in all things love: Merry Christmas

This is my absolute favorite part of the year. I’m not sure if it’s the traditionalist in me (carols playing constantly, sugar cookies, and sparkly decorations, year after year), the religious nut in me (happy birthday, Jesus!—not afraid to say it), the family lover (whether we stay in or out it is BEYOND too much together time, and just how I like it), or the optimist in me (to quote Buddy the Elf, “Smiling’s My Favorite!”).

In spite of my love affair with the Christmas season, this is a time also filled with pain, nostalgia, and even suffering for many people. We mourned the loss of precious babies not many days before, there are still many struggling with the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and my own sweet great aunt Sally went home to be with God the day before Christmas Eve. I held all of these things in my heart on Christmas Eve, and the service was a little more somber for me than I remember it.

My minister is brilliant and that night he said something to the effect of, “In order for God to save the world, there has to be a world worth saving.” Christmas is a time for decking the halls, eating too much, and cheering when the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes (at least, that's how we do in first grade!). But it’s also a time to remember that God sent us His son to be in the world with us, to be next to us as we experience pain, and to give us hope for a future that’s beautiful.

So this Christmas was filled with memories, as well as joy. I celebrated that I have family and friends in my life who care about me, and who serve as examples of people who truly love life. I celebrated a God that loves us more than we can comprehend. And I made sure to drink in each moment, remembering that life is short, but still good.