“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 NIV – Article written by Skip Hedgpeth

On Christmas Eve in 1972, I received a special gift. It was a handmade patchwork quilt made by my sweet grandmother, “Nanny.” It was no ordinary quilt. It was made with bright colored patches and each stitch was sewn with love. In the middle of the quilt, in big handwork stitches, Nanny wrote, “Christmas 1972, To Skipper, Always Remember, Nanny.”

The quilt was lovely. I still have it today. What I cherish most, though, are my Nanny’s words and the knowledge that she made it with love and gave it especially “To Me!”

On that first Christmas Day in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to a baby boy. No birth is ordinary. This one, however, was extraordinary! Mary’s baby boy was the long awaited Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Now, as if that is not special enough, this story gets even better. Jesus was born into the family of Mary and Joseph: however, the stunning announcement of the angels reveals that the infant Savior is a gift of God and is given “To You.”

“To You.” These two little words are the true miracle of Christmas! God loves you so much that He sent His Son to you. You have a personal Savior. He is yours and you are His. He is with you right now. He has promised that He will never leave you.

2020 has been a rough year for many. I hope 2021 is better for us all. But, whatever comes your way in the new year, Always Remember you have been given a special gift. He was made by God and announced by Angels, but, He was given, “To You.” He knows you. He loves you. You are never alone.

Merry Christmas!
Skip Hedgpeth, Chaplain

Under “normal” circumstances, the holiday season can be stressful. When you add grief to the holidays, it can definitely feel like an overwhelming time of year.

If you are grieving a loved one during this season, there may be ways you can try to lighten the normal stressors of the season. If you usually mail 50 Christmas cards, skip the cards, or send some to a select few. If decorating every room of your house is something you normally do, maybe this year put a wreath on the front door and decorate a simple tree. If you usually spend a lot of time shopping for gifts, maybe gift cards or even a thoughtful note will suffice this year. Hopefully you have people in your life who will understand that you may need to do things a little differently this year.

Finding ways to honor your loved one can bring some peace to the holiday season. For example, you might find a way to incorporate your loved one in your holiday decorating. Maybe you can find an ornament that reminds you of them. Did your beloved sister enjoy raising chickens? What about adding a chicken ornament to your tree and it might make you think of your sister each time you walk past. If your dad loved to play golf, maybe you could add a golf ornament to your tree this year in memory of something he loved to do. Lighting a candle in memory of your loved one or playing their favorite game together as a family are also ways to find some joy when you are grieving. Sometimes looking at pictures of past holidays spent with them can be comforting.

 

Please remember that Home Hospice also offers monthly drop-in groups and individual grief counseling sessions. Individual sessions are offered virtually and in-person. It does not matter how long ago your loved one died or if your loved one was cared for by Home Hospice – we offer grief support to everyone in our communities.