Christmas Company

Listening intently to Daniel's masterpiece During this Christmas season, God has allowed us to show His love through hospitality in sharing our home with others. On December 19, the day Robert and I returned from Chicago, Dad invited one of his co-workers from work for dinner. Everyone had decorated the house splendidly. Even I was impressed with the beautiful Christmas decorations! The next evening, some friends, family, and neighbors came over for dinner and an uplifting Christmas concert. Grandma/pa Brown and Brannon with Great Aunt LoisIt was really good to get to know some  of our neighbors better.  Two days later, on the 22nd, a group of relatives and friends came down from Morgantown for another Christmas party. Everyone did really well on the piano, violins, and  bells for yet another concert.

Showing hospitality requires a lot of time but is very rewarding. Mom and Esther, along with their many helpers, sacrificially and joyfully set to preparing and serving each delicious meal. With the meals so well prepared, we were able to focus on meaningful conversation around the table. I don’t know how many hours Daniel, Jonathan, Esther, and  The climax David put into practicing the Christmas carols on the bells and violins, but the beautiful melodies brought joy to many and glory to God.  I hadn’t practiced my piano piece on “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” for over a month, but as I played for the Lord, it turned out surprisingly well. Michael, Robert, Daniel and I wanted to sing as a quartet, but we had to come up with something by that evening. So after composing and practicing throughout the day, we were able to sing a fun arrangement of “Angels we Have Heard on High”.

The violin trio

The bells were absolutely beautiful! Robert talks about playing the piano

 

 

Showing hospitality is a good way to encourage and get to know our friends and neighbors. It is also a good way of celebrating the true spirit of Christmas. We praise the Lord for allowing us to keep His commandment to sacrificially love others as He loved us at Christmas-time so many years ago.

3 Comments

  1. Donald December 30, 2007 at 6:48 pm #

    Those pictures spoke volumes. In much the same way that “the glory of children are their fathers”, the pride and pleasure in the faces of our fathers was a clear stamp of blessing and assurance not only from them but from the Heavenly Father too! The Lord reward you many times the amount you invested!

  2. Joshua December 30, 2007 at 7:58 pm #

    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Staddons! From what I can see in those pictures, joy has abounded in your midst. I can almost hear the music, the testimonies, and laughing now as I see each picture. God’s richest blessings as you commence the new year!

  3. Don and Donna Staddon January 6, 2008 at 7:17 pm #

    James, your pictures captured the “Christmas spirit” of the night. Very well written too!

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