Good Morning!  I hope you are safe and warm on this snowy Tuesday morning.  It looks like this stuff is going to be with us for a while.

 Were you able to enjoy being snowed in over the weekend?  E-mail me and let me know some of the neat stuff you were able to do while you were snowed in.  I know some of you, like Jerry Pomphrey, worked non-stop, but how about the rest of you.

We started a 1000 piece picture puzzle on our coffee table [not much progress so far].  We read a lot, drank hot chocolate and shoveled and shoveled and shoveled snow.  Fortunately, a neighbor took pity on us Sunday afternoon and loaned us a snow blower.  Otherwise, I’d probably still be shoveling.

Like most of you, we were extremely disappointed at not being able to gather for worship on Sunday.  We had big plans for the Sunday before Christmas [bell choir, special music, etc], but it was not meant to be.  I’m confident God knows what he is doing.  Hopefully, you worshiped together as a family and made some wonderful memories.

Since this is our last Tuesday on the Run before Christmas, let us take this time to wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. Rosemary and I appreciate more than you’ll ever know our wonderful church family.  Your love, your concern, your prayers and your expressions of kindness mean the world to us.

As most of you know we will be leaving Wednesday to visit our daughter and her family in Indianapolis.  Please pray for our safety on the roads.  We are hoping to beat the next storm.  Going should be OK, but coming back could be treacherous.  For those of you who are staying in the area, we are planning a lay-led Christmas Candlelight Service on Wednesday night, December 23rd at 7:00 PM.  This will all depend on the condition of the church parking lot.  If you have questions check with Dana Lambert, Don Bradford, or Donna Blankenship.  Pastor Dale will be preaching this coming Sunday.  We hope to be back late Sunday evening.

Let me share this thought with you as we approach Christmas day.  As I’ve read again the Christmas story this year, I’ve been struck by the fact that we have the unique perspective of looking back and seeing the hand of God working in a variety of ways.  From our vantage point we can see that all of it –  the decree of Caesar Augustus, the journey to Bethlehem, the lack of room in the inn, the birth in a stable – was all part of God’s marvelous plan.  But Mary and Joseph didn’t have that perspective.  I’m sure they must have wondered why they had to make this dangerous journey with Mary in such a precarious condition.  I’m sure they must have wondered why God would allow His son to be born in a stable or why they had to flee to Egypt.  And yet, without hesitation, moment by moment Mary and Joseph trusted God and obeyed His voice.  In spite of family opposition, in spite of
unexplained problems, they simply trusted.  Their story reminds me that even though we may not understand the challenges we face each day, we serve a God who does.  We serve One who can move empires, protect His children from powerful enemies, and provide for every need. We simply need to put our hope and trust in Him.  Like Mary, when we see God’s hand at work, when we see His daily provision, and when we witness His miracles we need to “treasure” those moments and “ponder them in our heart.” (Luke 2:19).  The miracle of Bethlehem
reminds us that “God  so loved the world he sent His only begotten son….”  Whatever your need, you can trust Him.

Merry Christmas!


Pastor Barry and Rosemary