It’s Christmas Day around 3 pm and as the father of 2 youngish girls, I need a nap. Lisha told them they couldn’t come get us up until 8. I told her she’s smoking crack if she thinks they can stay in bed that long. At 6 I woke up to giggling downstairs and woke up to it a few more times. To their credit it wasn’t until 7:55 that I heard squeaking stairs, the result of excited tip toeing. Apologies to my beautiful wife and I suppose I can call off the drug intervention😊.
It’s been a fun day that really started yesterday. The girls and I went out and shot baskets. We were going to play “HORSE” but instead played “SANTA”. Then we had a Christmas miracle, the sun peeked out. It was such a shocking phenomenon that Lisha and I jumped on our bikes and went for a short ride. It was our first one in a few weeks and was therapeutic.
That evening we went to our favorite church service of the year, our candlelight service. Lisha’s brother and sister joined us and it was truly a special time. If you get a chance to check it out on our Facebook page (Peninsula Bible Fellowship) there is a live recording. The music was simple and beautiful. There is a rendition of The First Noel that is moving. It’s a favorite of mine because Alisha’s middle name is Noel, which I think it a really cool name.
It’s hard to hold back the tears when candles are lifted high while the strains of Silent Night are sung as one voice. It has never been as meaningful to me as it is now.
I love this time of year. In keeping with the rest of our family traditions we watched “Elf” after the service. The kids got to open their one Christmas Eve present (the same as us when we were little kids), NEW PAJAMAS! I love it.
There is so much to say about this day, this moment, yet words escape me. I suppose at its simplest, I find myself refusing a handshake these days and going straight for the hug, nearly always. I have yet to get the sense that it wasn’t welcome. The words “I love you” come pretty easily, even with people I only sorta know. And you know what, I feel like I hear others saying it more often. Spreading love and encouragement is like spreading a virus I think. We should all be so infected.
On Sunday I got a text message from a friend in New York who has been fighting a difficult battle and had been in the hospital for a couple of weeks. He desperately wanted to be home for Christmas and this had been a daily prayer of mine. The text on Sunday simply said “finally out! Christmas prayers answered.” I called him right away and we just rejoiced in the gift that he could be home with his wife and children. Rejoicing changes the condition of a heart. This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. I hope you find something that brings true rejoicing on this Christmas Day because it feels pretty darned good.
Hugs and I love you.