Is it New Year’s yet?

Seriously… although we’re still two days away from Christmas, it feels like we’ve not even yet begun to really settle and enjoy the holidays. If you’re anything like me… there’s still a number of things to do before church tomorrow and Christmas on Monday, so I won’t keep you long. Let me give you 5 pictures that sum up our week…

#1 Because

Last week I told you about a writing project that I’d been working on for Melinda Poitras.

Presenting…

Because: A Youth Study

Melinda answers some of the common questions that young people ask about why we do what we do as Christians. My role has been to spend the last several weeks formatting it for print and designing the artwork.

Over 200 copies have already flown off of Amazon since it launched on Sunday. You don’t need to be a young person to enjoy this book. It ministered to me as I was working through it.

#2 School Connections

On Monday we had lunch with Timo’s school principal, his vice principal and a few other parents. It was designed as an open house to show off the new cafeteria facilities to interested parents. There were 8 of us in total – including the staff – so it was a great connect point.

Tuesday was parent-teacher day, back at the same spot so it was a good chance to connect with Timo’s teachers, one of which is our neighbour from a few doors down, and whom Liz had never met.

The question of “What brought us here?” always comes up so it’s a chance to talk about our church and the work of the Lord here in Châtellerault

#3 Gift-Giving

“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
Proverbs 18.16

We have done a lot of small gift-giving over the past two weeks, to friends, neighbours, colleagues, teachers & business people, etc.

Why?

Not only does it give us a chance to express our sincere appreciation to them but it’s a chance to cause their thoughts to pause, even momentarily, on the Lord… showing them God’s love in tangible ways.

We’ve given small crocheted Christmas decorations as well as cookies along with handwritten notes. I don’t think that such expressions – particularly in a business / work setting – are as common as they perhaps are back home. This morning I took some to the print shop that we use a lot and people are very, very appreciative…

“Lord, may you increase and we decrease!”

#4 Thursday Walks

Thursdays are busy nights… Soph does archery, Timo does ping-pong and Dominic is usually late getting back to Châtellerault.

Soph is the last one to be finished to I usually go back to get her and we’ll walk Pollux around the two-bridge-loop before coming home.

Those are special times… love them!

#5 Simple Christmas

Some of the decorations on the tree that I like most, are actually the most simple Take these two for example…

• A 3-4″ mini-wreath made from a bag of thrift-store buttons that we got a few years ago.
• A dried orange slice (Do I even start on the mixture of the smells of a real Christmas tree and citrus?)

The boys finished school yesterday, as did Soph, but things haven’t quite slowed down for us yet as we’ll have a Christmas Eve service on Sunday morning followed by a pot-luck dinner.

It’s busy having things go right up until Christmas Eve, but for now, that’s how we roll. I’m a little envious of some of the Facebook posts I see about many folks relaxing, drinking hot chocolate by a roaring fireplace and bingeing on Christmas movies… we haven’t been able to do that quite yet but are very much looking forward to at least a few such simple pleasures.

The Lord is good

…and we’re blessed.

Please keep our Sunday service & dinner in your prayers today.
God bless you as you celebrate the Saviour this weekend
and from our house to yours… Merry Christmas!