The Light
Merry Christmas Eve!!! It’s well over 90 degrees in our house and there’s not a cloud on the horizon to provide relief. A stomach bug is slowly working its way through our family and we’re just generally a bit disheartened. We’ll officially celebrate Christmas next week when we’re (hopefully) all well again, but though the morning started with tears, it’s ending with deep contentment. This side of eternity is broken. Broken with separation, sickness, death, sorrow, loss, frustration… so much. But the light of Christmas and the fourth Advent candle remind us we are waiting for the coming of Christ, not a babe anymore, to bring forth healing. It feels rather appropriate that we’re extremely uncomfortable and sad at this traditionally warm and festive time. When we’re warm and festive and have every feel-good we could possibly want, it’s hard to truly long for the fulfillment of that first Christmas. But a Christmas celebration stained with the broken world draws us ever to His Light. We pray as all of you also face strange and perhaps sorrow-filled Christmases, you, too, would be drawn into a holy expectation.
Ruth
Beautifully written. Prayers for everyone there to feel better soon. It is cold, wet, and a bit miserable here. However, we have the nativity set lit (no tree) and candles lit in the windows to cheer up the inside of the house. We will celebrate by ourselves because of the virus, but know the Lord is with us. In fact not having travel of a lot ole tf the regular Christmas rush, we will enjoy a quiet time with the Lord. Christmas Eve service will be on-line and then Christmas day we will be able to center on the meaning of Christmas. Our family decided to not exchange gifts and give to those who need it in our community. The rescue mission here had a fire and are trying to continue to minister to the homeless by using our church’s kitchen and another community building for shelter so we have sent a gift to them. Isn’t it something that it takes a pandemic to bring us closer to the real meaning of Christmas. Love to you and know we continue to pray God’s blessings and wisdom on all of you there.
Marsha Wolfe
Isn’t it amazing how, when everything else is stripped away, what remains is brilliant, sharing the stage with nothing else….is the Christ Child, the Savior, the Redeemer
Blessed Christmas from our home to yours.