A popular Christmas song describes the Christmas season as “the most wonderful time of the year.”  That is a fitting description of the season from our perspective for at least two reasons – (1) because the birth of Christ is the most important birth which ever occurred on our planet; and (2) because our wedding anniversary follows close on the heels of Christmas day – the 29th, which marked 45 years of marriage for us this time around.  Perhaps I should add a third reason.  My sister Susan was born on Christmas day a few years ago!

Christmas for our church family is always a time of festive decorations because of the influence of Mrs. Fender (widow of Leo Fender of Fender Guitar fame).

We enjoyed a visit from Stephen and Meagan on Christmas day.  And their son Ryan is beginning to catch the excitement children feel at the celebration of the birth of Christ!

We enjoyed a numerous Christmas specials leading up to Christmas, including the packed-house Christmas concert in the newly refurbished auditorium of St. John’s Lutheran Church in nearby Orange.

A house around the block in our neighborhood had a familiar Christmas decoration on their front lawn.  It was illuminated by a spotlight, but the spotlight was casting a shadow on the wall behind it.  A large cross is a regular feature against the front wall of the house, and the spotlight created the shadow image of Joseph and Mary bowing at the cross – a fitting reminder that Jesus, more than any other child ever born, was born to DIE as a sacrifice for our sins!   As Jesus explained, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

In celebration of our 45th anniversary we drove up the coast to San Simeon for an overnight stay before heading up the coast highway (Highway 1) to the Monterey area.  It was a beautiful day for a drive along that very scenic coastline!

We enjoyed a short hike up Salmon Creek flowing through one of the many side canyons which beautify the coast highway route.

Though we have driven it many times, we never tire of the beautiful scenery so plentiful along the central California coast.

In the Monterey area we enjoyed connecting with each of Dave’s three sisters and members of their families for meals and walks and bowling and lots of visiting.

Christmas is, for us, a wonderful time of the year!  The coming of Christ to earth radically changed the trajectory of life for all who have trusted Him as their Savior.  As Isaiah predicted (9:6) ” . . . and His name will be called Wonderful . . .”  He is certainly that to US!  And, in addition to all that He means to us, we are very grateful for the added blessings of marriage and family!