MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM OUR CHRISTMAS CABIN!

As a family of 9, we are having a wonderful time this week in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We all arrived in stages on Sunday night. Richard and I had a pair of pjs for everyone laid out on their beds~~ their first Christmas gift of the week.

It is a joy to be united together as a family 24/7 for this very special week. Our grandkids made it lots of fun and we have enjoyed the rich fellowship with Brian, Amy, and Chip. We are having some great meals this week. Amy and Brian planned the meals, purchased the groceries and have done all of the cooking and preparing except for our traditional Christmas Eve meal prepared by Richard and me). On Tuesday evening, Chip treated all nine of us to a lovely meal at the Apple Barn Restaurant. We had our very own dining room which was decorated and a delightful waitress named Tammy. The picture on this article was made after our dinner that evening.

We have attended two shows: The Dixie Stampede (Dolly Parton's place) which (for those of you who don't know) features a delicious dinner of a whole chicken, potato, corn, soup, tea, coffee, and apple pie for dessert. The show was great with their wonderful horses and their riders, the entertaining emcee and his side-kick. The best part was the beautiful live nativity they had. It was a fun evening. We also attended THE MIRACLE which is an amazing play that starts with creation and goes through our Lord Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. It was so good and we got to meet the young man who played Jesus Christ.

On Christmas Eve morning, the grandkids opened their gifts from Grandpa and me. On Christmas Evening, they opened their gifts from their Uncle Chip. On Christmas morning, the kids opened their gifts from their parents and we adults opened our gifts from each other and from the kids. What a festive time!

A highlight of the week has been our spiritual time together. Chip has brought some awesome devotions to keep us focused on the reason for the season and Jarrett brought us a devotional on Christmas Eve day that he had heard and had made notes on so that he could share it with us.

Our hearts our full today as we celebrate the coming of Christ to this earth to live a sinless life and then to willingly die for our sins. As Chip says, "Let's celebrate his first coming but concentrate on His second coming." May we not see Jesus Christ as that chubby baby in a manger but as our Risen Lord, Savior of the world, and coming King.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Brian and Amy fixed a delicious Christmas morning brunch of made-to-order omelets and fried potatoes. It was so good.