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CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

In the midst of the beautiful Christmas Season, with all it’s beauty, wonder and joy, there is a certain quiet sadness that our family feels every year. The Christmas Dinner is prepared, the menu is pretty much the same, but there is one less dinner plate on our table since December 1995. However, we refuse to let our sorrow prevail and so we take turns remembering happy and funny gatherings on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day….when Pop was with us. Ed loved the Holidays and seemed to turn into a child himself as the bright Christmas lights blinked and that blessed feeling of magic surround all our lives.

I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior in November 1972 and the first Christmas we all spent together as a new family was one of beauty and joy. Ed had been saved a few months before I, and the tears in both our eyes that first Christmas as Christians was only for joy. Our three precious sons were the reason I gave my life to the Lord and we always did our best to make sure their Christmas’ were special and happy.



Down through the years, Christmas celebrations were times when our family was nearly always together, there was entirely too much food, and the love and joyous times were always plenteous. Our church family always blessed us at Christmas, which made it even more special. Little did we know that in later years, Christmas would forever change in our hearts.

Ed was ill two years before he went Home. In 1995, he spent his last Christmas with us on this earth. He was aware of the Christmas Season and even joked with us as we centered all our celebrations around him. December 27, twenty minutes into my birthday, Ed made his final journey to his Home in Heaven, that beautiful place we have been promised if we are faithful to the Lord.



For the last 8 years, we have been forced to create Christmas memories without Pop. Places to celebrate have changed, I no longer do all the cooking and I am delighted!! Carl and Sherri’s two sons are now 8 and 12, and William was married last year to a sweet girl who has two precious little girls. Next year at Christmas a new family member will have been added…William and Marycatherine are expecting a little one in April. Eddie continues to surprise us with a new girlfriend nearly every Christmas!!!



Things change, people change, but our Lord has promised us that He will never change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is here with us to bring comfort, help us create new Christmas memories, give hope and make our sad hearts glad. The sadness of Ed not being with us is overcome by the fact that we know he is celebrating Christmas with the One
Who Christmas is all about.