"Christmas Thoughts 2010"

(Not our tree, but too beautiful not to post)!

It is so hard to believe that we are yet again at the most wonderful time of the year - the birth of our Savior. I cannot say that it has been a restful month by any means, nor a month without some stress, but I can say that it has been truly meaningful. I always fear that in the midst of parties, activities, and music events, that I will get to the end and will have somehow missed Christ. But, He is always faithful in allowing me to see Him, and seems to always slow me down in my tracks in order to sit at His feet and rest in Him. He has used ALOT of sickness in my little family to slow us all down - and I do not think that it is at all coincidental. God is always purposeful in His plans. I confess I was not happy about stopping, nor having to miss most of the Christmas music this year, but I do not question His plans. As I sit here on the 26th, I reflect back on the month and see how our family very easily could have run ourselves into the ground with the amount of "stuff" we were doing - all good things - but time consuming and exhausting nonetheless. Because of sickness, EB, Jay, and myself were all able to get the rest that we needed, and didn't even know we needed. We had 12 Christmas parties on the calendar to attend for church and community groups, 4 major musical events, and who only knows how many cookie bakes and craft parties that EB was to attend. We made it to about 3/4ths of the events (which is still alot), but because of sickness we were able to stay home and rest. Jay and my grandfather drove down to the country a few weeks ago to chop firewood, so the evenings that we were unable to get out, Jay built a fire each night and we stayed home on the couch. Some of those evenings, we would pile in the car with EB already in his PJ's and drive around looking at the lights. We have had Christmas music playing throughout the house since December 1 and it has been so worshipful and uplifting and has helped point us to Christ. We have been talking to Elijah Brooks in great detail this year about the real meaning of Christmas and it has been a precious time for us as a family. He has been walking around every day singing, "Happy Birthday to JE-SUHS'!

I have been reflecting this season on some of the paradoxes of Christ's birth. God came to us so that we could come to Him. He was born during the nighttime to bring light to us. He was born
during the winter time - a time which usually signifies death and lifelessness - to bring life to us.
He did for me what I could never do for myself, all because He loves me. That is astounding. I was also struck at one point, while having so much sickness around me, that God traded the glories of Heaven to take on flesh..., "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" John 1:14. I was thinking about the brokenness of the human body and was once again moved in my spirit to think that God traded it all for this. He came to heal broken bodies, broken spirits, and a broken world.

I am thankful to have been slowed down this season. At the time I was quite sad, but God is purposeful in all that He does. This was his purpose for me this season. I am thankful to have come to the end of the season and not have missed Christ. He was faithful to have shown me Himself and faithful to have done for me what I never could have done for myself. He came to me and then pursued me to come to Him - not because of anything that I have done, but because He is who He says He is.

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross". Colossians 1:15-19

MERRY CHRISTMAS!