A Different Christmas Eve

In that day the wolf and the lamb will lie down together, and the leopard and goats will be at peace. Calves and fat cattle will be safe among lions, and a little child shall lead them all. The cows will graze among bears, cubs and calves will lie down together, and lions will eat grass like the cows. Babies will crawl safely among poisonous snakes, and a little child who puts his hand in a nest of deadly adders will pull it out unharmed. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so shall the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord. Isaiah 11: 6-9

“Listen! The virgin shall conceive a child! She shall give birth to a Son, and he shall be called “Emmanuel” (meaning “God is with us”). Matthew 1:23


This Christmas was certainly different for me. For the first time in 30 years, I was not at Eastridge on Christmas Eve. Our family instead gathered in Des Moines with my grandson Erik and his new bride Dani in their new home to celebrate Christmas together. We went to a church nearby whose pastor had married Erik and Dani. There was no choir and no handbells. There was no singing of Silent Night in German. There was no candy given out to the children afterwards. There was no holding hands with a friend and silently remembering our mothers there from the past. There was no congregational choir traditionally singing “Still, Still, Still”. All were strangers to us there except for the pastor. Yet despite this, we were greeted warmly, the music by soloists and the organist was beautiful. The familiar carols warmed our hearts. The scriptures were old yet new again, and a young teen led the lighting of the candles using lovely spiritual dance. The sermon was about Christmas and love. It was a beautiful service which left me in awe with the wonder of a baby born to be the savior of the world. It reminded me that we are not alone in our faith, that God is not limited by denominations, and that there is hope for all who believe. 

May peace be with you in this New Year. 

Nancy Hall