Christmas 2008

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. We enjoyed Christmas this year and it was special for us all but it was different. We as a family have fought all sorts of illness. Hallie had Viral Croup which was very contagious. Several of us had Strep, many of us had sore throats, runny noses, fevers etc. We worried about the Nick and Noah getting any of these. So far we have all made it through but we are not over everything. Bryan has had a particular hard time this season and seems to go from one illness to another, headaches, etc. I don't know why this has happen but we are thankful for the Gospel and for our Lord Jesus Christ. He has strengthen our faith and our testimony through the little things we did for each other. We were disappointed when we had to cancel our annual Christmas Eve Party even though it was the right thing to do. We missed not being with family and friends and sharing the Christmas Cheer and message but wanted each of them to know that although they were not with us physically we felt their love in our hearts.

Christmas was special in many ways, the kids opening presents, Luke trying to take it all in and not having enough time to enjoy each present, Sydney getting her Barbie's Doll House, Hallie getting a scooter, Kendra getting her own DS, the spinach dip made by Natalie, the baking that CIndy and Natalie did, the beauty of the Christmas tree, the 8 - 12 inches of snow on Christmas day, talking with our Texas Family and listening to their excitement of what Santa brought and many many other blessings to numerous to list here.

Although there were many great things that happen that I could write about my top two are as follows: (1) I received from my lovely wife a special photograph of herself that brought me to tears along with it a letter expressing her love for me and her testimony of the Gospel. I will cherish this forever and this picture will hang in my office for the world to see. (2) Cindy and I have worked since before Thanksgiving putting together what we call our Stevens Heritage Cookbook. It was a labor of love and has all our family favorite recipes that we have loved over the years; many from our Grandparents, many from our friends and some that we found in one place or another. It was a work we loved doing and hope a blessing for our posterity which we hope will be cherished forever and that it will be used by our children's families and pass down through our grand children.

Yes it was the best of times and it was the worst of times. We hope that everyone had a great Christmas and that they were blessed and that you will have a happy healthy and prosperous New Year. With all our Love to all our family and friends.

Christmas is the best time of the Year

Yes, Christmas has come to our little snowy Happy Valley. The lights are sparkling, Frosty is swaying in the wind and the Tree has been up before Thanksgiving. I love looking at the Christmas tree and the lights even though I only see the Blue, Yellow and White but they look the same as the yellow ones unless I am very close.

Why is Christmas so special. It started as a little boy back in our little square quaint 2 story 3 BR home. My brothers and I would go to bed Christmas eve and in the morning the tree would be up, the presents under the tree left by Santa. Santa always brought the Christmas tree. Yes Santa did visit every house on Christmas Eve, how else could the tree and presents appear. We believed!!

I don't know how Mom and Dad did it, it takes us a month to get almost ready! As I grew up we started putting the tree up after Thanksgiving which was much more fullfilling. We would always go to the Candlelight Service at our Methodist Church on the Sunday before Christmas. It was very special, nicely decorated and I loved to hear my Grandmother sing the Carols. She had a very sweet, clear voice and sounded like an angel when she sang as did her sister. Did you know they were a sister act in Vaudeville and were to first to sing "Down by the Old Mill Stream."

The youth of the church would always put on the Christmas Story, with wise men, Shepherds, a Manger with Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus. For some reason, beyond me, I was always asked to be the Narrator while everyone else re-enacted the birth of our Savior. This was very fulfilling to me, as I do love reading the Christmas Story. I also loved being a part of the Manger Scene at Church. As a Youth Group we built a complete Manger Scene with all the animals, etc. We built it out of plywood, painted it and stored it in the church attic until the Saturday after Thanksgiving then we would spend the morning and put it up for the town to see.

In my sophomore year, I was asked to join the Choir, why I don't know, on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being best, I was a true '1' at my prime! I sat next to Warren Faulkrod who had a great powerful baritone tenor voice. It didn't matter how I sang, my singing was lost in his beautiful resonating voice. Well a funny thing happen my senior year at this service while singing in the choir. We had a Midnight Candle-light Service and we were singing 'Go Tell It On the Mountain' and I passed out, wiped out all the chairs around me, stopped the program. They took me to the back and revived me. I did not know why I had fainted, never had before and have never fainted since. In talking to my Mom and Dad afterwards, we determine that I had not eaten a thing all day, not since supper the night before. I had run from one event to another all day long; I guess that would not happen today with my food storage around waist.

The best thing I like about Christmas is the great peace I feel from the songs, the decorations, and mostly from the people. I think this is the one time a year that everyone is sincerely and genuinely concern for others. They are kinder in the stores, they seemed to have happier faces, easily prompting sweet tender smiles when they see you. The carol 'Joy to the World' is an echo of my feelings at this time of year and it validates what I see in our people. There are many angels among us and they come out by the hundreds every Christmas. This time of year has to be the happiest for our Heavenly Father.

I do think Christmas is best when families can share it together. May everyone's Christmas be full of Joy, Health, Happiness and Charity. I invoke the Lord's blessing on all that read this blog and know that I have already ask the Lord for a blessing on you.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good Night! The every present Optimist.