"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas..."

The Christmas season is already beginning over here in the Philippines! (Minus the winter weather, of course) Our December calendar has filled up with various get-togethers and fellowships—many of them with our church.:-)

Our first gathering for this month began with our Ladies Christmas Fellowship at church. In the past, we have always enjoyed our monthly get-togethers with these ladies, and of course this Christmas fellowship just as enjoyable!

Just like every other fellowship, we had plenty of food, singing, a devotion, and games.:-) For one of the games, we had a fun contest to see who could find the most objects in their purses or bags, as Mrs. Quinlan called out each item. Of course, those ladies with bigger bags or purses obviously won that game! From that activity we found out which ladies to go to whenever we need a calendar, safety pins, a comb, or even fingernail clippers. Haha!

We also had a small, anonymous gift exchange with these ladies. Those who brought a gift received a gift. :-) Each gift was numbered, and then every lady was given a number that matched them to one of the gifts. Since each present was assigned to a person, no one could choose the biggest one. :-) But, of course that was fine with us! We all enjoyed our gifts. They were special, because each one was wrapped with love by one of our Filipina sisters in Christ.

The 2009 name for this Ladies Fellowship Group is “The Ladies’ S.P.I.C.E.” (Serving People In Church Edification). With that title in mind, Mrs. Quinlan (our pastor’s wife) challenged us with an edifying devotion at this Christmas Fellowship. (Some of our friends even put on a skit that served as an entertaining, visual demonstration of the devotion.)

The devotion topic challenged us to do everything for the Lord. Many times we may do the right thing, but it may not be done with the right motive. Therefore, Mrs. Quinlan encouraged us to develop the right motives and reasons for serving the Lord—no matter how great or how small the job is.

As we all focus on the fast-approaching Christmas holiday, we can praise Christ, who demonstrated a true servant’s heart in completing the work of His Father. His motives were pure, His heart was humble, and His purpose was to save the world from sin.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”—Phil. 2:5-8