Christmas in Montana

Today we drove from Billings to Red Lodge, a rustic mountain town full of snow and lots of skiers. We travelled to Montana Christmas Eve.  It snowed early Christmas morn...I know firsthand because I was driving in it at 2:30am looking for cough syrup for our third child who was wheezing in the middle of the night.  She ended up in the ER on Christmas morn and is doing better with an inhaler and other meds. What a rough Christmas for her!

 Ethan's sister and brother-in-law live here in Billings where Bill is the pastor of the Lutheran Brethren church in town. Their two teenage boys keep us entertained with plenty of jokes and games, especially the youngest's favorite game of Chess.  Ethan's mom and dad came from Arizona yesterday, and we have already played a game of Rook with Mom.  She is a huge risk-taker in Rook and won by over 300 points.  Now we are off to play another game of Rook.

We are blessed to be with family here in Montana.  My mind is reeling with memories since my parents are from this town, and I spent my summers here as a child with my grandparents.  The rural ranches and horses are another world from Minneapolis where I grew up.  The mountains are beautiful and the air is fresh.  But sad memories also fill my mind, and I know that God redeems it all.  We are blessed.

It is a happy Christmas indeed.

The Incarnation

“ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting.” Micah 5:2

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:15-16