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Meet the Staff and BoardStand in the Gap

Our COVID Christmas Plans

By December 18, 2020June 24th, 2022No Comments

COVID Can’t Take

Christmas!

At the end of one weird year, our Stand in the Gap team is preparing to celebrate the best part of our lives; the coming of Christ. But (like everything else this year) Christmas will look a little different for many of us. Scroll to see what we are doing, who we will celebrate with, and what we’re looking forward to!

We are truly grateful for those of you on this Stand in the Gap mission with us and wish you a very happy and healthy Christmas celebration.

Kathy Melissa Rhonda
Cardinal Christmas

Francois and Laura Cardinal

What are your plans for this Christmas?

The Cardinal’s will celebrate Christmas and the birth of our savior with our family here in Tulsa.  We will then travel to Waco, TX and then San Antonio as #2 son Connor graduated from Baylor University in December (Sic Em Bears), and we will help him move to San Antonio and get settled in for his new job with Valero Energy Corporation starting in early January.

We celebrate Connor and these achievements and the blessing of our family having the privilege of being together and sharing in this milestone for Connor and our family and doing it together with his brother and sister 🙏

Julie Rains

What are your plans for this Christmas?

We will stay in town and celebrate small with our immediate families who are already part of our COVID bubble. We mostly plan on eating and doing Christmas light tours with our 3-year-old son who loves all things Christmas.

What are you most looking forward to about Christmas this year?

The simplicity of time at home with our family of three before baby number two arrives in a few weeks! (And the food.)

Rains Christmas
Bear Christmas

Rhonda Bear

What are your plans for this Christmas?

It’s probably my age but I have been searching for meaning this year. My heart has come to the conclusion everyday can be as Christmas. My gift to my family is time & making memories.
Christmas is not found in the tree, or the crazy shopping sprees, the decorations, or the menu. Christmas is found in you & me, it’s in our hearts. It’s how we love and look on others with compassion and care.
It’s giving to the Salvation Army and those who are in need. It’s making a child, an elderly person, a sick person, an alone person, a single parent, a person who has lost their job, or one who doesn’t get a Christmas bonus and lives off minimum wage smile when they are not forgotten. It’s remembering to love because we are loved. It’s forgetting the hurt because we too have hurt someone and desire to be forgiven.
I have been searching for the meaning of Christmas this year – no tree, still debating lights because of the light that shines in darkness & within, but I want more.
This is what Christmas is to me. It’s love and I can train my heart and mind to celebrate Christmas every day. To be intentional every day to be a blessing to someone somewhere even when it’s not comfortable.

TJ Warren

What are your plans for this Christmas?

The Warrens are going to stay home for Christmas this year due to COVID, and the needs of our new baby girl.

What are you most looking forward to about Christmas this year?

However, we are planning to make the best of it by having our first little family Christmas, just with us three! We hope to establish fun new family traditions that may last for a life time! This is what we are most looking forward to!

Warren Christmas
Keathley Christmas

Alicia Keathley

What are your plans for this Christmas?

I have no plans for Christmas except staying at home with my kiddos and celebrating the day with them. But I am definitely looking forward to them opening their presents. This year I did a guessing game for Christmas. All their presents are clues to an ultimate present they get together. So their gifts are numbered and they have to put them together and guess what the ultimate gift is. (I can’t tell you yet haha) but the kids are doing to freak out. COVID sucks so I made sure they won’t forget this Christmas. Lots of memories will be made that is for sure!!!

This will be the most exciting Christmas we’ve ever had. We won’t get to see family but I can’t wait to give them this gift.

Hayden Coffee

What are you most looking forward to about Christmas this year?

I am spending time with family back in my hometown, and I am looking forward to getting down time with everyone, as well as a sibling ski trip that is just around the corner!

Coffee Christmas
Phenicie Christmas

Melissa Phenicie

What are your plans for this Christmas?

We are having a COVID Christmas this year.  Just our immediate family (pictured) and William’s girlfriend.  Miss celebrating holidays with the extended family but we all are doing our part.  We will continue our fun holiday traditions like decorating gingerbread houses, attending Christmas Eve Service (virtually), and enjoying a nice meal as a family.

Karen Milstead

What are your plans for this Christmas?

Our plans for Christmas this year are to stay home with our Oklahoma family. We get together with family and friends, making memories and remembering the whole reason for Christmas – JESUS. He came, not only to forgive us from our sins, but to show us who we are and how to live and for that we are thankful!

Milstead Christmas
Nash Christmas

JoLeta Nash

What are your plans for this Christmas?

This Christmas, I will spend time with my 2 kids and their spouses, along with my daughter-in-law’s parents and brother – 8 people at my house for Christmas!

What are you most looking forward to about Christmas this year?

This Christmas season I have focused on loving Christmas again and remembering the true reason for the season – Jesus!! He is the best gift ever!! I am most looking forward to being surrounded by those closest to me, playing games, watching Christmas movies, and of course eating. 😊

Crystal Pirkle

What are your plans for this Christmas?

The Pirkle’s are celebrating Christmas surrounded by our children at home. We hope watching classic Christmas movies and playing family games will remind us of simpler times and that Christmas is truly about the greatest gift of all, that God blessed the world with his one and only Son to save us all.
Pirkle Christmas
Peacock Christmas

Kathy Peacock

What are your plans for this Christmas?

I plan on spending Christmas with my kids and my grandkids. I love to be with my precious family!