Christmas Eve

We had a great time with lots of family in. People started arriving around 4:30 and we had dinner about 6 including roasted turkey, spiral honey ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry, and wide beverage selection. Before saying grace Andy read the following as a reminder of the real reason why we all gather together every year at this time:

One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village,the child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for 3 years, he was an itinerent preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born.
He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials except himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away.
He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, his executioners gambled for His clothing,the only property He had on earth. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on this earth so much as THAT ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
-Author Unknown (adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”). If you are interested, you can read the original version .




Dorinda's brother Justin & Dimples


Drink anyone?



Mom Rumbold & Mom-mom Elliott


Tyler & Max keeping busy


AJ being AJ



Dorinda with Luke's gift


Mom & Andy's cousin Dan


Everyone was having fun!


Jonathan & Allison


After the polyanna gifts


Dan, Jon, and Chris


Gotta love those candid photos! Dorinda's sister Lyndsay, Justin's wife Becca, and Justin


Dorinda's dad Rich & his good friend Greg


Pop-pop enjoying the chair and a half


Dorinda's mom Deb hates being the center of attention!