As I sit here writing, the house is unusually quiet. Not our normal Christmas Eve hustle and bustle. We have COVID-19 to thank for that gift. And this is Christmas 2021. My husband and I are isolated from one another and everyone else we love. He is sick and that's protocol. The last thing we wanna do is get anyone else sick. So, here we sit. Separated.
Not exactly the holiday scene dreams are made of. Yet, there is a beauty to the stillness of this Christmas Eve unlike any other I have ever experienced before. Like the stillness after a fresh fallen snow. Or the quiet of 3am. Peace-filled. It is quite extraordinary. Unfamiliar. Yet, altogether beautiful.
Because in this stillness, it dawns on me. I am spending this Christmas with the Christmas giver Himself and He only. And that I know is a gift. A gift I plan to treasure, not begrudge of Him. I choose to make the most of every minute of it.
Don't get me wrong. If I had it my way, family tradition would be happening as we speak. I would be delighting in our home brimming with excited littles and our precious children. We would be celebrating together. We would be sharing our hearts, our love, our gifts, our home, our blessings.
Not to mention the joy I would witness tomorrow morning when the littles open all of their much awaited and anticipated gifts from Santa. Their wide eyed wonder is something I will never tire of. Nor will I tire of being with my children who have fully grown into the most beautiful women. Of course, I am missing all of them like crazy.
But, that isn't how God orchestrated our Christmas 2021 and "His ways are higher than our ways" we are told in Isaiah. So I find myself surrendered to what is and not what isn't. And in my surrender, is this strange sense of joy and peace. Strange when considering the circumstances, yet, not so strange when considering who I am spending the holiday with. The Christ child himself. My heart is full. I am not nor will I ever be truly alone.
So, I sit here marveling in awe of this babe born in a manger. The supreme gift of all gifts. For you and for me. This gift of the Christ child whose eventual death and resurrection bore the gift of eternity for all who believe. And I believe.
Timelessness. Eternity. Life forevermore. Freedom from sin. Hope for the future. The gifts are endless. They go on and on and on.
And I have to tell you. This isolated Christmas has caused me some unexpected wonder. I have had more time to pray, to sit still before God, and enjoy the quiet reassurance of His presence, His love, His grace, HIs mercy. All the while, He's reminding me how all of our holiday plans, they will happen, just not today or tomorrow.
For today and tomorrow will be just He and I . The meaning of Christmas and myself, the miracle babe in a manger and I, alone together on Christmas, of all days. An intimacy I could never have anticipated, have not ever experienced before and may never experience again. My only companion is Jesus and Jesus is enough.
That's the message for me this Christmas. Jesus gently whispering, I am enough. I am enough. Oh, yes you are Jesus. You are more than enough. If all we ever had was you, we would already have everything and more.
I fully intend to enjoy the gift of this very abnormal Christmas with an open mind and a grateful heart. Because that is His will for me this Christmas and His will is what I want.
Oh, and we will be doing a virtual Christmas morning and our belated Christmas next week. So, at the end of the day, it's like a Christmas marathon. First, me and the babe in the manger, then a virtual Christmas with the kids and grands, then me and hubby post quarantine, then me and the extended family in person.
It ends up being the Christmas that keeps on giving. Just like Jesus. Which is exactly what His birth did. Gave and gave and gave and it will give forevermore.
Happy birthday Christ child, giver of all good gifts, especially the exceptional one of your very own life in exchange for ours. Today and everyday, we celebrate you.