It's Christmas time!

Christmas! I can hardly believe it's upon us. I used to mark the entrance of the season by snowfall and a tree twinkling in the living room. But now that we live in South Carolina, snow is a bit hard to come by. However, we have been able to enter this wonderful season with anticipation of our King's birthday, the joy of being with family, the facination of the tree and lights, and the yummy smells of Christmas cookies and candy.

We started our season with the tree the day after Thanksgiving. It's BIG (close to 12 feet tall)! Matthew played lumberjack and hefted the thing into the house (with a little muscle from me). I didn't know that decorating the tree could be so.........invigorating! Between tossing lights to each other around the tree to Matthew hoisting himself partly over the ceiling beam to get the star on, we managed to get it ready for the girls to hang ornaments. Naturally, the lower half of the tree was laden with balls and snowmen, little dolly ornaments, and an assortment of other Christmas symbols when they were finished. It was all evened out later.
Then it was time to choose the special spot for the Christmas nail (a secret spot on the tree where only we know to look). As we each poked around the tree to find that spot for the nail, the girls regaled us with questions about the nail: "Do you think they really used a nail like THAT on Jesus?" "Do you think it hurt him?" "Was he scared to die for us?"
Now, some of you may be saying to yourself, "Good grief! You've taken the fun out of Christmas!" My answer to those thoughts is this: The whole purpose of Jesus being born was to show his love for us in dying. Without his birth, there would have been no perfect lamb to be sacrificed; no one to bear our sin and it's punishment; and no one to defeat death. Without Christ coming as a man, we would have no advocate before our Righteous God, and no hope of eternity with Him. Period.
There is joy in Christmas because of hope in heaven. There is peace in our hearts at Christmas because we who are redeemed in Christ have peace with the Father. There is grace in this season, because the Messiah came full of grace and mercy. There are gifts because we've been given the gift of salvation and eternal life. There is no fear of bad news, because it's already been dealt with and we are free to bask in the glory of the Son, the One and Only.
So as you munch that warm Christmas cookie, as you wrap that special gift, as you hug that special someone, as you gather as family and friends, as you wish those around you a Merry Christmas, remember that the joy you have is from our Saviour, "Who for the JOY set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame." (Hebrews 12:2)

Blessings to you all this Christmas!