It Came Just the Same

Even though we just had babies and the mama had no energy and we were leaving for a trip to Utah, Christmas still came.  Somehow or other, it came just the same.  Here is what it was like this very unusual year:

-Alan marshaled the kids into a crack decorating team.  The only thing I did was sit on the couch and tell them to put the boxes back in the basement.  Mariah was in charge of the living room decor and did probably better than I would have even on a good year.
-The Christmas cards were birth announcements, sent out much later than I usually send them and with NO personal writing on them.  Also, I only sent out 100.  My how our standards slide!
-We opened pajamas on Christmas "Adam"  (We got that from Aunt Angi.  Adam comes before Eve.  Maybe it should be Christmas Griffin!) and the rest on Christmas Eve.
-We only TALKED about helping another family.  It just didn't work out this year.
-Our Christmas Eve was GREAT!  The rush of presents was over, so we read the story from Luke 2 and decided to sing all the Christmas songs in the hymn book.  I was at the piano and was willing to make it to the end, but everyone else had enough by the time we finished a dozen songs.
-On Christmas day we took all 8 of us to Utah!  We made it through airports on both ends with all the baggage and babies, rented two cars and drove to beautiful, snowy Logan where we had a wonderful candlelit Christmas dinner with the Larsens and Grandma and Grandpa Wimmer.  What an amazing thing to be able to do that!  We loved it.

The last Christmas song we sang this year, both on Christmas Eve and in church on Sunday, was Far Far Away on Judea's Plains.  Here are the words to remind you:

“212: Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains,” Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, no. 212

Joyfully

1. Far, far away on Judea’s plains,
Shepherds of old heard the joyous strains:

[Chorus]
Glory to God, Glory to God,
Glory to God in the highest;
Peace on earth, goodwill to men;
Peace on earth, goodwill to men!

2. Sweet are these strains of redeeming love,
Message of mercy from heav’n above:

3. Lord, with the angels we too would rejoice;
Help us to sing with the heart and voice:

4. Hasten the time when, from ev’ry clime,
Men shall unite in the strains sublime:

 
Text and music: John Menzies Macfarlane, 1833–1892
Luke 2:8–20
Doctrine and Covenants 45:71

This year, I was impressed that the chorus, in addition to being the words the angels sang, are a testimony of Jesus Christ and his mission on earth.  He gave all the glory to God as he himself became peace on earth and evidence of God's goodwill to men.  Glory to God indeed!