Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Twas the Night Before Christmas...
After a lovely service at CFC with candlelight, we headed to Aunt Betty's home for a delicious Christmas Eve feast and were able to see all Dave's mom's side of the family for the annual Christmas Eve party. We had a great time seeing everyone!
When we got home, we got the boys in their Christmas jammies and read our stories. Dave read the Christmas story from Luke and a children's book about the Nativity and I read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" as the boys were drinking their egg nog. It's always a very sweet time together. We then put out egg nog and cookies for Santa and sent the boys off to bed eagerly awaiting the morning. Dave and I were able to watch part of "It's a Wonderful Life" and read a couple of passages on the Incarnation together before sleepily going to bed ourselves.
Christmas Eve - The Christmas Trains at Brandywine!
This Christmas Eve, on our way to the CFC Christmas Eve service and Dave's family's party, we stopped at the Brandywine River Museum to see the Christmas train display. We went last December and we thought we just couldn't miss it this year. The boys LOVED it and they had a Polar Express train and little drive-in theater with the actual Polar Express movie playing which was very exciting to David as he loves that movie. We got there and lo and behold, the Van Berkom family were there too! Needless to say, the boys were thrilled to see their friends and much fun was had by all. My camera ran out of batteries, so I wasn't able to get as many pictures as I would've liked and I wasn't able to get any pictures of the Christmas service either, but here is our trip to see the trains. It really is an amazing display! Highly recommend it.
Owen was just in awe of the "choo choos".
David and Ethan (and Nathan :) )
Christmas Eve - The Gingerbread Train
On Christmas Eve, we made our second annual Gingerbread train. This time Owen was able to fully participate too (last year he was happy just to watch in his high chair). We all had a blast eating...um, I mean making our gingerbread train. :)
Owen was really concentrating hard when he was putting on the candies... :)
The last step!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
We had quite a wonderful and special day with many traditions and celebrations. I will be sure to blog all about it when I have a free moment. For now, the boys are in bed eagerly awaiting tomorrow morning and I am enjoying a few moments with my love reflecting on the wonder of the incarnation, enjoying some egg nog and maybe even getting to watch some of our favorite Christmas movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." A Christmas Eve tradition.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
But for this heaven-descending communication, of which the patriarch's ladder was the symbol and the type, how could a holy God advance towards me, or I draw near to Him? But He takes my nature that He may descend to me, and He gives me His nature that I may ascend to Him. He stoops, because I could not rise! Oh mystery of grace, wisdom, and love! Shall I doubt it? I go to the manger of Bethlehem, and gaze upon the infant Savior. My faith is staggered, and I exclaim, "Is this the Son of God?" Retiring, I track that infant's steps along its future path. I mark the wisdom that He displayed, and I behold the wonders that He wrought. I mark the revelations that He disclosed, the doctrines that He propounded, the precepts that He taught, the magnanimity that He displayed. I follow Him to Gethsemane, to the judgment-hall, and then to Calvary, and I witness the closing scene of wonder. I return to Bethlehem, and with the evidences which my hesitating faith has thus collected, I exclaim, with the awe-struck and believing centurion, "Truly this is the Son of God!" All the mystery of His lowly incarnation vanishes, and my adoring soul embraces the incarnate God within its arms. We marvel not that, hovering over the spot where this great mystery of godliness transpired, the celestial choir, in the stillness of the night, awoke such strains of music along the plains of Bethlehem as were never heard before. They left the realms of glory to escort the Lord of glory in His advent to our earth. How gladly they trooped around Him, thronging His wondrous way, their benevolent bosoms dilating in sympathy with the grand object of His mission. And this was the angel's message to the astonished shepherds: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men." Shall angels rejoice in the incarnation of the Son of God, and our hearts be cold and unmoved? Forbid it love, forbid it gratitude, forbid it, O my soul! - Octavius Winslow, Evening Thoughts, December 24
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
But for this heaven-descending communication, of which the patriarch's ladder was the symbol and the type, how could a holy God advance towards me, or I draw near to Him? But He takes my nature that He may descend to me, and He gives me His nature that I may ascend to Him. He stoops, because I could not rise! Oh mystery of grace, wisdom, and love! Shall I doubt it? I go to the manger of Bethlehem, and gaze upon the infant Savior. My faith is staggered, and I exclaim, "Is this the Son of God?" Retiring, I track that infant's steps along its future path. I mark the wisdom that He displayed, and I behold the wonders that He wrought. I mark the revelations that He disclosed, the doctrines that He propounded, the precepts that He taught, the magnanimity that He displayed. I follow Him to Gethsemane, to the judgment-hall, and then to Calvary, and I witness the closing scene of wonder. I return to Bethlehem, and with the evidences which my hesitating faith has thus collected, I exclaim, with the awe-struck and believing centurion, "Truly this is the Son of God!" All the mystery of His lowly incarnation vanishes, and my adoring soul embraces the incarnate God within its arms. We marvel not that, hovering over the spot where this great mystery of godliness transpired, the celestial choir, in the stillness of the night, awoke such strains of music along the plains of Bethlehem as were never heard before. They left the realms of glory to escort the Lord of glory in His advent to our earth. How gladly they trooped around Him, thronging His wondrous way, their benevolent bosoms dilating in sympathy with the grand object of His mission. And this was the angel's message to the astonished shepherds: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men." Shall angels rejoice in the incarnation of the Son of God, and our hearts be cold and unmoved? Forbid it love, forbid it gratitude, forbid it, O my soul! - Octavius Winslow, Evening Thoughts, December 24
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pictures from Tonight's Christmas Eve Eve Service
Candlelight!
David singing his little heart out.
Abby and Owen
Owen was admiring Abby's pretty shoes. :)
David and Isaac
All the boys dressed up in their finery
David Singing Joy to the World
Here is our David singing, "Joy to the World" this evening for our Christmas Eve, Eve service. He was so sweet and we are so proud of him...you can actually hear his little voice belting it out! Enjoy! (This makes me cry) :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
