the beginning

holidays are always an interesting time
and they seem to intensify so many things...
anxiety, emotion, tension,
thankfulness, humbleness, love and forgiveness...

as mentioned previously, it's been a tough year.
unexpected things happening several times over.
things turning out differently than planned.
new directions and blessings that come with it all.

had a reminder today to really remember
what Christmas is all about.

it's not about gifts and busy activities
or even about doing things for others.
God meant it for one thing--
we are to remember His love and His grace.

we are to remember and reflect on the fact
that God gifted us with His most precious--
His only Son, a perfect gift in every sense of the word.

we could leave it at that, remembering that
God gifted each one in this world
with His perfect Son.
but that would be missing the point too.

God gave His Son,
knowing that He would die
a most gruesome, lonely death.
God gave His Son
knowing that He would die
for each one of us--
a terrible, heavy price to pay.

Christmas is the beginning--
God coming into this world
in an unexpected way.
Easter is the goal--
Jesus paying the ultimate price
for each one of our sins
by dying on cross,
a price He didn't have to pay.
And a future day will be the culmination--
when He comes again
and all will be made whole and complete.

Christmas is just the beginning
of something far grander.