Christmas

By the grace of God...I managed to get everything sorted for Christmas! My family spent the weekend before Christmas with us and it was good to catch up with them.

We had the opportunity to go to Gloucester Cathedral for the Christmas Eve carol service. Before the service started I was aware of a slight chill in the air, then the lights went off and we waited. Then, in the darkness, we heard the choir begin to sing and it was amazing! There is just something very special about being in a place of worship where people have gathered for hundreds of years. Once home we watched 'The Nativity Story' together which was a lovely way to prepare for the day ahead. Christmas Day itself was very peaceful and lovely - just the four of us - together.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

The key theme of the services, both from the Cathedral, the midnight mass broadcast from Peterborough Cathedral, and our own church on Christmas morning, was 'Emmanuel' - God with us. That our heavenly Father - the Lord of all, was willing to give up all that He had to enter into humanity as one of us. And we have been so aware of His presence with us this year.