The Christmas weekend was filled with great moments.
As always, there’s something about snow fall on Christmas. Even though it is statistically low to actually have a ‘white Christmas’ we have enjoyed two in a row here in Twin Falls. I had multiple times to gather with my biological family and my church family. All of those times were treasured times.
Christmas Eve at Eastside:
In those rare years that Christmas actually lands on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) it is even more special for me to gather with my church family on Christmas day.
(The sound did not record properly on the Lord’s Day so there is no archived recording of this gathering)
Snowy conditions made travel to the church house difficult, but I’m not known for cancelling a regularly scheduled Sunday morning or Wednesday night prayer gathering (this may have made me unpopular with my children from time to time when they were younger). There are legitimate times to cancel a gathering and I’ll leave that door open for that possibility, but I’ll reserve it for the kind of day that will be memorable. (My practice of not cancelling is not an indictment against churches that do.)
I’m of the opinion that if I was out of milk on this same day and had a box of cereal in the cupboard, would I go to the grocery store for more milk? I don’t even have to really think about this, the answer is nearly automatically, ‘yes, of course I would go get milk.” Is not God more important than milk? Of course he is. So why would I let a lesser thing cause me to put my life at risk but hope my church cancels a worship gathering? This kind of thinking may have some legitimate flaws in thinking, but It is what I would do if I were out of milk.
So, yesterday, after a weekend of sleet, snow, freezing rain and the more fresh snow, followed by howling wind most of the night I gathered at 204 Eastland Drive North with a band of believers for our regularly scheduled Sunday morning worship service. (no audio recording available.)
Then my grown children and their lovely wives gathered at our home, along with my mom who now lives in Twin Falls. During this time we read Scripture together, shared gifts with each other, ate lunch together and played a game of Monopoly. During this time I like to always give a verbal and written blessing to my family. The verbal is more general and applies to all of our households. The written is personal.
I’ll share with you the verbal (which is also written but I do speak it out loud). As the patriarch of my family now, more than ever I must be an honest blesser of my household.
I first drafted this in 2014 and have tweaked it with a few additional lines over the past three years.
The Thompson Home: (originally drafted in 2014)
May our homes be homes where the will of the Lord is sought after with feverish hunger.
May our homes be homes where the bible is read, heard, loved and taught.
May our homes be homes where the glory of God and his favor rests in our neighborhoods.
May our homes be homes where mercy falls and warriors rise for war.
May God give us these kinds of homes…
May our homes be homes where husbands are faithful, true and strong.
May our homes be homes free from slavery of the flesh
May our homes be homes that are filled with songs of the redeemed.
May our homes be homes where the shout of joy is heard among the saints.
May God give us these kinds of homes…
May our homes be homes where wives provide sanctuary and rest.
May our homes be homes where the Lord is not only called Lord, but is also a welcomed Lord.
May our homes be homes that glow bright with the Lamp of Scripture.
May our homes be homes where strangers meet Christ.
May God give us these kinds of homes…
May our homes be homes with the sound of children.
May our homes be homes where the beauty of Christ is upon display with child-like faith.
May our homes be homes where the warmth is felt from the fire of God that comes from the family alter each day.
May our homes be homes where godly men and women are raised and homes where missionaries are sent.
May God give us these kinds of homes…
May the grace of God be tasted by all who reside and enter these homes.
May the songs of our faith be the soundtrack of our homes.
May the sound of the Gospel never be missed with the words spoken in our homes.
May the mercy of God be the motivation of all activity in our homes.
Oh, might God give us these kinds of homes….
This is a picture of Dr. Jones at the Shoshone Falls (about 4 miles from our church)
This is Dr. Jones watching B.A.S.E. jumpers jump from the Perrine Bridge spanning the Snake River Canyon.