What we’ve been up to and Merry Christmas!
Our first week of good food, sunshine and lots of family has come to an end. We’ve had lovely time visiting with our families and seeing some old friends; my mom had what used to be her annual Christmas mother-daughter Tea our first weekend here. We’ve had this tea (with all the trimmings!) every year I was growing up; it was a great opportunity to see a bunch of old friends all in a few short hours. My friend Julian wins total props for driving up from San Diego.
Bryce’s sister and family came down early last week and we hadn’t seen them since they moved from Scotland in July. On Christmas Eve my family, grandma and our neighbours went to Redeemer Presbyterian in Newport Beach for a Nine Lessons and Carols service which we very much enjoyed. We had a yummy dinner of beef tenderloin and completed the dinner with some sticky toffee pudding.
Christmas day we went over to the Hales’ house and joined 13 other family members to have the Great-Christmas-Unwrapping-Extravaganza. Bryce was amazed by his parents’ getting him a certificate for a kilt for Christmas in time for him to graduate this summer! I received a few gift cards to Ann Taylor, so hopefully I’ll be a bit more put together when we return to Edinburgh. Bryce did very well and got me a great necklace and I replaced his Top Gun zippo that had been lost in our move to Scotland. We had a fabulous roast turkey dinner and my aunt, cousin and a few others joined us. As always, we ended the night with white elephant bingo, which always makes everyone’s sides hurt from laughing.
Today we braved the crowds to redeem our gift certificates and to get Derek Webb’s latest CD, Mockingbird. It’s great. I recommend you all go out and buy it immediately. I haven’t read much of anything while we’ve been away and I thought I’d be having withdrawals, but it’s actually rather liberating. However, I did buy George Steiner’s Real Presences, which after having read the first 10 pages, I also heartily recommend as it argues for the basis of art is found only in God.
December 27th, 2005 at 11:43 pm
I have to wonder: How many churches out there are called Redeemer Presbyterian? Is it all because of Tim Keller?
Glad you had a good Christmas.
December 28th, 2005 at 8:49 am
I know of 2 in southern California and I’d say one definitely is and the other definitely isn’t.
December 30th, 2005 at 2:50 am
Looking forwradr to seeing you on Sun. at worship!
Since you BOTH are going to be the 4-5 minute focus on Sunday for our “Ministry Moment” (meaning I’m going to interview you both and then you’ll get prayed for…) it might be a grand and lovely idea if you gave me a few pointers for the interview ahead of time.
Many thanx.
December 31st, 2005 at 12:22 am
Well Ray, I asked if we could be interviewed (instead of just spewing info ourselves) because I’m not really sure how you guys normally do it. So I’m not too sure, really. We’re planning to be at church by 9ish on Sunday morning, so we can talk then if you want. Or give me so more info and I’ll get back to you.