Christmas time is upon us again, and this year brings new emotion for me. I have always loved Christmas time. Magic is truly in the air. This year I look at the magic that lives in my son and I wonder at the goodness and glory of God, without whom I would have nothing of true meaning. Presents are commonly the foremost thought on all people’s minds this time of year; what to give and what to get. Never before have I felt so heavy with a tangled mess of joy and sadness. I look at the world we live in and I see the suffering of so many. There are babies who are hungry and cold. There are men and women who have lost what little they have and they are alone. There are children who don’t get to experience a tree full of presents with their names on them. There are people worlds away fighting for what they believe in, whatever that may be. There are souls battling addictions, and sinful behaviors, screams in the night of secrets they hope no one will find out about them. I get so caught up in what to buy for my son and my husband, I feel bad that this year has been less than great for us and that I can’t give to everyone I know something wonderful to make them smile. But then the greatest guilt comes when I realize that these are not the things I should be pondering this time of year. Ages ago a perfect present was given to all those who would accept it. The gift of a clean, stainless life. The gift of life never-ending. The gift of the most perfect love. I hope beyond hope that this Christmas everyone I know will experience even one moment of peace and love. A baby was born to save us all. A child went forward without fear to teach to those who didn’t believe. A man suffered through a life of persecution and pain, only for me, but also for you and for everyone human to ever breathe life. Please take time with me this year to think of that night in a cold manger where the light of the world lay peacefully sleeping; a night where a star shone brightly to show the way; a night where there must have been a presence of peace throughout the whole world. I imagine that at the moment of His birth the world changed. Hope, life, and true love was born with Him. The perfect gift, the gift from God that was himself; and it was for us. I hope that I have been able to show anyone who reads this a little bit of love. And my New Year’s resolution will be that I should not lose this passion to share the gift. I hope that my love for you reaches you as you read this, but mostly that His perfect love would touch your heart. Please know that he was born for you, let him love you and save you. Even if sometimes we all feel like the most we have to be thankful for is that our car is still running, or we paid the heating bill, or there was food on the table, we have SO much more to be thankful for. Let it touch your heart and lighten your load. There is more to this life than what we could ever touch or see or even imagine. God is so good.

Away in a manger,
no crib for His bed,
The little Lord Jesus
lay down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky
looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus,
asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing,
the poor Baby wakes,
But little Lord Jesus,
no crying He makes;
I love Thee, Lord Jesus,
look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever,
and love me, I pray!
Bless all the dear children
in Thy tender care
And take us to heaven,
to Live with Thee there.