Christmas Morning Reflections

I will admit up front that the idea I got late last night was out of regret. The past few weeks our advent celebrations have seemed slack at best. I started a few years ago the tradition of hiding the baby Jesus for the girls to find each morning and correlating the reading of advent scripture to go along with the advent celebration. I was disappointed with how I allowed my tired body to rule over getting up a little early each morning to make it happen. We did "do the baby Jesus" (as Ellie would say every morning), but just not as much as I would have liked.

Since our last day of school on Wednesday I have tried to redirect our busy hearts (and my tired body) towards what it is we are exactly celebrating. I was beginning to revive my advent spirit. Back to my idea.....

Last night as I was setting the table for Christmas breakfast I had the idea to place a figure from the nativity set on each of our place settings to spark some discussion of what that person was thinking on Christmas morning. Our discussion was great! Ellie had the baby Jesus. She commented that even though babies can't think that he was thinking..."I can't wait to be with God!" We discussed what Mary knew about Christ's ultimate destiny on the cross, the fear of the shepherds and how Joseph must have overcome some serious issues to trust God for his future and continue caring for and loving Mary.

On my plate sat one of the wisemen. My first thought was that they most likely were feeling awe and wonder at the sight of Jesus. But then I started to think about the fact that they didn't even see Jesus on Christmas morning, they were still searching, looking, hoping. As our discussion continued we realized that they maintained their hopefulness despite their continued search. We thought about the satisfaction they must have felt when they finally did find him. We know that they searched for such a long time and that they must have had such a confirmation in their spirit when they saw him. It is a great feeling to have affirmation of something you have studied, searched for, believed in and then finally get an answer to!

Oh to have the endurance of a wisemen each day. Often times I lose endurance waiting for the "Lord to be found" admist my circumstances and journey in life. He has proved himself to us over and over. I should never wane in my search for him in every circumstance of my life. Acknowledging this should be something that is always in my heart and never far from my lips. I have been learning to live in the hope of our Savior. In the hope of his sovereignty. In the hope of the grace and mercy that he pours over us daily.

Countless times this past year we have stopped and "found" the Lord in our journey. We have "found" him admist our stress and our times of relief. We have found him in times of trouble and in times of joy. We have sensed him in times of famine and in times of feast. We have been filled with such awe and wonder the very moment when we realize and know that He is there, He is in it, He is in control.

Christmas morning is almost a memory. I sit here watching the girls work on a puzzle with Christmas music playing in the background. Ellie already has on a new outfit and it presently singing Away in A Manger to herself as she sits and organizes her stocking goodies. I am thankful for the awe and wonder of the birth of our Savior, Jesus. I am praying for a year of learning to seek him each day like a wiseman....unrelenting, with great intentions, unwavering, and being ready with the gift of my heart in hand to offer to the Lord.

My regrets of slack advent celebrations have melted away. I am encouraged to know that seeking him is not just an advent thing anyway. It's a daily thing. It's a learning process. It's something I will never be done doing until the day when I can actually bow down before Him and honor him like the wisemen did.