Merry Christmas!
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Good morning Reader! It's Christmas Eve morning. Oh Reader I love Christmas! I love everything about Christmas. I love the way the lights shimmer on the tinsel of the tree. I love making ornaments with my daughter. I love those little Christmas-shaped dog treats for Belle (to be clear, I love giving them to the dog - I've never eaten one). I love the music and lyrics of Christmas. I love the gifting. I love the family Christmas pajamas (we went with Snoopy). I love all the Who's down in Whoville. I love the sacred something about candlelit, a capella worship to the tune of Silent Night. I love asking Little Lady to help me wrap gifts. I love the change in Little Lady's countenance when I ask her to wrap a gift she really wants; the disappointment when I tell her we'll have to wait until we open gifts to find out who it's for; the amazing Grinch-change as she gets excited about giving this thing she really wants to someone she loves; and the surprise - and delight - when she opens the gift she forgot she wrapped (for herself, unbeknownst to her)! But more than all of this, I love remembering and celebrating the Savior coming to us to in the most unlikely way: As a helpless infant. Tiny. Frail. Vulnerable. Dependent. The Son of God, upon whom our very existence depends, entrusted us with His care. We couldn't do it. That's the donkey-wallop of the whole thing. The very ones He entrusted with His care - failed. Not only failed. We spat on Him, tore out His beard, nailed Him to a criminal's cross to die, and divided His garments - what a lousy inheritance! It's nice - easy, even - to think of Jesus in the idyllic Christmas nativity scene. It's less nice to remember that the babe in the manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes is the Messiah who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. But this is the true hope and joy of Christmas Reader. Jesus didn't become a baby so we would forever worship an infant king. He became a baby so He could conquer sin and death for you and me. He came to be with us so that we could be with Him. This Christmas, as you do all the beautiful Christmas things with your loved ones, remember Jesus. Remember that the infant is the Savior. Remember that Easter is coming - that death and resurrection are as true as His birth. Blessings to you and yours, Sarah As a post-script, I couldn't decide on one song to share, so for Christmas, I'm sharing two. :) Give them a listen and enjoy! |