Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve has arrived and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I love this time of year because not only do we take time to spend with family, but most of all to remember and meditate on the truth of the gospel: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" John 1:14. What a magnificent and beautiful picture of Christmas that Jesus took on flesh and dwelt among us so that we could see the glory of the Father and receive grace and truth! There is no greater reason to celebrate Christmas than Jesus leaving the glory of heaven to live with us and in 33 short years, to die for his people - amazing love!

Our family has the privilege of staying at home this Christmas. We are going to Josh's parents this evening, but they live just across town. My parents are coming here for Christmas day and we are so glad! Since Thomas is a little older now we don't want to travel and we want to begin to make special traditions for our family. We are having Santa as part of our Christmas, and I know many Christians don't, but we both "believed" in Santa as children and enjoyed the experience. However, the emphasis is not on Santa, but on Jesus. Tomorrow morning when Thomas wakes up, we are going to read the Christmas story as a family before we ever open presents. As Thomas gets older, we plan to do the Advent calendar and to place the emphasis on giving to others. Josh and I believe in supporting the Lottie Moon Christmas offering sacrificially and we want to teach our children to give as well.

Something Josh said in a sermon a couple of weeks has resonated with me this year, "Don't have a Charles Dickens Christmas, but have a Christ-centered Christmas." While family, food, and gifts are a wonderful part of Christmas they are not the main thing and my prayer for our family is for our Christmas to focus on our God who came to dwell among sinful people.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!