Tag: traditions

Categories
Blog Celebrations Hospitality Our story Special events Updates

Upson Downs 4.1.21

two lambs in a field
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small...

Greetings! Tonight our men are reviving an old tradition- the baseball draft. I am giving thanks for the special memories that such celebrations bring. Jack Read has been participating in this event since his teen years; now he carries on his father’s legacy. Some things, of course, have been interrupted by Covid-19, notably dinner at Phillip’s and opening day at Dodger stadium. But many others remain the same, such as delicious varieties of hot dogs, haggling and negotiating over teams, and lots and lots of laughter. We have been watching The Chosen in anticipation of Easter and also plan to watch The Passion on Good Friday. We will join together for a celebratory meal on Easter Sunday. Easter is the ultimate joke on the Devil: “He is not here. He is risen!” He is risen indeed. Hallelujah! Sean, Kirsten, and Kristy came for a wonderful visit last week. We are so glad to be opening up again, albeit cautiously. It was especially great to enjoy a special meal on the Le’s first anniversary with much of the wedding party in attendance! Our international Bible study has been encouraging and kind of amazing too. Our visiting angels drop in from Mexico, Peru, Myanmar, and closer to home, Oregon. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we are teaching a Spanish Bible study and watching our kids. That’s a lot to cover for our little congregation. He is strong in our weakness. Well, that’s it for now. We are blessed to have the abundant life here, keeping us busy and living life with purpose. There truly is “never a dull moment.” Grace and peace to you all, and joyful Easter. God bless us all, everyone.

Regan

Categories
Blog Updates

Upson Downs

Greetings all! Remember me? I’m so sorry I haven’t kept up on the latest info from us. I hope you are well, as we have been. Since our Covid encounter and quarantine adventures, we have all stayed negative. Who ever thought being negative would be a good thing?? We have had to undertake some traveling for Kingdom purposes, and we all have deemed this as acceptable risk, evaluating each need on an individual basis. As a result, some of us are currently observing a quarantine period, as will some others when they return. It is our hope and prayer that we will all be clear and available to celebrate Christmas together. This year promises to be bittersweet as we mourn the loss of a beloved one as we welcome three new little ones to their first Christmas.
Thanksgiving was wonderful albeit quite different from the past where we ministered together to the lonely and needy. We prepared 15 extra meals which we delivered to recipients who were alone or needing the sustenance of food and encouragement. We ate together outside with our small gathering and only 2 guests. Our traditional Dance of the Leftovers was modified to conform to Covid restrictions. But we remembered those who were not with us with a classic, “Werewolves of London,” and not just a few tears. Dancing six feet apart lacks the intimacy and some of the joy we have experienced over the years, but we did our best.
As we anticipate the advent of our Savior into our lost and broken world, we strategize for a modified version of Christmas caroling, celebrating the light and hope of the world. We pray for the year ahead, and look forward to a wedding in January, and all the adventure of life in the Kingdom.
Be well and be of good cheer. God rest ye merry!

Regan

Categories
Celebrations Updates

And God bless us all, everyone!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care…seems as if there are more and more of them each year. We talked about splitting up households for Christmas Eve/ Christmas morning, but I for one am not ready for that! We reluctantly acknowledge, however, that we will have to eat in two locations on Christmas Eve :-(…The rest we will attempt to do all together.

We lit our second Advent candle this Sunday night, the Bethlehem candle, which followed our first one, the Prophets’ candle. There are so many fine and wonderful Advent traditions that we can all be thankful for and from which we can learn and imitate.

Last night we tried humming some Christmas songs and letting others guess the answer. You have to be a bit brave for that one. Then we imagined what some of the headlines in the Bethlehem Gazette might have been on Christmas morning. That sent our imaginations soaring.

We look forward to Christmas caroling this weekend, the pastors’ high tea, strolling through Naples along the canals, and just being together to anticipate the coming of our Lord into this world. How He has changed the entire course of history, and how He has indeed changed our own histories! Wonderful, Counselor, and He shall reign forever and ever. God rest ye merry! And God bless us all, everyone!