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Tag Archive - Christmas

The Wonder of Christmas

December 22, 2008 in Family, Nathan with 0 Comments

I love Christmas! It’s definitely my favorite time of the year. I love everything that comes with the Christmas season. I love both the secular and the sacred parts of Christmas.

We recently took the boys to get their pictures taken with Santa Claus. In Mexico, it seems as though the malls compete with each other to see who can have the best Christmas display. The one we took the boys to had a little area where the kids could write their letter to Santa and then stick it in the mailbox for him.

I love the look of wonder and excitement (and hope) on Nathan’s face as we do all of this stuff. Christmas is a wonderful time. Wonder-Full, or full of wonder. It’s because a long time ago, baby Jesus came to save the world. I’m filled with wonder as I contemplate all that this celebration entails.

One of my favorite bands, Third Day, sings a song called “Christmas Like a Child.” The lyrics go like this:

I want to feel Christmas, how it used to be
With all of its wonder falling on me
This season has felt so empty, oh for quite a while
I want to feel Christmas like a child

I want to see snowflakes fall to the ground
My brothers and sisters all gathered around
Singing “Away In A Manager” as we sit by the fire
I want to feel Christmas like a child

It’s been so long now, I can’t say
Just when I lost my way
But I’m going back to how it was
When this day meant everything
And we spent our time remembering
The baby Child born for us

It’s all about Jesus, asleep in the straw
This infant, this King, this Savior for all

So I don’t need bells to be ringing
‘Cause I’ll join with angels singing Gloria
And I can feel Christmas like a child
I want to feel Christmas like a child…

I pray that your Christmas will be filled with wonder and that you can experience it like a child, with all of the excitement and joy that comes with it.

Christmas Newsletter 2008

December 22, 2008 in Family, features, Prayer, YMI with 0 Comments

We can’t believe 2008 is already coming to a close. It has been exciting to see all the things that have happened this year. This year has brought many great things, and we want to thank you for your support, prayers, and encouragement throughout the year.

You can download our Christmas Newsletter right here (PDF).

We are looking forward to 2009 and what God is going to do in our personal lives, our family, and in the ministry in Latin America. We are attempting great things for God, and we are expecting great things from Him.

Keep coming back here to ymimexico.org to see what is happening in our lives and in the ministry. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed here.

If you want to receive our email newsletter or our snail mail newsletter, please sign up here.

Thanks again for your interest in our family and the ministry of Youth Ministry International in Latin America.

Zocalo Ice Rink Panorama

December 15, 2008 in Mexico City with 1 Comment

Click on the picture to enlarge; Click here to see it on flickr.

VIDEO: Making a Snowman

December 12, 2008 in Family, Nathan, Video with 0 Comments

Next to the ice skating rink in downtown Mexico City, they have a little place where kids can make snowmen.

So, while we were waiting to go on the ice at the rink, we went and made a little snowman. Here’s a quick video of Nathan and me making his first ever snowman with “imported” snow. It was a lot of fun.

Click here to watch the video on Vimeo.

Christmas in Mexico City

December 11, 2008 in Family, features, Fun stuff, Mexico City with 1 Comment

Mexico City is home to the largest artificial ice skating rink in the world (Spanish site). The rink, which they built for the first time last year in the zocalo (downtown center square), is back this year. We went yesterday to skate on the gigantic rink.

They have done a great job of making it a very family friendly place. First of all, entrance to the rink is free, so everyone regardless of economic status, can attend. They also have a place where kids can make snowmen and go sledding down an artificial hill.

We arrived downtown at 11, and we got into line so they could give us our bracelets that we needed to go on the ice. Our turn was at 4 in the afternoon! Luckily, we had gone with Jon and Nicolle, so we had help taking care of the kids.

Since we had to wait, we went to McDonald’s, Nathan and I made a snowman (but he was an inch too short to go sledding). Then, in a stroke of genius, someone suggested that we go up to the restaurant at the Majestic Hotel on the corner of the zócalo and got something to drink. The view from the restaurant was incredible. From there, you could see the skating rink and the entire downtown square.

Finally, it was our turn to skate. Nathan made it around once. He had a great time, but he was so tired by the time it was our turn.

Overall, we had a great day. Check out our Flickr set from yesterday.