Christmas
The gifts are all purchased, the packages wrapped. Finally, the commercial side of the day is done. Now, at last, there’s time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas…the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Too often we get so caught up in the holiday rush that we forget to think about the incredible gift God gave us. We were lost and headed for Hell, and He had no obligation to rescue us. We got ourselves into this mess, and He could have left us there. But God’s love isn’t like human love. We hold grudges, even toward those we love, but He chose to make a plan to change everything. He sent Jesus to Earth to live a sinless life as a human and then pay the ultimate price. And Jesus agreed to it!! For God’s plan to work, Jesus had to give His life so we could live under grace and one day receive Heaven instead of Hell. And Jesus agreed to that plan…knowing what He would have to go through and doing it anyway.
Too often, the birth of our Savior gets lost in the mix of Santa Claus and a big holiday dinner. It’s sad, especially considering the sacrifice He made for us. Imagine being God and choosing to take on human form…coming to Earth as a baby, helpless and dependent on others for every need. Then, though completely without sin, being captured, beaten, and nailed to a cross. In the only way it could work, Jesus was separated from God as He took all the sins of the world upon Himself. It had to be this way, because the worst consequence of sin is separation from God, which is far worse than Hell itself. God’s love is the most important thing we have. It is what saves us from the pit of Hell. 
There’s nothing wrong with the Christmas traditions we hold dear, and giving has always been at the heart of who God is. What matters most is that, amid all our customs, we remember to be grateful for the greatest gift ever given. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), one of the most important verses in the greatest book ever written…the Bible. God is love, and when we sinned, He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him by sending a Savior named Jesus. That’s the true reason for the Christmas season. Merry Christmas and may God bless you all!
England once had a restriction on Christmas that endured very nearly 400 years. This boycott authorized by the Puritan Parliament from 1647 to 1660 stemmed from Puritanical beliefs. The ban led to widespread public backlash and the eventual repeal of the ban. It all started during the English Nationwide conflict. During this time, the festival of Christmas was made unlawful and the people who took part in the celebrations were rebuffed. All types of Christmas festivity, including enriching, devouring, and present giving was banned and individuals who wouldn’t agree were fined or even detained. This boycott was in the end lifted, but it lastingly affected the English public’s disposition towards Christmas. Because of the pressure applied by the Puritans, in 1647, during the English Civil War, the Parliament declared Christmas illegal. The Puritans viewed Christmas as a time of excess and immorality, believing that it encouraged drinking, gambling, and other sinful behaviors. They sought to abolish festive celebrations, viewing them as contrary to their religious principles. As a result, all festivities associated with Christmas, including decorations, feasting, and gatherings, were prohibited. 
As you can imagine, the ban was met with significant public resistance. Many people continued to celebrate Christmas in defiance of the law, leading to riots and protests across the country. For instance, in Norwich, riots broke out, resulting in numerous casualties. The public’s discontent was evident as they hung holly and other decorations in protest against the restrictions. While Oliver Cromwell is often associated with the ban, it was Parliament that enacted the legislation. Cromwell, as Lord Protector, enforced stricter laws against Christmas celebrations, including patrols to prevent festive gatherings. Cromwell, born on April 25, 1599, was an English statesman, politician, and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially as a senior commander in the Parliamentarian army and later as a politician. Cromwell was one of the leading advocates of the execution of Charles I in 
January of 1649, which led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of England.
The ban proved to be deeply unpopular, and the public’s desire to celebrate Christmas persisted despite the legal restrictions. Amazingly, the ban on Christmas remained in place until the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660. King Charles II, upon his return to power, reinstated Christmas celebrations, marking the end of the Puritanical restrictions. This reinstatement helped to revive the festive spirit associated with Christmas in England. Christmas was banned in America from 1659 to 1681 for the same reasons.
Looking back on the years of my life, or more specifically the Christmases of my life. I know that I have been very blessed. The years have changed the look of our Christmas, but not the joy. With the addition of now, great grandchildren, we have new little faces on with to see joy, and we also still have the faces of the grandchildren and the children to enjoy. Just knowing that we have brought them some Christmas cheer makes me feel so blessed.
Some years have found us with some people in the family missing. Some have moved and some had to work. It makes for a different kind of Christmas, but you still feel blessed that they are in your life, and that the next year will likely be different. Then, you consider those who have family serving our country far away and overseas, and you reconsider your situation in light of theirs. And you feel grateful for their service, and the sacrifice their families made so that this country can remain free.
And then, there are the family members who have left us for Heaven. Those are the changes that hurt the most. The ones that can’t be reversed. Of those we just have the memories of Christmas past, when times were different, and there were no empty seats. I think the empty seats are the hardest part, whether it’s people who have left us or those who have moved. Missing them just doesn’t stop, no matter how many years have 
gone by. Now they spend Christmas with Jesus, the one for whom we celebrate Christmas. I can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas than with Jesus himself. And I can only imagine the party!! Someday we will all see for ourselves. Until then, our memories and Christmas changes will continue to accumulate. Merry Christmas everyone. May your day be sweet and blessed, no matter where your loved ones are. And thank you to all who are serving our country far from home.
We’ve all been there, or at least most of us. You know, the last-minute rush to get everything ready for the Christmas celebration. I suppose that is why so many people say that Christmas has become too commercialized, and maybe it has, but we love our families, and we want to do nice things for them. Still, while the actual moment of giving the gift is wonderful and exciting, the process leading up to the actual giving is a very different thing. There is shopping for people (sorry my family) who have no idea what they want and can’t think of a single idea, which leaves you wandering the store for hours trying to find that perfect gift.
Have you ever found yourself on Christmas morning, wrapping a gift and running it out to the waiting kids to open, and going back for another round…well, I did that once. I know…insane. That only happened once thankfully, but the story has lived on for decades, hahaha!! Well, maybe you weren’t that bad, but how about wrapping gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve, or the night before. You finally finished wrapping at about 2 or 3 in the morning, and then because you have little kids, tried to function the next day. I’m sure that sounds more familiar to a lot of people…admit it.
Then, there is Christmas morning, and the massive rush to get dinner made. Yes, you try put everything together before everyone passes out from starvation, but it is a big production. The kids are everywhere, and the noise level is deafening, but while you 
would maybe like things a little quieter, you wouldn’t change having the whole family there, for anything. It’s worth every bit of the chaos, the stress, and the frustration, when you see the looks of sheer happiness and excitement on the faces of those kids.
The good news is that it’s almost here. Soon, Christmas will be behind us for another year, and then we can look forward to starting it all over again. We all set ourselves a goal of doing better next year, and sometimes we achieve that goal, but often as not, we find ourselves right back in the same spot next year. Nevertheless, this is the final push…better get to it.
It was December 20, 1952, at the height of the Korean War. Operation Sleigh Ride…a United States Air Force airlift program to bring US servicemen who were fighting in the Korean War home for Christmas. I can imagine the excitement in the air. A chance to “take a break” from the ugliness of war even if only for a short time and spend Christmas at home. At around 6:30pm PST, the C-124 lifted off from Larson 
Air Force Base near Moses Lake, Washington. The plane was en route to Kelly Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. Then the unthinkable happened. Just seconds after taking, the left wing struck the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled, broke up, exploded, killing 82 of the 105 passengers and 5 of the 10 crew members.
Investigation into the accident revealed that the aircraft’s elevator and rudder gust locks had not been disengaged prior to departure. The reports I have read did not specifically say that the accident was due to pilot error, but I also could not find information stating that is could have been mechanical failure. From that, I have to assume that the crew forgot to disengage the elevator and rudder gust locks, and the plane simply lost control.
I can’t imagine the devastation of waiting at home for your soldier to come home for Christmas, only to hear that on their way home to you, they were in a crash that took their life. Of course, they wanted their soldier home for Christmas, but my guess is that many carried the weight of that desire for years. If their soldier had stayed in Korea, they might have later come home from the war alive. It was all just too much to bear. This would be the deadliest crash in history, until the Tachikawa air disaster, which also involved a Douglas C-124A-DL Globemaster II and claimed 129 lives. Of course, no crash that involves loss of life, is a minor thing. The devastation the families feel is beyond comprehension.
There are some years when it just seems like the holidays get ahead of you and you find yourself playing catch-up all the way to Christmas. This has been one of those years…with a little bit of a twist. This year, Thanksgiving fell very late in the month…November 28th. Of course, Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday in November, so that means that the earliest it can be in the 22nd and the latest is the 28th. So, this year it was the 28th, and for some reason, it felt like Thanksgiving would never arrive. I kept thinking that it should have been here two weeks earlier. Then, when it finally arrived, it felt like Christmas was…tomorrow!! Suddenly, it hit me that I had a lot to do to get ready for Christmas. It felt like all the shopping days were coming to an end, and I wasn’t even remotely ready. I felt like I was going to panic.
Then, there were the upcoming parties and decorating the house, planning the upcoming party meals, timing for gatherings, and well, lots more. It is the season for all the hustle and bustle, the shopping, and all the makings of the Christmas season. Whether we are preparing for the celebrations, shopping, or cooking, this is the busiest season of the year. That can mean lots of stress, and that can be difficult to manage. Of course, when the day finally arrives, and Christmas is finally here, we always seem to be able to set all that anxiety aside and enjoy the time with our loving families…at least once dinner is on the table.
I’m not sure why this year hit me that way, but I don’t think I’m alone in it. I know several people who have 
put their Christmas decorations up later than normal, unless they are like my granddaughter, Shai Royce, who had her tree and decorations up before Halloween. I don’t know how she does it. I was in no way prepared then. Then when I did get ready, we had an “epic fail” when the tree was up and we put the lights on and only one string worked. We had been planning to buy a new pre-lit tree for next year, but we couldn’t see buying a string of lights we wouldn’t need next year. So, we bought a new tree…and no, the tree isn’t completely decorated yet. I’m still running very behind on things this year, but whether we are behind or not, Christmas will arrive, right on time, December 25th. One way or the other, ’tis the season, and we will participate.
In the days, and even months, leading up to Christmas, most people are trying to get ahead of the game by shopping for gifts for family and friends, and then squirreling them away to await the big day of reveal. We all hope we have found that perfect gift for our loved ones…that gift that tells them how much we love them. Some people are very crafty (a skill I have mastered…a few times, but not too many). Those who are crafty find themselves able to give that unique gift that comes from both the heart and the hand. Still, every gift sent from the heart is loved and is a blessing.
While the gifts are a blessing and something we want to give, they are, nevertheless, a big job, that grows bigger as our families grow. Still, would we want our families not to grow. Of course not!! Each new person is a blessing, and each is very loved. Still for those of us doing the Christmas shopping, trying to get ideas without giving ourselves away, and trying to keep those gifts hidden, it is not a project without a little bit of stress…especially as Christmas draws nearer and nearer. Oh, and don’t forget the monumental job of wrapping all those gifts. I was commenting to my daughter, Amy Royce, that wrapping was something I was going to have to “make myself” do, and she told me to wrap them as I get them!! Oh, to be so organized, hahahaha!!!
Most of us put up our Christmas decorations shortly after Thanksgiving, but there are those who can’t wait that 
long. They might put their decorations up right after Halloween. I don’t think I would go that far, but it doesn’t really matter, either way, decorating is a big job…even for those who love it. Some people have kids to help, or grandkids who come and help. That makes it easier, but others do their own decorations. No matter how you decorate, most of us are just happy to have the decorating done…while trying not to think about the work ahead of us when it’s time to take it all down again.
Now, we have arrived at the big day…whether you open gifts on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day, or a combination of both. We hope our gifts are well received, loved, and not duplicated. Even if they are duplicated, it’s not the worst thing to happen. They can be exchanged, so all is well. Everything that has to do with Christmas has been done…or has it. So often, the real reason for the season…the birth of Jesus, is all but forgotten. How sad that is!! We focus more on Christmas movies, shopping, Santa Clause, and the Grinch, than we do on Jesus. There is nothing wrong with those other things, but we really need to know that the true reason for the season (whether Jesus was born in December or some other time of year) is to remember that God looked down on this messed up world and saw the family that He loved. He knew that we were lost, and 
without a Savior, doomed to Hell. That’s when He devised a plan to save us. He sent His Son, Jesus to be born a baby, grow to manhood, and then die on the cross as a sinless sacrifice for us!! We weren’t worthy, but like any Father, who loves his children, God chose to buy us back, and Jesus was the payment!! How can we possibly go through this season without remembering the birth and sacrifice of our blessed Savior. Remember the reason for the season!! Merry Christmas everyone!!
Christmas Eve is filled with many and varied traditions. Some families have a special family dinner on Christmas Eve…things that might not normally be considered “Christmas fare.” The Schulenberg tradition was always chili on Christmas Eve. Later, that evolved to include Lasagna. At first, when I married into the family, I thought the idea was totally odd, but we still do it to this day, and I can’t imagine Christmas Eve any other way. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones to make chili either, because I heard a friend at church talking about the same thing today. Let’s be real, chili is always a hit, as is Lasagna.
For many years, my family got to open one gift on Christmas eve, and then everything else was Christmas day. 
Then, I incorporated the stockings into Christmas eve. Bob’s family always opened their gifts on Christmas, and then my family always did Christmas morning. That worked well, but as the family has grown, my family has a Christmas party a week or two before Christmas, and this year, because we have so many families, we opened ours today. It worked so well, and everyone had a great time.
Some people, like my grandparents, George and Hattie Byer, decided that Christmas eve was the perfect day for a wedding. That wasn’t so uncommon back in 1927, and especially in the years of the “Old West” when travel wasn’t so easy, people would plan weddings around times when family was always gathered for other events. It made sense, because their relatives were already there, so no additional planning was necessary, with the exception of adding a cake and a preacher to the mix. We always thought it was very cool that 
Grandma and Grandpa celebrated their many years of wedded bliss on Christmas eve.
I believe that how the day is celebrated is not so important as is having your family around to celebrate it. Of course, families can’t always be together to celebrate Christmas eve, or Christmas day, so the main thing is to take plenty of pictures and pass them back and forth. That was, everyone gets to share in the special moments. That’s how love is shown. Merry Christmas Eve everyone!! I pray that your holiday is great.
Since moving from Powell, Wyoming to Butte, Montana has changed many things in my grandnephew, Weston Moore’s life. Weston is enjoying his life in Butte. He is working for a company that installs music sound systems in vehicle. This was a new line of work for Weston, and he is learning so much, and he can now figure out problems with electrical that we all dread on working on in vehicles!! He really enjoys the work, and his new life in Montana. Of course, with his family living so far away, he doesn’t get to see his parents, Steve and Machelle Moore and his brother, Easton Moore, as often as he used to. That makes it hard, and the weather in Montana and Wyoming doesn’t always make visiting home an easy thing to do. 
Nevertheless, Weston managed to get home for his brother’s graduation, Thanksgiving, and Christmas this year. Weston loves to surprise his family. They ask him when he might be coming home, and he does his best to make them think it will be a long while…and then he shows up. Weston loves it when they are all surprised to see him. Weston’s family was hoping to go to Butte for his birthday, but unfortunately, this trip is going have to wait a little while, because the car needs new tires, and it gets better gas milage. It’s a struggle for a lot of people this year. Hopefully prices go down so they can get together and do more things this summer.
While all this has made for an interesting year, it’s Weston, himself that is the biggest news. Weston has been working for a while now to become…less!! Weston decided that he wanted to lose weight and get healthy, so he set out to do just that. I’m not sure how long he has been working on it, but I can tell you that 100 pounds doesn’t come off overnight. Losing that kind of weight takes hard work and determination. Weston had made up his mind, and he wasn’t quitting until he succeeded. We are all so proud of his success. He looks great, and 
he decided that to complete his transformation, he needed a haircut too. Well, he succeeded in a complete transformation, and I can happily say that today, we have less Weston. Today is Weston’s 23rd birthday. Happy birthday Weston!! Have a great day!! We love you and we’re so proud of you!!
For Christmas, I gifted my grandson, Josh Petersen and his fiancée, Athena Salazar a Cribbage Board game. Since that time, I have been thinking a lot about my uncle, Bill Spencer, who taught me to play Cribbage when I was a kid. We had so many great times playing Cribbage together. Uncle Bill was a stickler for actually “teaching” me the game, without “giving” me the game. I always appreciated that about him, because I knew that when I won…I really won. Uncle Bill was a fair, and sometimes, as with his family history documents, brutally honest man. He didn’t take credit where it wasn’t due him, and he always gave fair and honest praise. I think I am a lot like him in that way. I like things to be fair, honest, and above board.
It’s hard for me to believe that my Uncle Bill has been in Heaven a little over 2 years now. He passed away on 
Christmas day, 2020. I didn’t see much of him toward the end, because he had dementia. Still, the times I saw him were such a treasure to me. The fact that he went home to Heaven didn’t really change very much in my life…physically, but it changed so much mentally. I always knew he was there, and while writing him a letter was out of the question, we were able to send him gifts that we knew he would enjoy…even though he wouldn’t know who sent them.
Uncle Bill was my favorite uncle. I loved all my uncles, of course, but Uncle Bill was like me…or, I was like him. I think my dad, Allen Spencer was a lot like his brother too. They were two of a kind…the Spencer boys. Always coming up with some new idea, even if it was a mischievous one. I can practically see God’s, for lack of a better word, reaction to Uncle Bill’s homecoming. My first reaction was, “Hide the dynamite!! The Spencer boys are 
back together!!” Of course, if there is dynamite in Heaven, it will not be a destructive force, but I have no doubt that it will make a loud noise. The Spencer boys would love it if it did, so I’m sure God would make that arrangement…just for them. Today would have been my Uncle Bill’s 101st birthday. I think he would have loved that he almost made it to 100 years old. The only thing that would have pleased him more than 98, or almost 99 years, would have been 100 years. Happy birthday in Heaven, Uncle Bill. You boys be good and have a great party!! We love and miss you, very much.
