Happy Christmas Eve
It's so exciting that another Christmas Eve has arrived! This has been a special day for me most of my life. For many years, it was the day my extended family would celebrate Christmas together. When that changed, it became the day my parents would celebrate it with my brother's and my families. Now, it's neither of those things...LOL But it remains an important day in my heart for various reasons. One of those being it is the anniversary of when I gave my heart to Jesus ❤️
I'm actually working half a day today...LOL But later today, I'll be enjoying Christmas services with CUMC out of Virginia Beach and a Christmas video call with Cherie. Although this isn't our first Christmas as friends, it is the first one with us being in a fellowship and where we exchange gifts with a video call...hehehe So, this year's Christmas Eve gets to be added to the main reasons I love Christmas Eve so much ❤️
Christmas Day itself has been different for me most years after my childhood. In a way, I haven't kept it as special in my heart as it's Eve. But in another way, I suppose that means it is special in that the only thing about it that has been constant is that I celebrate our Savior's birth. This year's has become super special for me as I piggy back off of what happened in my heart back on Easter. Back then, I pondered how I can celebrate Easter. God transformed my heart then and I'm carrying that into this Christmas tomorrow.
I've talked about my past hangups with celebrating these holidays as religious holidays...LOL I'm grateful God answered our prayers about this. He's helped me find a balance between the flesh and the spiritual aspects of my celebration. First of all, it isn't about meeeeeee...LOL It's all about Him. Second of all, everything about us wells up from the heart. If I keep my heart in the right place, there isn't any wrong way for me to celebrate these as Holy Holidays.
I love that 26 years ago I gave my heart to Jesus in a United Methodist Church. Today, I celebrate Christmas at a United Methodist Church. My path between that night and tonight wasn't a straight one...hehehe But nonetheless, God has been with me at all times. And I'm grateful for all he has done. And I am grateful for connections such at these I'm experiencing today.
For our fellowship time, Cherie and I will take communion and I'll read both the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi. It will be a blessed time. All while also doing a marathon of worship services through CUMC. Praise the Lord for his gift of salvation. Praise the Lord for the gift of friendship and fellowship. Praise the Lord!
The first service just wrapped up. It was a lot of fun. It was a bit disjoined. But that's one of the things I love about this church. It is very genuine and unrehearsed. Things just happen naturally. In this service, it was interactive. As the Christmas story was told throughout service, folks (mostly children) came up as characters of the story. I chose to be a shepherd...hehehe I used my wood cane as the staff...LOL
I'm going to have an early dinner today. I'll be making it here soon. I decided to go to the grocery after work so I could get taco supplies. I'll be having chorizo tacos this week. I'm doing it an hour early because the next service begins at 5pm. After that service will be my call with Cherie. So I wouldn't be doing dinner after the 5pm service...hehehe I didn't want to wait until after the 7pm service to have a meal. So, early it is! I'll just have my usual snack after the 7pm service. That will be a little early for me as well. But then again, I'll be heading to bed early...LOL I'd like to get up early tomorrow for my Christmas Disney Day...LOL
The second service was pretty much like what I've experienced on a typical Sunday with CUMC. It was labeled the modern service. So, that makes perfect sense...hehehe
It was wonderful to see Cherie again. It had been a few weeks due to my traveling to Indiana. We opened up the call with some fellowship. I read from the Word, we did communion, and she spoke a prayer. Then we opened our gifts for each other. After gifts, we had a wonderful time of friendship.
The gift time was amazing...hehehe She gave me an exclusive original drawing of Budford and Joshie. She included the Mickey ears that were supposed to arrive for our November Disneyland/DCA adventure. There was a postcard that dates back to when she went to Disneyland when she was six...hehehe She gave me a LA Dodgers World Series Champions shirt that matchers her's. And there is a beautiful and unique, handmade wooden cross that was made in Jerusalem. All of this was in a few gift boxes that were so beautiful. I feel incredibly blessed to have such an amazing friend. All of the gifts have special meaning and I cherish them all. All this came with a hand written note that explains all of the gifts as well. My heart is so full ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
The third service was a traditional worship. Traditional meaning more like vintage to me. The sort of experience I had in church back in the 80s. Of course, church was like that before the 80s...but I wasn't around before then...hehehe Although the sound wasn't available for some of it, the traditional service is more my vibe. I didn't realize how much I missed that style of worship. I may need to explore this more...
Something I've said a bit lately is that it isn't about me, it's about him. Cherie and I talked about that phrase a little today. Something I rarely do is take the phrase deep to what it really means for me. But we did talk about it and I discovered she might feel the same as I do. Yes, it's about God. But it's also about the relationship with God. We aren't the point. He is. But it isn't a one way street. Like in any healthy relationship, it goes both ways. It requires a certain level of connection. That is different for all of us. Each of us need to connect to God in our own unique ways. So, things like church aren't about me...they are about us (he and I).
As part of the conversation, I admitted that it seemed like I was forcing myself to go to church. I stopped going for other people, such as my parents. And I finally got to where I was only going for my relationship with God. But I also had this feeling of obligation to go...LOL You know, as if it were my duty as a Christian. Sort of like that idea of trying to earn his favor or something. In a way, it was like I was making it about me.
Now that I no longer feel that way, I have a new hope for finding a church I can connect with. I think I'll continue going to the satellite location for theChapel for now. But I'm thinking I'll explore next year. I'll find connection.