It’s okay if your Christmas is not what you expected it to be. 

It’s okay if your Christmas is not what you wanted it to be. 

Parents fight. Families fight. You want so many good things for those that you love, but you realize you’re all too dysfunctional. You muster up enough hope to think that maybe this Christmas, things will be different. Home may remind you of the hardships of church, money, lack of prayer, loneliness, the chains of our past,  etc. You realize that the childhood magic of Christmas is gone once the realities of life settle in. 

But as childhood magic disappears, it’s time to find new magic. The magic that I find is the hope of Jesus Christ, which far outshines any other magic. It is deeper, it is faithful, it is eternal, it is joyous, it is real.

I will thank God that I got to share chocolate with my mom, go grocery shopping with my dad, talk about basketball with my brother. Thank you that we get to share a meal together on Christmas. Thank you that we are still in our home. Thank you that we are all together. Thank you for making me hungry for MORE OF YOU in our family. Thank you, God, for the the little ways that you show me that you ARE moving. I know there’s still a long, long ways to go in this hard process- but there IS hope in Christ Jesus and I WILL continue to have faith. 

But this post is not about me or my family or your family. 

‎”Christmas - not just the single day but the festival of twelve days-offers us anew this gift and draws us again into this mystery: Word-become-flesh, Creator-turned-creature, immensity-contained, fullness-poured-out, power-made-vulnerable, eternity-subject-to-time. All this self-giving by God for our sakes- a gift immeasurable a love incomprehensible.”  - Bobby Gross

This post is about remembering that today is about the birth of Christ. Mainly about Christ, and even being able to see things like our families in the light of cross. I can choose to wallow in the realities and ugliness of life, humans, families, sin, etc. But today, I choose instead to celebrate. I choose to find joy that many years ago, the Word became flesh, “Creator-turned-creature, immensity-contained, fullness-poured-out, power-made-vulnerable, eternity-subject-to-time.” Christmas is not about me and my life. I want to celebrate this amazing act of love- that God sent His one and only beloved Son onto this earth and so Jesus was born today! YO THIS IS WORTH CELEBRATING WITH EVERYTHING WE GOT! The joy that you find in the story of the cross, in the midst of everything, is deeper and fuller. This deep joy comes in knowing that the story of the cross is greater than any other story. 

A refuge for the poor               
A shelter from the storm
This is our God
  
He will wipe away your tears
Return your wasted years
This is our God

A father to the orphan
A healer to the broken
This is our God

He brings peace to our madness
And comfort in our sadness
This is our God

This is the one we have waited for
This is our God

A fountain for the thirsty
A lover for the lonely
This is our God

He brings glory to the humble
And crowns to the faithful
This is our God
Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.
Jesus is born! He is alive! Hallelujah!