Christmas Memories

What do you say about Christmas when you’re just not in the Christmas mood?  It’s hard to get into the Christmas Spirit when Christmas doesn’t look like it is supposed to in your mind.  I live here in the desert southwest, and it doesn’t look like the Christmases from my childhood.  My childhood Christmases were always white, cold and surrounded by family.  My memories are filled with snowball fights, skating on frozen ponds, sledding, making snow forts and watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the 447^th time. Now the only thing that seems to be the same is that I’m watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the 4,447^th time and I have added “Elf” for the 151^st time to that tradition.

Now if you know me at all, at this point you are saying, “Who are you trying to kid!?”  After all, I grew up in south Texas on the border in the land of 80 degrees for Christmas.  I mean it only snowed three times in Eagle Pass when I was growing up and only once did it ever stick to the ground.  We had tamales instead of sugar plums.  We didn’t even have any other family that lived in Texas.  So just what Christmas memories am I talking about?

Well, being missionaries, Christmas was one of the only times we got to travel back and see my parent’s families.  So most Christmases were spent in Durango, Colorado or the Kansas City, Missouri area.  I grew up with my Christmases being surrounded by countless uncles, aunts, grandparents and more cousins than I can even remember names for.  So, spending my Christmas now in El Paso just seems off and honestly doesn’t feel like Christmas…UNTIL TODAY!!!!

WOW!!!  Can you believe it?  This is the view from my back window.  It is snowing like crazy.  And something else crazy is happening, as the snow keeps falling from the sky, memories of Christmas are beginning to flood my mind…and now tears!  Thank you Jesus for these wonderful memories; memories that had for long been forgotten.

My grandparents have all passed away.  All of us cousins are all grown up now with families of our own, and without grandparents to go back and visit, we haven’t seen each other in years.  My brother and sister’s families are all grown up and have their own Christmas traditions.  The busyness of life has spread us out all over the place.

As I stare out my dining room window, I know that my heart should be breaking because all of this snow means that so many of my neighbors across the border living in shacks are now freezing cold and wet, but somehow today I am thankful for the snow.  I am thankful for the memories that have been restored, refreshed and revisited.

This all makes me think of a seldom visited verse in the Bible, Luke 2:51; “But his(Jesus) mother treasured all these things in her heart.”  We all have memories that we treasure.  I challenge you this Christmas season to build some new memories.  Be intentional!  What can you do this Christmas season to build memories that will last a lifetime?  As for my family (me, my wife and daughter), we are going to go build a house for a family in need in Acuna, Mexico…and in the process build a memory.

Thank you Jesus for the snow!  Thank you Jesus for the memories! 

Merry Christmas!

-David

What Moves You?

We asked our friends on Facebook, "What one thing is most vivid in your minds about your time building with us in Juarez, or Acuna Mexico?"  We're grateful for their perspectives, their heart, and their service.  This is what they had to say...

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    AndyNikki Chitwood 
    
    

    I have sooo many memories from when I lived there while working with Casas por Cristo. Many nights of driving up on "the hill" in El Paso and just sitting there in the car, looking over Juarez seeing all the lights, houses, etc.....thinking about how truly blessed America is/we are. It was a life changing year for me and I have never forgotten any of it. The friendships I built while living there will be carried in my heart forever and I hope, one day, to be able to take my husband and four kids down to meet everyone and build a house together as a family. :)

    
    
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    Richard Coe
    The overwhelming needs.
    
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    Kaci Winemiller
    Being able to talk to the people. Seeing and hearing their pain and then seeing and hearing their salvation through God, through the work we do. But the best part is knowing their life is better.
    
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    T.j. Norris
    The overwhelming LOVE.
    
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    Mark Yanke
    The conditions they lived in, and how happy they were after our work was done.
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    Mollie McGrath Fields
    JOY
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    Gabe Leonard
    The differences between Mexico and the US.
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    Paul Moritz
    The families that we build for.
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    Cristen Brandt
    That even though they had close to nothing, they were still the richest people I had ever met.
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    Laura Robinson Alldredge
    I went to Juarez in 2007 and Acuna this past June. My most vivid memory is when the father of the family in Juarez and I were talking as we worked on stucco the last day, he told me that when I came back to visit I could stay in the house that I had helped build for them. I said "Because we are friends" and he said "No, somos familia" (we are family). I will always cherish that moment. What a beautiful picture that we are all God's children and we really are all family! I so look forward to going back!
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    Bob Gordon 
    The dedication ceremony.
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    LuAnn Gwinn Ribley 
    

    The appreciation and joy with two rooms! How many of us in U.S. would be joyful at two rooms on a concrete floor, no heat or air conditioning, and no running water inside?
    
    
    The communication between the families and workers - even when we don't speak the same language.
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    Lori Meyer 
    How we have so much and they have so little, yet the love and faith they have surpasses so many Americans....
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    Sherry Culp 
    Moms, Dads, children caught in a battle but desiring a Godly herritage for their children. A safe place from the hardships they face everyday. A land that needs revival, prayers and Christians to come and help them. Jesus with skin on!!! Pray without ceasing for them.
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    Michael David Ford 
    For me, it was the amazing opportunities to just love people down there. I went down to Juarez for a few days and built a house, and was just amazed at how much I fell in love with the family we were building for and the neighborhood children who came around while we were there. They have such great need down there, not only physical needs, but a need to see the love of Christ acted out for them in a tangible way.

We'd love to hear more of your memories and stories of those moments that have been engraved in your mind and changed your life.