Another Glass of Christmas Spirit?

It was lovely to not play at church this morning. We went as a family; something which doesn't happen too often. All the snow, and mainly the ice, meant a re-think of our cycling to church, so we choose to walk instead. It was wonderfully sunny, bitterly cold, and Elle was not a happy bunny! (in spite of having spent Saturday going round Norwich in the snow/sleet/rain, which she managed with glee!)

I found there was plenty of space to rest (I could do with a catch up) in the service, and the message was perfect. Funnily enough it was the very same thing I had been thinking about for about two weeks (and we don't believe in coincidence now do we? ;))

I won't use Darrens three point summary (mainly as I can't remember it) but the final point was the most important.

How will the world know what the true meaning of Christmas is, if we don't tell them? and to some extent, what right do we have to complain that Christmas is too
commercial, if we, as Christians, don't challenge it?

I suppose the same could be said for the rest
of the year, but surely Christmas is a time when we have a great opportunity, en-mass, to make a statement?

So, feeling refreshed and focused on the Christmas story, I took Hol and Elle round Norwich's Ice Sculpture Trail .

After procuring two hot chocolates, we set of round the trail and saw the excellent work of the sculptor/s. It was the most interesting nativity I have ever seen, and I would say that it was experience. Having got a bit caught up in the practicalities of Christmas, I'm now really looking forward to seeing everyone, following through on our plans, but most of all, Celebrating Jesus' birth. Thank God!

(NB Outside St Stephens Church on Theatre street, there was a Shepard looking down the (slight) hill towards his flock of Ice sheep, just outside Clarks Shoes. As we made our way down to the sheep, I couldn't help but hear two guys arguing about the identity of the shepard, until one of them ended the argument by triumphantly announcing "It's definitely Moses!" hehehe!)