Monday, December 22, 2008

Dec.19-21, 2008~Hertzler Doings

On Friday night, Phil and I went to the staff party for our church at Daily Grind. We had a lovely supper and played a game or two. We played Pictionary using sheets of paper with a Christmas song written on one side. We took turns drawing the song and our table almost tied with the First Place table. Each couple won a 'Pooping Reindeer.' You put brown jelly beans inside the reindeer and somehow they get, you know, pooped out. We also played "Now you have it, Now you don't," with Christmas gifts that everyone brought. I got a package of real cotton hankerchiefs and a cowboy tie.(football team) Let me know if you are a fan and I'll ship it to you. Phil got..hmm...I can't remember right now. We closed the evening singing "Silent Night" with dear Pastor Lou leading and singing each word with meaning. We joined hands and prayed together for the church and each other. We are so thankful to be a part of this body of believers.

On Sat., Phil and Philip went beaver trapping. They got four beavers. Freeman worked on his camper roof and Michael cut firewood. I picked up Susan in Appomattox. She had spent the night at her friend, Lydia's, and they had gone to a Progressive Supper the night before with the Evergreen Baptist Youth Group. Mickey, Renea, (Mickey's daughter)and Oran (Mickey's other daughter's little boy) came over to see the baby bunnies. Renea is the one who gave us the mother rabbit in the first place. Later, Susan and I watched two Christmas movies before hitting the sack.

On Sunday morning, we went to church, where I picked up my little bundle of joy, Sammy Jo. I was watching her for Judy while she sang. Phil and I went over to the Children's Center to watch Susan practice her Human Video. She and the others did very well and it was a good reminder that children who are young can know God in a deep way. When I came back to the sanctuary, Lindsay and Gil were there with Emma and Adison. Emma played hard to get but I got her and Adi gave me hugs and kisses and looks of interest and delight. The choir wore different shades of red and green with black and while they sang, a clip from the movie, "The Nativity" was shown. Our Pastor preached from Prov. 19:21~"You can make many plans but God's plan will prevail." Some of the highlights of his sermon:
Our plans can not possibly be higher than God's.
Why does God mess up our plans?-To get our attention so we can regain proper focus; Because He has a different plan; and because His plan is more rewarding. We cannot even begin to fathom how great His plans are for us.
May His Kingdom come and His will be done in our lives. Amen.

We came home and I slept. Around 4:00, Tom's came over. Tom is Phil's brother, just 18 months younger than him. Tom and I were born 3 days apart. Helen is his wife. They have six children~Michelle, Meredith (she stayed home to take care of the farm animals), Bethany, Tommy, Abigail, and Serena. Susan, Philip, and Christi went along with Phil and I from our side of the family. We sang at Marvin and Margaret's, Mickey and Mitch's(Oran was there), John and Jeanne's and Ed and Bernice's. The little girls, Abigail and Serena, rode with us. They played spelling games and a Count the Christmas lights game on the way. We saw a falling star with a red tail. We got back to Tom's around 7:00 and had a lovely time of eating, talking, and singing together. I felt all settled inside. Christmas is being with people you love. Christmas is eating good food. Christmas is singing and smiling at people. Christmas is family. Tom's are family. Pa. Family is family. And Mickey, Mitch, Marvin, Margaret, Jeanne, John, Bernice and Ed are family.
And to you who read these words, You are family, too. I love you, and Merry Christmas.

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