Each year on Christmas, I break from the country music news and reviews and share a little piece of our personal family experience. My grandparents met back in the 1930's and had three children. They had more children who then had more children. And each Christmas, that huge family gathered together at the Christmas holiday for family time, a meal and presents. It also included a prayer. What was originally written by grandfather, and then written by my father, then handed off to be written and read by me now has my own son doing the reading duties (with us co-writing it together.) These are each of those prayers going back many decades. For those that might find it of interest, I've archived many of them going back to the 1970's on a site that I put together HERE. From our family to yours, may this little message be a reminder to treasure each moment with your loved ones and not take any moments for granted. Merry Christmas.
Dear Lord,
We thank You for bringing us all together here tonight; to honor your son’s birth, to celebrate this wonderful family, and to remember those that paved the way to make this family so special.
For decades, this family has put on this incredible gathering to honor You and all that You have given us in family, fellowship, and friendship. We have incredible gratitude, and we reminisce fondly on all the lovely memories that You have provided us over the years. They become part of us and are a foundation for our lives.
Like the turning of the seasons, we have some new faces here tonight. We have also lost one along the way. Lord, we pray that tonight continues the healing of our grief. We pray that this family continues to comfort, and provide hope, restoration, and strength towards each other. Through second and third generations, you prove again and again that life continues in the spirit of our children and grandchildren. While they may not be here in the flesh, their spirit lives on in the memories and in the values that they instilled to those who they have touched. Help us feel their presence and influence here and forever forward. We are all better for having had them in our lives.
Comfort us as only You can. Provide us the light to show us what’s important, heal us with the love of this family and lend us your voice.
Surprise us with daily goodness and love and open our eyes so that we don’t miss a thing You are doing. Give us Your peace and understanding.
This season is more than just gift giving and the gathering of food. It is about reuniting with loved ones and sharing the memories of the past. After all the hardships we’ve endured over the last two years, we are thankful that You brought us all here together again tonight.
AMEN
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