Christmas eve and other stories

i'm packing. again. grrrrrr....

i hate packing. i hate living out of a bag with limited clothing selections. you know, like -- what if i get to where i'm going, and then don't feel like wearing what i've packed? maybe i'm being a girl, here; sue me.

but packing means i'm going somewhere.

my parents have put up for airfare tomorrow, which means that instead of a ten hour drive to columbia, i only have a 1 hr 41 min flight to charlotte and a one hour drive to columbia. woo hoo! this will be my second flight to the carolinas in as many weeks -- i'm becoming a regular world traveler.

tomorrow also brings another type of decision -- what to wear to church.
should tomorrow be a dressed up day, or a business casual day, or maybe be a rebel and go jeans... this ordinarily wouldn't be an issue, but tomorrows a special day, for multiple reasons.
1. tomorrow's Christmas eve. it nearly begs to have people dress up.
2. tomorrow i perform my first baptism. i have the privilege and honor of baptizing one of my students. i'm terribly excited, but you probably can't tell.
3. tomorrow's Christmas eve...wait, i've already mentioned that one...

Christmas eve holds a special place in my life. for years, my family (parents and brother) would go to church for the Christmas eve service, then meet my grandparents (dad's side) at red lobster and then go and exchange presents either at our home or theirs. even though i got all the "good stuff" on Christmas morning and spent that day with my mom's folks, it was always Christmas eve that was most special.
in 1998, i spent my birthday at my grandfather's funeral, and a year later we were having a my grandmother's funeral a week before Christmas, while i started a new job the next day.
as of tomorrow, i have a new reason for Christmas eve to be special. as i already mentioned, i'm baptizing a student tomorrow morning. what better day than Christmas eve to profess one's faith publicly?

anywho... the story of Christmas (from the ESV Bible)

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city 0f David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to s." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and raising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

God bless you all, I love you, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!

rando