Christmas

The forecast was for a blizzard; in fact, newscasters were calling it the biggest storm since the Halloween Blizzard of 1991 days before it was predicted to hit. Christmas was only a few days away and a Christmas blizzard was on its way!

The stage was being set… John and Liz were already here from CA, and Mike was due in the same time the blizzard was supposed to start.

Thank God for the blizzard warnings! Because of them, Bill, Chris, and I packed our bags, and headed to Woodbury with the intention of staying two nights – the plan materialized only because of the snow warnings issued. We didn’t want to travel home after our Christmas Eve celebration only to risk being able to make it back again for our Christmas Day celebration.

God created a Christmas cocoon for us. It was wonderful. We didn’t know it at the time, but the stage was being set for an amazing Christmas.

This was the first Christmas Mom and Dad had all four children home in a very long time (Mike thought it was at least twenty years). We were excited!

We were tucked away, safe and warm, as the snow swirled and piled up around us. We were almost oblivious to the outside world. It was priceless.

It seems as though everyone had a really special gift for each other. Chris was thrilled Grandma loved her neck pillow and Susan Boyle CD. I was equally as excited how much she loved the book of her quilt pictures Bill and I made her and the Joyce Meyer DVD set!

Mom may not have been able to go out shopping on her own this year, but she made sure everyone had something really special and thoughtful. Dad was put to the challenge to make sure her wishes were carried out, and dad met the challenge. I think mom’s favorite gift given were the three sets of suspenders they gave to Don. He loved them too. Mom’s eyes sparkled and danced when she saw how much he liked them. She laughed with joy.

However, the special Christmas did not revolve around material gifts, the mega gift opening frenzy only contributed to celebration and the greatest gifts of all – of our family spending special time together.

I think of the time after the gift opening when Chris, Ashley, Matthew, and Samantha were in one circle on the living floor playing Matt’s new game; Mike, Sandy, John, and I were gathered around Mom visiting on the other side of the room; while a third group gathered around the appetizers on the bar; and thinking this is Christmas and what Christmas is all about – family and being together with our loved ones.

It was an amazing Christmas. We did not get our Christmas blizzard. In fact, the snow turned to rain and petered out. We didn’t care what was or wasn’t going on in the outside would. We were happy to be together.

I thank God for the special Christmas and the special time together – for wrapping us up in His cocoon for a couple or remarkable days. I thank God for my family.

God of Hope

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

“And in despair…” It’s easy to lose hope when in despair. Longfellow penned these words during the Civil War; he had just received news of his son being injured in battle. Longfellow was no stranger to despair having lost his wife just two years prior.

God is the God of hope.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)

God is the God of hope yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God is the God of hope in all situations.

Longfellow goes on to say, “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: God is not dead, nor doth he sleep…”

God is not dead today either, nor is he sleeping. Sometimes we have to adjust the tilt of our head to more clearly hear the bells. They are still extolling peace on earth and God’s goodness.

God is God in all situations – even ALS. He’s closer than ever. The light in my mom’s eyes that I so often write about? God. His love. He holds us close.

May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace this Christmas season as you trust in Him. May the God of hope shine his face on you and yours and reveal Himself to you as the God of hope. May we all hear the bells on Christmas Day.