Celebrating the Holy Night

I haven't felt like writing much lately. But right now I am bored and often when I am bored I find myself writing...

Christmas was Joyous. I have had many good times with family and friends. Thursday afternoon I met up with Karla and Aaron. We wandered around our favorite spots in Sioux Center...Walmart, the mall, Casey's Bakery, and Dordt where we talked a few professors. Kyle and I went to S.F. at night and finished up our Christmas shopping. I'm so lucky to have such an awesome brother. Friday night was spent with my mom's family, Saturday with our immediate family, and Sunday with my dad's family. Throw some food and a few games of Settlers in between and life is peachy. Today I scrapbooked, watched movies, and sat around a lot. A rare treasure of a day. I'm here for another six days, so I'm sure there will be more fun times to come.

The weekend was filled family parties and presents galore. I got a tent and a new sleeping bag so I don't have to freeze the next time I go camping in the mountains! My mom also made me something that brought tears to my eyes. I think pictures are one of the greatests ways that we keep people near when they are gone or far away. Mom spent hours upon hours filling two photo albums for me with family history and photos of my great-grandparents, grandparents and parents growing up. They are really special. I haven't been able to read all of the history yet. But I have been reminded of where I come from...the one thing my parents won't let me forget and the one thing I tried to deny for half of my college years and am still dealing with today.

My ancesters believed in God. They believed in the Reformed/Christian Reformed. I have always said that the one person I can't wait to meet in heaven is my Great Grandpa Moget, my mom's grandpa. He was a Catholic and eventually was led to become a minister in the Reformed church. If we can know people in heaven, I envision myself having long talks with him. He's always been such a mystery to me. Somehow I've always felt like he'd understand a part of me that not everyone does...the part of me that loves being a "minister" in my field and a "missionary" in a land I never would have come to by choice. Other cool family history? Generations ago a relative is believed to be one of the translators of the first English Bible. I love history!

My family has been celebrating Jesus' birth for generations. Generations ago my great-grandparents and maybe even great-great-grandparents prayed that I would love the Lord and that I would believe in God as they did. Sometimes I struggle with church. But it is through the struggle that I have come to understand that I serve a real God. I believe in the Reformed faith even if that does not fit into a neatly wrapped package. I pray for continued strength for my family (and not just my blood family but my family here in Iowa, my family in Denver, my family in the U.S. and my family across the world) to fight for faith in a land that often rejects Jesus. The battle has only begun. As a part of today's generation, we must do whatever we can to carry that tradition on. I am a part of God's awesome story and it isn't over yet!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!