As I am writing this blog, I am looking out from my office window onto Gordon Drive in Kelowna. The office is warm, but just 3 feet from where I am sitting, it’s freezing! It’s not only beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but it’s also feeling a lot like Christmas!
Just yesterday, I held out last Warriors chapel before the guys head out on their Christmas break. Between bites of pizza and sips of orange pop, I told of the Christmas story that is found in the New Testament of the Bible. I did that because many young people simply don’t know about the account; of Mary and Joseph, Angels, Wise Men, shepherds, a jealous King Herod, and of course the baby, Christ the Lord. We also spoke of great Christmas traditions; of celebrations and parties, of the best of food and special times with family, of 
festive décor and delectable special desserts…. Lorraine and I embrace and enjoy all these wonderful things, and yet we have an over-arching umbrella for it all, which is our shared faith in Christ. For us, that is what makes Christmas, Christmas.
Of course between now and the boys Christmas break, we have a few important games to concentrate on as well as our 6th annual Warriors Christmas Hamper Night. I am very excited about our Hamper Drive this year, and hope to be able to deliver 60 Christmas Hampers to the Principal of George Pringle Elementary School, to be distributed among George Pringle and other schools, under the direction of the principals. I will need to raise over $2,000 at Friday’s Hamper Night home game in order to pay for food that we will be packing into hampers….. so please, I will need your help!
Finally, my Christmas wish today is that we all would know Peace on Earth in our hearts and homes, and like the Christmas carol ‘Joy to the World’, that every heart would prepare Him room and Heaven and Nature sing. I pray that you will be encouraged throughout this Season and that you will find yourself serving someone else in some way.
I am so very honoured to serve this West Kelowna Warriors family, not only at Christmas but all throughout the year. May the Lord bless you and keep you all during this wonderful season.
Have a Wonderful and Merry Christmas,
Chaplain Don and Lorraine Richmond
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