Christmas Greetings

Dear Friends,
I have been sitting looking at an empty screen for a
couple of minutes now, I am not certain about the greeting I am
sending. "Ho Ho Ho" is apparently politically incorrect now and I don't
feel all that "Merry", this year. How is one to really begin a
Christmas greeting?
    The answer for me, is thank you and thank God. As I take stock at this Christmas season I am aware of just how
time, I see how blessed I am by having such a dear family and precious friends.
  
Many of you, along with me, have experienced tremendous loss this year
and Christmas can be less than jolly. I have just received Aunt Fran's
Christmas news-letter and I am reminded of the home-going on Uncle Alf,
and Aunt Hannah's passing,as well. I cannot forget Papa Vozoris, either. Of course my own
precious Father is celebrating his first Christmas with Jesus too.  How
great a celebration it will be when we are all together again and with
Jesus!
    As I think back over this past year I am amazed at how
many goodbyes I have said, in more ways than one. However, I have also
been reminded of how many "hellos" there have been and continue to be.
  
So as I think about sending you greetings at this season, I am truly
reminded of how precious life is and that people come and go in our
lives for short seasons and that we need to hold them dearly when
we have them and then freely let them go when the season is over. Where
we are "heading" as Christians is even more precious for there will
come a day when we are never, tangibly speaking let go, by God.  As we
celebrate, in whatever way, this Christmas we are reminded of the time
when the Second Member of the Trinity "let go" of His glory and came to
be with us for a while. Therefore, my greeting is, keep hoping, looking and
praying for He will come again.
Merry Christmas to all
pamela