... AND THE JOY OF JESUS ...

A Blessed Belated Christmas to all!

Here it is, Friday afternoon, and I'm finally finding time to get around to the ole' blog again.  There has been literally no time since last I wrote ... Even had a member's death on Christmas Day - (memorial service Monday) - so my time has been well used!  Had a wonderful time on CH Eve and CH Day.

  The "Kids" service was at 5pm on Saturday night - always a a children's service;  had a simple powerpoint service (no worship folders); during the opening dialog when the phrase "Arise, shine, your ligt has come!" I have everybody (kids and adults) break out their glowsticks (no candles at this service) and they were hooked together with glittery stars - thus the theme, "Follow the Star."  For the message I have the kids come forward and do the Christmas story with them -  this year I had found "Silly Bands" in the shapes of Mary and Joseph, a babe in a manger, an angel, a sheep and a star - (that's some of the marginal pics) and at the end of the message gave them packets of the same - one set to keep and another to hand out to a friend who doesn't know the story.  We still do the "Silent Night" with glowsticks at the end; a great service it was! 

Then came the traditional Candlelight Service (we still are allowed to use real candles) - and it was a powerpoint service as well.  Used the theme "Follow the Star" for this service as well, and posted the sermon earlier this week - if you had a chance to listen.  We got home and opened our gifts (our "exchange" so as not to haul everything off to San Diego).  K got me a "Wireless Weather Station" - the perfect gadget for a guy who doesn't have one; and I got her a Bernina(?) sewing machine.  Now she can sew, darn, quilt, and embroider anything she "darn" well pleases - cuz' its all computer generated.  It hasn't arrived yet - still is some factory in Switzerland being made ... or something.  When it arrives, the call will come, I'm sure, and joy will be even more complete in this Wehrspann household.  Then we packed and rested until Christmas Day.  That service was the most catastrophic I've ever experienced in powerpoint history!  Twice the computer crashed - trying to load the service; then when I finally got a copy to run, it was a garbled mess!  So I stopped the service in the opening dialog (it happened early) and said "I think we need to move around and share a 'Merry Christmas' with everybody in the room!"  During the "rumble" I was trying to figure out what to do next; I announced, "For our service today, we'll use the HYMNAL" (it's been 10 years since we've used one here!) I even remember saying "it's the green thing in front of you!" and the musicians called out the hymn numbers and verses, etc.  What a hoot!  I was able to present the Gospel from Luke 2 with only a slight hitch - my brain glitch had the shepherds returning to heaven, not the angels - and my wording (at that point) was not verbatim when I got through - I even put it on the sermon page if you want to hear it ... not bad for a old man, huh?  The Sermon was from the message of the angels, "Peace on Earth" and it is also on the webpage.  If you listen, I pray God's richest blessings on your hearing.

Then off to the airport (left from the church parking lot; hardly any time to greet people) at 11:30 for a 1:30 flight.  The flight began in PDX, and had to go to Seattle and then to San Diego ... why ya gotta go north to head south still amazes me.  We checked NO BAGGAGE! All was carry-on to save time and possibility of being separated from our luggage.  Alaska Air does have a little cart that you can put your carry-ons on, so that you don't have to heft them into the airplane.  We did that, and upon arrival in Seattle (a 25 minute flight, mind you) and deplaning, and going to the cart where the carry-ons are retrieved, there is no C-PAP machine, and as all you apnea-ers know, this spells trouble!  I waited at the arrival gate and had them announce for someone who might have grabbed the wrong bag to return; Karina went on to the next gate (the plane was boarding in about 10 minutes);  I finally gave up, got information as to 'how to retrieve lost baggage'; and went on to the next flight.  While the plane was boarding (we're already on the plane, mind you) - here comes the agent with my C-PAP!  Praise the Lord!  It will be a silent night, holy night!  I grinned all the way to Coronado Bay!

We arrived in SD at the right time; got a car rented (a Kia Forte, no less) and headed to El Cajon!  We arrived at 6:00 pm and the kids (and Kristi and June) had dinner all ready - Micah had prepared a wonderful prime rib - then all the fixins - brussel sprouts, and salad and potatoes and horseradish and wine and rolls and other stuff that I have forgotten.  It was a scrumptious meal!  By the time we ate, we all were tired, but began the opening of the stockings - because it was still Christmas!  We quit about 10 and headed to the motel.  All came to Alpine to have breakfast at "Janet's Montana Restaurant" - a fantastic place near our hotel.  Back to M and C's for the rest of the gifting, then June and Kristi had to head back to Scottsdale (by car) about 11:00.  They arrived safely that night (7 1/2 hours) and June made it back to Roseburg the following day (Phoenix to Eugene).  Of course the other high-light of the CA trip was the grandsons - and Zephyr and newborn Bodhi.  What a gift they are.  Z is working on sentences of 3-4 words; Bodhi just sleeps (loves to be covered with soft blanket and cuddled).  How hard is that to handle?  So here are some pics of that part of the trip as well.

 Carrie and Bodhi - upon arrival - in snuggle blanket

 At "Janet's" for breakfast - the CA Wehrspanns

 Auntie Kristi and Bodhi

 Nana saying good-bye to the boys

 there he is!  Bodhi Bay Wehrspann!

 Christmas in El Cajon on Silverbrook Drive

bye, bye, kids ...

Oh, one last piece ... I'd never seen nor heard of a "balance Bike" for kids - no pedals nor brakes, thus no way to run the back of your ankles into the pedals!  Here's Z 'workin' his:

 

Pretty darn clever, I thought -and he goes to the park now - "riding all the way"!  The helmet - #95 is "Lightning McQueen's" number from the movie "Cars" - a big hit with Z these days.

Hope yours was a blessed Christmas.

Til' next year ...

We love ya!

Karina and Dan