December 18th- by: Nancy Henry

Am I ready for Christmas?

How do you get ready when you cannot do all of the things you are used to doing, want to do, and enjoyed doing that you thought made Christmas?

Going to the mountains to cut down a tree, making a swag or two out of the evergreen, making sure that the older kids made presents for the grandparents, etc. When you have seven children there are lots of school programs to enjoy and attend, shopping was minor. I usually had some help with that. The older kids were treated to the lights and windows on 16th Street in Denver. In later years this mother was treated to dinner at the Brown Palace after a day of shopping a number of times. There were always the cards that had to have a note or letter, and probably the thing I miss and enjoyed the most came out of my kitchen—coffee cakes, cookies, candy and many times dinner.

So how do I get ready for Christmas?
First of all I won’t cry because I cannot do all of these things. Then I sit down to count my blessings. Number 1, LaMar did not grow up celebrating anything, but I had 64 years of teaching him all of these goodies. Number 2, I have seven children who enjoy one another, while they all are not healthy, they are healing and working, and looking after me. Number 3, My sister-in-law is healing and will be home by Christmas. This list could go on and on, but Number 4, and maybe this should be Number 1, I sit at my quiet time and think of all of the things we could have done spiritually and didn’t. It was left up to the church and Sunday School which we attended regularly. My blessing is that we all know that it is God who has watched over us and taken care of us and no one knows the love of God like I do. And I have time for prayer and my Bible.

Yes, I am ready for Christmas.
Nancy Henry