In a Stable

I guess it's sort of old fashioned

to invite our neighbors to come sing with us around a toasty fire,

but they come,

and they seem to like it.

In fact, some who were here last year,

brought new friends this year.

We sang every Christmas carol we could think of

next to our "stable"...

One young man, that we met tonight, knew all the words

to all the songs.

You could tell he's a musician the second he opened his mouth.

The harmonies were gorgeous.

Some of our company

aren't used to singing, and they don't know the words.

Two lads were especially embarrassed to be singing...

but I think they might have learned a thing or two from the Young Musician.

Singing is not just for girls :-).

Eventually they warmed up to the idea... or got cold

and needed to warm up to the fire.

All boys do love fire.

It drew them in.

Mr. Goosey Gander was especially excited about the company in his barn tonight.

He's rather opinionated and noisy about it... and a little possessive.

Very personable.

Definitely the center of attention.

What a blessing to read the Christmas story

straight from the Bible

right out there by the barn

where it's quite easy to imagine what it was really like to put a newborn in a bed of straw.

Not just any newborn -

but the Son of GOD.

This is what I love about Christmas -

people are open to share....

(Not one family from the same church

or denomination)

all coming together to sing the sacred old songs

and read the sacred old story

together as friends and neighbors.

We finished off the evening with food and hot drinks.

Amazingly,

15 children all together in one house was not the least overwhelming or crazy.

It was a lovely evening.

The only thing missing 

was snow.