Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve, the day before the second most celebrated holiday for Christians. The stockings are hung, the tree is strung with lights and decorated, there are presents wrapped under the tree, whispers and secret comings and goings, closed doors and smiles of anticipation all around. Katie and I are finally baking Christmas cookies - yes, its late, but its better than nothing. Josh will be heading to church early to practice one last time for tonight's Christmas worship service.

We all still seem to be searching for that elusive peace that Christmas time is supposed to bring. Instead we've found the busy-ness that so many of us discover during this season. We've been shopping and wrapping and cooking and driving and preparing and unpacking and settling in to our new home. We've been so busy that the day has sneaked up on us. I guess we weren't looking.

It makes me think about what's really important.

The day we celebrate Christ's birth on doesn't matter, but HOW we celebrate it does. It's not about the presents, or the cookies, or the lights. It's about realizing that God sent us His Son. He sent him to earth as the most helpless creature we humans can be. Its also the least intimidating form we can ever be. Who could ever reject a precious baby? And yet, that baby grew to be a man who died for us all and that's when He is rejected. How sad. So many celebrate Christmas and yet reject the One its about. It doesn't make sense to me. Its like celebrating someone's birthday whom dislike, or care nothing about. Who does that? All He asks of us is that we give Him our lives in return. We don't need to just believe in Him, but we need to live for Him. So simple, and yet so hard for so many.

I'm so grateful for my husband and my children, and my new son-in-law. What precious gifts they all are. Each one unique, each one loved. I'm even grateful for being busy. The inner peace is there, the outer peace will come in January.

May the joy of Christmas be with you all, and if you don't have peace yet, stop searching so hard - He's right there, just waiting for you to chose. God's grace (grace - a gift we don't deserve) is there for the taking. Once you take it, open it. And may Grace and Peace be with you.