Burst Appendix and Christmas Thoughts

Daniel left for the hospital this morning. Carlos, the young man who is here serving here along side us, began having stomach pain on Sunday. Several people in our church and a couple of our children had a stomach bug and so he rested Sunday night and seemed to be feeling better. But yesterday, he began getting worse, so we took him to the doctor. They did some tests and thought it was his kidneys but this morning they called saying it was his appendix. They took him into surgery about 9 am and Daniel called home about an hour afterwards saying that the appendix had burst. How thankful we are that he was at the hospital and for the care the doctors gave him! He'll have to be in the hospital for about 5 days. Will you all please pray for Carlos?

Tuesday and Wednesday, we were in La Paz, the capital city as we had to pick up my new visa. The lady who owns the Christian Campground where we held our church family camp this past summer graciously allowed us to stay there overnight so we didn't have to get a hotel. The children had so much fun running around and playing at the playground. They older boys slept in one of the giant teepees they have there.

One little, two little, three little Indians....

Daniel getting ready to lead us in morning Bible time

After their showers last night, the children helped me decorate our home for Christmas. Daniel was at the hospital with Carlos, so we missed him being with us. But oh the excitment when he finally came home and the older ones who were still awake were able to show him everything!

I told the children that we would do something special everyday this month until Christmas; I had several ideas of my own and then they were great at giving me several more. Each day of our Calendar now lists a special activity for that day. Here are a few of them:

*Make Paper Snowflakes (to decorate windows)
*Decorate at church
*String Popcorn
*Have a Christmas Sing
*Candle Light Supper
*Make Gingerbread Houses
*Christmas Baking
*Take cookies to Neighbors
*Go Caroling
*Game Night
*Visit and take goodies to the villages with Daddy

*Pass out Christmas Boxes
*Birthday Party for Jesus

I would love to post about each Christmas activity we do each year; wouldn't it be fun to compare them from year to year?
Every year for the past 3 years the children have memorized verses telling about the birth of Christ and learned Chrismas Carols that accompany those verses. I divided up the passages and assign verses to each child (the older ones may get up to 12 and the youngest ones just a verse or two). The Maxwell family, whom the Lord has used to bless and teach our family so much, first gave us the idea for this family Christmas Program. You can find it here.

On Chrismas Eve, we will all sit around together and share the Christmas Story through the Scriptures memorized and songs. Afterwards, we will have a birthday cake for Jesus. My mom started the tradition of having a "birthday party for Jesus" and it was always one of my very favorite Christmas memories.

Each one of us will be thinking of what can we bring to Jesus this year and will share their "gift" at that time. I encourage the children (and myself too!) to ask the Lord this month what he wants from them. What is something He is asking them to do that they have struggled with? And then to prayerfully and humbly give that area of their lives to Him! How He loves a humble heart that seeks Him. And we are blessed for it all the more! It is truly more blessed to give than receive!
What does your family do to celebrate and remember the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ?