Conflicting emotions

I found myself struggling for the last couple of days. Some of it is due to being tired and some other stuff, but a good part of it is the anticipation of Christmas in Ghana and the sadness of missing Christmas at home. Both emotions are present within me simultaneously. We have lots of fun things planned for next week here and I am looking forward to them. On Christmas Eve a big group of singles from around the world are going to a really pretty pool here for the day. We toyed with going to the beach but decided to do this pool instead. Then we will go to a family's home for dinner and a Christmas Eve service at our church, Asbury Dunwell.

(Grandma and my oldest nephew, Sam (Boyd's son)

Then we will have a few of the singles join us for a
white elephant exchange on Christmas Day morning. And finally we will go to another family's home for a big celebration and meal - and another white elephant. The day after Christmas, the HCJB Global team in Accra flies out to South Africa. So you can see that there are some really great things that are going to happen over Christmas. And I am eager to enjoy all of them.

Somehow at the very same time I am missing home, family, friends and church. Once again it is the big thing of missing what is familiar. Even the tiniest bit of me wouldn't mind a bit of snow and cold air (but I am sure that would pass in a
heartbeat:))

(Me with Oliver, Cullen, Haven and Emmett (Jeff's kids)

So I show you here some family pictures of Christmas
last year as I reminisce on the good time we had and soon I will post pictures of the special time in Ghana.

The most important thing is that the birth of Christ is celebrated around the world. Salvation comes to the world - every nation, tribe and tongue. I am honored to be able to celebrate Jesus' birth in a different country. To get a chance to see how this special day is remembered in Ghana. How do they worship, what do they eat, what traditions do they have that remind them of Jesus...I can't wait to let you know.