Ah! A well-fed post-Merry Christmas to all!

Yesterday was certainly a day of rejoicing in the things and people the Lord has brought into our lives. Yesterday in church the message was on three gifts that God has given us: mercy, grace and justification. These three things are ours because of Christ’s work on our behalf. Although the sermon focused on how the ‘gifts’ we give to Jesus are many times motivated by pride and self-interest, I came away with a greater appreciation for the greatness of “all [the] spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3) that we have received.

I was also especially thankful for the family God has given me. My wonderful wife and children are also precious to me. Even my wife’s family was part of my special thanksgiving. We are enjoying David and Karen’s visit (my wife’s younger brother and sister). We have had a lot of fun playing Settlers of Catan and Age of Empires. This year Daniel and Angelo Salvatierra, two young men from my father-in-law’s ministry in Chile who are preparing for the ministry here in Monterrey, are staying with us as well. I think they have a new appreciation for Christmas now (at least the food that accompanies this occasion—go, Susan)! They enjoyed opening the presents from their family in Chile that David and Karen were able to bring.

We were also amazed at the generosity of God’s people. Every year we marvel at the material blessings the Lord provides for us through the giving hearts of His people. We made off like bandits. I was telling someone how almost all of the very nice things we have were given to us. We thank all of you for thinking of even the material gifts as well!

I didn’t think that I was going to like having Christmas fall on a Sunday. As you know, many churches cancelled their services yesterday because it was Christmas. I read of one mega-church that stated that they didn’t have services because their services required the work of several hundred volunteers. They didn’t think that it was fair to ask these people to spend that time away from family and friends. Yesterday Susan and I had the opportunity of putting together and organizing a 30 minute program with special music and Scripture reading. It was a delight to be doing it in combination with David and Karen, but it was extra-special to serve the Lord on a Sunday that was also a Christmas Sunday. I know that I sang and played with a greater spiritual focus and enjoyment than usual. Those churches that thought it was too much to ask people to serve only deprived their people of an extra-special blessing.