Saturday, January 19, 2013

Reflections on Christmas


As Christmas was here and gone I spent some time reflecting on what Christmas is all about. During the Christmas season my kids really enjoyed listening to The Go Fish Guys. One of their songs is titled, "It's About The Cross". 


On Facebook i saw  a song titled, "Shake Up Christmas" by Train.


Both are beautiful songs to listen to at Christmas time, but their messages are very different.
Christmas is a time we, as Christians, remember the birth of Jesus. But it is more than that, it is about why he was born, it is about what he came and did, it is about remembering and thanking him for the free gift of eternal life that he gave us if we accept it. It is not just about his birth, but his perfect, sinless life, his death he died in our place, his resurrection, his ascension, and his return. Christmas is a time to celebrate what He did for us, and what he promises to do for us. 
What was your Christmas like?

Here is a little of what we did this Christmas...

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year from the Andersons (Bistrita, Romania)
Chris, Faith, and Jatham at Bran


Sharing Christmas
We hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! We were so encouraged this Christmas and blessed by each one of you. We had a wonderful time with Chris's sister and her two friends here, Josh and Jaclyn. We were blessed in so many ways this season, and it is hard to put everything into words. People went out of their way to help us be able to share Jesus with those hurting in the villages and to supply them with food, treats, clothes, gospel tracts, etc. We thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for helping us to do that. 

We also thank you all for helping to meet each of our needs this winter. A new couch has been purchased and is on its way, it should arrive in about a week and a half to our house!! Winter tires were purchased, and it has been nice not to get stuck in the snow, and to be able to still travel to the villages and minister to the families there. We even had people send money for personal gifts for our own kids and we were able to get the three older ones swimming lessons for their main Christmas present. Thank you very much!!
Thank you so much for partnering with us to serve the Lord here in Romania. We could not do it without you. We are encouraged by each one of you and thankful for all of your prayers and sacrificial giving!!

sledding in poiana with the Kieffers
As a family, we were able to take Jenn, and her friends, Josh and Jaclyn to visit the city of Brasov. We enjoyed a day of sledding, visiting the center, visiting Bran Castle, and eating at a wonderful restaurant outside of Brasov. 









Bran Castle 
Bran Castle


It was a wonderful time of fellowship, sightseeing, and just enjoying each other's company, although i did get a comment from my little sister and I quote, "You remind me so much of mom and dad right now!". (Just another reminder that I am only getting older, thanks sis. :-)







a village house
Faith three others were able to visit a very poor family in Pintic and take some much needed items to them for Christmas through "Seed of Hope". Pintic is a village 30 minutes away where Faith and another missionary woman go to minister to children in teaching english once a week. They have been able to not only minister to children in the school, but a family in need. The Lord has used them to touch lives in this poor village and school. We thank Him for this opportunity and for more opportunities to come.



Praise and prayer requests 
Praise all  of our needs were met a new couch, and winter tires.
Prayer requests for the families visited over Christmas that they will accept Jesus as their savior and we will have more and more opportunities to share Christ with them.


"I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."       Philippians 1:3-6