After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished…

Luke 2:17-18

Christmas Eve then Christmas Day this year turned out to be a mixture of old tradition, new tradition, brand new, and “let’s try not to do that again!”

Our most enduring tradition, of course, is to attend Christmas Eve worship. This year it was in the beautiful sanctuary in Tarboro, with our new friends at HMPC.

Our newest (three year) tradition – one Rebekah and I hope we share and repeat for many Christmas Eves to come – is to celebrate with our friends Resi and Keith Thomas. So this year they drove over to Tarboro in time for dinner, then candlelight and communion with our church family.

There are people you know for years, and people you are around but never really know, and people you get close to, and people you drift away from, and people who grow on you, and people you like more – or less – than others…

And then there are people who you meet and right away you already know them, and already love them, and that’s just the way it is. Keith and Resi are those kinds of people.

Drive drive drive:

Then Christmas morning, Rebekah and I got up early and headed down the road for Orlando. Christmas Day in the car. 650 miles. Even an extra section of I95 now we live in Tarboro. Let’s not spend Christmas Day on the road again!

So we arrived at Naomi and Craig’s around 7:30, very tired, and did presents with the children in the aftermath of their day-long extravaganza of Christmas love and chaos!

“Dad, I swear this house was clean and Christmasy and perfect this morning!” Naomi said.

And we absolutely believe her. But good grief. The house feels like Santa and his entire sleigh full of toys was accidentally shot down over their neighborhood, crash landed in their house, and basically exploded in and all over their downstairs. That and an Amazon truck or two.

Craig and Beks building her new desk; David and Geoffrey playing with new toys; Rebekah and Naomi talking over coffee; me and Geoffrey “dancing” to The Elmo Shuffle….

So much happiness. So much unbounded joy. And, thankfully, so much genuine good natured gratitude from the children, who understand gift giving almost as much as gift receiving.

Here are a few very casual photos. I had to use last year’s of our friends Keith and Resi, but we will do our tradition again in 2024. Who knows where… Tarboro? Raleigh? London? Somewhere in Parts Unknown?

So much to be grateful for, so much to celebrate, so many blessings, so much of goodness and mercy and light and promise.

In love, and because of love – DEREK