Day 16: The One Gift

It is the best of times~

the CHRISTMAS season,

yet at the same time it can be the worst of times.

This time of year

when our minds go back to past

CHRISTMASES

celebrated with family & friends

&

when Santa brought gifts.

As we look back we see laughter & good times,

but are also reminded of

how things have changed.

And

today we also experience

the best of times

&

the worst of times,

as suffering and loss have no bearings on what time of year~

as it happens every day of every year

because life still goes on~

even through the

CHRISTMAS season.

The pressure to "feel"

CHRISTMAS.

The pressure

to

falalalala when you don't feel like falalalaing.

But isn't that what

CHRISTMAS is all about~

HOPE in the midst of hopelessness

PEACE in the midst of anxiety

JOY in the midst of sorry

LOVE in the midst of rejection.

CHRISTMAS is the great reminder

of a

GREAT GOD

who sent

HIS GREAT SON

to bring

HOPE

PEACE

JOY

&

LOVE

into

a

hopeless

anxiety ridden

sorrowful

hearts~

because

CHRISTMAS

is

the birth of

HOPE

PEACE

JOY

&

LOVE

outside of what we feel and what we see.

HOPE

PEACE

JOY

&

LOVE

experienced in the midst of sorrow, suffering and loss of what was.

CHRISTMAS~

the celebration of the birth of

THE BABY

who grew up to become a man who would

die only to rise

for all of us

so that one day

HE will wipe every tear

from our faces and our hearts.

JESUS IS CHRISTMAS~

not the packages under our trees,

but the gift in our heart.

May you meet

THE BABY

as your

SAVIOR

as your

COMFORTER

as your

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

as your

PRINCE OF PEACE~

no matter what you may be going through,

no matter what memories pop up in your mind &your heart

that may bring tears, laughter or joy.

As now is the time to take a moment & close your eyes

to think about

LITTLE BABY

in the manger

Who came down from heaven

because of all of our loss and sorrow

just to make all things new.

It is when I get my eyes off of

what was and what is

and onto

"The One who is, who always was, and who is still to come~the Almighty One" (Revelation 1:8)

then

CHRISTMAS

becomes about celebrating

the birth of the One

Who was

Who is

and

Who will be.

May you experience

a CHRISTMAS in your heart

in the midst of whatever you or a loved one is experiencing

this very moment.

So

Thank you

GOD

for

THE BABY~

The Gift of CHRISTMAS

Who is

HOPE

PEACE

JOY

&

LOVE

of

Every season

of

Every day

of

Every minute

of

Every year

when we

"Hear THE CALL OF CHRISTMAS*

All you lost and left behind The lowly and those longing With an emptiness inside The forgotten and forsaken I bring you good news Hear THE CALL OF CHRISTMAS The SAVIOR waits for you" (Zach Williams, The Call of Christmas,)

*THE CALL CHRISTMAS (LISTEN BELOW)