Christmas is a coming!

Well hello there, I am getting very excited about Christmas. We just love any excuse in this house for a party and we are looking forward to all the parties we will have over the festive period. Jonathan has our house lit up like Blackpool tower and you can probably see a glow across the Atlantic Ocean... it is our house!
The girls have been busy making things for Christmas as presents.... look out those family of mine! A lady from the village had us over to make German biscuits with lots of spices and nice christmassy cutters so we have about 80 of them if you fancy poppping in for a coffee and biccie.
These days are always busy for most. We get lost in the madness sometimes and we can easily forget what the reason for Christmas really is. Our thoughts and attention are taken by the trappings and we don't give Him His rightful plce in all the proceedings. I love Christmas in a big way and there is nothing I like more than all the trimmings of a great festive period, but we are trying really hard to stay focused on not just those things but on the Christ who came for us and died for us and rose for us and is coming again for us.
We are getting a shower... it almost is unbelievable! We 3 long haired girls have had to make do with baths and jugs to wash our hair.... but now on Monday it would seem that the shower will start its monumental task of being installed! The only draw back is that we have to empty Lydia's room... that too being a mammoth task in itself!
Tomorrow we are of to a cake and sausage birthday party... that should be fun hey a Desperate Dan kind of birthday. Then I am hoping to get up to the relatives in the North end of the Island this week with their Christmas cards and calendars I have got them.
Jonathan has been busily typing out our latest prayer letter. It is a time consuming task but one that we very much appreciate as we know so many people who are so interested in the work here. I am constantly amazed at the support we have received since being here.
Jonathan starts in the schools work with the local Minister in january so that will be good and I know he is looking forward to that. He has also got the opportunity to go into the 2 localish old folks homes on a quarterly visit. So we have decided to all go and that the Von Tinks will sing. Hopefully most of them will be deaf cause if not they will be after we have gone! Seriously though we thought it would be a good ministry for the girls to be involved in. Jonathan and I had discussed it and just the other night there was a devotion in the girls book about a girl going to an old folks home and not being too impressed at having to be there, but very soon she realised that actually she was blessed to be there than she had even been a blessing. The little questions at the bottom spoke of our responsibility to these folks who are elderly and infirm. It was great to see the Lord guiding the Girls through his Word even in their young years.
I am very fond of a homeschool writer called Sally Clarkson. She does a blog that I try to read a soften as she writes it. It is called It takes joy. She has such a powerful way with words and has a real desire for Biblical womanhood and motherhood. I am re-reading her book Mission to Motherhood and find it a real challenge. So often we imagine if this period of our lives were over and the kids were grown and away how much ministry we would be able to do, but she challenges us to think of this motherhood as a ministry of itself and any other outside of that must be just a bonus. So many times in these last few days her writings have spoken into my mind when I am just about to lose my cool with one of the girls over something that really I should just take in my stride and see as a learning opportunity. I am enjoying that but at the same time I am wondering how long before I blow? I guess like offering ourselves a s a sacrifice to Jesus, it is about recommitting every day to the task in hand.
I love this season where there is time to enjoy board games and baking and just being with my wee ones. They are really great friends.... oh and we all love the Elf film so at the moment we have loads of one liners from that... you got to see it if you haven't already!
I know all this sounds a bit more fluffy than I normally am.... but I have been thinking recently about how the Father views me... and if I can love my children this much how much more can the Infinite God of Love adore me? He loved me so much that He gave me a gift, one that would last for all eternity and one that would never leave me. One that would pay my debt, and give me all I need for life and love and godliness. He gave me Jesus! That is Christmas. E. xxx