Bob Burtness

1968 was my very favorite Christmas. My parents had retired to the lake near Park Rapids. It was terribly cold that Christmas Eve Day. An unbelievable minus 30 degrees. My wife and I had promised my folks that we would visit them. So foolishly, our family of five started out for Park Rapids. We got as far as Becker when the car actually froze en route! Fortunately, we were able to coast to a filling station just before closing. The people there took pity on us, and not only fed us cheese sandwiches, but the mechanic thawed out the engine and we were soon back on the road.
 
At the cabin, the setting surrounding Big Sand Lake was absolutely breathtaking in its winter beauty. The snow on the fir trees glistened silver and the snow crackled with every step. The smell of burning birchwood from my folks' fireplace permeated though the forest. That night dad decided that it was too cold to go to the community church so we sat around the fireplace and listened on the radio to the crew of Apollo 8 reading from Genesis as they circled the moon. It was truly a night to remember and I believe we all felt very close to God that Christmas Eve.
 
God of traveling mercies, be with us as we gather with loved ones this holiday season. Amen.
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