For the 15 years now, I have been going to the Butchers mother’s house for Christmas Eve. NOT this year. It’s bitter sweet. I am relieved not to have to go, and worry about doing ,or saying the wrong thing, and yet, I am so sad for my husband. He has had enough. I remember 15 years ago, at my first Chritmas Eve with his family…one family in particular was just rude, and not just to me, to other people, too. And at the time, in my youth (21 yrs old), I said Why do ya’ll put up with that ? And the answer I got, was …thats just the way she is, its not worth it to start a conflict. Hmmm. Over the years, there have been conflicts, they have been glossed over and brushed under the rugs. But this time, the Butcher has reached his limit.

             We are a family. A family of 6, with one missing. Sidney is missing out by her own choice. So, we are a family of 5 this year. We love each other, we annoy each other, we amuse each other, and we will do MORE than survive Christmas, we will GROW. We will grow closer to each other, and closer to Jesus this year.

                       I hope that wherever you are spending Christmas, you are with people that you love, and people that love you, people that have your back, and tell the truth, people that can SEE the truth. So, family or not…the reason for the season is love…love that came to earth in the body of a woman, to turn the world upside down and set it on fire with his burning for the human race….I think that is worth celebrating !

ps…this is our tree, filled with family ornaments. We unwrap them ,and put them on every year, we talk about the past and the future.  This year, the Lord has said that joy is coming, it might not feel like it right now, but its on the way and its our reward for our faithfulness. Thank you in advance, we are waiting….