Christmas

Christmas:

It is a time to remember and celebrate the gift of life that we have been given through the birth of our Savior.  Christmas is one of my favorite times of year but it is also a bittersweet time for me. I love the lights and how they remind me that the light of the world came down into this dark world and how we must shine that light of hope to others. 

The lights also remind my of the Christians in prison camps in China making those lights and of so many who are suffering around the world.

It can be a time of joy and hope but also full of past memories of loved ones that are no longer with us. A time to savor the precious new memories of new lives that are here this year discovering the amazing gift God sent out of love. Yet there are still memories of those precious little lives still waiting to discover Christmas.

This year as we prepare for Christmas we can see how God has been changing our hearts and lives over the past year. Last year we were praying and waiting for our gift to come home and this year we get to watch our gift discover the greatest gift.

We love decorating the Christmas tree with special memories. This year we had 3 little trees, one for each child to decorate anyway they liked.

Cargan was so excited to buy lights for his tree. He wasn't sure what all would happen but as decorating began he realized the others had ornaments for their tree. He was concerned what he would do. We assured him that we had special ornaments for him. His face lit up as he saw the Chinese ornaments and also his special dolphin.

 The most precious part of it all was what he wanted to put on top of his tree. He went off to make “Jesus” to put on top of his tree, not baby Jesus but “big Jesus because it is His party”.

Pierson was such a sweet big brother; he graciously shared ornaments with Cargan so he would have plenty on his tree.

Pierson was excited that he had his own tree this year and was determined to do it all by himself. He is the big brother now.

  

Sarah my creative one loves children and loves China and her tree spoke volumes to who she is. She decided she would make a prayer tree. 

She found pictures of children who still need families and made prayer cards and decorated her tree with people to pray for. She also made sure Cargan had all he needed for his tree.

As Christmas is quickly coming we keep looking for ways to point us to the meaning of Christmas. I just saw a great idea in a magazine to make a paper chain and put someone to pray for on each loop. I loved the idea but was having trouble deciding who to put on. There are so many we could be praying for but the Lord put on my heart all the families going to pick up their precious children this month. What an amazing Christmas gift to finally hold that child they have loved so long from afar. As you hold each of your children this Christmas remember how much God loved us and sent his greatest gift of love from afar so what we could know his abounding love so deeply now. May this Christmas find you celebrating and sharing God’s gift of love- Jesus.