Merry Christmas!

This has truly been the best Christmas ever. We were all together again!

A few calculations. . . Daddy hadn't been home for nine weeks, Mommy about the same time. Most of the kids hadn't seen either Daddy or Mommy since sometime in November (I think). Ardith and I visited over Thanksgiving. That was our last real face-to-face contact till today. Now just six more weeks to go! (Lord willing, with somewhat more frequent visits)

So much fun to open presents together! Our Christmas dinner turned out fairly well, only about half was burnt or undercooked or something else fairly easily remedied, and was eaten not too long after 2 p.m. We laughed so much! Enough to have lifted a hot-air balloon at least. Wouldn't have been a bad day for it, quite warm. . . but we had so much fun.


This is for Christmas and for my parents. It's Mommy's favorite Christmas carol.

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

The foxes found rest and the birds their nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn
They bore Thee to Calvary.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus-
There is room in my heart for Thee!

When the heavens shall ring and the angels sing
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying "Yet there is room-
There is room at My side for thee."
My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me!

Emily E. S. Elliott