.: A Kauflin Christmas :.



I'm sorry for the delay, but I want to give anyone who still reads this blog (which you've gotta be crazy to do given the fact that I blog like twice a month...if that...) a little glimpse into a very merry Kauflin Christmas.

The day started out rather quietly around 8:30 am. (shew! Dad had to practically drag Chelsea, Kenzie, and me out of bed to open our stockings before the rest of the family arrived) Of course, Devon and Kristine were the first to arrive promptly at 8:35 am. Dad sat us all down before the hurricane arrived, and read us a wonderful Valley of Vision prayer on the Gift of gifts.


And then, just after he finished, the whirlwind of children came flooding in...

...showing off their new toys...

...opening up some of their own...

...unknowingly sleeping away the whole day...

...and not exercising enough patience to wait for mommy to open their orange...

:)

And the present opening began!



Now, on a typical Kauflin Christmas, there are a few things that never fail to occur:

1. Megan gets dad/mom a deeply meaningful gift, which, upon opening, causes them to cry.

One year, it was a childhood story book that my dad always read to her, "One More Thing Dad." Another year, it was a book covering our twenty years of beach vacations. Once, she wrote my parents a poem thanking them for their marriage, "Love I See." And yet another year she searched Ebay to find a VERY old copy of a book by Isaac Watts for my dad.
And the list goes on.

This year, she didn't fail to make both mom and dad cry with the gifts she gave them, but Megan's gift to my mom was seriously a well thought-out and specifically meaningful gift. This year, my grandma (mom's mom) passed away after a long and slow surrender to Alzheimer's and Dementia. To honor my mom's heroic trust in the Lord during this time and never-ceasing faith in His sovereignty, Megan made a beautiful charm bracelet with a single charm. On it is a picture of my Grandma as a beautiful, young woman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a sweet time.

Speaking of sweet, the next event that always occurs on Christmas day:

2. Cinnamon rolls!

These deliciously gooey buns are a family tradition that has been going on ever since I can remember.


yeah, those were good. :)
Then came the rest of the present opening. I loved the different reactions people gave.




(we got mom a Coach purse. she liked it.)

Another highlight of every Christmas is watching mom and dad's interactions with eachother as they exchange gifts:


3. A super big gift that is only presented after all the presents have been opened.

This year, was a milestone.
The first Christmas in all of Kauflin history that someone got...

http://flickr.com/photos/bhopek/2142530770/

a car!

oh, and after the car, dad pulls out a huge box, and inside is the 24 inch monitor that I am publishing this post on right now. Pretty sweet. :)

Seriously, though, I can't describe how grateful I am to be a part of the family I love SO dearly.

Family,
THANK YOU for the generosity you express every year. Your consistent, heartfelt and abundant gift-giving is an example to me. And it so clearly resounds of God's generosity in sacrificing His Son in our place for our sins.
THANK YOU for living your lives to glorify God specifically in the season He has put you in, whether that be marriage, parenthood, singlehood, or teen...hood. :)
THANK YOU for loving each other and for being quick to serve each other and spur one another to godliness.

and THANK YOU mom and dad for raising up your family WELL, and for faithfully passing on a legacy of Grace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. God is ALWAYS so faithful to remind us of the unexplainably amazing Gift He has given us of salvation.

"Christmas has come and gone, but the significance of it will impact the world for all Eternity. Light has come into the world, and it has pierced the Darkness forever. The victory has been won at the Cross, and the humiliation of it's judgment has set the world free forever. The Saviour has come to all who are thirsty, and offers His free gift to any who desire it. It is there for the asking. Are you thirsty? He is there to give you drink. His Hands are always open to those who need Him. He is Light; light that has come into a dark world, to bring the balm of Gilead to hurting hearts. He is calling all who are hurting to come, 'Come, ye who are thirsty, Come!'"

http://www.xanga.com/magroveman