It’s a most wonderful time of the year! I listened to a stimulating podcast by Sharon Eubanks: ‘What has changed my life?’ These five ideas are her continuing catalysts:
The ability to believe that God is real
The ability to start over again (fix my mistakes)
The ability to find comfort in my covenants
The ability to find new solutions
Practice the connecting love of Jesus Christ, helping each other.
These have nothing to do with money, mentorship or even experience. In different words these are called the Doctrine of Christ. Faith, Repentance, Ordinances, and Covenants, Gift of the Holy Ghost, Enduring and helping others endure to the end. These have made the difference. Such possibilities for a new year!
We picked up Ben and Christy on Dec. 16 and spent the next three days captivated by the sights of the Strasbourg area Christmas markets. Strasbourg was the first city that Ben served in as a missionary in the early ‘90s. We got to sample some traditional Alsatian dishes, wonder at the 50 foot live singing Christmas tree which switched colors, and a multitude of extravagant but tasteful storefront decorations. Wow! We were charmed by the little town of Riquewihr as well.
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| The great tree in Strasbourg |
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| Shop decrorations! Can you see the bubbles falling? |
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| The cathedral |
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| Riquewihr |
In Chalon, we prepared for Christmas Eve with 5 invited guests from our branch - all single between 45-70, three of them joining the Church in the last year and two joining in the ‘90s. Each of us would share our conversion story in between singing carols. I planned the soirée to be focussed on Christ so Christy and I decided to do a Palestinian meal with salads, pomegranates, humus, nuts, dates, fresh pita bread, and a scrumptious orange fennel baked chicken. Our guests brought a variety of desserts. We had enough to send them home with food bags. A great feeling prevailed all evening!
Christmas day we were served a traditional French dinner on a beautifully set table, with individual gifts. Great drinks and conversation, 3 bûches de Noël, and carol singing in front of the fire concluded our afternoon with our Branch President’s family and the young missionaries. We felt appropriately Christmased.
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| The setting for Christmas Day dinner |
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| The cheese board |
Thursday we Spackmans left for the Dordogne Valley, one of our favorite spots in France. We are visiting castles and museums and learning lots of French history before we return home for New Years Eve. What a lovely way to end 2025!
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