Wrote this a few days back…haha
Its November 21 and I am listening to Christmas music already. Not gonna lie. I don’t care what anyone says. I like Christmas music and have several songs in my rotation at all times. Christmas- the celebration of my savior shouldn’t be contained into however many days there may be between Thanksgiving day and Christmas day. If Jesus is the reason then I am gonna celebrate a lot longer season.
I mean, songs that include words like- “Rejoice Rejoice Emmanuel, He has come. Oh come and ransom captive Israel… Come let us adore Him.” He has come. He is victorious so I am going to celebrate. I think I have mentioned before that I have a special delight at Christmas with the Christmas lights (my favorite) and the singing and the calmness of it. And this was before I moved to a country where the celebration is typically not as commercial as America (understatement).
It will be my last celebration in the states for the foreseeable future and my feelings are mixed. I missed Christmas once when I was in China and although I was BLESSED to share time with a beautiful house church earlier that week it just wasn’t the same come Christmas day in a hotel surrounded by the commercial only Christmas. It was just another day as a tourist. Because I love my friends. The time I spend with them. With my family I don’t see near enough. The Christmas Candy making I love…tradition carried from my mom. The fun of the kids on Christmas. The new tradition of serving before opening gifts Christmas morning. It’s strange to think that won’t be next year like it has in the past. But new traditions for me to begin. With my Bigs and all my Emmanuel people.
And can I please mention that God in all His wisdom placed me at a place called EMMANUEL?! My favorite name at Christmas. My favorite songs center around this name. I have no fewer than 12 songs with Emmanuel in the title. “God with Us” speaks to my heart more than any other Christmas-ey song does.
We have twinkly lights hanging outside our dining room. A five foot nothing tree that’s just like the little one I had in my cabin inside our dining room. Some red lights outside this house. A few here or there. The volunteer house decorations are coming out tomorrow. It’s simple and delightful. I’ve seen commercially done lights and it is great. But there is something about the quiet celebration that is had in places such as this. Quiet until all 550 kids pile into the church with all their sponsor gifts and the paper starts flying…can’t wait to see it next year.
For now I work to get all things ready for my teams and volunteers arriving while I am in the states December 12- January 9. And already try to deep breathe over what my schedule is looking like while I am home between trips and appointments for teeth, hair, medical stuff, my failing old lady eyeballs and the such. Add in the delight to be with my #Village and church body in Auburn I cannot wait. But I already feel what my heart says about being way from my Bigs. I’m gonna miss em.
Good thing no matter where I go or what I do…God is With Us. So I’m camping on that simple and delightful fact.
I'd post some pics but the internet is a tortuga. So I promise to post more later…maybe from the US. Sorry!
Love ya'll
Be His.
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