the season

This Christmas has come rather quickly.  So much has been going on with Graham coming....many many friends....planning our trip out of town....it's easy to get caught up with all of the hustle and bustle and not really reflect.

And so I reflect now.

I love Christmas.  I love giving gifts to those that I love.  Not just the actual giving, but the build up....plotting what they might enjoy, searching high and low for it...then seeing their face when they open it.  It's so much fun that I start begging Matt if we can do our Christmas early around mid-December.  Yes, I'm a nerd.  

Anyway, there is so much more to this part of the year...like celebrating the birth of Jesus.  What an amazing event!  After just having a baby myself, I can now relate to Mary's position and the events of the night in a totally different way.  To think that little Graham entered this world just like our Savior is truly amazing.  I see how the feelings of Peace and Joy apply to this time of year more than ever.  Peace in this eternal gift.  And Joy in our Redeemer.  Because Jesus came, and lived the perfect life we could not....we will see Glory.  Joy can't even describe the emotion that evokes in me.  I fail everyday.  Not for any  minutes in the day do I deserve that Glory...but it's mine because of Him...and there is nothing I can do to lose it.  What peace.

But this year has been a little different.  I mean, it's always easy to get caught up in all of the gift giving, the Christmas cards, the family time...but this year has a slight shadow.  Jesus came, to save us, to redeem this fallen world...but that doesn't mean that there will not be pain or sadness.  And this year there is reason for sadness.  But I'm so glad that there is more than the gifts, the surprises, the family....because those things will fail.  Praise the Lord for the perfect gift of His Son.  May I be reminded of the eternal Peace and immeasurable Joy that is mine in Him!