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My grandmother’s house was always packed at our family Christmas. Grandpa had passed away, but the shelves he put up near the picture window were home to countless plants that stayed green and bright through the winter months. One of them was a cactus that bloomed with pretty red flowers around Christmas. On one visit, before she passed away, we got a cutting off that cactus and this winter it is blooming at our house! It’s a sign that the cactus is getting what it needs.

This year as we approach Christmas I have been sending both Christmas cards, and sympathy cards. Christmas cards for obvious reasons, and sympathy cards because family and friends have passed away. It is kind of an interesting mix of cards, sorrow mixed with joy. So in good pastor fashion I looked up verses of sorrow and joy. I found the book of Esther where Queen Esther saved her people. From this comes the Jewish celebration of Purim (not Hanukah). About this celebration we read:

The Wreath’s Across America program was canceled due to the extreme cold, Saturday, December 18, 2021; but that didn’t stop the volunteers who came out and put over 900 wreaths on the graves of the service men and women at Mount Hope Cemetery in Valentine.