All I want for Christmas

Well, Lauren and I were very blessed this Christmas. We were given many wonderful gifts. To mention a few: 3 nights hotel in Paris (when we visit this Spring with my family), lots of candy (including dark chocolates), some much needed clothes and even some cash. But, I wanted to take some time to highlight what may be the most precious gift that I received. But first, some background.

This summer, I spent some time with a young lad working for a NGO to broker peace in Darfur, Sudan. It was a summer job between his first and second year getting his masters in international relations. We talked a lot about the poor and just how rich we are in the States. When we were home in the States, I picked up a book by John Stott entitled "Issues facing Christians Today". I recommend it to EVERYONE. It is a very practical book, with each chapter highlighting an issue (Climate Change, poverty, human rights, business ethics, marital ethics), giving some basic statistics, and then suggesting some practical solutions. So, I was all hyped on this book and these thoughts when we were visiting with Lauren's family.

I told my father-in-law David about some of these issues, and he is a great sounding board. He has a few more years life experience to help temper my idealism. I told him about the secular charity group called OxFam, through which you could buy a goat for a poor family somewhere in the world. The goat would provide wool, milk, warmth (he is more than a garden pet ... he would live right there with you in your one room hut), and the best part: reproduce! So, I suggested every Christian in America should buy 1-2 goats. David was a little skeptical. He thought I had a little too much English tea and was making this up! And, to be honest, I can relate. It sounds a little far-fetched to suggest to someone to go buy a goat and that would somehow solve the worlds problems.

Fast forward to December 25th. I got an e-card from David and Marilyn stating that they had purchased 1 goat and 2 chickens in MY name (and the same in their own name), and had them sent to a Dalit in India. What was even better, was that they had done their own research and purchased it through Gospel for Asia, and not OxFam. OxFam is great, but by going through GfA, the Gospel will be shared with this family! Praise the Lord!! And what a reminder of true Christian giving ... it is not iPods and Little House on the Prairie Season 2 DVDs, though I enjoy both (but only got one ... want to guess which!?). It is sharing the Good News of Jesus, and ACTING like we really believe what we say we do!

I will finish with this challange. If you know me, and Father's Day, Christmas, or my Birthday is coming up, and you feel like you need to give me something, but don't know what, and I haven't made known a need, just make your way to the Gospel for Asia Stable. Yes, I will know exactly how much you spent on me. BUT, I will just as quickly realize that the value of the gift is priceless! And, if you are comfortable and recognize that you have no needs beyond a new pair of mittens each winter, I challenge you to make the same statement to your friends and family.

Christmas Evening

""Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours."
1 Chronicles 29:11

Christmas Day

Daddy told the Christmas story to Jillian with magnets that had a manger, Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, the Shepherds, the Wise Men, cows, sheep, and a STAR! Then Daddy led us in prayer to thank God for the blessing of the gift of Jesus. This is Jillian sitting on the couch next to her dollies praying! (I was video-taping most of Christmas morning, so I wasn't able to capture it on camera, but we have video of it).


Jillian's new phone was a BIG HIT! It even had a message inside from Grammie and Grandad.


Everytime she would put it down and close it, it would ring 4 seconds later! She exclaimed, "its forJillian!". :)





Don't you love Brad's goofy expression? I know what some of you are thinking...why is there a picture with Brad and Little House on the Prairie?!?! Brad told me not long ago that Little House is one show he would really enjoy watching, so I surprised him with it for Christmas! Brad has special memories of watching it as a child with his sister, Beth. Both of us really appreciate the values it teaches. He wants to be a "Charles Ingels" to his two girls! We have already watched two of the episodes, and it has been so much fun!

Jillian playing with one of her new puzzles from Aunt Beth, Uncle Nate, and cousin Luke!

There is nothing sweeter on Christmas than a sleeping babe in your arms.

Christmas Eve Bike Ride

We had a very memorable Christmas Eve morning. We took the girls on their first bike ride in the Chariot. It was a beautiful ride and we just enjoyed the countryside on some nearby bike trails. I will always remember the special memories we had in England during the holidays.

Our friends, the Irvine's came over later in the day to celebrate with us. We shared scones, had Irish Beef Stew, and some surprises were shared as well! I hope to post pictures and more later, but I was doing the video-taping and didn't take very many pictures with my camera. The good news, Kristin and I agreed that I would give her a copy of the video and she would send me the pictures she took. :)

Merry Christmas!

Love, The Holmes Family :)

The "Elfin" Holmes Family

I think this is really funny! I hope it brings a SMILE to your face as well. :)

You can see the "magic" of us dancing, by clicking here.

Don't forget to turn up the volume to hear the festive music.

Christmas in Heaven

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." -John 3:16

Christmas first and foremost is the celebration of the birth and gift of Jesus. It is also an incredible time of celebrating all of the other gifts God has given us, including our family and friends. I know for some people Christmas is a difficult time in which they remember people who have gone before them. I still miss my mom, after nine year of her being with the Lord. But I am thankful for the legacy she left me and all the traditions that I am passing onto my own family!

The following poem was put into the program at my mom's funeral. She died on Christmas Eve 1998. I hope this offers some comfort to those who are missing their loved ones this Christmas. Whether it is your loved one's first or 50th Christmas in Heaven, I know for me this poem still brings comfort, knowing that my mom is in the presence of our LORD! Someday I too will get to celebrate Christmas in Heaven with My Savior!

My First Christmas in Heaven
--Anonymous--

I see the countless
Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
was always most important
the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
my Father said to do.
I can't count the blessing or love
has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
Wipe away that tear
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year

The Girls Ready for Church (and more of Faith!)

3 Years of Marriage

This last Tuesday Brad and I celebrated 3 years of marriage together!


I awoke in the morning to find a video message on the computer, as well as little love notes hidden around the house (there was even one in the raisin box!). :)

I told Brad that the girls were still coming over for Bible Study, because we weren't going to be able to meet for the next two week (Christmas and New Years). But really, the week previous, the girls had decided that they wanted to do something special for our anniversary as a thank you to the two of us for hosting the Bible Study at our flat! So I got to be in on the surprise as well. I got to pick a "dream menu" for the two of us. Helen took these pictures when she arrived, Brad still had no idea that we were going anywhere when these photos were taken. He just thought the two of us were dressing up for a late dinner after the Study! :)

The "plan" worked that Jen cooked the meal at her house, with the assistance of Vicky. After everything was ready, Vicky left to get us and Jen stayed to make sure everything was ready for our arrival. When we were close to getting there, Jen hid outside and left us a key to let ourselves in and then Vicky picked Jen up at the same time. Helen stayed at our place the whole time to watch the girls (while they were asleep). It was quite an elaborate plan!

When we arrived there were candles lit everywhere, romantic music playing, and the first course was awaiting us. We had Appletizer to drink, green salad with wensleydale cheese with cranberries and sundried tomatoes, brocolli cheese soup, and Mediterannean bread to start. And for the main course, we had Porkloin with dried apricots, rice and snow peas. And for dessert, we had molten dark chocolate baby cakes! Everything was outstanding, and Brad I felt completely relaxed the entire time. We talked about all the ways God has grown us these last three amazing years. We are looking forward to many more anniverarsy celebrations together, but I am certain this one will be one of the most memorable! It is a wonderful gift to have friends who celebrate our marriage with us.

The Nativity Family

Faith, Brad, and I had the honor of playing Jesus, Joseph, and Mary for our church's children's party today! It was such a fun time for us, and we think it will be something really "memorable" for Faith someday! Afterall, how many girls get to "dress up" (she had a blanket on) as Jesus for an hour! She did an EXCELLENT job of being a baby; I think she was very convincing! :)

While the children did crafts, the three angels escorted children by groups of three of four kids (along with their parents) to see us in the manger. They didn't know what they were going to see; it was a surprise! The children's response varied. Many of the children were in absolute awe of the "nativity family", while others were a little confused. One child went back to the crafts room exclaiming, "I've SEEN JESUS, I've SEEN JESUS!". He was so excited to have seen the baby Jesus!

Jillian was the last child who came to see us, just in case she decided to spill the beans that Mary and Joseph were her Mommy and Daddy! While I sat in the manger, I thought of Mary and what it must meant to her to hold her first child, who was also her Savior, her Messiah. Jesus came to us a fragile baby, who laughed, hiccuped, and cried. The Christmas season is a very special time to have a baby to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas, the gift of Jesus Christ!

Prayer

God these past few days has really been showing me the blessing of prayer. Thank you Jesus for paying the price on the cross so that I can share an intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father!

"I go to the woods of prayer each day because I want to live life deliberately. I pray because I want to live life deeply and suck out all the marrow of life! I go to prayer to put to rout all that is not life, to separate those things that are important from those that are of little or no consequence. I go to the woods of prayer, because I don't want to die and discover that I have not lived." (A twist on Henry David Thoreau by Matthew Kelly)

A "Stinky" Diaper in the Holmes Household

This morning, I thought I smelt a stinky diaper.

And I asked Jillian, "do you have a poopy diaper?"

Jillian replied, "no, I'm fine" (which means one of two things, either she doesn't want us to change her diaper or it actually isn't dirty).

I said to Jillian, "do you want Daddy to change your diaper?"

And she responded, "Yeah" (with a quick nod of her head).

Brad had this look of agony on his face, but that quickly was replaced with a smirk...
He said, "Just to show you how meaningless that was.....Jillian, do you want Mommy to change your diaper?"

She said, "No (in a very sweet voice). Daddy!".

LOL! It was hilarious, but it ended up it was a false alarm, no poopy for Daddy to change his morning off!

Growing Girls

Tonight at dinner, we were talking to Jillian about when Faith was still in mommy's tummy.

Brad then asked Jillian, "Do you remember when Faith came home to meet us?"

Jillian nodded her head (her nods are very funny and memorable, she always has this very mature look on her face, with the expression that she knows exactly what's going on, nothing will get past her), and she said "CAR!".

When we left for the hospital, we gave Jillian kisses good-bye and told her we were going to get our baby and that we would be back. So when we came home with the baby in what she knew to be a car-seat, she knew we had brought our baby home in a CAR! So that was all it took for her to make a lasting association of Baby and CAR!

For about the first month after we brought Faith home, everytime Jillian and I would say our prayers at night together and thank God for baby Faith or even just talk about "our baby" during the day, Jillian would say, "Baby! Car!". I thought she was done making that connection, but tonight she said it again. Its now been 7 1/2 weeks! :) LOL!

Our two-year old is fully confident that she knows exactlly where babies come from...CARS, of course! :)

Jillian continues to be a big help to us, just tonight she went to her bedroom and got a diaper for Faith out of the drawer for us, got a "nappy" sack, diaper cream and took out the changing mat for us. She really likes being the Big Sister! :) More pictures of what Jillian has been up to these last couple of weeks to come!

All of these pictures were taken today!