December 13
“Memories of Christmases Past,” by Susan Helman
“And the angel said unto them, “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 this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12
As a child I always loved hearing Christmas carols and joining in in the singing of them. My early memories of Christmas include spending Christmas Eve with my mother’s family at my grandparents’ home on Oak Street, enjoying the company of not only my immediate family, but also my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We would enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner, and there would be gifts for the children. Just a few years into our marriage, Larry and I and our son, Troy, moved to Oak Street, a short distance from Memorial, and at some time thereafter began attending Memorial. On Christmas Eve we would go to our traditional family get-together hosted by one of the relatives or us, then as 11:00 P.M. would draw near, Larry, Troy and I would go to Memorial for the beautiful Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Just as the singing of Christmas carols as a child always made me feel full of the spirit of Christmas, walking into the sanctuary and soaking up the wonderful atmosphere of the feeling of Christmas was always very special to me, and I am very much looking forward to attending the service again this year.
Dear God, thank you for sending us your son, Jesus Christ, for family and friends, and please help us to remember always the true meaning of Christmas. Amen.
