Christmas' Past

As time ticks diligently along to countdown till Christmas Day, my mind goes back to years past and the times with family and friends.

There was a routine my family went by every year. Christmas Eve we would travel through the darkness lit up by the bright Christmas lights for what seemed like years and finally about 2 hours later we were at my mother's parents' house, Grandma & Grandpa Pelzer. Christmas Eve at the Pelzer's was always an adventure, you never knew from one minute to the next what would happen. One thing for sure, Grandma Pelzer would recite "Lil Orphan Annie" and "T'was the Night Before Christmas in Texas" I can hear her telling these from memory and never forgetting a word. Oh, how I long to hear my Grandma retell the stories.

After returning home and getting so much needed rest, Santa would come! This was another wonderful day, not for the gifts but the family and friends we would see that day. Once our immediate family had our personal Christmas we'd travel about an hour and a half to visit Pop & Oma, my dad and his mother. They are from Holland and what a rich heritage they had to share... again I long to hear her speak of all the "Old Country" I can vividly see in my mind.

Then it was off to my another side of the family, my adopted father's family about an hour or two farther in the opposite direction. This was a huge family like my mother's family. There were so many people and so much good country cookin', and oh my, Mamaw's sweet tea was perfect! It had more sugar than water. Once our tummy was more full than could ever imagine, she'd bring out the desserts! And you just couldn't turn down her Banana Pudding or Fresh Blackberry Cobbler topped with Blue Bell's Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

When all was done we'd be back on our way home through the darkness, this time not as many lights to brighten the wintry night. As many times as this routine was trod year in and year out, it was looked upon with much anticipation. Yes, the miles were many and the day and a half was very long but you knew once you were there it was HOME and you felt wanted. Each family was very different and none of the families celebrated the same. It's amazing how Christmas' Past seem like church of today. This is what church is to me, like Christmas every time.

It's a reunion of many different families and heritages come together to share a special time of worship and devotion to the one who loved us more than all creation. God loved us so much he gave us the most beautiful gift; he gave us through the birth, life and death of his son, Christ... Salvation!

If you'd like to share a special Christmas memory please feel free!

God bless...