12/16/2025
Note From Our Pastor,
Dear Celebration Family,
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. Time moves so fast, I really am trying to live a simple life. I want to cherish every beautiful memory and let go of the memories that have been painful. You know, Celebration, some people call it the season of “overdoing”. Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations of how we want the holidays to go. We “overdo” shopping, cooking, giving too many presents, ”overdo” credit card shopping, “overdo” our schedules. For the most part we “overdo” because we want to make people, we love happy, or we are trying to fill some voids in our own lives. I believe JESUS was our Greatest example of “not overdoing”! The world wanted HIM to arrive on a gold throne; HE chose a donkey. To act Royality, HE was a humble carpenter. Instead of a palace, a manger. HE was not ostentatious, flashy; HE loved breaking the bread and spending special moments with HIS disciples. HE knew how to live in peace. HE took time for people that were thought of “undesirable”. The LORD reminds us every day to count our blessings.My son-in-law brought my now teenage granddaughter (Allie) and my grandson Allistar to see me on my birthday. I had Allie’s birthday present ready to give her. I was so full of love and emotion; I began to second guess my birthday present to her, thinking maybe it wasn’t nice enough. I was handing her the present; her eyes qu**ky saw a simple little handmade country angel on my Christmas tree. If you wound the key in the back it plays “Silent Night” and she said, “Nanna I can’t believe you still have this ornament, I’ve always loved it”. I took it off the tree and gave it to her.I never knew she loved it so much. Something so old fashioned, so simple, but the memories she had of past Christmases, and seeing the country angel on the tree filled her with joy! You might find joy giving a warm blanket and a sack lunch to a homeless person, or a worn out, hardworking single mom. For everyone it’s different, but for me it’s the unexpected things done in unexpected times. Church if we “overdo” anything, let’s “overdo” love and kindness. But really," Is that possible?",
Pastor Betty Waterman