Christmas blessings...

This year's Christmas was a very modest one for us. We decided not to buy a tree this year... but, I did manage to get a few decorations up to brighten up the place for the holiday.

We even managed a bit of shopping for each other...just one present each.

However we did have a few people play Santa for us.

These bikes were a major blessing.  Now we can get around town 

easier and still get exercise while we are out and about.

These small appliances provided by a small group in Kansas

also brought joy into our home.

and a few things from the Southwest were a delight
and came just in time for Christmas as well.

 Not all of the blessings we received this Christmas can be shown in photo.

Christmas Eve was spent having dinner with Tom and June out at their place.  We enjoyed an evening of fellowship with them and were glad that they were here in town and not back in the states for the holiday.

We were blessed with phone calls from our parents, connecting with our children, and lots of holiday greetings in English and in Russian on Facebook and in emails on Christmas day.

We also feel blessed to have experienced our first Belizean Christmas. Church bells sounded around 10 pm Christmas Eve then fireworks were set off by our neighbors right around midnight.

Christmas morning we awoke to church bells, fireworks and music coming from the homes around us.  Church was canceled on Sunday because most of the people at the small church we attend went to visit their relatives in villages out in other parts of the country... this gave us a leisurely day to relax, go on a short bike ride and enjoy the quiet here in town.

I encourage you to take some time to count your blessings and in doing so may you feel rich with joy and hope for the coming year!