Happy New Year to you all.
One event was a highlight to my Christmas of 2021. Actually all of Christmas for my family was upbeat. The highlight was that my adult sons asked to go to our church Christmas Eve candlelight service, and my younger son's girlfriend wanted to come too, so that made it even more fun.
We got there early and talked to my friends and introduced people all around. About 200 people came to church, all masked per regulation. Young and old, lots of songs sung, a meaningful message from the lead pastor. It just elevates the spirits to gather with like minded loving people, united to worship and strengthen friendships. We collected money that night for two local charities. The lights in church were turned out and each person was given a candle to light. After singing a hymn in the dark lit by our 200 candles we all raised our candles up high, illuminating the darkness. Light always wins against the dark.
A magical moment came when the minister talked about snow ball fights after church. I didn't know what he was talking about; where we live in California it does not snow. Lo and behold as we walked out after the service big snowflakes drifted down from on high right outside the church. I played in the snowflakes and felt like a child again.
Hidden up high on a balcony was one of our ministers hand cranking a snow machine. It was such fun, especially for the little kids. And the adults got to play too.
Below is a photo I found online that I couldn't resist sharing: reindeer, little fur friends, a lantern and snow.
Happy New Year friends.
32 comments:
A snow machine! What fun!
I'm glad your holidays have been magical, dear Terra.
Oh, wow..the minister spoke snow and got snow!!
"...my adult sons asked to go to our church Christmas Eve candlelight service, and my younger son's girlfriend wanted to come too"
Are they all believers or was this some kind of crazy goodness?
That snow machine was a brilliant idea! We've got a foot of real snow here. You can have it if you want, LOL!
That is awesome! We've been getting hammered with the real stuff :-) And shoveling has become a familiar passtime.
How wonderful that you were able to experience snow. Come stay with me and undoubtably there will be snow sometime in the winter. Spokane is getting lots of it this year while here in Omaha, we haven't had any yet. This Saturday is supposed to be the day. Anywhere from 3 to 15 inches depending on what news you listen to! I would be happy to never see any of it again.
I'm so glad your son and others wanted to go to church with you. So special.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
What fun to have a snow machine!
We need that here in PA this year. It's been unseasonably warm so far this winter.
Blessings~
What a wonderful Christmas!
Your Christmas sounds magical!
What a wonderful idea the minister had to create snow for all of you.
What a lovely surprise ending to your church service
Sounds like a beautiful and magical Christmas Eve, full of the blessings of the Lord!! And snow to top it off!! But I love that your sons and girlfriend wanted to come along for the service. That really made it extra special for you, I am certain! I love that picture of the reindeer and friends...really sweet...and such a happy ending! Hope you have a blessed and wonderful New Year! God is good...all the time, God is good!
I think, this was the best holy joy, that your children wantet tog o to church, even the friend of your youngest son. What a blessing!
The time in the church semms to be very lightful, peaceful and filled with a good message.
O yes: Light always is victim over the darkness! Great!!
Snow: My sister told me, that you have snow now in California, a lot! She saw it on TV! - -
I love the last photo! :)
Happy New Year! What fun to have snow on Christmas Eve.
What a wonderful present for the congregation! Brilliant! Who could have imagined such a thing?
Oh Terra, I was wondering if you got snow in So Calif. How wonderful that they had a snow machine up high on the balcony and you got to enjoy the snowflakes. And I love that photo of the reindeer and the lantern. We did, indeed, get a lot of snow this Christmas, about a foot. My first White Christmas. I live up high in the mountains of northern California, and the Winters are very cold with snow and so beautiful. I am still in awe with it all. I hope the new year brings you so many good things, Terra.
~Sheri
Such a wonderful Christmas, you guys had. Lots of great memories notched despite all the trauma of the world we live in right now. Happy New Year to you and yours...here's to a better 2022 for the world.
For one moment I thought you really had a snowfall then I read that it was actually fake. Still, it must have been a lovely time. We're having so much of the real thing. Strange weather.
Happy New Year.
What a lovely gift to the children! I bet you were thrilled to walk out of church and see the snow!
Lovely! Happy New Year to you and yours.....
Terra, I got your message. Thanks. Yes, I wrote the poem. It's good to hear your sons and the girlfriend know Jesus.
I wonder why you can't comment on the post now. I see two comments from you on the Elon Musk post. For a while I could not comment on posts. Turned out I had changed a setting and was not allowing tracking. That made it impossible to comment until I turned that back on.
Many blessings for a Happy New Year.
🎉
Your clergy sounds like a great group to get people in the spirit of the holiday. That was a wonderful idea to bring snow. Also having you sons share the service was certainly just what is needed over the holidays.
What a lovely church time you had and family came too.. and the snow was fun.. Happy and Healthy New Year.
What a lovely Christmas for you.
The description of the Christmas event is so festive dear Tera !
Glad you could had great Christmas with your family.
Happy new year with more blessings!
That sounds like a special time for you and yours.
Happy New Year!
I wish you have great fun in 2022.
Oh, Terra, that was a great post. Imagine the minister thinking about providing snow! That must have been a real highlight of the service. It sounded great, though. Thanks so much for visiting my blog and commenting today. It was wonderful to have you visit. Happy New Year, Terra.
Great surprise ending to your Christmas Eve service... Sounds like a Hollywood Christmas movie - those always somehow seem to end in a magic snowfall!
We had "the real thing" here (snow for Christmas) but that seemed kind of magical too as even here (in south-west Sweden) it doesn't actually happen all that often.
Young and old, lots of songs sung, a meaningful message from the lead pastor. It is true, such things just elevates the spirits.
Have a Safe New Year.
Glad to hear that you had a merry Christmas together with friends and like-minded people. Playing in the snow is a dream for me, and though artificial, it would be fun to experience snow. Happy New Year
When my parents were alive, and we kids were young, and my grandmother and great aunts were all alive and came to our house for Christmas we did that. The church though was large and it became unsafe for elderly people in the darkness, and real candles so they switched to battery ones. But, we never had anyone making pretend snow. Glad to hear you were all masked. Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Years
Sandy's Space
Sounds like a wonderful Christmas Service. Love the snow....and the picture...Oh my that is so adorable.
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