A Blessed Christmas

[darcy15]

My blessed Christmas

2013 has been a sad year for me. My last two aunts died early in the year, and my father passed away a few months ago. My family is now sadly depleted.

Christmas has always been a big family celebration, and I have so many happy memories of times past. This Christmas Eve was spent largely in tears, grieving for those I had lost. I am single, my siblings are married and have families of their own. Christmas Day was not destined to be that much of a pleasure.

On Christmas morning, my doorbell rang unexpectedly. There stood two young ladies I had never seen before. They explained they were neighbours from a few houses away, their oven had broken and they didn't know what to do as they were cooking for a group of friends. I agreed for them to use my oven, thinking that as they were students it was likely to be a small chicken and not much else. How wrong I was! The girls came back with the biggest turkey I have ever seen in my life! We got the bird settled in the oven, and then I was entertained all morning by my new friends. They were students, from the Bahamas, studying law. This was their first Christmas in the UK and flying home was just too expensive. They had a large group of fellow students coming to dinner.

From sadness, my day turned into the most wonderful celebration. Such delicious food - and so different from the usual British menu - and what warm company. I was invited to share their day, and had a wonderful time with a whole new extended family. I spoke to my siblings, nephews and nieces on the phone - sharing their day too. Even the weather was amazing - bright sunshine and blue skies, after the dreadful storms of the previous days. Instead of an empty house, my home was filled with lilting Caribbean accents and laughter.

It is said that God works in mysterious ways. He was present to me this Christmas, and I felt so truly blessed.

[miserere55]

Blessed be God forever!!  Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story with us.  I was in tears as I read through it.  May 2014 be a year that is filled to abundance for you, Darcy15!

[AnneLine]

This was beautiful to read, Darcy.   And Dec 26 is St. Stephen's day --- patron of the ministry to the bereaved.  I'm not at all surprised... not at all.

 

What a lovely thing to share with us.

 

Please feel free to reach out to us if you need to have people... you have Phamily here, you know.....