the streets. Yes, I do say Merry Christmas to everyone, whether they say it back or not. I even wish them a blessed Christmas. The are still memories from my childhood that reflect the commercial side of Christmas, too. I remember one year when I was about at the doubting stage that Santa really did exist (I doubted Santa but never doubted the birth of the Christ child). We were living in Chicago at the time and were getting ready for our annul Christmas trip to Olsen Rug company, where a great Christmas display along with a Santa was a must on Christmas Eve. I was perhaps 7 or 8 I think. As I said, I began to doubt if Santa really existed - almost convinced that it was our Dad who secretly put out the gifts. I was going to catch him that year! So as we got ready to leave the house (no presents under the tree yet) I never took my eyes off him. We piled into our old green Dodge, all four of us together - OK - so now he was going to make an excuse to go into the house as he forgot something. nope - we drove off into the cold Chicago Christmas Eve together. I watched him all night, thinking maybe he would sneak off and go home and put out presents - nope - he hung around all night. When it was time to go home, we piled back into the cold car and drove home - parking the car in the street as we always did. Don't know why we never used the garage - perhaps because the alley rats used it for shelter form the cold. Up the stairs we went - all four of us together. Hmmm - maybe "Santa" would come when we were safely tucked away in bed. Opened the door to our upstairs apartment - and - WOW - presents all over the place. A train set for my brother and a doll house for me as well as what seemed like and endless array of presents. Well - maybe Santa did really exist! I don't remember when I really did realize that there was no Santa, but I sure believed it that year.

It has been a busy week as usual - a friend is not returning to the Valley this year due to the health of his wife and asked if we would sell/rent his park model - a cute little place next to the lake.It needed cleaning, so we went to remove the personal items he did not want and get ready for the patio sale on Saturday here in the park. I could not imagine all the "stuff" in that small trailer. We brought items home, washed and marked them, as well as removing all the linens to be washed and replaced when the cleaning girls get done. A big job - the sale is now over, a few pieces of stuff not sold ready to be donated to CHI - a big job finished. We did well for him at the sale even though it was cold and misty that day. After cleaning up and boxing everything, we headed to Mexico to pick up a few needed medications - now that was cold, rainy, and muddy. When we returned the vehicle was so dirty that even our Sunday morning gal we pick up for church could not believe it! You can be assured that the first place after church was the car wash!

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was featured in our church service this morning.Mary was a normal, simple girl, perhaps 13 or so, who was chosen by God to be the Mother of the Savior. The Jewish people had been waiting for years for His arrival and I am sure Mary knew of this. She was frightened when the angle announced she was with child, even though she had never been with a man. What would Joseph, or even her parents think? She would be an out cast in society, as Joseph would definitely not want to marry her now, even though the marriage contract was signed. Her parents would be shamed. Mary's response was simply that was a servant of God and may His word to her be fulfilled. I love Luke's Christmas story. Luke is my favorite book of the Bible. Perhaps it is because he tells the Christmas story so beautifully or maybe because he, being a physician, was so analytical in the telling. He was precise - being a physician he must have believed that a virgin birth was possible. Or did he? Did it test his faith, his knowledge of the human body, the almost impossibility of it? With God all things are possible. Luke was probably a Gentile, well educated in Greek culture, a physician, and a companion of Paul from his second missionary trip to Paul's imprisonment in Rome He was a loyal friend  who remained with Paul after he other apostles had deserted him. During this Christmas season read the book of Luke - especially the Christmas story on Christmas Eve.