Did You Survive Christmas?

How was your Christmas? As you might surmise from this picture, mine was pretty good. My granddaughter, Regan, was really into Christmas presents this year. At 4 years old, she was old enough to anticipate the holiday, with all the same excitement her older brother, Aidan, has had for the past couple of years now. We may not always be as blessed with good fortune, but for this Christmas, we were blessed and unworthy of all God has provided.

What was your initial response to my question? Well, I survived! If so, what made it simply one in which you survived as if coming through a bad storm? Were there too many people at your celebration as you "suffered" though the noise of all the relatives talking? Did all the shopping, cleaning up, decorating and wrapping presents cause you anxiety and stress? Did you fret over the presents you were giving this year? Were you ready for the relatives to just leave so you could enjoy peace and quiet?

Whatever your answer to the questions posed here, let me offer an alternate answer to my question, How was your Christmas?

This year my health was better than it has been in many years. This year I have a job. This year I can sleep knowing I am in a safe place. This year, I was happy to be with people I love. This year we were blessed to afford to give something to others. This year I slept in a warm bed instead of outside on a cold piece of cardboard. This year I got to see my grandchildren. This year my husband and I got to see a church Christmas program staring our grandchildren. This year we got to see our youngest granddaughter in the same room with her great-great- aunt. This year a son unable to be with us, called to say Merry Christmas! This year our sons still say I love you Mom and Dad, and mean it. This year I do not have to worry where my children are.

Blessings for no reason have befallen us all and we need to take notice. God has given us boundless mercy and gifts beyond our dreams no matter how big or small. Look at the messy house after the family leaves, the dirty dishes in the sink, the larger than normal trash on the curb and the pictures taken around the Christmas tree and think, I am blessed!

How was our Christmas? Blessed beyond what we deserve.
Thank you God, for sending your son in the form of a baby some 2010 years ago. We didn't deserve it then and we don't deserve it now, but we're eternally grateful. Amen.

BLT presents "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown"

Bring the whole family to see “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”!

Reservations are being taken at this time for the Baytown Little Theater special, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. The musical based on the Charles Shultz Peanuts cartoon characters, was written by Clark Gesner and is directed by John Morales. Come join Charlie Brown and all the gang for a fun evening at the BLT. The whole cast is comprised of BLT veteran actors that you will not want to miss. So, call 281-424-7617 today for reservations or go online to baytown.littletheater.org to order your tickets directly from the website. When calling the BLT phone, please leave your name, phone number, the date you wish to attend and the number of tickets you wish to order. A return call will be made as soon as possible. Please have a major credit card ready to pay for your tickets. Box office personnel will check messages daily, except for Sundays and Dec. 24 & 25, from now through January 10, 2010.

A Special New Year’s Eve performance and party will open the production on December 31 at 9:00 p.m. In addition to the performance, a catered meal, champagne and party favors will compliment the New Year’s Eve celebration. Audience members have fun ringing in the New Year with the cast and crew of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”. The ticket price for this special event is $50.00 per ticket.

Other show dates are Jan. 2, 8 & 9 at 8:00 p.m. and Jan. 3 & 10 at 2:30 p.m. Ticket prices for these performances are $15.00. All tickets much be paid for in advance of the show. Please have a major credit card available. If you wish to pay by cash or check, arrangements can be made upon request.

You will want to bring the whole family to this special BLT production. Go to baytown.littletheater.org and order your tickets today or call 281-424-7617 NOW!!!

CAST:
Charlie Brown—Kim Martin
Lucy—Julie Bailey
Snoopy—Wally Whitley
Sally—Tammy Calaway
Linus—John Brokaw
Schroeder—John Meiners

Baytown Little Theater location:

4328 Hugh Echols Blvd.

Baytown, TX 77521

Christmas Present

It is cold outside and raining down through the fall leaves. It must be almost Christmas in Southeast Texas. This is the weather that puts us in the spirit of the season. We got to enjoy white flakes of snow falling from the clouds last week. That was special, but after living in this region all of my life, I'll put my snow boots away for at least another year. Though rare, what a blessing it was for so many children and adults in this region, to experience even the little snow that stuck, for the first time ever in their lives!

The fireplace has already been blazing more this year than it does most Winters. Hallmark has been cranking out Christmas movies everyday. The stories with a moral message and happy endings inspire us to be a better person. I have watched many versions of the Ebenezer Scrooge character learning he has been a fool all of his life, hording his money and passing on true love. However, there is more to the message here than simply allowing life to happen all around while you squander yours. Scrooge, as revealed by the ghost of Christmas past, is a product of a father who was put in prison because he was too poor to pay his debts. As the father was lead off to prison he shouted back to young Ebenezer to hold on to his gold, to make his fortune. Not wanting to risk the same fate of his father, separating a family and dying penniless, Scrooge worked, head down, through long hours and missing out on blessings that could have been his. As Scrooge's life progressed he remembered his father's words and held on to every cent he earned, using only what was needed to keep him alive. While all around him, he was filling his life bank with empty promises, wasted opportunities with family and lost love, Scrooge grew oblivious to Christmas Present.

The Season may make some people melancholy as it does me. We begin to think about Christmas Past, lament over what Christmas Future will bring and forget to rejoice in Christmas Present. Many of us have loved ones that are gone who once shared the Christmas holiday with us laughing, exchanging presents and reveling in the joy of our siblings, cousins, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Now, it seems, we have to remind ourselves to leave the happy days of Christmas Past in the past. It may be a task to get the Christmas ornaments out, decorate for the holidays and plan Christmas parties. As I commence to do those things in preparation for my own family and friends to come to my holiday gatherings, I have to remember this is Christmas Present. Whether all three sons are here with us or only two, whether any of my own siblings join us or none, whether its the first Christmas with a loved one or the last; this is Christmas Present. All regrets of Christmas Past must be put away, fears of Christmas Future will vanish and only our happiness for Christmas Present will remain.

My life has been blessed over and over by good fortune; a loyal husband, three wonderful sons who share homes with Christian wives and my darling three grandchildren, all in good health. The fact that my basic needs are met each and every day, makes my life as rich as Scrooge. May God grant me the wisdom to not hoard my wealth, but share what I have with those who surround me now in Christmas Present. As Tiny Tim so rightly proclaimed, "And God bless us, everyone!"

...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
-- Philippians 2:10-11