We enjoyed our thrift store gift game. We were waiting to hear whether Mindy's family was going to come or not for sure to do our Christmas gift giving. Mindy told us that they had begun packing the car, but then Kaia began to spike a fever. Mindy called to tell us they would not be coming after all. We were bummed.
"Well, let's open our stockings tonight" I suggested. Claire wanted to be Mini Santa! In our home, Santa passes out the stockings.
Our fireplace mantel is not big enough to put out all our stockings, so we hang them on our stair case bannisters. This year we added Nehemiah to the mix so we had 16 stocking on 4 different railings!
Nehemiah and Hannah had matchy-matchy stockings!
Claire, er, Mini Santa, passed out the stockings.
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All the guys got bacon-flavored lip balm
I don't think Hannah is too excited about that.
Josh showed Staci what was in her stocking.
It was sad she was too sick to come in person.
"Hi Sister Staci! We miss you!"
We'll go deliver the stockings and presents to our kids in Colorado soon!
* * *
The next morning, Josh and I fixed breakfast.
Josh and I said we needed to run to the grocery store for a few items so we slipped out. We did run to the grocery store, but the main reason we had to go at this time was that I needed Josh's help to pick up a gift for Papa!
When we got back, we called everyone up for the gift exchange.
But first, I read of "A Very Noisy Christmas". I bought it to read to the little ones. They weren't here to listen, but I read it anyway.
Then Papa had a quiz about Biblical characters for us. Our family is pretty good at knowing their facts. Here is the Bible Quiz below. You can look up the reference if you don't know the answer, but the answers will be at the bottom of this blog too.
1. Guy murders his brother in a fit of jealous rage: (Gen. 4)
2. Spiritual leader discovered drunk and naked in his home. (Gen. 9)
3. A guy lies about his wife, which places her in danger of sexual assault. (Gen. 12)
4. Miltants kidnap a whole family during a raid. (Gen. 14)
5. Husband fathers a child with the maid (and it was encourage by the wife).
(Gen. 16)
6. Gang of men attempt to rape a man’s guests. (Gen. 19)
7. Man deceives his blind father and steals from his twin absent brother. (Gen. 27)
8. Man in a polygamous household faces incredible strife in the family.
(Gen. 29-30)
9. Mass slaughter perpetrated by a bunch of brothers to avenge their sister’s rape.
(Gen. 34)
10. Eldest son sleeps with his father’s wife. (Gen. 35)
11. Brothers sell their youngest brother into slavery. (Gen. 37)
Wow, humans are a mess! But "God SO LOVED the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life!" John 3:16. How amazing is that!
Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
I Peter 1: 3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish,
spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you."
* * *
When it was time to open the presents, we went youngest to oldest. Claire was youngest, so she picked a gift from under the tree and gave it to that person. Eli was next and so on and so forth. I'm the oldest (3 months older than Al), so after my turn, it was back to Claire.
Expressive thanks!
Hannah is holding a recipe box in that photo above. I included recipes from her great-grandmothers, my missionary friends, Japanese recipes, etc.
Josh was filming the morning for Staci to watch. What they grown up kids did this year was give eachother some of their favorite things.
"Fashion show, fashion show, fashion show after lunch!"
Every year, Allen gets a box of chocolate covered cherries from Jill minus one cherry. Many years ago, Jill had got him a box and couldn't stand the temptation and ate one.
Ever since then, he always gets a box with one missing.
Heated socks for his COLD toes.
Josh ran outside to get the gift we got this morning at the store.
A new ladder. Seriously, his old one is not very stable or safe.
The kids gifted me with so many gifts!! SO MANY! Thank you all!!!
A very special one I got was this:
The grandkids made a necklace for me out of beads that were the colour of their eyes! From Kaia on up to Hannah. The 7 grandchildren. I LOVE it!!
The gift Allen gave me made me cry. It was a Sakuraco gift subscription.
Filled with Japanese foods and gifts! What a thoughtful gift that I can look forward to each month!! He knows my heart!
After lunch, there was a fashion show:
Then the guys went to the Y to play basketball, while we girls went for a walk around the lake.
Cousin love
Here's when they first met each other.
* * *
Of course God's BEST gift to us is His Son, Jesus. But another gift (He gives many!) is His perfect peace.
John 14:27.
We can choose to receive a gift from somebody or choose not to. Like Eli, who kept giving his gift back. I found Naomi's photo on my bookcase. But then when he wasn't looking, we put it in his luggage to go back to his house.
People have a choice whether they want the gifts God has for them. Or they can choose not to. What have you done?
* * *
Answers to the quiz:
1. Cain kills Able
2. Noah
3. Abram
4. 4 kings routed the 5 kings in the Valley of Siddim (around Sodom and Gomorrah) and carried off Lot and his family. Abram and his 315 trained men went and rescued them.
5. Abram and Hagar
6. Angels at Sodom & Gomorrah
7. Jacob & Esau
8. Jacob & Rachel & Leah & servants; it was not a peaceful family.
9. Jacob’s sons murder the men of Shechem while they were still recovering from being circumcised to avenge Dinah, Jacob & Leah’s daughter.
10. Reuben sleeps with Bilhah
11. Joseph (20 pieces of silver)
